The Garmin fēnix 7 — Photo voltaic Version ($800) is our favourite in our Finest GPS Working Watches information.
It brings every thing we cherished concerning the Garmin fēnix 6 — make sure to learn our Garmin fēnix 6 evaluation — whereas upgrading the battery life and including some helpful options together with a flashlight and a touchscreen.
Garmin has six important watch collection with a number of choices underneath every however for our cash, as ultrarunners, the Garmin fēnix 7 — Photo voltaic Version checks the entire packing containers for normal efficiency, reliability, options, and design and is the one watch that balances one of the best expertise with probably the most aggressive value.
An choice just like the Garmin epix could have superior show capabilities, however largely the identical characteristic set for a pair hundred {dollars} additional. That isn’t to counsel the Garmin fēnix 7 — Photo voltaic Version is reasonable — it’s not — many runners will discover decrease priced and nonetheless excessive performing GPS watches from Suunto, Coros, and others, however if you’re searching for a whole bundle that can carry you thru working and numerous different actions, that is the one to spend money on.
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The watch face, bezel, and strap of the Garmin fēnix 7 – Photo voltaic Version. All pictures: iRunFar/Craig Randall
Garmin fēnix 7 — Photo voltaic Version Notable Updates
In comparison with its predecessor, the Garmin fēnix 6, the Garmin fēnix 7 — Photo voltaic Version has added almost two days extra battery efficiency with as much as 57 hours utilizing GPS solely and 40 hours utilizing all satellite tv for pc methods. Using its photo voltaic charging, you’ll be able to count on nearly 73 hours of use in regular GPS mode. Coros watches supply merely one of the best battery efficiency, however they compromise in lots of different areas, like navigation and third-party connectivity, and generally with related costs.
This watch has confirmed itself to the iRunFar workforce in quite a few races, significantly 100 milers. The large battery, which is made even stronger with the addition of photo voltaic charging, is enough for almost all of us. In contrast to watches from Suunto, for instance, you received’t be capable to use the fēnix 7 — Photo voltaic Version whereas it’s charging however useful alerts mean you can draw out the battery energy by switching to a power-saving mode — which makes use of extra fundamental GPS monitoring and non-essential options might be turned off — ought to you end up pushing the battery to the brink. It’s necessary to notice that in “expedition” GPS mode the watch ought to last as long as 40 days — and 74 days with photo voltaic.
The addition of a touchscreen is the only finest replace within the fēnix 7 — Photo voltaic Version. The fēnix 6 was class main for its navigation capabilities. With the entire identical preloaded, offline-enabled mapping capabilities as its predecessor, the up to date model means you’ll be able to scroll the display along with your fingertip somewhat than utilizing a mix of a number of buttons to “zoom-in, zoom-out” and “side-to-side” capabilities of the earlier model.
This can be a main improve as a result of whether or not you might be following a route in the course of the mountains or a brand new manner by a metropolis and simply wish to get your bearings simply, a easy swipe helps you pinpoint your location and vacation spot.
The ultimate main replace is the addition of a flashlight, which is available in three configurations: stable white, strobing white, and stable crimson. The flashlight is positioned on the display. This can be a subtly useful characteristic that you just’ll discover helpful for illuminating path indicators, or lighting your manner round a tent in a a lot much less disruptive method than a headlamp or telephone flashlight.
The entrance of the Garmin fēnix 7 – Photo voltaic Version, displaying the music library.
Garmin fēnix 7 — Photo voltaic Version Supplies
The Garmin fēnix 7 — Photo voltaic Version makes use of a chrome steel bezel and Garmin’s trademark Energy Glass display. Because the watch has been upgraded to the touch screen-capable, the expertise of utilizing the glass has been beautiful, from the sturdiness to the readability — it does an amazing job of masking fingerprints.
The “begin” and “cease” exercise button is remoted with a textured metallic encased in a crimson rectangle for visibility.
The fast-release silicone straps are very straightforward to take away; in actual fact, you’ll be able to take away the straps and simply toss the watch in a pocket if you happen to’d wish to go wrist-free for exercise monitoring.
The again of the Garmin fēnix 7 — Photo voltaic Version.
Garmin fēnix 7 — Photo voltaic Version GPS Efficiency and Connectivity
The Garmin Join app is remarkably quick. It may well ship exercise information from the Garmin fēnix 7 — Photo voltaic Version to third-party apps like Strava in seconds. Even Suunto’s latest watch, the Suunto Vertical, takes a number of minutes to do the identical. Transferring routes can be blazing quick. No different conventional GPS watch we’ve examined can entry Wi-Fi to switch data and information. The combination between your private home Wi-Fi and the Garmin Join app means you’ll be able to synchronize music and podcasts by way of Spotify in minutes. When mixed with its large battery life, this watch is as near a phone-replacer as you’ll discover.
Connecting the fēnix 7 — Photo voltaic Version to the Garmin Join app could be very easy. The app can sync a couple of watch at a time, which retains your information straight. The app itself is centered largely round health monitoring, corresponding to pedometer, energy, girls’s well being, respiration price, stress, and rest reminders. However it’s additionally the catalyst for designing routes or importing GPX routes that you just wish to run. Sending the file to the gadget occurs with a single contact.
The fēnix 7 — Photo voltaic Version provides multiband satellite tv for pc community assist (GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo.) The watch decides which satellite tv for pc to make use of based mostly in your positioning in extremely restricted areas, like forests or cities, or in clear circumstances in unobstructed zones. The watch is ready to a default setting referred to as AutoSelect mode, which suggests the watch will determine which system to make use of by itself, preserving battery and the integrity of your GPS monitor concurrently.
Navigation may be probably the most spectacular characteristic of the fēnix 7 — Photo voltaic Version, however the one I take advantage of probably the most each day is Spotify. It lets you obtain offline Spotify playlists so you’ll be able to go working with out your telephone and nonetheless have entry to your music. Nevertheless, you do want a pair of wi-fi headphones and listening to music is a large battery drain; it might deal with solely about 10 hours of steady play earlier than the watch pivots to an excessive battery-saving mode or simply outright stops music playback totally.
The creator testing the Garmin fēnix 7 – Photo voltaic Version within the mountains.
Garmin fēnix 7 — Photo voltaic Version General Impressions
The Garmin fēnix 6 Professional was my first time utilizing a Garmin and I used to be actually floored after years of utilizing Suunto’s watches. It had so many revolutionary and may’t-live-without options which have carried over to the Garmin Fēnix 7 — Photo voltaic Version that I now have a tendency to evaluate all different watches I check by a few of these identical standards, particularly if the costs are related.
There’s a much less palpable “wow” issue to me now with the fēnix 7 — Photo voltaic Version, it’s simply the brand new torchbearer for the way a GPS working watch ought to be. That stated, it isn’t all excellent; too usually the watch suffers from some buggy faults like when an exercise is transferred to the app it would present the elevation acquire off by a whole bunch of 1000’s of toes; Spotify playback usually doesn’t reply to its instructions swiftly; and the charging twine has grow to be very insecure — it detaches very simply from the port. Arduous resets and software program updates solely generally enhance these bugs. However with some critical expertise and an infinite ecosystem of apps and connectivity, I can see previous a few of these defects. The watch, pound for pound, continues to be one of the best throughout GPS look ahead to ultrarunning we’ve used, and that’s why we’ve ranked it primary in our Finest GPS Working Watches information.
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Name for Feedback
- Have you ever used this newest mannequin from Garmin? What are your ideas?
- Do you assume there may be one other GPS watch that may compete with it for ultrarunning?
[Editor’s Note: If you’re affiliated (i.e., an employee, ambassador, etc.) with a brand, please share your relation in each of your comments on this article. Thanks!]
Our Favourite GPS Working Watches
Take a look at our Finest GPS Working Watches article to find out about our present favourite GPS working watches for working!
A profile view of the Garmin fēnix 7 — Photo voltaic Version.
