Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar, Carbon Gray DLC Ti w/Black Band, NA
Style
7 Sapphire Solar
Color
Carbon Gray DLC Titanium with Black Band
Screen Size
1.3 Inches
Special Feature
GPS
Shape
Round
Target Audience
Unisex
Age Range (Description)
Adult
Compatible Devices
Smartphone
Long-running solar powered multisport GPS watch with scratch-resistant Power Sapphire lens and always-on 1.3 inch display uses the sun’s energy to extend battery life.Supported Application:Elevation Tracker,Distance Tracking,Fitness Tracker,Multisport Tracker,Sleep Monitor. Connectivity technology:Bluetooth,USB.
Battery performance: in smartwatch mode, up to 18 days while indoors or up to 22 days with solar charging in 3 hours of direct sunlight (50,000 lux) per day; in GPS mode, up to 57 hours indoors or up to 73 hours with solar charging continuously in direct sunlight (50,000 lux)
Take your training to the next level with endurance and real-time stamina tracking, training status, advanced performance metrics and 30 plus built-in sports apps
Get 24/7 health and wellness monitoring with wrist-based heart rate, Pulse Ox (not available in all countries), stress and enhanced sleep tracking (this device is intended to give an estimation of your activity and metrics; it is not a medical device)
Navigate the outdoors with a higher level of positioning accuracy, thanks to new multi-band frequency and GNSS network support (GPS, GLONASS and Galileo) plus built-in sensors for 3-axis compass, gyroscope and barometric altimeter
Find freedom and adventure with preloaded TopoActive maps — plus maps for thousands of golf courses and ski resorts worldwide
Built-in Wi-Fi connectivity lets you download maps for any continent at any time — without using a computer
Enjoy everyday style with access to smart notifications when paired with a compatible smartphone, music storage and our Garmin Pay contactless payment solution in supported countries and payment networks
Trusted button controls that work in any environment are matched with a highly responsive touchscreen interface for quick, convenient access to selections
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There are 7 days in a week. And the fēnix® 7 Sapphire Solar multisport GPS watch is built to go strong for all of them. Featuring a 1.3” display and scratch-resistant Power Sapphire™ solar charging lens, it has the battery life to sustain your athletic and outdoor challenges. Use trusted button controls or the new touchscreen interface to access selections. Gain performance insights and metrics that help you manage your exertion and build stamina. Optimize recovery with 24/7 health and wellness monitoring of heart rate, respiration, stress, sleep and more (this device is intended to give an estimation of your activity and metrics; it is not a medical device). Outdoor navigation sensors and new multi-band GNSS technology help guide you with a higher level of positioning accuracy, even in challenging environments. Plus, you’ll have preloaded TopoActive maps and worldwide ski and golf maps right on your wrist. To complement your tamer days, connected features include smart notifications when connected to a compatible smartphone, music storage and Garmin Pay™ contactless payments in supported countries and payment networks
10 reviews for Garmin fenix 7 Sapphire Solar, adventure smartwatch, with Solar Charging Capabilities, rugged outdoor watch with GPS,
Rated 5 out of 5
Anna –
I purchased this item because of its major feature. Solar charging and how long it holds a charge. The second reason was the fitness element. The third is the golf course stuff. (I’ll come back after golfing to give a review about that.)Some things I noticed in the other reviews which gave me hesitance before I pulled the trigger on the purchase.1. People liked their Apple Watch more-reasons for this were the brightness of the screenI’ll address that claim first because I feel like it’s the easiest reason to dislike this watch. I showed multiple screens of the watch in my pics. The watch is not bright when you don’t tap the screen. Anyone complaining is find a reason for this as they clearly bought something that holds charge. To hold charge it cannot have a bright screen. It uses mirrors to create it’s light and to conserve power the screen is not bright unless tapped on. I’d actually call this an ADVANTAGE because every time I’d turn my wrist on my Apple Watch that annoyed me that it would drain battery.2. Other concerns were the weight.- these are weird concerns in the end. People switching from a standard smart watch to this will feel more weight however I like watched. I like real watches. Not just smart. This is significantly lighter than my diver, and about as heavy as my lighter feminine watches. It is REALLY light weight by that standard. Given I have the lightest but I saw weight complaints for that. I own a tissot and it’s lighter than my tissot.I saw a review which worried me with a guy saying they were shocked at its weight and couldn’t get the lightest for their wife. No offense but have more faith! Anyone complaining about weight should get an Apple Watch because they clearly don’t want a tool watch, the Apple Watch is a gadget. This is a tool. It tries to not be distracting and engaging and do what it needs then get out of the way. The Apple Watch is a device you can use to fidget with and will keep you occupied. The Garmin is utilitarian.3. Complaints about pricing were often paired with the above “problems.” For the price it shouldn’t weigh x. For the price it should be brighter. These people were not aware of what they needed and thought they wanted a product like this because of charge etc. they were wrong. These are not problems if you understand the exact purpose of this watch. If you want a charge you cannot also have a constant light. If you want a lighter watch you cannot have sapphire and all the elements built into this watch which for its processing power is quite light. Also- you clearly don’t wear watches for dress or daily outside of Apple Watches if you believe this is heavy. (The largest size is owned by my cousin, and he said it was heavy but once gotten used to it was fine. This one would be for a larger person, a taller man, or someone who can handle the weight.)Notes: the app was easy to download, there are two. One app is for the watch, the other is an app which allows you to integrate other apps onto it. Basically an app library.Other thoughts: this is not a good watch for an older person who is not capable of understanding new navigations after getting used to the way mac works. If they have to be taught to use it, it will be too hard for them to get some of it. After 10 minutes at 26 years old I managed to navigate it promptly. However there are some features I’ll look at the manual to understand better. Swiping is easy on it and so is the ability to navigate to sports and more. Complains outside of the brave listed were for ease of use. I would say anyone complaining about that needs something more friendly to them. Not user friendly, as it is user friendly, but some are not WILLING to put in any time. If it’s not easy there’s a tech type who just want it done for them. (I have instructed them and unfortunately my dads that type. 73 and just wants me to fix it not help him learn to do it.) If you’re not willing to take 30 minutes to watch a YouTube video or read the manual don’t buy it. The easiest parts are self explanatory but there’s 5 buttons on the watch and they all do different things. The bottom button on the left sets a timer for example which isn’t how Apple Watch works. But it’s freaking easy!Stop complaining!If you want a watch which is standard in weight, long charge, functional, sends notifications, tracks work outs, and does exactly what it says it will do get a Garmin.I have ADHD and my issue is never remembering to charge. If I do charge I leave the watch behind. I now don’t have to REMEMBER. Thank godIt has a “find my phone” feature and since I am very ADHD this is amazing. It is so loud.If you’re complaining about tapping the screen or other basics it’s better to get a different watch. This is convenience based and that small tap isn’t inconvenient but if it bothers you other things about this watch surely will. I think it’s an easy way to justify being mad about the price.Another review noted they didn’t like their notifications kept coming through in meetings. That is weird because well…. It has a do not disturb button. You just need to turn it on
Rated 5 out of 5
JP –
Absolutely zero regrets with the F7x. Wanted to get a few activities completed and waited until I had to charge it before posting this review. Once I saw the Fenix 7x Sapphire was announced, immediately purchased on the same day. Waited only 2 days before selling the 6x Sapphire on an online auction site because the new one checked all the boxes and fit my wrist better.Started my Garmin wearable relationship with the Forerunner 405CX. That was touch enabled and challenging to use with sweat or rain. Stopped using it because it was clunky looking, very slow gps lock, and the battery life was abysmal. Went to the Fenix 3 HR in March 2016 which served me well. Then in September 2019, purchased on of the first 6x Sapphire which totally improved my life and fitness. So much that I shared my positive experience with friends and family that 5 of them purchased Fenix watches. One of them was an Apple Watch users tired of their battery always needing to be charged.Favorite new features: The biggest selling point for me of the F7x was the improved battery life. The F7x does not disappoint with battery… until I saw the Instinct 2 Solar specs. I pulled it out of the box on 1/26 at 80% charge and only charged it on 2/10 when it reached 20%. With it fully charged and all sensors on, it said 20-day battery life. Simply amazing. My F6x on a full charge said it would last 10 days but it worked out to be only 5. The big dip came when Sleep Score was introduced but it could have been the battery was on its way out. However, was bummed seeing with the Instinct 2 Solar, it is effectively unlimited battery using three hours of charging. More on the Instinct 2 below in “Asks” and “Shortcomings.” During my testing with the solar of the F7x, left it outside for an hour hoping it would be a 1 hour : 1% ratio of battery but that was not the case. Understood within Garmin documentation it says for the F7x not to rely on solar as primary charging.The other favorite feature is within Indoor Cycle, it can be set that the activity automatically broadcasts heart rate to my Peloton. Before it took quite a few clicks. I checked the F6x once it received the v20 update that included HIIT, but it still did not get the ability to set an activity to broadcast HR. To me, that should just be a software change.The other reason I purchased the F7x was for stamina score. It works well and I believe what it says. Tested it on a 5-mile treadmill stint that started at 79% and ended at Actual 7% / Potential 17%. Went out to dinner, had two beers, and then did a 4-mile treadmill run about 3 hours later. Wondered what it would read and it started at Actual 40% / Potential 40% and by the time I was done it was 0/0%. I was exhausted good to see that it measured the same.I have also noticed Sleep Score is calculated quicker. With the F6x, it would be a while since I have gotten out of bed that the score was calculated. With the F7x, if I awake but hanging out in bed, it knows the difference and calculates Sleep Score once I am awake.Tested the new heart rate sensor against my LifeFitness 9700 treadmill, Precor AMT 100, and a random LifeFitness commercial treadmill at the gym. All of them showed the same heart rate as the F7x. I have not tried my HRM-Pro with it yet.The GPS lock on the F7x is amazing. If I hit “Walk” inside the house and start the activity inside the house, it will pick up near instantly once I open the front door. Before with the F6x, it would take a few steps to lock out in the open.Out of the box, my F7x was on the 7.20 firmware. Earlier this week while sitting at my desk, I received a vibrate alert and the message onscreen said it was upgrading to new 7.24 firmware. It took only a few seconds and it rebooted the watch. This is a great improvement over the old models. With the F6x, it seemed to wait for charging cycles.Asks: Garmin must have read my F6x review on Amazon in 2019 because two of the issues I pointed out have been addressed. The 7x Sapphire is now offered in three colors including my requested black bezel. The second was the band that ships with the F7x is the exact replacement that is available without the notches. Combined with improved geometry of the F7x, the band fit exactly the same on the 7th hole with six holes showing. My ask of Garmin this time around is to have a power profile named “Instinct 2 Solar Smartwatch” that effectively turns the F7x into an Instinct 2 Solar with 28-day battery life / unlimited with solar even to the point of turning off color screen.Shortcomings of the F7x: Price is the first with it costing considerably more than the F6x. Part of that is it includes touchscreen and a feature I did not want or like on the 405CX. If I wanted touchscreen, would have just purchased an Apple Watch. Turned off touchscreen after pressing the face and seeing it turned on the watch light. The second price aspect is comparing the Instinct 2 versus the F7x since they are very similar other than looks. Do I regret buying the F7x at launch only to see the Instinct 2 Solar came out two weeks later at half price? No. It actually is going to make me use the features that the F7x has and the Instinct 2 Solar doesn’t. The only gap is battery / solar and I mentioned that in the above asks which could be addressed in a power profile.Odd things: My F7x is from the first batch. Sometimes the buttons are a bit squishy and it feels like there are sharp edges where the band attaches. Haven’t cut myself but on the F6x, that area is beveled and not sharp.
Rated 3 out of 5
SR –
I have been an Apple Watch gal for as long as smartwatches have been a thing. However, I mountain bike and spend a lot of time outdoors, and wanted something a little more durable and with a better battery. I considered the Apple Watch Ultra however, it only came in one size and I was worried that size would be too large for me so I decided to try this Garmin (my boyfriend has always had Garmins and loves them). To skip all the mumbo jumbo, I ultimately returned this watch and did end up getting the Apple Watch Ultra, and I’ll give some pros and cons to tell you why!Pros:- Battery life: this thing really does last forever. The Apple Ultra is solid but I do charge it every 3-4 days. The Garmin lasted a week+- Activity Tracking: I feel like the activity tracking was a tad more accurate than the Apple Watch, although the Ultra does have GPS so this could just be in my head, but my boyfriend and I come out with different stats after bike rides (slightly different mileage, slightly different elevation, etc.) If you’re looking for something with precise tracking, since this was Garmin’s forte, I would probably lean that route.- Sleep Tracking: Because the sleep tracking is built into the Garmin I feel like I liked it better. The Ultra doesn’t have a built-in sleep track app so I had to download one on my phone and I have to set it every night.Cons:- Creature Comforts: I would say this was my biggest qualm with the Garmin. I am so used to the creature comforts of the Apple Watch I had a really hard time with the Garmin. Things like: – If your phone is unlocked and open when a new notification comes through, your Apple Watch won’t notify you. The Garmin would. – If you aren’t looking at your Apple watch, the screen won’t light up. The Garmin would (in the age of Zoom meetings, notifications would pop up with my head resting on my hand more often than I would’ve liked with the Garmin lol)**Also with the Apple Watch you can choose which apps send notifications to your watch. You don’t have this option with the Garmin so if you don’t want certain notifications going to your watch, you have to turn them off on your phone too.- UI: The Apple Watch and Watch App are so much more user-friendly in terms of the interface. The Garmin is very bare bones, with not a ton of customization options for the face, etc. The Garmin app is kind of a pain in the rear to navigate and I just feel like Apple has done a stellar job making their apps and products very user-friendly, I missed that when I had the Garmin.- My Apple watch has a Strava app so I can track my rides on my watch without even having my phone with me. There was a Strava app for the Garmin I believe, but you still had to start the ride from the phone.- Music, phone, etc.: You can answer calls on the Apple watch and control music, can’t do these things with the Garmin.- Band Options: Apple and Amazon just have more options for Apple watch bands. If you’re someone like me who likes to swap out the bands pretty often and like really neat-looking ones, sorry to say, there are way less options for the Garmin. (P.S. Amazon has some phenomenal dupes for the very expensive Apple Watch bands)Comparable Features:- Durability: Both watches are very durable. I’ve definitely taken some diggers with the Apple Watch and don’t even have a scratch to show for it.**I am a 27-year-old female. I have smaller wrists and the Apple Watch Ultra fits fine. Dare I say the big screen is even kind of nice?? The Garmin also fit very nicely. If you want something a little smaller and that’s a thing you definitely DON’T want to compromise, go with the Garmin.
Rated 5 out of 5
Kevin Eakins –
This watch is outstanding!I killed a deer about 2 miles from my truck 10 minutes before last light. I reached into my pack and found that my main flashlight was gone. (Wife, kids lost tablet under seat) No problem. Reach into the side pocket for my trusty Olight… Gone. (Daughter, who knows.)So 2 miles from the truck I double click the ole Fenix and I tracked this deer about 65 yards. Did what hunters do after that. Which was interesting. Then drug it out with the Fenix lighting the way. I have checked readings on this watch with the GPS I’ve carried for 4 years more than 50 times. These readings need to be precise. If you’ve ever been in the woods far enough that you can’t see or hear civilization you know that these two trees look exactly like those last 4000 trees you just passed. If these readings aren’t precise I lose a camera that cost money. Or a deer that feeds us for months. I have searched for a camera for 45 minutes in the middle of August in a swamp. The mosquitos sucked more life out of me in 45 minutes than my ex-wife did in three years.The GPS I was using at the time was off by about 30 feet. That can be an enternity in some woods. Usually that camera is gone. Precise!!! I placed a camera in a public land spot a little over 2 miles off vehicle traffic. I clicked the location hot key. Saved it and walked away. Two weeks later I took that walk again. This watch took me directly to it. Amazing reliability. THE GPS IS TREMENDOUS!! I have had this watch bring me with in 5 to 10 feet every time. Unbelievable.A couple weeks after buying this watch I sprained my back. 4 weeks of hell. But 4 weeks of doctor visits. Everytime the nurses check my vital I compared them with this beheamouth of a watch. (It did take about 3 weeks to get used the the size and weight of the Fenix.) Never once in 10 visits not including an ER visit did this watch fail to produce. Every vital was with in 1% of the Office’s readings. The medical stats are why I was originally in the market for a watch. I’m 47 about to be 48 and not as active as I was in my 30’s. So keeping an eye on some of my vitals sounded alluring.I run a mechanic shop for a living. Unfortunatley watches don’t really last in my line of work. Take it off at work you say. Another reason I bought the Fenix is to get notifications quickly. If I’m under a car and my phone goes off I have to stop, reach into my pocket and pull out my phone. I have to see if this is something that needs to be addressed now or can it wait. The interuption is so irritating. Not any more. A twist of the wrist and there it is in half a second. Back to work.But also the durability.Watches just don’t last in my line of work. Whether it’s clanging off a lift as you squeeze through. Or forgetting you have it on as you shove you’re hand behind the radiator to check the lower hose and smack it against a clamp. I’ve been through more than a few watches. Now I have, of course, been more careful with the Fenix but so far it has a been great.(Oh it will also connect to the Garmin bow scope. You take a shot and it will mark a waypoint where the arrow was supposed to strike. That’s freaking cool.)Really the only thing I don’t like about this watch is the price. I don’t buy $1000 watches. I can easily see this being a ten year watch. That’s a long time. And well worth the price. And like I said it took me a minute to get used to the size and weight. Three or four weeks for sure. Now its nothing.Love the watch. A little lite in the back pocket but definitely don’t feel cheated either.
Rated 5 out of 5
Superman –
I’ve had 3 garmin and this one is by far the best and, for me, the main reason is because it offers a LIGHT! Not a brightness of screen but an actual light on the side of the watch. I can’t tell you how unique and useful that is.If you are use to garmin then you know all of the Normal features. If you are not then I wouldn’t do it justice by explaining but I can say the things that out do the Apple Watch.1. Battery life, you can get this thing to last a year. I typically go a couple months without having to charge.2. Has a built in flash light.3. Solar power. This isn’t as powerful but it does add a bit of battery to it that you don’t realize. It allows you to check how much solar it’s been getting and how much that’s added.4. Gets notifications with email, text, calls etc.5. You can load music, use Spotify and pay with it.6. Oh yea, it has the ability to have touch screen if you choose!The Apple Watch is better in 2 categories. 1. The touch screen is “better” but it has to be because that’s the way it’s designed with buttons and how you can use it. And it’s ability to take phone calls.
Rated 5 out of 5
BeckBeat –
Hello, fellow fitness peeps!I’ve had the @garmin fenix 7X saphire solar for almost three months now, and I’ve rarely taken it off. It doesn’t matter if I lift, run, swim, or stand-up paddle—this thing is on my wrist. The Garmin Connect app works flawlessly and is super intuitive. I love all the data I’m getting. I’m slowly getting back to where I was before travel and Covid, and the insights have been helpful to tailor and dial in my workouts. Granted, if you want texts, emails, and calls on your watch—Apple is the way to go—but I don’t care about that stuff. It’s a fitness watch and I treat it that way. The best thing about it is the battery life—I’ve only charged it three or four times since I got it. Also, the Hawaiian sun keeps this baby pretty much charges all year around. If you have an active lifestyle and care about tracking your activities and stats, check out the latest @garmin watches.
Rated 5 out of 5
Roy D. –
While from the product photo, it appears the blue is more of a dull-ish blueish grey, I’m still overall happy with the watch. Also I wasn’t aware the side profile was white, so adding stainless steel band to make it more modern and classy didn’t work to the full effect I wanted. Nonetheless, Garmin makes wonderful watches and could never after going through over 10 Fitbits, I am happy to purchase something with more longevity.
Rated 5 out of 5
ARTAK –
I have used it for hiking, workouts, also to monitor my health. Works as expected. Nice smartwatch and have a lot of useful features. I bought also usb-c to garmin adapter and can use regular type-c chargers or cables to charge or to connect to PC.
Rated 5 out of 5
BobbieW –
I am really impressed by this watch. I had Fitbit before, and this is a HUGE upgrade. I got Fenix 7 solar, smaller size.I know it is not a cheap watch, but worth every penny.
Rated 5 out of 5
CWill –
What I like:1) Size is very substantial, which I like2) They’ve extended the battery life by like triple what it was, and that’s a huge win!3). Love the touch screen4) Very accurate with calculationsVery improved from my first Fenix, the 5!!! Love it, and hope it lasts longer than my first one too. That will be the true test.
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Suunto 9 Peak Titanium: Designed for the peak experiences that sport makes you feel, this multisport GPS watch is the thinnest, smallest and toughest watch Suunto has ever made, and its battery charges to full in 1 hour; Titanium Bezel and Sapphire Glass
Designed for Peak Experiences: Made for training, racing and extreme adventures, the Suunto 9 Peak offers 25 hours of battery life in best GPS mode; Waterproof to 100m depth; 80 sports modes; Music controls on watch to adjust volume, pause and skip tracks
Get Connected: Connect to your favorite sports apps and services from the Suunto app to get more from your watch; Share with your sports communities and access specific training analysis and guidance
Adventure Starts Here: Combining Scandinavian design with ultra durable materials, our watches track your sports, daily activity, and sleep to help you keep life, training and recovery in balance
Authentic Heritage: Founded in 1936, Suunto brings over 80 years of high-quality heritage craftsmanship, relentless accuracy, and pioneering innovation to our watches, compasses, and dive products. Proudly made with 100% renewable energy
Enduro 2 Carbon gray DLC titanium with black UltraFit nylon strap, black silicone watch band, charging/data cable, documentationEnduro 2 Carbon gray DLC titanium with black UltraFit nylon strap, black silicone watch band, charging/data cable, documentationSee more
Battery Life
7 days
Mounting Type
Wrist Mount
The 1.4” Power Sapphire lens harvests the sun’s energy, giving you more power and time between charges
AutoSelect mode uses SatIQ technology to dynamically determine the GPS mode necessary to maximize battery life without compromising positional accuracy
The rugged, lightweight design won’t slow you down, and the light UltraFit nylon band provides a secure, comfortable fit during all of your activities
Navigation tools help you find your way with preloaded TopoActive and ski maps
A superbright LED flashlight (twice as bright as the fēnix 7X multisport GPS watch) offers variable intensities with a strobe that matches your running cadence; red safety light mode helps you keep an eye on your immediate surroundings while running at night
The NextFork map guide shows the distance to the next trail intersection; grade-adjusted pace helps you understand how to adjust your pace over varying terrain, and an automatic rest timer logs your breaks
A variety of built-in sports apps, an Adventure Racing World Series-approved adventure racing app and advanced performance metrics — plus endurance and stamina — help you take your training to the next level
Traditional button controls that work in any environment are matched with a highly responsive touchscreen interface for quick, convenient access to selections
Traditional button controls that work in any environment are matched with a highly responsive touchscreen interface for quick, convenient access to selections
Battery performance with solar charging: up to 46 days in smartwatch mode (Assumes all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions) and up to 150 hours in GPS mode (Assumes continuous use for entire period in 50,000 lux conditions)
Anna –
I purchased this item because of its major feature. Solar charging and how long it holds a charge. The second reason was the fitness element. The third is the golf course stuff. (I’ll come back after golfing to give a review about that.)Some things I noticed in the other reviews which gave me hesitance before I pulled the trigger on the purchase.1. People liked their Apple Watch more-reasons for this were the brightness of the screenI’ll address that claim first because I feel like it’s the easiest reason to dislike this watch. I showed multiple screens of the watch in my pics. The watch is not bright when you don’t tap the screen. Anyone complaining is find a reason for this as they clearly bought something that holds charge. To hold charge it cannot have a bright screen. It uses mirrors to create it’s light and to conserve power the screen is not bright unless tapped on. I’d actually call this an ADVANTAGE because every time I’d turn my wrist on my Apple Watch that annoyed me that it would drain battery.2. Other concerns were the weight.- these are weird concerns in the end. People switching from a standard smart watch to this will feel more weight however I like watched. I like real watches. Not just smart. This is significantly lighter than my diver, and about as heavy as my lighter feminine watches. It is REALLY light weight by that standard. Given I have the lightest but I saw weight complaints for that. I own a tissot and it’s lighter than my tissot.I saw a review which worried me with a guy saying they were shocked at its weight and couldn’t get the lightest for their wife. No offense but have more faith! Anyone complaining about weight should get an Apple Watch because they clearly don’t want a tool watch, the Apple Watch is a gadget. This is a tool. It tries to not be distracting and engaging and do what it needs then get out of the way. The Apple Watch is a device you can use to fidget with and will keep you occupied. The Garmin is utilitarian.3. Complaints about pricing were often paired with the above “problems.” For the price it shouldn’t weigh x. For the price it should be brighter. These people were not aware of what they needed and thought they wanted a product like this because of charge etc. they were wrong. These are not problems if you understand the exact purpose of this watch. If you want a charge you cannot also have a constant light. If you want a lighter watch you cannot have sapphire and all the elements built into this watch which for its processing power is quite light. Also- you clearly don’t wear watches for dress or daily outside of Apple Watches if you believe this is heavy. (The largest size is owned by my cousin, and he said it was heavy but once gotten used to it was fine. This one would be for a larger person, a taller man, or someone who can handle the weight.)Notes: the app was easy to download, there are two. One app is for the watch, the other is an app which allows you to integrate other apps onto it. Basically an app library.Other thoughts: this is not a good watch for an older person who is not capable of understanding new navigations after getting used to the way mac works. If they have to be taught to use it, it will be too hard for them to get some of it. After 10 minutes at 26 years old I managed to navigate it promptly. However there are some features I’ll look at the manual to understand better. Swiping is easy on it and so is the ability to navigate to sports and more. Complains outside of the brave listed were for ease of use. I would say anyone complaining about that needs something more friendly to them. Not user friendly, as it is user friendly, but some are not WILLING to put in any time. If it’s not easy there’s a tech type who just want it done for them. (I have instructed them and unfortunately my dads that type. 73 and just wants me to fix it not help him learn to do it.) If you’re not willing to take 30 minutes to watch a YouTube video or read the manual don’t buy it. The easiest parts are self explanatory but there’s 5 buttons on the watch and they all do different things. The bottom button on the left sets a timer for example which isn’t how Apple Watch works. But it’s freaking easy!Stop complaining!If you want a watch which is standard in weight, long charge, functional, sends notifications, tracks work outs, and does exactly what it says it will do get a Garmin.I have ADHD and my issue is never remembering to charge. If I do charge I leave the watch behind. I now don’t have to REMEMBER. Thank godIt has a “find my phone” feature and since I am very ADHD this is amazing. It is so loud.If you’re complaining about tapping the screen or other basics it’s better to get a different watch. This is convenience based and that small tap isn’t inconvenient but if it bothers you other things about this watch surely will. I think it’s an easy way to justify being mad about the price.Another review noted they didn’t like their notifications kept coming through in meetings. That is weird because well…. It has a do not disturb button. You just need to turn it on
JP –
Absolutely zero regrets with the F7x. Wanted to get a few activities completed and waited until I had to charge it before posting this review. Once I saw the Fenix 7x Sapphire was announced, immediately purchased on the same day. Waited only 2 days before selling the 6x Sapphire on an online auction site because the new one checked all the boxes and fit my wrist better.Started my Garmin wearable relationship with the Forerunner 405CX. That was touch enabled and challenging to use with sweat or rain. Stopped using it because it was clunky looking, very slow gps lock, and the battery life was abysmal. Went to the Fenix 3 HR in March 2016 which served me well. Then in September 2019, purchased on of the first 6x Sapphire which totally improved my life and fitness. So much that I shared my positive experience with friends and family that 5 of them purchased Fenix watches. One of them was an Apple Watch users tired of their battery always needing to be charged.Favorite new features: The biggest selling point for me of the F7x was the improved battery life. The F7x does not disappoint with battery… until I saw the Instinct 2 Solar specs. I pulled it out of the box on 1/26 at 80% charge and only charged it on 2/10 when it reached 20%. With it fully charged and all sensors on, it said 20-day battery life. Simply amazing. My F6x on a full charge said it would last 10 days but it worked out to be only 5. The big dip came when Sleep Score was introduced but it could have been the battery was on its way out. However, was bummed seeing with the Instinct 2 Solar, it is effectively unlimited battery using three hours of charging. More on the Instinct 2 below in “Asks” and “Shortcomings.” During my testing with the solar of the F7x, left it outside for an hour hoping it would be a 1 hour : 1% ratio of battery but that was not the case. Understood within Garmin documentation it says for the F7x not to rely on solar as primary charging.The other favorite feature is within Indoor Cycle, it can be set that the activity automatically broadcasts heart rate to my Peloton. Before it took quite a few clicks. I checked the F6x once it received the v20 update that included HIIT, but it still did not get the ability to set an activity to broadcast HR. To me, that should just be a software change.The other reason I purchased the F7x was for stamina score. It works well and I believe what it says. Tested it on a 5-mile treadmill stint that started at 79% and ended at Actual 7% / Potential 17%. Went out to dinner, had two beers, and then did a 4-mile treadmill run about 3 hours later. Wondered what it would read and it started at Actual 40% / Potential 40% and by the time I was done it was 0/0%. I was exhausted good to see that it measured the same.I have also noticed Sleep Score is calculated quicker. With the F6x, it would be a while since I have gotten out of bed that the score was calculated. With the F7x, if I awake but hanging out in bed, it knows the difference and calculates Sleep Score once I am awake.Tested the new heart rate sensor against my LifeFitness 9700 treadmill, Precor AMT 100, and a random LifeFitness commercial treadmill at the gym. All of them showed the same heart rate as the F7x. I have not tried my HRM-Pro with it yet.The GPS lock on the F7x is amazing. If I hit “Walk” inside the house and start the activity inside the house, it will pick up near instantly once I open the front door. Before with the F6x, it would take a few steps to lock out in the open.Out of the box, my F7x was on the 7.20 firmware. Earlier this week while sitting at my desk, I received a vibrate alert and the message onscreen said it was upgrading to new 7.24 firmware. It took only a few seconds and it rebooted the watch. This is a great improvement over the old models. With the F6x, it seemed to wait for charging cycles.Asks: Garmin must have read my F6x review on Amazon in 2019 because two of the issues I pointed out have been addressed. The 7x Sapphire is now offered in three colors including my requested black bezel. The second was the band that ships with the F7x is the exact replacement that is available without the notches. Combined with improved geometry of the F7x, the band fit exactly the same on the 7th hole with six holes showing. My ask of Garmin this time around is to have a power profile named “Instinct 2 Solar Smartwatch” that effectively turns the F7x into an Instinct 2 Solar with 28-day battery life / unlimited with solar even to the point of turning off color screen.Shortcomings of the F7x: Price is the first with it costing considerably more than the F6x. Part of that is it includes touchscreen and a feature I did not want or like on the 405CX. If I wanted touchscreen, would have just purchased an Apple Watch. Turned off touchscreen after pressing the face and seeing it turned on the watch light. The second price aspect is comparing the Instinct 2 versus the F7x since they are very similar other than looks. Do I regret buying the F7x at launch only to see the Instinct 2 Solar came out two weeks later at half price? No. It actually is going to make me use the features that the F7x has and the Instinct 2 Solar doesn’t. The only gap is battery / solar and I mentioned that in the above asks which could be addressed in a power profile.Odd things: My F7x is from the first batch. Sometimes the buttons are a bit squishy and it feels like there are sharp edges where the band attaches. Haven’t cut myself but on the F6x, that area is beveled and not sharp.
SR –
I have been an Apple Watch gal for as long as smartwatches have been a thing. However, I mountain bike and spend a lot of time outdoors, and wanted something a little more durable and with a better battery. I considered the Apple Watch Ultra however, it only came in one size and I was worried that size would be too large for me so I decided to try this Garmin (my boyfriend has always had Garmins and loves them). To skip all the mumbo jumbo, I ultimately returned this watch and did end up getting the Apple Watch Ultra, and I’ll give some pros and cons to tell you why!Pros:- Battery life: this thing really does last forever. The Apple Ultra is solid but I do charge it every 3-4 days. The Garmin lasted a week+- Activity Tracking: I feel like the activity tracking was a tad more accurate than the Apple Watch, although the Ultra does have GPS so this could just be in my head, but my boyfriend and I come out with different stats after bike rides (slightly different mileage, slightly different elevation, etc.) If you’re looking for something with precise tracking, since this was Garmin’s forte, I would probably lean that route.- Sleep Tracking: Because the sleep tracking is built into the Garmin I feel like I liked it better. The Ultra doesn’t have a built-in sleep track app so I had to download one on my phone and I have to set it every night.Cons:- Creature Comforts: I would say this was my biggest qualm with the Garmin. I am so used to the creature comforts of the Apple Watch I had a really hard time with the Garmin. Things like: – If your phone is unlocked and open when a new notification comes through, your Apple Watch won’t notify you. The Garmin would. – If you aren’t looking at your Apple watch, the screen won’t light up. The Garmin would (in the age of Zoom meetings, notifications would pop up with my head resting on my hand more often than I would’ve liked with the Garmin lol)**Also with the Apple Watch you can choose which apps send notifications to your watch. You don’t have this option with the Garmin so if you don’t want certain notifications going to your watch, you have to turn them off on your phone too.- UI: The Apple Watch and Watch App are so much more user-friendly in terms of the interface. The Garmin is very bare bones, with not a ton of customization options for the face, etc. The Garmin app is kind of a pain in the rear to navigate and I just feel like Apple has done a stellar job making their apps and products very user-friendly, I missed that when I had the Garmin.- My Apple watch has a Strava app so I can track my rides on my watch without even having my phone with me. There was a Strava app for the Garmin I believe, but you still had to start the ride from the phone.- Music, phone, etc.: You can answer calls on the Apple watch and control music, can’t do these things with the Garmin.- Band Options: Apple and Amazon just have more options for Apple watch bands. If you’re someone like me who likes to swap out the bands pretty often and like really neat-looking ones, sorry to say, there are way less options for the Garmin. (P.S. Amazon has some phenomenal dupes for the very expensive Apple Watch bands)Comparable Features:- Durability: Both watches are very durable. I’ve definitely taken some diggers with the Apple Watch and don’t even have a scratch to show for it.**I am a 27-year-old female. I have smaller wrists and the Apple Watch Ultra fits fine. Dare I say the big screen is even kind of nice?? The Garmin also fit very nicely. If you want something a little smaller and that’s a thing you definitely DON’T want to compromise, go with the Garmin.
Kevin Eakins –
This watch is outstanding!I killed a deer about 2 miles from my truck 10 minutes before last light. I reached into my pack and found that my main flashlight was gone. (Wife, kids lost tablet under seat) No problem. Reach into the side pocket for my trusty Olight… Gone. (Daughter, who knows.)So 2 miles from the truck I double click the ole Fenix and I tracked this deer about 65 yards. Did what hunters do after that. Which was interesting. Then drug it out with the Fenix lighting the way. I have checked readings on this watch with the GPS I’ve carried for 4 years more than 50 times. These readings need to be precise. If you’ve ever been in the woods far enough that you can’t see or hear civilization you know that these two trees look exactly like those last 4000 trees you just passed. If these readings aren’t precise I lose a camera that cost money. Or a deer that feeds us for months. I have searched for a camera for 45 minutes in the middle of August in a swamp. The mosquitos sucked more life out of me in 45 minutes than my ex-wife did in three years.The GPS I was using at the time was off by about 30 feet. That can be an enternity in some woods. Usually that camera is gone. Precise!!! I placed a camera in a public land spot a little over 2 miles off vehicle traffic. I clicked the location hot key. Saved it and walked away. Two weeks later I took that walk again. This watch took me directly to it. Amazing reliability. THE GPS IS TREMENDOUS!! I have had this watch bring me with in 5 to 10 feet every time. Unbelievable.A couple weeks after buying this watch I sprained my back. 4 weeks of hell. But 4 weeks of doctor visits. Everytime the nurses check my vital I compared them with this beheamouth of a watch. (It did take about 3 weeks to get used the the size and weight of the Fenix.) Never once in 10 visits not including an ER visit did this watch fail to produce. Every vital was with in 1% of the Office’s readings. The medical stats are why I was originally in the market for a watch. I’m 47 about to be 48 and not as active as I was in my 30’s. So keeping an eye on some of my vitals sounded alluring.I run a mechanic shop for a living. Unfortunatley watches don’t really last in my line of work. Take it off at work you say. Another reason I bought the Fenix is to get notifications quickly. If I’m under a car and my phone goes off I have to stop, reach into my pocket and pull out my phone. I have to see if this is something that needs to be addressed now or can it wait. The interuption is so irritating. Not any more. A twist of the wrist and there it is in half a second. Back to work.But also the durability.Watches just don’t last in my line of work. Whether it’s clanging off a lift as you squeeze through. Or forgetting you have it on as you shove you’re hand behind the radiator to check the lower hose and smack it against a clamp. I’ve been through more than a few watches. Now I have, of course, been more careful with the Fenix but so far it has a been great.(Oh it will also connect to the Garmin bow scope. You take a shot and it will mark a waypoint where the arrow was supposed to strike. That’s freaking cool.)Really the only thing I don’t like about this watch is the price. I don’t buy $1000 watches. I can easily see this being a ten year watch. That’s a long time. And well worth the price. And like I said it took me a minute to get used to the size and weight. Three or four weeks for sure. Now its nothing.Love the watch. A little lite in the back pocket but definitely don’t feel cheated either.
Superman –
I’ve had 3 garmin and this one is by far the best and, for me, the main reason is because it offers a LIGHT! Not a brightness of screen but an actual light on the side of the watch. I can’t tell you how unique and useful that is.If you are use to garmin then you know all of the Normal features. If you are not then I wouldn’t do it justice by explaining but I can say the things that out do the Apple Watch.1. Battery life, you can get this thing to last a year. I typically go a couple months without having to charge.2. Has a built in flash light.3. Solar power. This isn’t as powerful but it does add a bit of battery to it that you don’t realize. It allows you to check how much solar it’s been getting and how much that’s added.4. Gets notifications with email, text, calls etc.5. You can load music, use Spotify and pay with it.6. Oh yea, it has the ability to have touch screen if you choose!The Apple Watch is better in 2 categories. 1. The touch screen is “better” but it has to be because that’s the way it’s designed with buttons and how you can use it. And it’s ability to take phone calls.
BeckBeat –
Hello, fellow fitness peeps!I’ve had the @garmin fenix 7X saphire solar for almost three months now, and I’ve rarely taken it off. It doesn’t matter if I lift, run, swim, or stand-up paddle—this thing is on my wrist. The Garmin Connect app works flawlessly and is super intuitive. I love all the data I’m getting. I’m slowly getting back to where I was before travel and Covid, and the insights have been helpful to tailor and dial in my workouts. Granted, if you want texts, emails, and calls on your watch—Apple is the way to go—but I don’t care about that stuff. It’s a fitness watch and I treat it that way. The best thing about it is the battery life—I’ve only charged it three or four times since I got it. Also, the Hawaiian sun keeps this baby pretty much charges all year around. If you have an active lifestyle and care about tracking your activities and stats, check out the latest @garmin watches.
Roy D. –
While from the product photo, it appears the blue is more of a dull-ish blueish grey, I’m still overall happy with the watch. Also I wasn’t aware the side profile was white, so adding stainless steel band to make it more modern and classy didn’t work to the full effect I wanted. Nonetheless, Garmin makes wonderful watches and could never after going through over 10 Fitbits, I am happy to purchase something with more longevity.
ARTAK –
I have used it for hiking, workouts, also to monitor my health. Works as expected. Nice smartwatch and have a lot of useful features. I bought also usb-c to garmin adapter and can use regular type-c chargers or cables to charge or to connect to PC.
BobbieW –
I am really impressed by this watch. I had Fitbit before, and this is a HUGE upgrade. I got Fenix 7 solar, smaller size.I know it is not a cheap watch, but worth every penny.
CWill –
What I like:1) Size is very substantial, which I like2) They’ve extended the battery life by like triple what it was, and that’s a huge win!3). Love the touch screen4) Very accurate with calculationsVery improved from my first Fenix, the 5!!! Love it, and hope it lasts longer than my first one too. That will be the true test.