Garmin Fenix 7S Pro Review: Excessive Familiarity
With the arrival of the Epix Pro, the Fenix lineup appears somewhat redundant. Nonetheless, the flashlight feature remains impressive.
I’ll be straightforward: The $899.99 Fenix 7S Pro Sapphire Solar Edition is undeniably an impressive multisport watch, yet I find myself perplexed by its existence.
Over the past month, I’ve had the opportunity to wear this watch, right after spending about a month with the $999.99 Garmin Epix Pro Sapphire Edition. These two smartwatches are, in many aspects, identical, to the point that it feels like I’ve been using the same watch for a continuous two-month span. Their resemblance is so striking that I can sum up the distinction in a single sentence: the Epix Pro boasts an OLED screen, while the Fenix 7S Pro offers improved battery life.
As highlighted in my Epix Pro review, this situation adds to the perplexity of Garmin’s high-end multisport watch lineup. And I haven’t even brought into the equation the standard second-generation Epix and Fenix 7 lineups, which share substantial similarities with the Fenix 7S Pro. If we account for the myriad models and choices available, this results in 22 variations of the Fenix 7 and 12 versions of the second-gen Epix, amounting to a total of 34 watches that exhibit only minor deviations from one another.
While there might be specific scenarios where one watch outperforms the other, which I’ll delve into below, the overarching reality remains that there’s insufficient justification to warrant the existence of 34 versions of essentially the same product. This has been a recurring concern I’ve had with Garmin throughout the years, and at times, an excess of options can indeed become an issue.
Fenix 7S Pro vs. Epix Pro: The OLED Factor
Distinguishing between the Fenix 7S Pro and the Epix Pro reveals minimal differences. Not only did they debut simultaneously, but their designs are akin, both featuring Garmin’s upgraded heart rate sensor. They are available in the same three sizes (42mm, 47mm, 51mm), and both incorporate a built-in LED flashlight, which, as with the Epix Pro, is arguably one of the standout features of the Fenix 7S Pro. These watches share the same intelligent functionalities, encompassing alarms, timers, notifications, Garmin Pay, and Spotify compatibility. Additionally, both offer the option for enhanced durability with sapphire crystal and titanium.
In terms of accuracy, wearability, and fitness tracking, the experiences with both watches were indistinguishable. I found the Morning Report feature, which provides a condensed overview of readiness, sleep, weather, and workout recommendations, enjoyable on the Epix Pro, and this satisfaction persisted when transitioning to the 7S Pro. Both watches demonstrated similar GPS and heart rate accuracy during my runs when compared to the Apple Watch Ultra. While both fell slightly short in sleep tracking compared to my Oura Ring, this discrepancy didn’t significantly hinder training and recovery functionalities.
Needless to say, the Garmin Connect app offers an array of metrics that might overwhelm you. Both the 7S Pro and Epix Pro incorporate new metrics like the Hill Score and Endurance Score, which evaluate your ability to tackle hills and your endurance level based on your VO2 Max. In my case, both indicated that I struggled with hills and had sufficient endurance for recreational training. Nevertheless, by the time I assessed the 7S Pro, the Hill Score advice appeared somewhat less patronizing—an incremental victory. The enhancements to topographical maps also remain consistent between the two models.
Less Complexity for Greater Clarity
If my tone appears somewhat negative, it’s a result of the mental strain incurred from attempting to recall the various permutations of Epix and Fenix watches, along with their associated features and prices. Nevertheless, I want to underscore that the Fenix 7S Pro is indeed exceptional, and when taken in isolation, I have very few grievances.
However, I’m left questioning the rationale behind sustaining a lineup encompassing the Fenix, Fenix Pro, Epix, and Epix Pro watches in the long run. While I understand their current presence, considering them as equivalent to the “S” year in the iPhone cycle, I believe Garmin would benefit significantly from streamlining its array of options moving forward. Perhaps integrating solar charging with extended battery life into a higher-tier Forerunner watch and consolidating the Fenix and Epix lines into a single OLED-centric lineup would be a prudent move. This approach would maintain a healthy variety of choices while achieving clearer differentiation across the offerings.
This situation brings to mind an Amy Poehler interview I watched some time ago. In it, she shares how she only offers her kids two choices of ice cream flavors to prevent delays and indecision due to an excessive number of options. I find myself wishing that Garmin would adopt a similar stance—or at the very least, recognize that the extent of choice they provide exceeds what most individuals truly require. Multiple size options are advantageous, and having a few distinct lines spanning lifestyle, midrange, and premium watch categories is also commendable. However, when a company like Garmin ends up with a staggering 36 different product lines for sale, many of which are variations on a common theme, the abundance of choice can swiftly transition from being positive to becoming overwhelming.
