Garmin Fenix 7 in test: outdoor smartwatch without compromises
8/6/2022
Translation: machine translated
The Garmin Fenix 7 is an uncompromising smartwatch for outdoor athletes. In terms of tracking functions, the model has been world-class for generations, and the design and operation are tried and tested. But does Garmin manage to keep up with the smart functions? Find out in our review of the Garmin Fenix 7.
This is an article from our content partner "Nextpit". Here you can find the original article by Stefan Möllenhoff.
Pro
- extremely comprehensive tracking
- great outdoor sports features
- high-quality workmanship
- different sizes available
- strong battery life
- huge accessory ecosystem
Contra
- Weaknesses in smartwatch features
Garmin Fenix 7: price and availability
The Garmin Fenix 7 is the ultimate watch for outdoor athletes. The range of functions and tracking options are unparalleled among fitness smartwatches, Garmin's accessory ecosystem is gigantic, and the app prepares the collected data in a smart and clear manner despite the mass. Only in terms of smartwatch features does Garmin lag behind the watches from Apple, Samsung & Co.
The Garmin Fenix 7 is available in a number of different versions. The "ordinary" Fenix 7 comes with a 47-millimeter case, and there is also the Fenix 7S in a 42-millimeter format and the Fenix 7X in a 51-millimeter format. In addition, you can get all three sizes either as a standard version, with sapphire crystal or with sapphire crystal and solar panel invisibly integrated into the display. Garmin also offers each model in one to five color variants.
It is also worth mentioning here that the sapphire versions come with 32 GB instead of 16 GB of integrated memory and have maps of the respective sales region preinstalled. The 7X also offers an integrated flashlight.
Design & Display
The Garmin Fenix 7 is an outdoor smartwatch through and through - the striking case in all variants clearly reveals that. There are no compromises here, which also affects the display, which is rudimentary by today's standards in favor of battery life.
Likes:
- successful, striking design
- Different sizes available
- display always readable
Dislikes:
- unspectacular screen
Our test device was the almost indestructible Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar with a DLC-coated titanium case and sapphire crystal, for which Garmin charges a hefty 899 euros. DLC stands for "Diamond-Like Carbon" - a diamond-like coating that additionally protects the titanium case. Titanium is very hard, but softer than stainless steel, for example. Our test device actually looked like new under the magnifying glass after four weeks of everyday use, including gardening in dust and dirt.
The case of the Garmin Fenix 7 is bulky in any case and says: I am a sports watch! You have to like that - and it also has to fit your wrist in terms of size. The medium-sized Fenix 7 fits me perfectly, for example, while the Fenix 7S is certainly the better choice for narrower wrists. Despite its size, the Fenix 7 feels relatively light at 73 grams including the wristband and does not bother me during the day or at night.
Around the casing of the Fenix 7, there are five buttons that have received a new bezel compared to the Fenix 6, making them less prone to accidental activation. The buttons have excellent pressure points. On the left side of the case, you'll find three buttons for light, up/menu, and down. On the right, there are two buttons for Start/Stop and Back/New Lap. However, the touchscreen is often more convenient than the buttons, but more about that later.
The transflective MIP screen of the Fenix 7 looks a bit out of date. Transflective means that there is a reflective layer behind the LCD panel that reflects incoming light back through the panel. In practice, this means that the brighter it is, the brighter the display is as well. The Fenix 7's screen is perfectly legible even in bright sunlight. However, the display does not illuminate itself. In the dark, you either have to activate the backlight manually or via a wrist-twisting gesture - or set it to always-on.
At the same time, the MIP technology (Memory in Pixel) ensures that the panel's energy consumption is very low. However, the display also only has a resolution of 260 x 260 pixels (Epix 2: 416 x 416 pixels) and only offers 16 colors (Epix 2: 65,000 colors). Together with the rather muted colors, the Fenix 7's screen has more the charm of an airplane instrument than that of a smartwatch from the year 2022. But you simply have to set priorities here: Battery life or great display - but for compromises, there's the Epix 2.
Operation and smart features
The Garmin Fenix 7 improves a proven operating concept in individual details. However, there is little new to report in terms of smart features, and thus the Fenix 7 falls further behind the competition from Samsung, Apple & Co.
Likes:
- Successful operating concept
- Can also be operated completely via buttons
- Menus and buttons flexibly customizable
Dislikes:
- Smartwatch features not up to snuff
- No LTE option available
Those who have never used a Garmin smartwatch before will be overwhelmed by the range of features at first. However, the interface is quickly grasped after a few days of use: Swiping up and down from the watch face or pressing the up and down buttons navigates through a number of widgets that inform you about weather, completed workouts, notifications, calendar entries, compass direction, sunset, etc., for example. The Start button takes you to the Workout menu, where you can start a workout of your choice.
The menu button opens - surprise - the menu with quick settings and the detailed settings. A long press on the light button calls up a few quick actions, for example for finding a cell phone, saving the current location, activating DND mode, locking the touchscreen and so on. As described in the previous section, the five mechanical buttons can be used for all operations. You can use the Fenix 7 completely with thick ski gloves, for example.
However, the touchscreen is much better suited for many inputs, for example, to quickly note the repetitions and weights of the sets during weight training. What I really like here is Garmin's flexible operating concept. For example, the factory settings lock the touchscreen during training to prevent incorrect inputs. However, you can of course change that - as well as the selection and order of pretty much all menu items, sports, composition of quick actions or the widgets in which the Fenix 7 presents you with current data. You can also assign press-and-hold functions to the keys and define actions for shortcuts.
What I also like very much here is that you can make all settings on the smartphone. You don't have to trudge through long and confusing menus on the smartwatch, but configure your Fenix via the Garmin app. However, there is another app for watch faces and apps: the Garmin Connect IQ Store. Here you can find various apps like Spotify, Deezer, Komoot or Accuweather. So far, so smart.
However, it is always noticeable that the apps are not on the same level as those of the Apple Watch, for example. The installation hangs up here and there, and this or that feature does not work quite smoothly. Garmin's own payment service Garmin Pay only supports a handful of banks in Germany, and you cannot respond to notifications via the watch itself. To make a long story short: Rudimentary smartwatch features are at the start, but don't expect the capabilities and polish of an Apple Watch or a Samsung Galaxy Watch here. Besides, it's a real shame that Garmin's top model doesn't offer an LTE module even in 2022.
Tracking & Sensors
From detailed workout plans in the app to dozens of workout modes to built-in and optional sensors for just about every metric imaginable, the Garmin Fenix 7 is nearly unbeatable in its tracking features and sports modes.
Likes:
** incredibly diverse sport modes ** accurate GPS tracking and good map function ** large selection of accessories from Garmin
Dislikes:
** nutrition tracking only via MyFitnessPal.
The Garmin Fenix 7 offers the same incredibly wide range of functions as its sister Epix 2, which we already tested about a month ago. Therefore, we will be very brief at this point. You can find a more detailed description and evaluation of all tracking options in our review of the Garmin Epix 2.
Outdoor sports & GPS
The Garmin Fenix 7 can do an enormous amount - and is especially strong in the outdoor features. The integrated GPS module is very precise - and even more accurate in the Sapphire Solar variants thanks to multi-band GPS. However, we could not determine a significant difference between the normal GPS and the multi-band variant in practice. The integrated maps, which you can use directly on the watch for navigation - or optionally use third-party apps like Komoot to guide you through trails and the like - are practical.
And then, of course, there are the diverse tracking options for outdoor athletes. Besides GPS, the optical heart rate measurement via the fourth-generation Elevate sensor should be mentioned here. In addition, Garmin's diverse portfolio of accessories is also available, with all conceivable sensors especially for runners, cyclists or triathletes.
Indoor sports & fitness
The Garmin Fenix 7 also offers numerous tracking modes for gym & co. that can do much more than just give the recorded workouts their own name. During weight training, for example, the Fenix 7 recognizes which exercises you are currently performing - and determines the load for the trained body regions after the workout. At the same time, you can also create your own training plans and then be guided through the exercises. HIIT workouts, on the other hand, focus on timers that whip you through your workout in AMRAP, EMOM or Tabata style.
Sleep & Recovery
And yes: The Garmin Fenix 7 of course also offers a sleep tracking option with the usual determination of the different sleep phases. In addition, Garmin also determines your recovery state and quantifies it with the so-called "body battery" - so to speak, your body's own battery. Lots of exercise and stress drain the battery, while rest and good sleep replenish it.
Off to the sun!
A feature that is actually only available on the solar versions of the Garmin Fenix 7 is the measurement of sun intensity. Here you can see how much sunlight you were exposed to over the course of the day - and then resolve to spend less time in front of the screen and more time in the fresh air. This is not only healthy, but also extends the battery life of the Garmin Fenix 7 in the solar versions.
Battery life
Battery life is the Garmin Fenix 7's biggest strength over its sister Epix 2. The transflective display is much more energy efficient in practice than the Epix's OLED screen. Thus, I can get by for around two weeks during the test period, depending on my activities, although I admittedly did not see much sunlight during the week.
Likes:
- Great battery life
Dislikes:
- no wireless charging
The Garmin Fenix 7 doesn't compromise on outdoor features - and that includes battery life. According to Garmin, the Fenix 7 offers a three times longer battery life in standard operation compared to the - apart from the display - almost identical Epix 2, namely 18 instead of 6 days. The solar options even extend the runtime to 22 days, provided you spend three hours in the blazing sun every day. In practice, I usually get by with the Fenix 7 Solar Sapphire for 10 to 14 days, depending on how many sports units are on the agenda.
Charging is done via Garmin's proprietary charging cable, which the manufacturer uses for all of its smartwatches after all. This is very functional and rudimentary - but you can also find fancier charging stations and charging pucks in third-party accessories that accept the cable, but still establish the connection to the watch via the plug. Unfortunately, Garmin does not offer a wireless charging option in 2022 - which is a shame.
Final verdict
The Garmin Fenix 7 is an uncompromising and impressively robust sports watch that fulfills all wishes of outdoor athletes in particular - and then does about ten times more. The transflective display may not be as fancy as the Garmin Epix 2 or the competition, but it provides tremendous endurance.
The bottom line is that the Garmin Fenix 7 is the ultimate fitness watch for me - but "only" a very good sports smartwatch. The gap to the competition grows when it comes to smart functions. Garmin will have to think about something in the coming years to be able to compete with the rivals from South Korea and Cupertino.
Fenix 7
Fenix 7S
Fenix 7X
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