Jewellery & Watch News
Garmin’s latest and greatest smartwatch release has arrived, the Garmin Fenix 7, but despite its sapphire solar display, improved mapping, upgraded heart rate monitor and titanium construction, is it worth the hype? Let’s find out…
The Design
Just yesterday, Garmin unwrapped what is their latest luxury smartwatch design, the Garmin Fenix 7, designed for performance athletes and outdoor adventurers alike who value performance and precision just as much as design. It’s been three years since the Fenix 6 was launched and so as expected there’s been a lot of speculation about what new features we’re going to get. At first glance, the Garmin Fenix 7 looks almost exact to the Fenix 6 with the three main case sizes still here (the Garmin Fenix 7S at 42mm, Fenix 7 at 47mm and the Fenix 7X at 51mm) with no obvious changes to their bulky architecture.
And yet despite them looking incredibly similar, the Garmin Fenix 7 watches boast some impressive changes. For starters, the displays are touchscreen (a first for the Fenix range) and protected by sapphire crystal glass as standard. The displays are also full-colour and fuelled by Garmin’s solar-powered Power Lens which according to the brand boasts a 300% increase in solar harvesting gains compared to the Fenix 6 Solar (more on the battery life shortly). The displays are the same in size, at 1.2inches for the regular Fenix 7 but are surrounded by lightweight titanium bezels coloured in a choice of stunning DLC coatings.
The Battery
It’s fair to say that those shopping for smartwatches like the Garmin Fenix 7 are wanting to be impressed by battery life, and as far as we know, there is currently no other wearable with a battery life as powerful as this. In comparison, the Garmin Fenix 6 Solar which offered a 16 day battery life in smartwatch mode with solar, the 47mm Garmin Fenix 7 has an impressive 22 day battery life in smartwatch mode in solar. You’ve also got 173 days in Battery Saver Watch Mode, 73 hours in GPS only mode, 289 hours in Max Battery GPS and 74 days in Expedition GPS.
As you’d expect, the smaller Garmin Fenix 7S offers a slightly shorter battery with 14 days in smartwatch mode, 87 days in Battery Saver Watch Mode, 46 hours in GPS only mode, 162 hours in Max Battery GPS and 43 days in Expedition GPS. Meanwhile, the Garmin Fenix 7X champions the entire series with a battery life of 37 days with solar in smartwatch mode, over a year in Battery Saver Watch Mode, 122 hours in GPS only, 578 hours in Max Battery GPS and 139 days in Expedition GPS.
Additional New Features
Other significant improvements on the Garmin Fenix 7 include the upgraded wrist based heart rate monitor which is now locked in a radially sealed glass and protected by the metal case for even better accuracy. Also perfect for athletes is the new Real Time Stamina function which uses your heart rate, fitness levels and more to track and manage your exertion and ultimately help you avoid overexerting too quickly during a run or cycle. Similiarly, the new Visual Race Predictor helps you plan ahead by providing an estimate of what your pace could be for the distance you want to run based on your current fitness levels.
Exclusive to the Garmin Fenix 7X, there’s the addition of a unique integrated multi-LED flashlight feature which when not in use is cleverly hidden behind a diffused lens at the edge of the case. When you want to illuminate the way, you simply double tap and a bright white beam expands in front of you. The flashlight feature also has a Red Mode so you can signal for help and similarly an SOS Mode which sets the light to flash and signal for assistance while also displaying information about the user and/or their emergency contact on the watch display. Lovers of off-road adventures will also appreciate the Garmin Fenix 7’s new mapping features. The multi-continental TopoActive maps are now viewable in a new map manager which makes organising existing ones all the easier and you can now download new ones over Wi-Fi rather than having to connect to your computer. To work alongside this, there’s also a new Up Ahead feature which gives you a heads-up of selected points of interest coming up.
The Verdict
It’s safe to say that the new Garmin Fenix 7 watch collection has successfully triumphed over its predecessor in all areas, whether it’s the limitless battery life, the mass of lightweight and durable designs to choose from or simply all the new sports and navigational tools on offer. The price of the Garmin Fenix 7 is also highly impressive starting at only £779 which is on par with the Fenix 6 Solar models still on the market.
If you’d like to learn more about the Garmin Fenix 7 smartwatch series and order one for yourself, head over to the C W Sellors website here. Alternatively, you can get in touch with the team for advice and for information on the interest free finance and free next day delivery available by calling 01335 453453 or by messaging us at sales@cwsellors.com.
