I saw a lot of images on reddit and garmin forum where people were complaining about the glare on the sapphire screen. I’d like to know if the difference between sapphire/non sapphire is huge in term of readability. Did you find any cases in daily usage or during running/cycling were you couldn’t read anything at all (or hardly) ? Or was it solved every time by twisting your arm a little bit ? While the thin rim around the Fenix 6 wasn’t as obvious, the much wider rim on the Fenix 7 is clearly visible. Though, I guess I’ve just gotten so used to the look that it doesn’t bother me any. Here’s that identified:

Like all Garmin watches, the Fenix 7 syncs with the Garmin Connect app for iOS and Android. Connecting the watch is a breeze, and the watch syncs data automatically whenever you complete a workout, or open the app.Now, I’m going to add a few waypoints here. Waypoints in files of course aren’t new. They’ve been around for a decade or two. In this case, Garmin calls them Course Points, but it’s effectively the same. You can tap on your route and add these points from a list of about 50 different standardized icons. One exclusive feature you get on the 7X that you won’t find on the other new Fenix models is an LED flashlight. It can switch between red and white LED lights with the latter offered in a range of brightness settings. Here’s a chart (it shows this later in Garmin Connect, both mobile and desktop), showing this workout of 800’s and how it played out. In some cases, the interval wasn’t as impactful – such as those last two longer ones, largely because I was struggling to hold the same intensity levels (HR’s). On top of access to those satellites, Garmin is also introducing new multi frequency positioning, which uses multiple frequencies from available satellite systems to improve outdoor accuracy. It works well too. I used it against a Fenix 6 Pro and it’s actually surprising just how much more accurate it was pinpointing exact positioning in real-time and plotting routes on maps post-activity in the Garmin Connect app. Since we know that the sun can power a dead battery (if you leave it out long enough, it’s slow, but it gets there), I’d presume then that the solar charges the battery.

Another unique feature of the fēnix® 7X multisport watch is the built-in LED flashlight which helps you keep going after dark.First though, on the Fenix 7 and Epix series, Garmin has revamped the GPS selection process. There’s two places you can change satellite things: Notably absent though is there’s no wrist-based running power like COROS and Polar have. If you want running power, you’ll need some sort of external sensor – either from a 3rd party (Stryd), or paired with Garmin’s HRM-RUN, HRM-TRI, HRM-PRO, or RD-Pod units – for Garmin’s own running power data field. Nothing has changed there. It’s no spoiler to say it so early in this review but the Fenix 7 is the best sports wearable you can buy right now: it’s streets ahead of the competition. Before we move on to the test results, note that optical HR sensor accuracy is rather varied from individual to individual. Aspects such as skin color, hair density, and position can impact accuracy. Position and how the band is worn, are *the most important* pieces. A unit with an optical HR sensor should be snug. It doesn’t need to leave marks, but you shouldn’t be able to slide a finger under the band (at least during workouts). You can wear it a tiny bit looser the rest of the day.

So, here’s that data set, and at a high level, things look pretty similar. All Fenix 7/Epix/Vertix 2 units were set for multiband GPS, and the FR745 was set for GPS+GLONASS. All the units had no problems in the openness sections: Anyways, enough of that, let’s look at a long ride with extended very tall pine tree sections, plus some cliffs and such. This ride was 118KM long: As with its predecessor, the Fenix 7 is available in a mind-boggling array of different sizes, colourways and feature combinations, and a commensurately wide range of prices.

One of the most significant improvements is the addition of SatIQ. This system automatically scans for GPS signals and changes the GPS settings in real-time to conserve battery life without compromising GPS accuracy. Considering how good the battery life on the Fenix 7 is, the addition of SatIQ turns the watch into an absolute battery powerhouse, only overshadowed by the Garmin Enduro 2, a watch that has a battery life that shouldn't be possible on a wrist wearable. The fēnix® 7X watch features Garmin’s unique, scratch-resistant Power Sapphire™ lens which uses the sun’s energy to extend battery life. The watch has an extensive battery life with 28 days of battery indoors, when in smartwatch mode, and up to 37 days of battery life when solar charging in smartwatch mode (solar charging, assuming all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions). The Fenix 7 isn’t just a runner’s watch, though – it also has an impressive set of tools for cyclists and can be connected to the company’s line of bike computers and lights. Garmin has recently expanded its range of cycling modes and takes factors like incline and terrain into account when calculating your exerted effort. Just like its predecessor, the Fenix 6, this is a watch so stuffed with technology and features that even the keenest of athletes are unlikely to utilise everything it offers.

Though, the GPS battery life one-upmanship is quirky. From a sport standpoint is largely only impacts the upper tier of Ultra competitors. However, from a practical day-to-day standpoint it simply means you charge your watch less frequently. GPS & Altimeter Accuracy: The Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar we tested is equipped with the Garmin's Power Glass, which harvests energy throughout the day to keep the watch’s battery topped up. You’ll still need to plug the watch in occasionally, but the solar cell extends its battery life significantly. In standard smartwatch mode, the smallest watch in the range, the Fenix 7S, is rated up to 11 days, with the solar model boosting that up to a potential 14 days. Continuous GPS and heart-rate use for this watch is rated at 26 hours (30 hours with solar) if you use the multi-system GNSS setting, and it rises to 37 hours (46 hours with solar) if you opt for GPS only. As we round home, it’s worthwhile noting that the Fenix 7 and Epix series watches are the first to have the new on-watch app store. This means that you can install Connect IQ apps directly from the wrist, versus having to grab your phone. Garmin outlined this feature last fall as part of the Connect IQ Developer summit. And, as outlined then, it’s pretty darn basic. All of this is based off of a blend of your estimated VO2Max in conjunction with aspects of Body Battery and recovery from the previous night. As such, it’s moderately important to get at least a few good hard workouts in on the watch, so that it can approximate your VO2Max. Else, the data will mostly fall apart.Battery life has always been one of the selling points of Garmin's sports watches, and the Fenix 7 range really delivers. First, though, it's important to note that the life of each watch in the range will depend on the size of its battery, whether it has a solar cell, and the size of that cell. If you’re tired of your usual running, cycling or walking routes, you can use the course creation tool in Garmin Connect to create a new one; just select a starting point, a distance, and an overall bearing (north, south, east, or west) and the app will generate a suitable route in a couple of seconds. You can then sync this to your Fenix 7, which will give you turn-by-turn directions as you go. Enabling multiband on the Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar does make a difference to accuracy but it isn’t huge. Over the course of another 80.5km of running I saw the distances come 0.5% closer to what the Stryd pod was reporting, with the watch generally reporting longer distances.