Garmin Fenix 7 review

Instead, it gives you tools that will help you understand your current fitness level, set a realistic goal, and train in a way that will help you reach that goal. It has the same advanced workout tracking and training tools that made the Garmin Fenix 6 the best multi-sports watch back in 2019, but it also has some new features that make it easier for new users to use.

The Garmin Fenix 7 is made for people who like to compete and want to push themselves to reach a new peak, whether it’s in a cycling sportive, a half marathon, an Ironman, or a CrossFit competition that makes you sweat a lot. The Fenix 7 doesn’t assume that you already have a full training plan and know how to balance work and rest.

The addition of a touchscreen is the most obvious change. The watch still has the same five physical buttons as other Fenix watches, including a newly reinforced start button, but it’s a huge help for panning across maps. It has been carefully set up, though. During workouts, the screen is locked by default to prevent accidental button presses, and Fenix purists can choose to turn off touch completely if they want to.

The display is still memory-in-pixel, not AMOLED like the Garmin Epix (Gen 2) or Garmin Venu 2. It’s easy to read in most lights but doesn’t have enough contrast, and the blue backlight sometimes makes the colors look muddy. But this is part of why the Fenix 7 uses so little power.

Garmin Fenix 7 review: Design

We tested the standard 47mm Sapphire Solar edition, which is the first watch to combine the benefits of its sunlight-harvesting Power Glass and its tough crystal. The watch we tested had a graphite-gray titanium case and a black silicone strap, but it also comes in a number of other colors.

The silicone band is good for sports and is easy to clean. For everyday use, you can get a watch that comes with an extra leather or woven strap. The watch uses Garmin’s QuickFit bands, which can be taken off by pushing down on a plastic clip on the back of the case. They are very easy to switch out, but they can’t be used with the old quick-release bands that you take off by pushing a pin to the side.

The Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar weighs 73g with the silicone strap and 50g without it. That’s almost the same as the Fenix 6 Solar, which weighs 72 grams with the strap and 49 grams without it. It’s impressive that Garmin has kept the weight the same while making the battery life much longer and improving the technology of the screen. You can buy this smartwatch from its official website.

Garmin Fenix 7 review: Display

The biggest difference between the Garmin Fenix 6 and the Garmin Fenix 7 may be that the newer model now has a touchscreen. This means that you can swipe through options and tap on them, just like on the best smartwatches. This is nothing new; watches like the Garmin Venu have had touchscreens for years, but this is the first time we’ve seen Garmin add touchscreen features to a running watch.

Normally, this would scare me, but I was surprised by how well the touchscreen worked, even when my fingers were sweaty or it was raining. The watch also has buttons, so you don’t have to use the touchscreen if you don’t want to. Almost all of the sports modes on the Fenix 7 have the touchscreen turned off by default.

This means that you can’t use the touchscreen to start or stop an activity. Even in direct sunlight, the screen is easy to see while running, and like all Garmin running watches, you can use it without having to stop and stand still. In the activity modes, Garmin allows you to turn off the touchscreen in sleep mode so that the watch doesn’t wake you up while you’re trying to sleep.

Garmin Fenix 7 review: Connectivity

The Fenix 7 has safety features that have been around for a long time, like incident detection and LiveTrack. If your watch thinks you’ve fallen, it can call one of your emergency contacts. To use this feature, you’ll need a phone nearby, so if you like to leave your phone at home, you’re out of luck. Garmin hasn’t added LTE connectivity to the Fenix line yet, which is strange.

As was already said, Garmin made it possible to change many of the watch’s settings from the Connect app on a smartphone. This includes a new settings page for Sleep Mode, where you can set a sleep schedule and change the backlight and touch screen settings.

Garmin Fenix 7 review: Fitness tracking

After using the model for about a month, we’re sure that for some people, it’s the best running watch money can buy and one of the best fitness trackers on the market right now. Few people who have used a Fenix watch before should be surprised by this. If you already have a high-end Garmin watch and want to switch to the Fenix 7, it should be easy.

And we think the Fenix 7 is better than its predecessors at tracking your fitness without you having to do anything. There are only two big problems here. The Garmin Fenix 7 comes in three sizes, and the two biggest ones might be too big and heavy to wear all the time. Some people might prefer a lighter Garmin, like the Venu 2, which also does a good job of tracking sleep.

Solar power and battery life

The solar capabilities of the Garmin Fenix 7 help to greatly extend the battery life compared to competing models. The Garmin Fenix 6 series was the first to include a solar charging feature; the Instinct and Enduro series followed suit. Both the thin ring that lines the inner border of the display and the layer beneath the glass are solar charging components of the watches.

Garmin claims that the Fenix 7 has much better solar capabilities than previous models. They supposedly accomplished this by expanding the watch’s solar panel surface area by up to 54%, boosting the solar panels’ efficiency, and reducing the watch’s power consumption. The thin solar rim is considerably more noticeable and widespread on the Fenix 7.

Garmin Fenix 7 review: Price

A GPS watch is an investment that should last you a long time. We wear ours every day, so we think the Fenix 7’s high price is worth it. Not only does it look good and fit our lifestyle, but it also helps us stay safe and make good decisions in the backcountry. At this price, you should think about whether or not you will use these features.

If you already have a dedicated watch and would only use this one for runs and shorter workouts, you might be able to get away with a cheaper model that does the basics almost as well. This is the price for the best on the market right now, and we think it’s worth it.

Garmin Fenix 7 review: Final Words

The Fenix series has consistently impressed us, and this model hasn’t disappointed us. This is the best GPS watch on the market, period. The Garmin Fenix 7 performed exceptionally well, making it our top pick if you could only buy one watch. The internal system and design are fantastic, and they greatly enhance the quality of our workouts and daily lives in general.

There are better solutions if you need the longest possible battery life, but for everyday tasks and watch ‘workflow,’ this meets all the requirements. It would be nice if the Garmin Connect app were more modern and up-to-date, but we’re sure that’ll happen eventually. We are confident that you will be pleased with this high-priced model.