Garmin Porsche Epix 2
Judging by the name, the latest iteration of the Fenix line will be the Garmin Porsche Epix 2. However, there will probably be more to see here than simply a cosmetic variation with a degree of automotive re-branding.
Must Read: Garmin Epix 2 Review
Visuals – Epix 2 vs. Porsche Epix 2
All we know so far is from Garmin Connect and we can see that the Porsche Epix 2 does look a little different from the regular Epix 2. There’s a new watch face and a new strap for starters
If you want to find the same info yourself check out Garmin Connect on your smartphone and navigate to the section where you add a new device. Search for “PORSCHE” and it will appear. Like this…
Likely Features
The watchface shows a tachymeter which is a speedometer. So that’s something vaguely new. I’m unsure how accurate that would be and, indeed, if you would even look at it whilst careering around a race track at 150mph on a Club day.
Perhaps there are links to the car itself via Bluetooth and/or CIQ? It would be MUCH more informative for a wannabe racecar driver to have revs and gear information than it is for a cyclist to have cadence and Di2 gear info. More likely is that any links will be for entertainment control and monitoring driver fatigue.
That said, I don’t think that smart integration with software like Apple’s Car Play is likely. Sure it’s possible but it’s much more probable that what the Porsche Epix 2 will represent will be similar to what was on offer with the MARQ Driver a few years ago.
The Marq Driver was essentially a Fenix 6 in a superb case with these extra automotive (race car) features, the most noteworthy being preloaded race tracks.
- Race App
- Track timer
- Live Delta Time
- Auto lap splits
- Lap Time Repeatability Score (LTR)
- Last race summary
- Preloaded race tracks
We’re seeing more intelligence around sports locations come to sports watches in general. Garmin and TomTom have had golf course information for years and we see with Apple Watch Ultra that the new track mode later this year will have the ovals details in a database so you automatically trigger it when your watch GPS knows you’re at the track. A similar thing could easily be done with swimming pool lengths if there was any money in it (there isn’t). Anyway, I don’t know anything about Garmin’s racecar track databases but it seems to offer simple lap-based information (time/distance/laps).
In 2019 Garmin partnered with Mercedes to bring health and stress-related features to driving and route planning. Perhaps a similar thing will materialise here for Porsche.
Summary
The partners of Porsche owners will soon have the opportunity to buy a new present for their loved ones for Christmas.
The Garmin Porsche Epix 2 is based on the awesome Epix 2 smartwatch that has an Apple Watch quality screen and superior battery life. It will have all the non-automotive, sporty features the owner would ever want and it will certainly have some interesting automotive features linked to race course layouts and car speed. Whether or not this watch adds something more unique with links to the car’s performance remains to be seen.
Source: u/WorldlySausage
More Opinions
This is an interesting turn of events.
Q: Will there be a MARQ2 range at all? We have the name AUSTEN as a potential replacement to MARQ…but that’s it.
Q: Does this “Epix Driver” mean the end of a MARQ 2 driver? Maybe the Marq was simply too expensive
I’ve said a few times that the AMOLEDisation of all Garmin’s higher even watches is going to happen. D2 Air, Epix 2 and all the rest have proved that. I’ve also said that the Epix watch will ultimately take over in importance from the Fenix. It remains to be seen if that pans out in the years to come. What I didn’t see coming was the Porsche Epix 2, although on reflection it makes sense that any new peripheral sub-brand/co-branded watches are based on Epix rather than Fenix. More people will simply like the prettier screen and just don’t need mega-long battery lives.
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Interesting that this is a Porsche Epix 2 and not a Marq Driver 2.
I wonder if the dabbling with high-end case design SKUs and much higher price points with the Cronos and Marq were considered a success.
my thoughts exactly. or it may be as per the previous comment
there must be a reasonably large market for a car-focussed watch amongst these relatively wealthy people.
A good mate of mine races cars. there are of course specialist in-car race systems. and if you’re vaguely serious about this hobby then you’d get them (he has)
My guess would be that a large portion of such hobbyist owners, the people who race porsches!, would not need a multisport watch for its sports features, of course Kimmi Raikonen and Jensen Button are examples of elite racers who, like most elite racers, are known for high levels of fitness.
I would guess it is nothing more than a standard Epix 2 with extra watch faces and only available direct from Porsche. This would be consistent with the old Mercedes Vivoactive 3.
yes.
it’s a step up from the VA3 and a step below the Marq in the garmin range. that might mean something…or not.
It would be a lot better to launch an Epix 2x in 51mm, which is something that so many people want!
I agree, a 2s as well
Word!!
Different sizes would be fantastic. Having smaller wrists, having gone from the 5X+ to the Epix2, I now wonder how much I would like to see an Epix2 S. Maybe if the Epix proves itself, multiple sizes will emerge sooner rather than later.
It’s awesome that Garmin gives some people so much to talk about, but for normal folks, they have way too many products, and it is mighty confusing and tiring to even try and follow. Shouldn’t they simplify the product line and leave special features to software? Which they actually probably do a lot, but they artificially limit the software features by product hardware, I guess.
How do normal folks understand what performance to expect from which product, or how long each product would be supported, and so on?
yep
that’s a question Garmin find hard to answer.
If you are a well-informed buyer there are some great products. However, becoming truly well-informed for your personal use cases requires a fair bit of research. The “Easy” solution is to buy the most expensive one you can afford!
I can only say, like me and many others, that I only bought the Fenix 7x because the Epix 2 was not available in X / 51 mm.
Does it come with 16 gb or 32 gb memory like the Epix 2 sapphire edition?
Some sites mention 16 gb (not EMEA version)
it doesnt say on their website: https://shop.porsche.com/gb/en-GB/p/porsche-x-garmin-epix-smartwatch-P-WAP0709010PSMW/WAP0709010PSMW.
i’d imagine it would be identical to the garmin version