If you're shopping for a new GPS watch, the Garmin Fenix 7 Pro and Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2) are both likely to find a place on your shortlist – but which one is best for you? To help you decide, we're going to run through all the key similarities and differences so you can make the best choice.
These two watches launched on the same day in May this year, and are upgraded versions of the Garmin Fenix 7 and Epix (Gen 2) respectively. Each one features a brand new heart rate monitor with four LEDs rather than two, a built-in flashlight, and a choice of three case sizes (42mm, 47mm, and 51mm).
The main difference between the two Pro watches is their screen technology. The Fenix 7 Pro has a memory-in-pixel (MiP) display, which is a good all-rounder, providing decent visibility in most lighting conditions and a backlight for night time. The Epix Pro (Gen 2) has an AMOLED display, which is much brighter and sharper, but uses more power.
If you've made up your mind, we've rounded up the best prices for both watches below. Otherwise, read on to learn all the other differences between them so you can make the most informed choice.
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Price
- Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2) costs $100 more
- Deals sometimes available
The Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2) is the more expensive of the two due to its costlier screen. It starts at $899.99/£829.99 for the standard 42mm and 47mm versions. The top-end model, the 51mm Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire is $1,099.99/£999.99.
The Fenix 7 Pro is still a premium watch, but isn't quite as pricey. It starts at $799.99/£749.99 for the base model, and runs up to $999.99/£929.99 for the 51mm Fenix 7 Pro Sapphire Solar.
Both watches launched quite recently, so we've not seen any huge discounts on either model yet, but we've seen a few modest price cuts from retailers like Amazon. If you can wait, it might be worth holding out for this year's Black Friday Garmin deals.
Design
- Identical sizes, weights, and materials
- Epix Pro has AMOLED display; Fenix 7 Pro has MiP
- Fenix 7 Pro has solar charging
The Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2) and Fenix 7 Pro are extremely similar in terms of design. Both come in a choice of three sizes (42mm, 47mm and 51mm diameter) with a silicone band, resin case, and stainless steel bezel. The weight and thickness are the same too, and all models have an LED flashlight that you can activate with a double-press of the backlight button.
If you have a little more cash, there's also a Sapphire version of both watches available, with a sapphire crystal lens rather than chemically strengthened glass, and titanium bezel.
As mentioned earlier, the biggest difference is the screen, with the Epix Pro (Gen 2) boasting a bright AMOLED display rather than memory-in-pixel. However, the Fenix 7 Pro has an advantage in the form of a solar cell to keep its battery topped up. There's no solar version of the Epix; Garmin has patented a method for integrating photovoltaic material into an AMOLED display, but it's not made it into production yet.
Fitness features
- Both have Garmin's latest optical heart rate sensor
- Identical fitness tracking tools
In terms of fitness tracking, the Fenix 7 Pro and Epix Pro (Gen 2) are identical. Both have Garmin's fifth-generation Elevate optical heart rate monitor with more LEDs and receptors spread out over a larger area, which should give more accurate readings than previous models.
They have all the same workout tracking tools as the original Fenix 7 and Epix (Gen 2) with some added extras like Hill Score and Endurance Score, which analyze your performance on inclines and over long distances, and give you feedback and tips on how to improve in future. Both of these are currently undergoing beta testing for older watches, and will be rolling out more widely over the coming months.
The two watches also have the same multi-frequency GPS, with Garmin SatIQ to identify when it's necessary to use it.
Battery life
- Fenix 7 has longer battery life
- Larger watches last longer due to bigger batteries
The Garmin Fenix 7 Pro has much longer battery life than the Epix Pro (Gen 2) due to its less power-hungry display and its solar cell. The battery life of the Epix Pro (Gen 2) is still very respectable (you can see all Garmin's official figures in the table below), although using the watch with its screen in always-on mode will reduce it drastically.
Whichever watch you choose, the larger models have bigger batteries, and therefore keep running for longer between charges.
| Watch | Battery life (standby) | Battery life (GPS only) |
|---|---|---|
| Garmin Fenix 7S Pro Solar | 14 days | 46 hours |
| Garmin Fenix 7 Pro Solar | 22 days | 73 hours |
| Garmin Fenix 7X Pro Solar | 37 days | 122 hours |
| Garmin Epix Pro 42mm | 10 days | 28 hours |
| Garmin Epix Pro 47mm | 16 days | 42 hours |
| Garmin Epix Pro 51mm | 31 days | 82 hours |
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