Live Science Verdict
The Garmin Epix 2 is a fantastic runner ’s lookout man , matching good core tracking truth with Garmin ’s signature deepness and a bold , colorful covert .
Glossier - looking projection screen than the Fenix 7
Great GPS and HR reliability
erectile depth
Very expensive
Flaky SpO2 readings
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Back in the right old days of 2015 , the Garmin Epix was the watch you ’d buy if you wanted a Garmin with full mapping . It had a straightforward screen and look a little rum , but act amazingly well .
The entireGarmin Fenix 7range now has excellent mapping support , so where does that allow the Garmin Epix ? Well , it has a new spot . The second - generation Garmin Epix ( sometimes called the Epix 2 ) is basically a Fenix 7 with an OLED blind .
Software : Garmin Connect and Garmin ExpressCompatibility : iOS and AndroidBattery : Up to 16 daysMemory:16/ 32GBDisplay : 1.30 " diameter AMOLED Always OnGPS : YesWater resistance : 10 ATMHeart charge per unit tracker : YesSleep tracker : YesMusic download selection : Yes
This makes it an fantabulous option if you want atop - end runner ’s watchthat does n’t sport a tedious MIP screen . It has all the deep - trailing feature you ’d find on the Fenix 7 , but it get with a brighter display . However , you ’ll have to pay for this with battery , as the raw Epix will only last around a week between charge . That is bully by smartwatch standards but not a patch on the Fenix 7 .
you’re able to ameliorate this by change by reversal the “ always on ” screen mode off , but it make the Garmin Epix less enjoyable to wear day - to - Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . job two : it cost a not - that - small destiny , roughly £ 200/$200 more than the Fenix 7 at alkali level , and there ’s no solar charging option .
We find it hard to argue the Epix is worth this much more than the brilliant Fenix 7 . But it is one of thebest physical fitness trackersavailable nevertheless .
Price and release date
The Garmin Epix was announced in January 2022 alongside the Fenix 7 series watches , seven years after the original Epix . Garmin sometimes refers to it as the “ epix ( Gen 2 ) ” to ensure it is not disoriented with its great grandpa .
It is one of Garmin ’s most expensive watches . The base example cost $ 899/£799 . It has a stainless steel bezel and Gorilla Glass DX exhibit protection . For an spare $ 100/£100 you’re able to get an Epix with a titanium bezel and Sapphire screen glass . Sapphire is more bread resistive than Gorilla Glass , and titanium lour the vigil ’s system of weights .
Design and display
One of our primary complaint when testing the Fenix 7 was that it feels quite bulky and heavy , to the extent you might not want to wear it all the sentence . The atomic number 22 version of the Epix makes important steps towards fix this problem . It ’s still big , 47 mm in diam , and thick at 14.5 mm . But it ’s slightly low weight occupy the edge off the issue .
Garmin ’s classic MIP display style is replaced by an AMOLED screen here , which measures 1.3 inches . This looks sharp but it has some drawback , namely that it ’s going to utilise a luck of power when you ’re standing outdoors as it will postulate to advance brightness level to be visible .
Now is likely a good time to touch on battery spirit . Garmin sound out the Epix will last for up to six Clarence Day in its always - on screen mode or 16 days if you switch it off . We conceive that this approximation is actually fairly conservative . During examination , the Epix miss 24 % battery after two days of cosmopolitan economic consumption , without cut across workouts . This suggests around eight Clarence Shepard Day Jr. is possible .
Garmin also claims that the watch will last for 24 hours if you have all artificial satellite organization tracking pick switched on . We found this to be broadly exact and see 4 % battery exit from an hour of run tracking .
For background , we typically utilize the term “ GPS ” to refer to all satellite emplacement systems , but it really refers to the Global Positioning System owned by the USA . The Epix can make use of Europe ’s GALILEO , Russia ’s GLONASS , Japan ’s QZSS andChina ’s BEIDOU system in addition to GPS . you could really conserve battery life by switching to a GPS - only routine , which will give you 30 hours of juice instead of 24 .
Features
Garmin packs a lot of nerdy , in - deepness feature film into its lookout man , and the Garmin Epix is no exception . lease ’s take indoor cycling as an example .
The Garmin Epix can plug into to chic turbo trainers , which in itself is an strange fillip . You ’ll see the metrics recorded by the trainer on your watch screen , which is decent – but there ’s more . The Epix can actually ascertain the trainer ’s ohmic resistance and you’re able to sync full cycling exercising to the lookout man . These can be simple structured function created by yourself or they can be based around real - world routes .
This feature is possible because of the original Epix modeling ’s unique selling point : on - vigil maps . These are full maps that can be downloaded onto the wearable , which have elaborated road and topography data .
There are 57 natural action modes on the sentinel , if we counted right . And while sleazy watches can have over 100 modes , people of these will do petty more than record your fondness charge per unit . As we ’ve already install , Garmin is more interested in creating in - depth , detailed features . Hardcore runners , for good example , will enjoy work use of the PacePro feature article . This lets you work out a pace for longer ( or short ) runs , establish on the time final result you desire to achieve . You project these on your sound in the Garmin Connect app and send them over to the Epix .
There ’s lighter poppycock too . Garmin offers multi - week physical exercise plans for couch - to-5 K ethnic music and there are comparable plans for cyclists too . For yoga and weightlift you may synchronize guided workouts to the sentinel . There are classes pre - programmed in Garmin Connect or you may build your own , plotting in specific yoga poses and gymnasium - based exercises . It ’s all free to access too , with no subscription required .
All this functionality can be a little consuming though . You ’ll have to excavate deep to find out everything that the Epix can do .
That say , the day - to - day experience of using the Garmin Epix is straightforward . Swipe or button - tap down below the vigil face and you ’ll find a quick summary of all your recent stats , like how long you kip , your step numeration , your heart rate and stress levels . The “ commencement ” clit on the side of the sentry have you to the tracking mode fare , where you start a run , take the air or cps activity . Most of the time , these are the only interactions you ’ll need to vex about .
Like other mid - range and gamey - end Garmins , the Garmin Epix also supports apps download from Connect IQ . That ’s the Garmin app store .
While there ’s not a great peck here compare to the library of a reliable smartwatch , there are a few useful extras , like Komoot , Samsung SmartThings and a few third - party apps that can curb Philips Hue lighter . You also utilise link up IQ to download apps for the Epix ’s support music services : Spotify , Deezer and Amazon Music .
Performance
The SpO2 readings are the only notably flakey feature on the sentry . This is your blood oxygenation , mensurate using a feature called Pulse Ox . We used the 2 - mo Health Snapshot mode to give the vigil its best chance of a honest reading , but found our readings to be all over the place and completely unreliable .
The rest of the Epix ’s detector are much good . We did n’t see any of the strange altimeter readings note in ourGarmin Venu 2 Plus review , which lead in the vigil saying we ’d climb a small mountain most Clarence Shepard Day Jr. .
Its GPS is an absolute joy to use as it latches onto signal almost like a shot . We view zero drop - outs and no too creative route mapping . It even systematically placed us on the correct side of the road and only claim we ran straight through a construction a couple of times during the first couple of minutes of a tracked workout . Our hypothesis is the Epix signalise an dynamic GPS connection before its triangulation is 100 % complete , which is why it feels so instant .
Heart charge per unit results were likewise warm . It ’s in a completely different conference to the Suunto 9 Peak we strain recently , with effectively hour strap - ground level reliability in most situation . It tracks gush from a somewhat high elbow grease baseline well , which some trackers have a riding habit of missing totally .
The performance of a wrist - worn heart rate reminder can change depending on how soused the strap is , the tone of hide and the form of your wrist joint . But we are more than happy with the Garmin Epix ’s results establish on our examination .
Verdict
The Garmin Epix is a Fenix 7 with an AMOLED cover . You get all the depth , the mazy raiment of feature of speech , and effectively the same reliable tracking accuracy .
Its battery does not last as long as a result of the change in showing technical school , but for most the idea of charging once a week is just a major hardship . long battery living is potential too if you ’re happy with the silver screen only turning on when you use the watch or flick your wrist joint towards your fount .
The money demand raise the value question , though . Garmin ’s “ entry level ” Epix be $ 200/£200 more than the received Fenix 7 . While the additional $ 100/£100 for Sapphire chicken feed , double the storehouse and a lighter Ti - plated body is an OK great deal , you do n’t get the solar - charge up feature usable in the Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar .
Garmin ’s Fenix 7 is credibly a good value lookout , but when buying at this degree you may be less fazed about the cost disparity .
If this isn’t for you
The key choice to the Garmin Epix is obvious . It ’s the Fenix 7 , which has a screen that looks slow indoors but can be clearer outdoors . The ledger entry - grade Fenix 7 cost a stack less , despite tender exactly the same substance — under the Earth’s surface at least .
You should also consider the Garmin Venu 2 compass . These cost a lot less than either the Fenix or Epix , are smaller , wanton and more prosperous . You miss out on many advanced features , but aside from on - watch map and the Epix ’s more or less nerdier approaching to stats , many of these are likely to go unused by the bulk of Epix owners .
If your main goal is GPS trail of familiar running play and walks , where you wo n’t apply the actual lookout to voyage , you should also take a aspect at the Huawei GT 3 . It has little of the Epix ’s deepness but does have a endearing screen , longsighted battery lifetime and can GPS track activities absolutely well for a fraction of the cost .
