GPS Watch Comparison Guide: Garmin Epix Gen 2 vs Garmin Fenix 7

Garmin Epix Gen 2 Premium Outdoor Smartwatch Overview:

The Garmin Epix Gen 2 is all about celebrating grandeur in outdoor and sports watch technology. This high-end smartwatch comes with an impressive AMOLED display, promising up to 16 days of battery life in smartwatch mode. It's more than just a watch; it's a health and wellness mentor on your wrist. With a plethora of features such as Pulse Ox2, respiration tracking, and 24/7 heart rate monitoring, it serves as an everyday health companion. Its built-in sports apps cater to over 30 sports, ensuring that athletes from all disciplines find value. Adventure seekers will appreciate the TopoActive mapping feature and those opting for the Sapphire editions will benefit from multi-band GNSS technology, which offers better positioning in challenging terrains. From a design perspective, its 1.3” AMOLED display, a combination of touchscreen and traditional buttons, and options of sapphire display, titanium, or stainless steel bezel ensure it looks as good as it functions.

Garmin Fenix 7 Multisport GPS Smartwatch Overview:

The Fenix 7 stands as a testament to Garmin's commitment to pushing the boundaries of what multisport smartwatches can do. Packed with features that cater to an array of sports and activities, it is designed for individuals who wish to track and improve their performance across various disciplines. Whether it's the new Track Run mode, the MTB dynamics or the advanced sleep tracking, the Fenix 7 is crafted to provide intricate details of one's activities. Furthermore, the improved battery performance, which offers up to 18 days in smartwatch mode and 115 hours in maximum battery GPS mode, ensures longevity. The Fenix 7 is also a stylistic masterpiece, with its Power Glass™ solar charging lens, which uses sunlight to extend battery life.

Comparing the Two:

Display and Battery: While both smartwatches are built for rugged outdoor use and intense activities, they differ slightly in design and display. The Epix Gen 2 features a vivid AMOLED display, whereas the specifics of Fenix 7's display remain more traditional yet solar-powered. In terms of battery life, while the Epix promises up to 16 days in smartwatch mode, the Fenix 7 takes it a notch higher with up to 18 days, also boasting an incredible 115 hours in its GPS mode.

Health and Wellness Features: Both watches are geared to offer comprehensive health and wellness insights. However, the Epix Gen 2 goes deeper into health metrics with features such as the Health Snapshot™, stress tracking, and hydration tracking. Both watches offer Pulse Ox and respiration tracking, but the Epix seems to have a slight edge with its broader range of health features.

Sports and Adventure Features: When it comes to sports and outdoor adventure features, both watches stand tall, though with slight variations. While both offer multiple sports apps and training plans, the Epix Gen 2 provides animated workouts and a more diverse range of sports profiles. The Fenix 7, on the other hand, puts a spotlight on features like Track Run and MTB dynamics. For adventurers, the Epix Gen 2's Sapphire editions offer multi-band GNSS technology, enhancing positioning in challenging environments, a feature not explicitly highlighted in the Fenix 7.

Connectivity and Smart Features: Both watches excel in ensuring users remain connected, offering smart notifications, music apps, Garmin Pay, and safety features. However, the Epix Gen 2 seems to slightly edge out with its Wi-Fi® connectivity allowing downloads of TopoActive maps and its compatibility with Surfline Sessions™ app, which can create videos of surfing sessions.

In conclusion, both the Garmin Epix Gen 2 and the Fenix 7 stand as premier offerings in the world of multisport GPS smartwatches. Your choice between the two might hinge on specific preferences, be it the vibrant AMOLED display and health metrics of the Epix Gen 2 or the superior battery life and unique sports features of the Fenix 7. Either way, both are engineered to impress.

Full Spec Comparison

General

	Garmin Epix (Gen 2)	Garmin Fenix 7
Lens Material	Corning® Gorilla® Glass	Corning® Gorilla® Glass
Bezel Material	passivated stainless steel	stainless steel
Case material	fiber-reinforced polymer with steel rear cover Sapphire Editions: fiber-reinforced polymer with titanium rear cover	fiber-reinforced polymer with metal rear cover
QuickFit™ watch band compatible	included (22 mm)	included (22 mm)
Strap material	silicone	silicone
Physical size	47 x 47 x 14.5 mm Fits wrists with the following circumference: Silicone band: 125-208 mm Leather band: 132-210 mm Fabric band: 132-210 mm Metal band: 132-215 mm	47 x 47 x 14.5 mm Fits wrists with the following circumference: Silicone band: 125-208 mm Leather Band: 132-210 mm Fabric Band: 132-210 mm Metal Band: 132-215 mm
Weight	76 g (case only: 53 g)	79 g (case only: 56 g)
Water rating	10 ATM	10 ATM
Touchscreen	✓	✓
Display Type	AMOLED (always-on)	sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP)
Display Size	1.3” (33.0 mm) diameter	1.3” (33.02 mm) diameter
Display resolution	416 x 416 pixels	260 x 260 pixels
Color display	✓	✓
Battery life	Smartwatch: Up to 16 days (6 days always-on) Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 21 days GPS Only: Up to 42 hours (30 hours always-on ) All Satellite Systems: Up to 32 hours (24 hours always-on) All Satellite Systems + Music: Up to 10 hours (9 hours always-on) Max Battery GPS: Up to 75 hours Expedition GPS: Up to 14 days	Smartwatch: Up to 18 days Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 57 days GPS Only: Up to 57 hours All Satellite Systems: Up to 40 hours All Satellite Systems + Music: Up to 10 hours Max Battery GPS: Up to 136 hours Expedition GPS: Up to 40 days
Charging method	Garmin proprietary plug charger	Garmin proprietary plug charger
Memory/History	16 GB	16 GB

Clock Features

	Garmin Epix (Gen 2)	Garmin Fenix 7
Time/date	✓	✓
GPS Time Sync	✓	✓
Automatic daylight saving time	✓	✓
Alarm clock	✓	✓
Timer	✓	✓
Stopwatch	✓	✓
Sunrise/sunset times	✓	✓

Health & Wellness Monitoring

	Garmin Epix (Gen 2)	Garmin Fenix 7
Wrist-based heart rate (constant, every second)	✓	✓
Daily resting heart rate	✓	✓
Abnormal heart rate alerts	yes (high and low)	yes (high and low)
Respiration rate (24x7)	✓	✓
Pulse Ox blood oxygen saturation	✓	✓
Fitness age	yes (in app)	yes (in app)
Body Battery™ energy monitor	✓	✓
All-day stress	✓	✓
Relaxation breathing timer	✓	✓
Breathwork	✓	✓
Sleep	yes (advanced)	yes (advanced)
Sleep score and insights	✓	✓
Hydration	yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget)	yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget)
Women's health	yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget)	yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget)
Health snapshot	✓	✓
Jet lag adviser	✓	✓

Sensors

	Garmin Epix (Gen 2)	Garmin Fenix 7
GPS	✓	✓
GLONASS	✓	✓
Galileo	✓	✓
Garmin Elevate™ wrist heart rate monitor	✓	✓
Pulse Ox Blood Oxygen Saturation Monitor	✓	✓
Barometric altimeter	✓	✓
Compass	✓	✓
Gyroscope	✓	✓
Accelerometer	✓	✓
Thermometer	✓	✓
Ambient light sensor	✓	✗

Daily Smart Features

	Garmin Epix (Gen 2)	Garmin Fenix 7
Connectivity	Bluetooth®, ANT+®, Wi-Fi®	Bluetooth®, ANT+®, Wi-Fi®
Connect IQ™ (downloadable watch faces, data fields, widgets and apps)	✓	✓
On-device Connect IQ™ Store	✓	✓
Smart Notifications	✓	✓
Text response/reject phone call with text (Android™ only)	✓	✓
Morning report	✓	✓
Calendar	✓	✓
Weather forecasts	✓	✓
Realtime settings sync with Garmin Connect™ mobile	✓	✓
Battery saver (customizable low power watch)	✓	✓
Controls smartphone music	✓	✓
Plays and controls watch music	✓	✓
Music storage	✓	✓
Find My Phone	✓	✓
Find My Watch	✓	✓
VIRB® Remote	✓	✓
Smart trainer control	✓	✓
Pairs with Garmin Connect™ Mobile	✓	✓
Smartphone compatibility	iPhone®, Android™	iPhone®, Android™
Stocks	✓	✓
Garmin Pay™	✓	✓
Red shift mode	✓	✗

Safety and Tracking Features

	Garmin Epix (Gen 2)	Garmin Fenix 7
Incident Detection during select activities	✓	✓
Incident detection alert on phone for wearables	✓	✓
Assistance	✓	✓
LiveTrack	✓	✓
Group LiveTrack	✓	✓
Live Event Sharing	✓	✓

Tactical Features

	Garmin Epix (Gen 2)	Garmin Fenix 7
Dual grid coordinates	✓	✓

Gaming Features

	Garmin Epix (Gen 2)	Garmin Fenix 7
Gaming activity	✓	✓
GameOn™ app compatible	✓	✓

Boating Features

	Garmin Epix (Gen 2)	Garmin Fenix 7
Wearable trolling motor remote	✓	✓

Activity Tracking Features

	Garmin Epix (Gen 2)	Garmin Fenix 7
Step counter	✓	✓
Move alerts (displays on device after a period of inactivity; walk for a couple of minutes to reset it)	✓	✓
Auto goal (learns your activity level and assigns a daily step goal)	✓	✓
Calories burned	✓	✓
Floors climbed	✓	✓
Distance traveled	✓	✓
Intensity minutes	✓	✓
TrueUp™	✓	✓
Move IQ™	✓	✓
Garmin Connect™ Challenges app	yes (optional Connect IQ app)	yes (optional Connect IQ app)

Gym & Fitness Equipment

	Garmin Epix (Gen 2)	Garmin Fenix 7
Available gym activity profiles	Strength, HIIT, Cardio and Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing, Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts, Pilates, Yoga	Strength, HIIT, Cardio and Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing, Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts, Pilates, Yoga
Cardio workouts	✓	✓
Strength workouts	✓	✓
HIIT workouts	✓	✓
Yoga workouts	✓	✓
Pilates workouts	✓	✓
On-screen workout animations	✓	✓
On-screen workout muscle maps	✓	✓
Automatic rep counting	✓	✓

Training, Planning and Analysis Features

	Garmin Epix (Gen 2)	Garmin Fenix 7
HR zones	✓	✓
HR alerts	✓	✓
HR calories	✓	✓
% HR max	✓	✓
% HRR	✓	✓
Recovery time	✓	✓
Auto max HR	✓	✓
Race glance/widget	✓	✓
HRV status	✓	✓
Training readiness	✓	✓
HRV stress test (measures your heart rate variability while standing still, for 3 minutes, to provide you with an estimated stress level; the scale of this is 1 to 100; low scores indicate lower stress levels)	yes (with compatible accessory)	yes (with compatible accessory)
HR broadcast (broadcasts HR data over ANT+® to paired devices)	✓	✓
Respiration rate (during exercise)	yes (with compatible accessory)	yes (with compatible accessory)
GPS speed and distance	✓	✓
Customizable data pages	✓	✓
Customizable activity profiles	✓	✓
Auto Pause®	✓	✓
Interval training	✓	✓
Advanced workouts	✓	✓
Downloadable training plans	✓	✓
Power Modes - customizable in-activity battery settings	✓	✓
HRM running pace and distance	✓	✓
Auto Lap®	✓	✓
Manual lap	✓	✓
Rest timer	✓	✗
Configurable lap alerts	✓	✓
Heat and altitude acclimation	✓	✓
VO2 Max (Run)	✓	✓
VO2 Max (Trail Run)	✓	✓
Realtime stamina	✓	✓
Endurance Score	✗	✓
Load ratio	✓	✓
Training status	✓	✓
Training load	✓	✓
Training load focus	✓	✓
Training effect	✓	✓
Training effect (anaerobic)	✓	✓
Primary benefit (Training Effect labels)	✓	✓
Improved recovery time	✓	✓
Daily suggested workouts	✓	✓
Custom alerts	✓	✓
Audio prompts	✓	✓
Finish time	✓	✓
Virtual Partner	✓	✓
Race an Activity	✓	✓
Auto multisport activities	✓	✓
Manual multisport activities	✓	✓
Course guidance	✓	✓
Garmin Live Segments	✓	✓
Strava Live Segments	✓	✓
Round-trip course creator (running/cycling)	✓	✓
Trendline™ Popularity Routing	✓	✓
Touch and/or button lock	✓	✓
Hot keys	✓	✓
Auto scroll	✓	✓
Activity history on watch	✓	✓
Physio TrueUp	✓	✓
Unified training status	✓	✓

Running Features

	Garmin Epix (Gen 2)	Garmin Fenix 7
Available run profiles	Running, Outdoor Track Running, Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Trail Running, Virtual Running, Ultra Running	Running, Outdoor Track Running, Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Trail Running, Virtual Running, Ultra Running
GPS-based distance, time and pace	✓	✓
Running dynamics	✓	✓
Vertical oscillation and ratio	✓	✓
Ground contact time and balance	yes (GCT balance with accessory)	yes (GCT balance with accessory)
Stride length (real time)	✓	✓
Cadence (provides real-time number of steps per minute)	✓	✓
Running power	✓	✓
Grade-adjusted pace	✓	✓
Performance condition	✓	✓
Lactate threshold	yes (with compatible accessory)	yes (with compatible accessory)
PacePro™ Pacing Strategies	✓	✓
Run workouts	✓	✓
Hill score	✓	✓
Trail run auto climb	✓	✓
Race predictor	✓	✓
Foot pod capable	✓	✓
Run/Walk/Stand detection	✓	✓

Golfing Features

	Garmin Epix (Gen 2)	Garmin Fenix 7
Preloaded with 43,000 courses worldwide	✓	✓
Yardage to F/M/B (distance to front, middle and back of green)	✓	✓
Yardage to layups/doglegs	✓	✓
Measures shot distance (calculates exact yardage for shots from anywhere on course)	automatic	automatic
Digital scorecard	✓	✓
Custom targets	✓	✓
Stat tracking (strokes, putts per round, greens and fairways hit)	✓	✓
Garmin AutoShot™	✓	✓
Full vector map	✓	✓
Auto CourseView updates	✓	✓
Green View with manual pin position	✓	✓
Hazards and course targets	✓	✓
PinPointer	✓	✓
PlaysLike distance	✓	✓
Touch-targeting (touch target on display to see the distance to any point)	✓	✓
Handicap scoring	✓	✓
Round timer/odometer	✓	✓
Automatic club tracking compatible (requires accessory)	✓	✓
Wind speed and direction (requires connection to Garmin Golf app)	✓	✓
Virtual caddie	✓	✓
Pairs with Garmin Golf app	✓	✓
Tournament legal	✓	✓
Green Contours (with Garmin Golf membership)	✓	✓

Outdoor Recreation

	Garmin Epix (Gen 2)	Garmin Fenix 7
Available outdoor recreation profiles	Hiking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Climbing, Mountain Biking, Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Water Skiing, Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Surfing, Wakeboarding, Wakesurfing, Tubing, Hunting, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Snowshoeing, Fishing, Horseback Riding, Motorcycling, Overlanding, Motocrossing, ATVing, Snowmobile, Ice Skating, Boating, Sailing, Sail Racing, Jumpmaster, Tennis, Pickleball, Padel, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Archery, Whitewater, Tactical, Disc Golf, Sailing Expedition	Hiking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Climbing, Mountain Biking, Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Water Skiing, Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Surfing, Wakeboarding, Wakesurfing, Tubing, Hunting, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Snowshoeing, Fishing, Horseback Riding, Motorcycling, Overlanding, Motocrossing, ATVing, Snowmobile, Ice Skating, Boating, Sailing, Sail Racing, Jumpmaster, Tennis, Pickleball, Padel, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Archery, Whitewater, Tactical, Disc Golf, Sailing Expedition
Sport profiles	American Football, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Soccer/Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball, Basketball, Volleyball	American Football, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Soccer/Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball, Basketball, Volleyball
Point-to-point navigation	✓	✓
Bread crumb trail in real time	✓	✓
Back to start	✓	✓
TracBack®	✓	✓
UltraTrac mode	✓	✓
Around Me mode	✓	✓
Reference point	✓	✓
Up Ahead	✓	✓
NextFork™ navigation	✓	✓
Elevation profile	✓	✓
Distance to destination	✓	✓
Barometric trend indicator with Storm Alert	✓	✓
ClimbPro™ Ascent Planner	✓	✓
Vertical speed	✓	✓
Total ascent/descent	✓	✓
Rest Timer (Ultra Run only)	✓	✓
Auto rest	✓	✓
Future elevation plot	✓	✓
Preloaded topographical maps	yes (Sapphire Editions only)	yes (Sapphire & Pro Editions only)
Preloaded ski resort maps	✓	✓
Downloadable cartography support	✓	✓
GPS coordinates	✓	✓
Sight 'N Go	✓	✓
Area calculation	yes (via Connect IQ™)	yes (via Connect IQ™)
Fish forecast	✓	✓
Projected waypoint	✓	✓
Sun and moon information	yes (via Connect IQ™)	yes (via Connect IQ™)
XERO™ Locations	✓	✓
Expedition GPS Activity	✓	✓
Tides	yes (via Connect IQ™)	yes (via Connect IQ™)
Tide glance	✓	✓

Cycling Features

	Garmin Epix (Gen 2)	Garmin Fenix 7
Available cycling profiles	Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, Triathlon	Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, Triathlon
Courses	✓	✓
Bike lap and lap maximum power (with power sensor)	✓	✓
Race an activity	✓	✓
Alerts (triggers alarm when you reach goals including time, distance, heart rate or calories)	✓	✓
FTP (Functional Threshold Power)	yes (with compatible accessory)	yes (with compatible accessory)
Power curve and % FTP workouts	✓	✓
Cycle Map (routable cycling-specific street map)	✓	✓
MTB Grit & Flow	✓	✓
Advanced cycling dynamics	✓	✓
Compatible with Vector™ and Rally™ (power meters)	✓	✓
Compatible with Varia Vision™ (head-mounted display)	✓	✓
Compatible with Varia™ radar (rear-facing radar)	✓	✓
Compatible with Varia™ lights	✓	✓
Speed and cadence sensor support (w/sensor)	✓	✓
Power meter compatible	✓	✓
Power guide	✓	✓

Swimming Features

	Garmin Epix (Gen 2)	Garmin Fenix 7
Available swim profiles	Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming, Swimming/Running	Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming, Swimming/Running
Open-water swim metrics (distance, pace, stroke count/rate, stroke distance, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories)	✓	✓
Pool swim metrics (lengths, distance, pace, stroke count, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories)	✓	✓
Stroke type detection (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly) (pool swim only)	✓	✓
Drill logging (pool swim only)	✓	✓
Basic rest timer (up from 0) (pool swim only)	✓	✓
"Repeat on" rest timer (pool swim only)	✓	✓
Auto rest (pool swim only)	✓	✓
Time and distance alerts	✓	✓
Pacing alerts (pool swim only)	✓	✓
Countdown start (pool swim only)	✓	✓
Pool swim workouts	✓	✓
Critical swim speed	✓	✓
Underwater wrist-based heart rate	✓	✓
Heart rate from external HRM (real-time during rests, interval and session stats during rests, and automatic heart rate download post-swim)	yes (with HRM-Tri, HRM-Swim, HRM-Pro or HRM-Pro Plus)	yes (with HRM-Tri, HRM-Swim, HRM-Pro or HRM-Pro Plus)

Kid Activity Tracking Features

	Garmin Epix (Gen 2)	Garmin Fenix 7
Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app	yes (optional Connect IQ Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app)	yes (optional Connect IQ Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app)