Garmin Epix 2 Review – The pinnacle of Multi-Sport & Adventure Watches
Garmin Epix 2 Review – The pinnacle of Multi-Sport & Adventure WatchesEpix 2 has the best and most vibrant screen ever on an advanced sports watch plus accuracy that beats every previous GPS sports watch. Those of you wanting a comprehensive sports adventure watch perhaps need to read no further. However, you should delve deeper. You will find many justifications to switch from competitors or upgrade from earlier Garmin watches…yes, even an upgrade from the mighty Fenix.
I’m normally sceptical about Garmin products. Not this time. Gone is a dreary screen. Gone is a laggy and sometimes unresponsive watch and ‘ going‘ is Garmin’s unwieldy user experience. Sadly also, GONE is a reasonable price tag…Epix 2 thinks of an unreasonable number of dollars and then adds a few more.
Hey, I still bought one though. I buy all Garmin products with my own money. There is absolutely ZERO influence from Garmin and I have no relationships with them. I don’t even get a press release. Read on if you want to hear how good the Garmin Epix 2 is in every respect and in great detail. Although let’s start with a summary as I know you are all busy. One final thing, please buy from one of the links here as it helps support the ongoing independence and months of real, in-depth testing to get to this point, thank you…you’re awesome!
Verdict: Best ever sports watch, best ever outdoors watch, half-decent smartwatch. Most accurate ever.
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Price
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Apparent Accuracy
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Build Quality & Design
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Features, Including App
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Openness & Compatability
Summary
The Epix 2 is a superb outdoor watch with all the new features of the latest Garmin Fenix 7 plus an awesomely detailed and vibrant screen. The improved features are so good that upgrading from a Fenix 6 makes sense and if you were holding off buying a Fenix 7 because of the dreary screen, that excuse has now gone as well. Epix 2 removes any need to compromise between features, looks and battery life. Epix 2 has them all.
Epix 2 is the real deal and an excellent investment for anyone who ventures off the beaten track for hours or days at a time – adventurous hikers, runners, cyclists and triathletes alike.
Garmin gives you a physical package that meets the demands of your environment be that MIL standard durability or WR10 water resistance. It has the full-monty of onboard sensors to detect everything from heart rate & speed to the ABCs of an Altimeter, a Barometer and a Magnetic Compass.
More importantly, it’s all delivered in an accessible package. Buttons are there when you need them and the touchscreen overcomes earlier Garmin weaknesses that required umpteen button presses for simple tasks. Much of what you see on the watch is now made beautiful by the great screen and Garmin really has worked hard in recent years to deliver countless improvements to the presentation of graphs, charts and simple numerics. The whole experience of using Epix 2 as you flow from screen to screen with buttons and swipes is not quite there yet but it’s a heck of a lot closer to ‘there’ than Garmin has ever been.
Existing Garmin owners will find many reasons to upgrade. The vast breadth and depth of sporting & adventure features are still there…plus a few new treats, and all supported by speedy, smooth, all-new tech inside.
If you like the rugged aesthetic and never plan to do an Ultra event then Epix 2 is as close to perfect as you can get.
Pros
- Tracks Everything and Anything sporty in supreme detail
- Best-ever GPS accuracy from the Sapphire Edition with Multi-Band
- A well-made and durable watch with a proven outdoor aesthetic
- The revamped user experience is Garmin’s best so far – menus and button/screen presses improved and many settings are offloaded to the smartphone app
- Many new internal components make for a smoother and quicker feel
- Detailed, free offline maps
- Awesome battery life even with a fantastic, high-resolution (AMOLED) screen
Cons
- Very Expensive
- Usability is significantly improved – more is needed
- The touchscreen is great but not perfect – bizarrely pinch zoom on maps is not supported.
- Limited smartwatches features compared to, say, Apple/Galaxy Watches
OK, so that’s the high-level introduction done with. There’s a LOT of detail below so please use the table of contents to navigate to what interests you the most as there is probably too much to take in otherwise. Enjoy! And if you like the work here please make sure to support the site by buying from one of our links to help keep the free content flowing for everyone. Thank you.
Overview
The Garmin Epix 2 is Garmin’s ultimate watch in almost every respect. It sits alongside the lesser-screened Fenix 7 but shares every single key feature. Yet whilst there is a smaller Fenix 7s and a larger Fenix 7x, the Epix 2 only comes in the ‘normal’ 1.3″ screen size although I expect a smaller Epix 2s later. The big choice you need to make with the Epix 2 is whether you get the more durable Sapphire screen as an option and I recommend you do as it will last longer in your adventures plus it’s only the Sapphire models that give you an accuracy boost from Multi-Band GPS.
A compromise you might have to make is that the Epix 2 has a price tag raised by £200 and a reduced battery life compared to the Fenix 7 but the so-called “reduced” battery life still gives up to 42 hours of continuous GPS recording and 16 days as a smartwatch. There’s also no Solar option available for the Epix but most of you will never need that.
Starting prices: the 47mm Epix 2 starts at £799/$899 whereas the 47mm Fenix 7 starts at £599/$699
Garmin Epix 2 – Evolution of a masterpiece
Garmin’s success and growth started with the Forerunner 305 which was the best running watch of its generation. Garmin went on to dominate the leading triathlon watches starting with the excellent Garmin 910XT.
Its biggest financial success, however, came with the Garmin Fenix Series and more specifically the Fenix 3 which sold in significant numbers. However, the early Fenix models did not have onboard maps and that omission was initially addressed with the Epix Gen 1, which didn’t sell well. It took the breakthrough Garmin Fenix 5X to finally offer a decent map option and from then on the provision of maps appeared first as premium models and finally now as a standard feature. But underlying all the development was a desire to maximise battery life which stopped battery-gobbling screens from being widely adopted.
Epix 2 marks the change. The point in time where Garmin can deliver everything and can deliver it with a very good battery life.
Q: Is Epix 2 Easy to use yet? My memory of Garmins was unfathomable and unfashionable
A: Yes, mostly. Garmin has made Epix 2 very much easier to use than what came before. Although improvements are still needed.
The latest Epix 2 and Fenix 7 look identical to each other, they look almost the same as the earlier Fenix 6 and very very similar to the Fenix 5plus of the distant past. For newcomers to Garmin’s high-end watches, the Epix 2 is best described as an acceptably chunky, outdoors watch…forget those huge Casio watches, though. It’s nothing like that and is aesthetically fine for most medium- to large-sized wrists.
Despite that certain chunkiness, the weight of the Epix is around 50g plus the weight of your strap which might be another 20g or so. That relative lightness comes from Garmin’s use of premium materials. All models have the base reinforced polymer and then the standard, stainless steel rear is trumped by an option for titanium. Similarly, the base model has a DLC titanium bezel with the option of pure titanium. The base lens is an excellent Gorilla Glass DX and, as mentioned earlier, the tougher Sapphire crystal is also offered for a premium.
The case size is very much standard for Garmin coming in at 47x47x14.5mm and fits 22mm QuickFit straps (included).
The standout feature is the display. Whilst it’s the standard Garmin 1.3″ size the Epix 2 introduces 416x416px, always-on AMOLED, optional-touchscreen glory to the Fenix/Epix range for the first time. That’s quite a mouthful of words to describe a display. A better, single word would be AWESOME. This is simply the best-ever display for a proper sports-adventure watch.
There are no complaints from me at all about the watch and how it feels in use. The comfy feel comes from Quickfit straps and even Garmin’s cheapest strap is fine. The Buttongate saga of 2019 is history as they now all ‘press’ correctly! and the optional touchscreen is just that…optional. Indeed the best use of the touchscreen is when NOT exercising, instead, it makes menu navigation a significantly quicker and more pleasant experience. There are numerous tweaks available for the display and interface but the reality is that you just won’t need them. It’s impressive in the out-of-the-box configuration.
Garmin recognised that the touchscreen isn’t the end solution to making the Epix faultless to use. Cleverly they have matched Wahoo and Polar to let you make changes to the watch from the comfort of the Garmin Connect smartphone app. I’ve grown pretty used to many tens of Garmin button presses over the years so my testing erred toward the old-fashioned method but it is much easier to use the app and you’ll do that as you’re probably more sensible than me! One final point on the overall looks & usability is that the higher resolution screen brings beauty and life to many of the charts and dials that spice up your data. The visual experience makes older Garmin watches look drab and dreary in comparison, you even get workout animations now.
Q: Will I miss the Uber battery Life and Solar charging of the Fenix 7?
A: You might if you have very specific athletic needs like Ultra Running. 99% of people won’t need those features and you’ll be happy with the eminently practical multi-day life that the Epix 2 gives you between charges.
Q: Are there any nice watchfaces on Epix 2?
A: Yes. A few. I agree that Garmin watch faces were historically ugly and mostly awful due to the low-resolution screen. The new screen changes that and it is now possible for 3rd party watchfaces to look good. I could only find one that I liked, below, but lots more will arrive in 2022
Garmin Epix 2 Limitations
Even the toughest of materials can scratch so don’t expect your expensive Garmin to last a lifetime unless you take care of it.
Neither will any rechargeable watch battery last a lifetime as they degrade slightly with each charging cycle, that said you can expect 4-5 years of use before you might need to get a new battery. In that same timeframe, I would also expect the Epix 2 to be able to handle every new feature that Garmin throws its way but there will come a point when it will appear to slow down and also will stop receiving the latest Garmin features – that will be in around 3-4 years time.
If Epix 2 will be your first-ever Garmin there is a steep learning curve to know the watch and all of its many capabilities. Garmin has definitely made massive leaps in usability over the last 3 years or so but there is still a way to go. Offloading some settings to the smartphone app and using the touchscreen helps you to get the most out of the new interface. If you are upgrading from an older Garmin the learning curve is shallow and you will be impressed with the improvements in usability and presentation.
This is a highly advanced sports watch, thus using and understanding some of the watch’s capabilities and metrics may at first be daunting. A curious mind will help you learn more about how your body works as well as how the watch works.
Garmin has many state-of-the-art sports physiology features. However, they take a few weeks to ‘get to know you’ and can be significantly skewed if either your basic data (optical heart rate & power) or your training zones are wrong. Garbage in…garbage out. You must get your heart rate training zones correct as a minimum.
If you are thinking of using Epix 2 as a state-of-the-art smartwatch, think again. Garmin does not offer calls over Bluetooth, music streaming over LTE or any kind of voice assistant. However, you can get offline Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music plus smartphone app notifications
Garmin Epix 2 – how to use the Watch and Connect App
- LIGHT – Turns the Epix 2 on and the backlight on/off. A long press brings up the controls menu, for example, to lock the screen or make a payment
- UP-MENU – Scroll up through menus or a long press to start the menus
- DOWN – Scroll down through the menus
- START – Start or stop an activity or select an option in a menu.
- BACK-LAP – Crate a lap, rest or transition or return back to a higher level menu. A long press views the watch face.
More: Garmin Epix 2 Manual
The Garmin Connect app is needed to register the Epix. With WiFi hooked up, you need never look at the Connect App again but I recommend you do. The app is great to tweak settings on the watch and also good for adding breadth and depth to the watch’s workout summary stats. Many great features are created on the Connect App like Training Plans/Coach, Segments, PacePro Strategies and Challenges. Features that require an internet connection like Live Tracking & Incident Detection need the phone app to be close by.
More: After mastering the Connect App look at the Garmin Explore App‘s outdoor features, the ConnectIQ app store and perhaps also richer graphs and maps on the desktop Connect platform.
Garmin Epix 2 – New Features & Key Features
This section looks at the new features on Garmin Epix 2 and reviews the important longstanding ones before selectively diving deep into a few of the more interesting features.
There is a decent list of new sports features but most are peripheral and the biggest change from the Fenix 6 is the usability, prettiness and speed of a well put together sports watch which in techy terms is a faster processor, longer-lasting battery, new GNSS chip, more storage and of course the AMOLED, colour touchscreen.
In older Garmin parlance the Epix 2 would be a PRO model and that is now standard and boasts Contactless Payments, WiFi, Music (w/Spottify), oHR/SpO2 and Multi-Continent Topo maps.
It’s a market-leading piece of kit
Yet there is nothing else that really stands out. For completeness, here are five of the 20 or so other new peripheral features.
- Health Monitoring SnapShot – A simple, 2-minute wellness check.
- Real-Time Stamina is a new metric from Garmin. It’s discussed in great detail here and is perhaps best summarised as ‘how much oomph you have left in the tank‘
- Up Ahead map view of POIs
- Race Time Trend Predictor – see how your forecast 5k performance changes as you train
- Sleep Score – sometimes it’s easier to have one simple number! This is it.
Hardly an Earth-shattering list is it?
In fact, what you will most cherish will be Garmin’s longstanding feature set which continually evolves at the edges. This is another list but it’s a high-level containing a broad and deep number of smaller features that would make an even longer and less intelligible list.
- outdoor recreation – is what Epix is designed for and covers maps, routes, route guidance, navigation, ABC environmental sensors, climb intelligence, storm alerts, weather & tides. No other watch can match this.
- training planning – plans, workouts, adaptive plans, fully customisable screens with a vast array of metrics and charts. Intervals, laps, and alerts for single sports and multisports.
- wellness & health monitoring;
- sports physiology – includes a wealth of metrics and insights on how your body interacts with your training both during workouts and through extended training periods.
- classic activity tracking like steps & stairs;
- smart features that connect to sports sensors or interact with your smartphone ranging from FE-C trainer control to BLE earbuds
- safety features that cover accident alerts and 3rd party tracking
- gym – guided workout & fitness profiles for HIIT, pilates, strength & yoga
- running – from track, trail and ultra running to include workouts, plans, advanced pacing strategies, advanced running metrics and support for advanced running sensors;
- golf – maps, targets, scorecards, pin positions, club and score trackers.
- cycling – all cycling sport profiles are supported as is connectivity to just about every advanced sensor ever with all the advanced metrics you get from Core Body Temperature to Muscle Oxygen to dual-sided power meters.
- swimming – be it outdoors or in the pool, Epix can automatically detect your stroke or when you rest in the pool. Unusual Garmin swim features include drill logging and heart rate whilst swimming with connectivity to FORM Smart Goggles.
Deep Dive 1: Epix 2 Features – new Stamina Metric
Super Detail: What is Garmin’s New Stamina Metric?
To befuddle you I would say that Garmin’s stamina metric is like Anaerobic Work Capacity or W’ Bal. Let’s just say it means ‘how much Oomph you have left in the tank.
Garmin works on the assumption that your stamina steadily declines throughout a workout towards your personal endurance limit and more markedly so when you exert yourself above threshold levels. For example, I can easily cycle 100-miles yet you can see that the following chart has me down at 25% Stamina after a hard 20-minute effort. The yellow stamina line plummets the harder I try. Correctly so. Yet some amount of recovery from hard efforts is possible. The Stamina feature assumes correct nutrition and hydration over longer durations and is a useful new tool providing your training zones are correct.
Deep Dive 2: Epix 2 Features – CIQ Apps
Garmin’s app store has a wide range of 3rd party tools to add to your new Epix 2, there’s even a fledgling App Store on the watch itself. Bonus: They’re mostly free!
More: All Epix 2 apps are listed here
The big negative in 2022 is that a sizeable portion of apps is still to be updated to work on Epix 2. That said, there are lots already which range from the Stryd App which takes over the running of the watch to custom data fields to spice up any sports profiles. Widgets are a further and less common kind of app that sits in the menu of the Epix, a good example for UK-based 5K runners are those designed for parkrun.
You can get a widget to show your barcode when you finish or brag about your time afterwards. Like these…
Planning a new parkrun trip? It would be nice to know where the local ones are plus get an idea of the course wouldn’t it? Try these…
More Info: parkrun on your Epix 2
Oh of course there are many watch faces that you can personalise with your wellness data and sports data plus a colour of your choice. I’m still waiting for my all-time favourite Crystal to be updated for Epix.
Deep Dive 3: Epix 2 Physiology Features
In 2020, Garmin acquired Firstbeat and so now has a large in-house capability to produce leading, consumer-grade, sports physiology metrics.
VO2max is the feature that wows the public but Garmin goes far deeper to provide many more useful insights into your training and how effective it has been or might be in the future. LTHR (LT2) is detected automatically and creates your HR zones. HR zones can then be used to assess and classify your performances along with other physiological insights that can determine your readiness to train and your fitness progression over time.
Two of my favourites are shown above. Training Status lets me know how effective Garmin believes my training to be, whereas 4W Load Focus looks at how the different intensities of my training differ or match the ideal. These sorts of insights are useful as a sanity check if you are following a plan or to ensure you don’t sit for too long in unproductive training states.
More: Uber deep drive into Firstbeat Features
Deep Dive 4: Epix 2 Settings on the Connect App
The new ability to change watch settings on the Connect app is great news for usability. It’s also pretty boring to describe! Newcomers to Garmin will just shrug and go ‘Huh, obvious, surely?!‘. Well, it’s taken Garmin many years to get to this point and years of me bemoaning publically that the watch menus on Garmin watches have awful levels of usability. They still (kinda) do! but at least now you have the option to make the same settings easily on the app.
For starters, most watch settings can be made in the Connect app and I’ve shown a few screens here to indicate how a) sports profiles can be set b) a credit card can be added to Garmin PAY and c) how CIQ ‘apps’ can be installed and managed, albeit by being pushed to a separate Garmin app.
Deep Dive 5: Garmin Epix 2 Review – Expert Tips, Tricks and Hacks
Tip 1: Watch> System> Data Recording>Log HRV> On
Tip: Use a decent HR strap. Ideally, a Polar H10 connected over Bluetooth although a Garmin HRM-PRO over ANT+ will be fine.
Why: Bluetooth has less chance of data loss and Polar’s strap is better and doesn’t slip.
Tip 2: Press and hold the bottom right button
Tip: Press and hold the bottom right (lap) button DURING A WORKOUT then you bring up the widget glance menu. Press it again to return to your workout.
Why: Just because you can
Tip 3: Put your palm over the screen at night
Why: A quick way to turn off the glare
Find out more about secret Epix menus and several other gems of wisdom and irrelevance for the inquisitive mind here (Link).
Garmin Epix 2, the Problems and Gripes Section of the Review
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the Garmin maps despite using them on such a small screen but that is more convenient than fumbling for a smartphone in a backpack. Plus, have you ever tried using a smartphone touchscreen in the depths of winter when it’s raining and wearing gloves?! There are pros and cons to having maps on your watch or smartphone but my biggest issue with the Epix 2 was that I was unable to use the touchscreen to pinch-zoom, which is surely the entire raison d’etre of a touchscreen?
Unique to Garmin is routing intelligence on Epix 2. What that means is that route planning/correction and turn directions can be performed exclusively on Epix 2 – like your car’s satnav. With the exception of the cheaper Coros Vertix 2, no other sports watch has that feature.
There are some music playback issues reported on forums but I was fine with both Spotify and my own MP3 tracks played back through Jabra Elite 85t earbuds. I seemed to get the incorrect album art displayed. Strange. That aside, the music experience with Garmin is passable, you’ll find a much slicker integration on a smartwatch like an Apple Watch 7. However, Garmin supports more providers, your own MP3s and its button-based control is great during sport, despite this mediocre usage experience, it’s better, more comprehensive and more open than that offered by all other sports watches.
Garmin PAY is the wannabe equivalent of Apple Pay but it’s WAY behind. I forgot that Garmin only has agreements with a select few banks but all was fine when I reverted back to my Starling card…which virtually none of you will have. If this is an important feature to you then check with Garmin that they support your bank (check here).
Garmin Epix 2 Comparisons
Generally speaking, Garmin Epix 2 compares well to all competitors as it has onboard maps and the largest number of features. Try these further nuances if you are baulking at paying the money for an Epix 2…
Garmin Epix 2 vs. Fenix 7 Comparison
Epix 2 and Fenix 7 have nearly identical features with the standout difference being the vastly superior screen of Epix 2 offset by the tradeoff of a 30% battery life reduction. Don’t forget the Fenix 7 has a solar option and many more size/case options.
Fenix 7 is the best choice for ultra-long battery life or a smaller case version. That’s the only time it’s better!
Garmin Epix 2 vs Fenix 6 Comparison (or any earlier Fenix)
Again the case choice of the Epix 2 is more limited but the biggest differences lie under the hood as the Epix 2/Fenix 7 are significantly superior pieces of hardware that will be much better placed to cope with new features that Garmin deliver in the coming years. Older Fenix models are less future-proofed, Epix 2 is state-of-the-art (sports).
Fenix 6 is the best choice if the Epix 2 has too high a price and you want the many features of the Garmin ecosystem..
Garmin Epix 2 vs Coros Vertix 2 Comparison
Vertix 2 doesn’t really compare well to Epix. A better, more similar comparison is between Epix 2 and Fenix 7. Whilst Coros Vertix 2 is a high-quality piece of hardware and certainly better value-for-money than an equivalent Garmin, Vertix 2 under-delivers on the range and depth of features and has a significantly less mature and less rich app.
Coros Vertix 2 is the best choice if the Epix 2 has too high a price.
Garmin Epix 2 vs Apple Watch 7 Comparison
We’re talking chalk and cheese here despite both watches having similarly awesome screens. You can grab lots of apps and some accessories to boost Apple Watch’s outdoor features and make the watch more resistant to environmental shock but the bottom line is that the Apple Watch 7 is focused as a clever smartwatch with significant and deep links with an iPhone. It does not have the battery life to compete against Epix 2 despite being perfectly fine for the occasional triathlon, a very long run or a weekend adventure. Apple Watch comes in a smaller size for thin wrists
The Apple Watch 7 is the best choice if you want a highly connected smartwatch for your iPhone and if you only ever undertake short outdoor adventures.
Garmin Epix 2 vs Suunto 9 Peak
Suunto 9 Peak lacks the screen of Epix 2 and requires you to perform your mapping and routing on the partner app, Suunto’s battery life is something like 500% better than Epix as a result. Suunto makes an excellent play for outdoor usage but can never match all of Garmin’s rich feature set. Suunto 9 Peak and the cheaper 5 Peak are both smaller format watches for thinner wrists and many would class their designs as more elegant than Garmin.
Suunto 9 Peak is the best choice for ultra-long battery life and buyers with smaller wrists seeking lower prices.
Garmin Epix 2 vs Polar Grit X Pro
Polar has an app and web platform that might tempt an outdoor runner in preference to Garmin. However, the Polar Grit X Pro Titanium just doesn’t compete when it comes to hiking, routes & navigation. Grit X Pro is a very well-made watch, perhaps more sorted for outdoor running sports than cycling or hiking-related activities.
Polar Grit X [Pro Titanium] is the best choice if you want to save some money and still need a great sports app & Ecosystem
Garmin Epix 2 vs Garmin Forerunner 955, 935, 945, 745
The top-end Forerunners are nearly identical to the Fenix model released in the same year, except the Forerunners are lighter and slightly slimmer. They have EXACTLY the same sports features so it’s perfectly fine to use a Fenix or Epix in a triathlon. You won’t miss out on anything if you get Epix 2. Forerunner FR935/FR945/FR955 (2022) are the same size as the Epix 2 whereas the 745 (755?, 2023?) is smaller and no Forerunner will match the beautiful screen of the Epix 2. So the as-yet-unreleased 955/755 will be the ones that match the Epix 2 under the hood, sans screen.
A Garmin Forerunner triathlon watch is the best choice for competitive triathletes or those of you seeking a more sporty look.
Garmin Epix 2 Accuracy
After almost 4 months of testing, I’m happy to conclude that both Epix 2 and Fenix 7 deliver Garmin’s best-ever level of GPS accuracy. I will even go one step further and say that the Sapphire models have the best ever GPS accuracy for any running watch ever when Multi-Band reception is used.
More: Detailed Garmin Epix 2 Accuracy (Supporter only)
More: Detailed Garmin Fenix 7 Accuracy (Supporter only)
Sadly the relatively new Elevate 4 oHR sensor often gives me incorrect readings – the accuracy of wrist-based HR is highly dependent on your physiology and your sporty use cases. Comparing when I do get good results and looking at what other Garmin Epix 2 reviews say, then it’s likely Epix 2 has Garmin’s best-ever Elevate oHR sensor and it’s just me getting mediocre results. You might get lucky…or not. There are no guarantees other than a chest strap or armband.
Elevation accuracy is also very good providing you get a good initial calibration.
Tip: Find your current elevation at whatismyelevation.com, go outside and get a good GPS fix and then manually calibrate Epix 2 here Watch>Sensors & Accessories>Altimeter>Calibrate>Enter Manually>. Whenever you start a workout from your here the elevation will be automatically calibrated.
GPS Accuracy
With All-Satellites & Multi-Band enabled, GNSS accuracy was good to excellent. Multi-band did not seem to offer much of an improvement in urban centres over plain All-Satellites nor did it eliminate the negative effects to signal quality when running close to lower buildings (which is what multi-band should do). Reception under trees and even with dense, low tree coverage seemed OK to me, everywhere else it was hard to beat.
For running, Epix 2 had instant pace that was better than other recent Garmins but still not as accurate as a footpod like Stryd.
For all kinds of cycling and well over 1000-miles, I found no issues with GPS accuracy.
Here are detailed test results comparing Epix 2 to every GPS sports watch ever made. Then the following, clickable map lets you investigate how Epix 2’s accuracy compares to the best ever GPS watch results of the V800 and AMBIT 3 over a demanding 10-mile running test.
I checked out the GPS accuracy test from the review of the Garmin Fenix 2 on the dcrainmaker site and his findings were similar to those here but with a different methodology.
Optical HR Accuracy
I tested the accuracy of the Epix 2’s optical HR against a Garmin HRM-PRO, Apple Watch 7 and 6, Polar Pace Pro, Polar Verity Sense, WHOOP and others.
These 3 examples show a) a good steady-state run b) an unacceptable interval run, and c) an acceptable bike ride albeit with many incorrect peaks and troughs. The only pattern I sensed in over 4 months of testing was that accuracy improved on warmer days.
The wrist is just an awful place to measure HR when performing rapid arm movements and sometimes when the exercise is strenuous. You can expect good accuracy at rest on the wrist for measuring HRV during sleep.
Elevation Accuracy
I use an SRTM database to get the correct elevation track for each of my tests. Surprisingly Garmin Epix 2 outperforms bike computers when cycling.
Elevation accuracy was always more than acceptable for me but interestingly the Apple Watch 6 is slightly more accurate.
Garmin Epix 2 Sustainability
Garmin is committed to corporate sustainability and has an extensive policy (Link: Garmin.com).
My understanding from the policy is that Epix 2 is not made from any recycled materials. That said, the watch is generally repairable and the battery is replaceable and should retain 80% of its capacity for (Garmin quote) “a few years”. This likely means 4 years, in line with industry standards.
Garmin offers trade-in schemes and complies with WEEE and other local electronics recycling laws.
Garmin Epix 2 Battery
A standard 4-pin Garmin USB cable is used to charge the Epix 2 via a port on the underside. This cable can be used to transfer workout data with Garmin Express but it’s unpredictable – charging is perfectly fine though.
Garmin’s detailed battery life claims are shown in the next section and I found no reason to dispute what it claims – 30 hours of Always-On AMOLED screen, GPS usage is entirely plausible. However, increasing screen brightness or enabling the maximal Always On state will significantly shorten battery life – easily by 30-50%. Expect the obvious in that if you leave the display permanently on with 100% brightness it’ll go dead quickly. One example is that Garmin once said I had 3 hours of battery left but the watch died after 2 hours – it was probably my fault in that instance for having something ‘on’ too much and I give that example to illustrate how the settings can affect real battery lives.
Perversely, having such a great battery life can mean you do not establish a charging routine. Thus I ran completely out of charge three times in 4 months. Garmin mitigates that in two ways. Firstly there are various power profiles which can be customised and enabled during a workout. Secondly, the charging time is quick, with a full charge in 2.5 hours and a 50% charge in an hour – which means that for most of us a quick 10-15 minute charge before a run should be sufficient in an emergency.
Don’t forget the degradation of battery capacity will be about 20% over 4 years depending on your usage.
Garmin Epix 2 Technical Specifications
Here are the key technical specifications of Epix 2 compared to Fenix 7.
| Technical Specifications | Garmin Epix (Gen 2) | Garmin Fenix 7 – Standard Edition |
| Lens Material | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass |
| Sapphire Editions: sapphire crystal | Sapphire Editions: sapphire crystal | |
| Bezel Material | passivated stainless steel | stainless steel |
| Sapphire Edition: carbon grey DLC titanium or pure titanium | Sapphire Edition: Titanium | |
| Case material | fibre-reinforced polymer with steel rear cover | fibre-reinforced polymer with metal rear cover |
| Sapphire Editions: fibre-reinforced polymer with titanium rear cover | Sapphire: fibre-reinforced polymer with titanium rear cover | |
| QuickFit watch band compatible | included (22 mm) | included (22 mm) |
| Strap material | silicone | silicone |
| Physical size | 47 x 47 x 14.5 mm | 47 x 47 x 14.5 mm |
| Silicone band: 125-208 mm | Silicone band: 125-208 mm | |
| Leather band: 132-210 mm | Leather Band: 132-210 mm | |
| Fabric band: 132-210 mm | Fabric Band: 132-210 mm | |
| Metal band: 132-215 mm | Metal Band: 132-215 mm | |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Colour display | Yes | Yes |
| Display Size | 1.3” (33.0 mm) diameter | 1.3” (33.02 mm) diameter |
| Display Resolution | 416 x 416 pixels | 260 x 260 pixels |
| Display Type | AMOLED (always-on) | sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) |
| Weight | 76 g (case only: 53 g) | 79 g (case only: 56 g) |
| Sapphire Editions: 70 g (case only: 47 g) | Sapphire Editions: 73 g (case only: 50 g) | |
| Battery life | Smartwatch: Up to 16 days (6 days always-on) | Smartwatch: Up to 18 days |
| Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 21 days | Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 57 days | |
| GPS Only: Up to 42 hours (30 hours always-on ) | GPS Only: Up to 57 hours | |
| All Satellite Systems: Up to 32 hours (24 hours always-on) | All Satellite Systems: Up to 40 hours | |
| Sapphire Editions: All Satellite Systems + Multi-band: Up to 20 hours (15 hours always-on) | Sapphire: All Satellite Systems + Multi-band: Up to 23 hours | |
| All Satellite Systems + Music: Up to 10 hours (9 hours always-on) | All Satellite Systems + Music: Up to 10 hours | |
| Max Battery GPS: Up to 75 hours | Max Battery GPS: Up to 136 hours | |
| Expedition GPS: Up to 14 days | Expedition GPS: Up to 40 days | |
| Water rating | 10 ATM | 10 ATM |
| Memory/History | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Sapphire Editions: 32 GB | Sapphire Editions: 32 GB | |
| Sensors | GNSS (GPS, Glonass, Galileo, BeiDou), barometer, altimeter, magnetic compass, thermometer, heart rate, pulse Ox
GNSS L1+L5 on sapphire models Lacks ECG but the Start button looks ECG-compatible |
GNSS (GPS, Glonass, Galileo, BeiDou), barometer, altimeter, magnetic compass, thermometer, heart rate, pulse Ox
GNSS L1+L5 on sapphire models Lacks ECG but the Start button looks ECG-compatible |
| Connectivity | BLE/Bluetooth, ANT+, WiFi. No LTE option | BLE/Bluetooth, ANT+, WiFi. No LTE option |
Note: Fenix 7 Sapphire only exists with Solar. The table excludes the effect of solar charging.
Detailed Comparison: Garmin.com
Garmin Epix – Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can Garmin Epix 2 answer calls?
A: No, the Epix 2 has no LTE capabilities, and no microphone because it is a sports adventure watch rather than a dedicated smartwatch
Q: Is the Garmin EPIX 2 touchscreen?
A: Yes, the Epix 2 touch screen can be selectively enabled or entirely disabled and it works well in most circumstances
Q: How big is the Garmin Epix?
A: Garmin Epix is a medium or standard-sized Garmin Watch meaning it has a 1.3-inch diameter screen and a 416x416px display, all sitting in a case that measures 47mm x 47mm x 14.5mm deep.
Q: Is Epix 2 waterproof?
A: Yes, Epix 2 is waterproof to 100m but is not sold as a dive watch, so the high rating covers waterproofing against high impacts on the water.
Q: How long does it take to charge the Epix 2
A: A full charge takes 2.5 hours and a 50% charge takes an hour
Q: Is Garmin Epix 2 worth it
A: If you can afford the best sports adventure ever made then I’d say it’s worth it but there are many, lesser compromises for less money
Q: Does Epix 2 have music
A: Yes, the Garmin Epix 2 has a good music offering allowing you to play your own MP3 tracks or sync with Amazon Music, Spotify, Deezer and even podcast services.
Q: Does Epix 2 have wireless charging
A: No the Epix 2 needs a standard Garmin charging cable
Q: Is Epix 2 better than Fenix 7
A: On balance, I would say the Epix 2 is better than the Fenix 7 as it combines a superior screen with a market-leading battery life that is perfect for the vast majority of athletes and adventurers.
Take Out – Garmin Epix 2 Review
Garmin Epix 2 represents a watershed moment for the company and for the wider sports watch industry.
For the first time on a GPS sports watch, awesome battery life has been successfully combined with an awesome screen. Garmin beat all-comers competing to try to provide the most features many years ago but its Achilles Heel was always the dreary yet functional screen. Many people simply wouldn’t wear an old Fenix to the office or out in the evening. Now they can wear an Epix 2. I would speculate that 99% of Fenix/Epix 2 owners can enjoy their watch on even their longest and most challenging adventures with the battery life the Epix 2 offers. Few people need the Fenix 7.
Historically this would be the point where I would jump in and criticise Garmin’s lack of accuracy. Not so. Epix 2 is at least as accurate as any other sports watch…ever.
Then I would trash Garmin’s inability to produce a watch designed for real people to use. OK, they’ve not fully solved the issues of usability or flow around the watch and its ecosystem but Epix 2 has progressed to the point where I’m pleased.
Epix 2 is so good that I suspect within a few years it will have usurped the Fenix as Garmin’s biggest earner, although both will continue to exist.
As a customer I recommend you go forth and buy an Epix 2…you won’t regret it. Although definitely don’t tell your partner how much it costs as it’s very expensive.
Garmin Epix 2 Pricing
Adding Sapphire and Titanium bumps up the prices. You should seriously consider sapphire to protect the lens plus Sapphire is the ONLY way to get the dual-frequency, multi-constellation GNSS awesomeness.
- Garmin Epix 2 – prices from £800/$900/Eu900 to £1000/$1100/Eu1100
I recommend Garmin, Wiggle, BackCountry or REI where first-time customers are usually prompted to get a 15% joining discount/bonus. Nice, if you can get it. This single link automatically clicks to a choice of retail stores in your country eg Wiggle, PowerMeterCity, Amazon, REI, B&H, Walmart, Competitive Cyclist & Backcountry
Reader-Powered Content
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An epic review! You rave about the screen yet you’re not comparing it to the 1/3rd priced Venu 2 that has the SAME touch screen (more legible actually as the font is largerl) ? Yes it doesn’t have the zillion (non-actionable metrics) …but it’s much sleeker and much lighter so better HR accuracy.
GPS accuracy? As I’ve mentioned before it’s the only GPS watch I’ve seen that’s accurate on a running track (where the distance is known down to the meter) , the Epix isn’t, so it has to be good elsewhere too.
If you’re a bike rider combine it with an Edge 530 and you’ll get a bigger screen, maps and most of the missing metrics.
The only scenario where I would consider the Epix would be if I needed maps while running races (so hard to pull out a phone) and a case could be made for a cheaper 7x in that case with its larger screen.
An Epix review surely 😉
yeah it’s WAY too long on mobile.
venu- i admit I’ve not compared it to that. I think I compared it to just about everything else tho !
Such an epic review indeed! Really well done- also suited for newcomers to the hobby/sport(s);
I have been using Garmin watches since the Fenix 3 and this is the first watch that feels like a true upgrade.
it’s a bit of a test as well. To see how Google likes it. I think I’ve hit all the buttons that need to be hit, but it is too long, although google does credit that a bit.
it’s kind of a challenge, even ray finds it hard to rank for this sort of thing. google garmin epix 2 review and see what i mean. mine might be there but that’s because google rewards newness.
What was your daily watch before this? Was it a forerunner? I’m really tempted by the Epix, just worried it’s too thick/heavy coming from a 945.
at the moment my daily watch is an apple watch 6 (not 7, which i also have). the AW6 is more accurate and i use it as a reference in some tests. before epix i used f7, FR945, fr935 as my main SPORT watch. I also need a watch to capture my data for me (rather than this site, i use a backpocket 935 as a simple logger for that)
with the bigger watches, 7X or Suunto 9, i’m always worried about them damaging my wetsuit, perhaps unnecessarily worried?
Currently ranked 5th on Google. Not bad at all! 😛 Will make sure to share this post on Garmin’s Epix 2 boards.
check in a weeks time and add 10 places ! that’s the difference newness makes. next comes domain authority whihc even dcr finds hard to compete with the big boys on (they ARE all boys). i find it even harder.
Garmin Pay is great if your bank supports it. I have used it in the States, Europe, and South Africa. Pretty much anywhere you see the tap to pay symbol it will work.
I only put one card into it and that worked so I didn’t realize the bank partnerships were still so limited. It turns out if I had used my other card it would not have worked. These are both big name international banks.
I am sure it is difficult for Garmin. I think Garmin has to strike a deal with each individual bank. These banks are rapacious bastards and Garmin doesn’t have the market penetration of Apple to cudgel them with in a negotiation.
I also don’t think we will see anyone else entering this mobile pay space. Apple, Google, Samsung, Garmin… Is there anyone else? Garmin is only just barely big enough to pull it off. I don’t see anyone else having the necessary scale unlikes the EU and US passed laws to standardize and force Interop and access to smaller players.
some of the cheaper end providers could. ie the huawei or amazfits of the world if their global presence grows.
maybe some intermediary will emerge to make it easier?…paypal? crypto?
Check out this podcast. https://cppcast.com/brad-larson-cpp-watch/
If you follow the tech stack stuff at all, it becomes amazing that these watches do so much and franks work at all. Garmin has a drastically simplified architecture relative to Apple. It’s not really based on a operating system or barely an operating system — nothing like the Unix model in Apple WatchOS or Google WearOS.
– no memory protection at all
– no processes
– no kernel protection or kernel vs user concept
– everything is a single process with threads
– everything is C and C++
– The connectIQ interpreter is a thread running in this stuff (and an interpreter is expensive in terms or compute which means battery overhead)
– basically any programming error can hang or crash the watch
It’s a punishing environment for the Garmin engineers to work in. But on the other hand that is how they get so much more battery life than WearOS and WatchOS. I’m now astonished that ConnectIQ works at all, let alone as well as it does.
Having listened to this, I’m more than slightly skeptical of any ConnectIQ stuff and I understand why companies with similar architecture like Polar, Suunto, and Coros have nothing like ConnectIQ.
I’ve definitely experience Bluetooth “crashing” in the f6X and f7X while using the Amazon CIQ music player and simultaneously disconnecting all Bluetooth sensors. I’m not sure if I should blame the Bluetooth implementation or ConnectIQ or both.
I think I am right to have avoided ConnectIQ entirely in my Ultra Run and (extreme) Trail Run profiles where navigation with the watch is a safety feature.
If Garmin would just enable the power code they have in the Cycling app in the Run app, Stryd could connect as a power meter (which it does) and work without the Stryd Zones CIQ data field. That seems like low hanging fruit. At this point it must be “strategic” that they haven’t done it when all competitors other than Apple have.
interesting thank you.
Hwawei is going to have a problem because of Chinese ownership. Their network gear is banned in the US. You cannot buy Hwawei anything with US government money. I mean Xiaomi and ZTE were almost driven out of business by capricious sanctions from Trump.
PayPal I think has a totally different business mode where the idea is they facilitate money transfers and speculate on the money while it takes 3 days to do the transaction. Or they do payment processing for web apps. They essentially are a bank without physical branches.
Cryptocurrency? ? I’m a skeptic that this becomes a transactional system without major, major changes. For now it’s a bunch of very speculative financial instruments (going after dumb money) with extremely constrained liquidity and high transaction costs.
huawei – yes. one reason why i don’t even try to review their products here.
Great review and a very complete watch. I would say though that the screen is not up to that of the Suunto 7. It’s a smartwatch but so much more than the AW can offer.
thank you
https://the5krunner.com/2020/03/02/suunto-7-review/
S7 has 12 hours of GPS recording it’s 454x454px, 50x50x15.3mm , 1.39″ vs 416x416px of the Epix.
If you have an android phone then S7 is a good choice providing you understand the limitations. Wear OS will work on iOS but you’d have to really NOT want the AW to go with the Suunto7.
https://the5krunner.com/2022/03/18/how-to-turn-apple-watch-7-into-a-fenix-7-for-hiking-outdoors-and-adventures-useful-apps-and-accessories/
> Epix 2 offset by the tradeoff of a 30% battery life reduction.
This may be true for the fenix 7, but quite undersells the difference with the fenix 7X. The 7X has almost 3x the battery life of the Eoix 2 in GPS-only without delving into Power Manager optimizations for a whopping 122 hours, with assumptions that seem like quite a pitiful amount of sun of 50k lux per day.
Multiband mode is still 41 hours with the 7X (according to the spec sheet) with everything on relative to 15 hours spec for the Epix 2.
In practice, I easily get 50k lux / hr in partly cloudy conditions and some shade. I see about 1% charge for 2 hours sun. This falls off precipitously an hour before sunset or in totally cloudy and overcast conditions. I have to stipulate that I’m in Africa at 1500m altitude though not equatorial, which is still generally quite favorable to solar charging. Since the Garmin range numbers are based on 50k lux PER DAY, I think they are quite conservative with their solar power estimates.
(Only Coros Vertix 2 has a similar range claim to the 7X, and I’m quite certain part of what Coros does is reduce sampling frequency of metrics relative to Garmin to achieve it. That is they trade precision for power implicitly.)
For 5km running these numbers may be silly. But for cases like through ultra running, fast packing, through hiking, they are liberating from “range anxiety” and having to consider managing the battery.
For me that means, there is no reason not to use the “Max Accuracy” mode virtually for everything. Even using music all the time and max accuracy, the power range is ridiculous. However if they someday manage to achieve forever power on solar, I will not complain.
“range anxiety” love that phrase. I’m definitely going to steal it…sorry ?
aka “Not owning a battery pack”.
Thanks for your comprehensive review, it’s much appreciated. I’ve been using the Epix for about a week now. Love the Watch overall but my previous daily driver was an AW7. I could do everything I needed with the Apple Watch but overall feel more “motivated” with the Epix. I attribute that motivation the the eye-watering 1K price tag!
I struggle with justifying the cost knowing full well that I have a perfectly good AW7 in the drawer collecting dust which, for my daily life, also offers more ability as a daily driver (responding to text messages, taking calls, etc). I never had issues with the daily charging as dropping it on a charger next to my iPhone before bed was standard protocol for me.
I also believe part of the problem was I once was an aspiring ultra runner. That was, however, before a wife and kids. My needs have changed years later, and an Apple Watch typically suffices. My thought is purchasing the Epix was an attempt to grasp that more youthful, fitter version of myself to attempt to push me back that direction ? I guess it’s not too out of the ordinary for a lot of us! Still have a few weeks left before the return deadline so we’ll see what I decide to do
ha ha, yes. once the PRs/PBs stop coming then you have to rely on anything to rekindle former glories. believe me…i have lots of sports watches to unequivocally prove that 😉
anyone casually using the Apple watch as a smart watch for simple notifications etc won’t really appreciate its full benefits as epix/fenix/whatever can do the same. once you start using Find My or Apple Pay/Wallet or even some proper readiness software like Athlytic then, like me, you start to appreciate it more than perhaps others might.
> assumptions that seem like quite a pitiful amount of sun of 50k lux per day.
I double checked the spec. It’s actually 3 hours of 50,000 lux / hr conditions (not 1 hour) just for the smart watch life claim, not the activity claim. It’s sustained 50,000 lux for the GPS activity claims.
For the 89 hours to expand to 122 hours with solar charging, you need to have about 16 hours of sun a day at 50,000 lux / hr conditions. 50,000 lux /hr is not crazy bright so I would assume that a full day of tropical sun would be more than enough even though it is only 12 hours because it can easily be 75,000 to upwards of 100,000 lux /hr conditions.
But I was way off with the idea that it was 1 hour of 50,000 lux or even 3 hours to get those charge effects. It takes a lot of sun exposure.
Awesome, awesome review. Just a perfect and incredibly well communicated summary.
as always thank you for your positivity
I will argue that he Epix2 is great for ultras and I am an ultra runner. I do not want a fenix, the screen is just not as easy to read. I wear glasses and I can load 5 or 6 fields on the Epix2 and read them!
I have had the watch since release and run two 50k races with a 50 mile coming up. I have tweaked the ultra run mode and if I use an HRMPro I am getting 46-50h of battery life estimate using DCRAnalyzer. There are only a couple of ultras where I might need to charge. I am happy to charge while fast packing and would probably use UltraTrac for that anyway. The ONLY ultra runners that need more battery are those that do 200+ mile races. The Epix2 is fine for nearly all 100 mile races. So, I think a great watch for ultras.
thank you,
yes I was going to say something similar.
however, as my longest runs very rarely exceed 20-miles I felt unqualified to venture into your crazy world of super-long, yet fantastically impressive, distances.
The 5X battery died on me in an unmarked course in the Zimbabwe Eastern Highlands. Now I have range anxiety. (I’m quite certain I didn’t coin “range anxiety”. I think I lifted the phrase from Ian Corless or someone else.)
It’s not just the range you need to make it to the end in a best case but also in a bad situation. And yes not to have to ever faff with a battery pack or even consider it.
It’s true. “Need” is a very fluid concept.
When I am in that situation, such as fast pack trips or the potential to exceed the battery life I can carry a small charger. I have one for that. I typically carry a phone and an inReach under those circumstances as well so that I can be safe without a watch. For me, the fenix is not worth it, I would rather carry a battery when I might need it.
Great review BTW!
Hi,
I simply afforded the E2, even without being a great athlete. The display is a dream against the MIPS in the implementation of the hand movement is really good. I love my Epix2
V2O Max. Unfortunately, I still do not understand why that does not go for bikers. I drive 2000km / year with chest strap and NOTHING is displayed.
Sleep analysis: Garmin can not do that and Firstbeat seems in terms of Garminhardware not be able to implement that. Naps can not recognize the system to this day. The core times of sleep you have to enter yourself for DnD. This is technology from the past. If I sleep longer on Sunday, DnD goes off and the clock lights up.
900€ for a clock with a card has no space for 20 songs more? Is simply a cheek.
GPS: Under trees in a European mixed forest? From 20kmh down to 8 although the speed does not change.
Oh, and the comparison to the Venu 2. Can the activities pause or just, like the predecessor, finish? Garmin simply does not set the flag in the software. Customers please have to buy the Fenix if they want pauses.
https://support.garmin.com/en-GB/?faq=lWqSVlq3w76z5WoihLy5f8
Garmin’s VO2max calculation requires speed for running and power for cycling as part of the algorithm.
sleep stage analysis: no wearable can do that accurately. I’ve been saying it for years and even Ray now agrees with me.
Yeah. I have both of those, too. Actually on that incident with the 5X the battery pack would not charge the watch and kept shutting itself off, apparently because the power drawn by the watch was too small. Let that be a lesson to test all scenarios before going into the field.
My current battery pack is also the spare battery requirement for my Ledlenser headlamp. I don’t want to have to ever mess around with a battery and cable though.
I’m strongly inclined to upgrade to the InReach mini 2 if it has better reception in mountainous forests. I lose reception in those conditions and it freaks out my wife and the 2 min ping that my wife prefers kills the InReach Mini after only about 14 hours.
Experience has taught me to assume the real world battery range is half whatever Garmin claims, which only is 18 hours for dual band GPS mode. You are getting waaay over the claimed range which is a surprise. I would have expected it to die at maybe 7-8 hours in dual mode or maybe 15 hours with GPS-only.
I didn’t even consider the Epix 2 seriously because I have seen the edge of the Fenix 6X range and I do want practical dual-band or at least all constellations modes of precision. Maybe that was a mistake? But I’m happy with the capabilities of the 7X.
The firmware, however… Still a little rough.
You are right. But, to be honest. This guy just do the job right. He compares it with quite expensive and good equipment. Garmin actually always ends up at the bottom of the list.
From this point of view, there are apparently good and bad results. Firstbeat is or was once the gold standard. However, they seem to have problems with Garmin. How would be otherwise explain the other, earlier, Devices with Firstbeatalgorythmus for example Naps can recognize or sleep phases quite automatically (falling asleep no fixed time to define) and better.
Translated with http://www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJRUW0azIqk
hi Jens, thank you for the thoughtful comments.
Q: You say that guy is doing the job right. Which job is he doing right?
You say Garmin always ends up at the bottom of the list. Quite so. Try this…https://www.dropbox.com/sh/psdyxm93y2m12j3/AABNlbBRsF2E3edvzqnnMPC4a?dl=0 those are my GPS test results and, yes, garmin ends up either in the middle of the list or at the bottom. not so with the Epix 2, it ends up at the top. I say it how I find it. If you look at all my heart rate test results then the vast majority of my garmin HR tracks are notably inaccurate. I say as much above in my Epix view, the truth being that accuracy of the tech is linked to many external variables. – to the extent where one person can’t produce any scientifically correct results on their accuracy based on a sample size of 1.
I’m happy to also agree that Garmin’s SpO2 measurements are patently inaccurate. I’ve literally used them whilst ill in hospital and compared them to readings doctors take. If I’m about to die I’m definitely not going to be reaching for my Garmin…or any other consumer wearable for that matter.
Naps? Sleep Stages? I can understand why people are interested in logging them. Garmin’s estimates are probably as meaningful or meaningless as those from other ‘top’ wearables. Why do you think Apple don’t produce sleep stage results? A: Because they know they can’t do it properly.
Why do you think Garmin are by far the biggest sports watch company? (sportswatch not smartwatch)
It is such a pity that Zeo went bankrupt. Their EEG based headband cost NOT more than USD 100 (without their bed device, using the headband with a smartphone). I loved so much, unfortunately I could not see anything similar in the same price range. I would not spend half a 1000 for dreem2 or any similar.
By “job right” I mean that he not only estimates what is on the display, but compares the whole quasi parallel with halfway reasonable equipment.
This is not meant to be an “attack” or “malicious”. But in most reviews, the sleep analysis is of course seen rather secondary. That’s also OK and not an issue. But if you compare the whole thing with spec devices, then it becomes round.
My Epix2 is ium comparison to the Versa 3 my wife just pretty OffTrack in the “sleep”.
As I said, overall everything OK but in comparison for a 900€ device but not good.
Oh yes, I have found something else. If you ride a bike, for example, a 400m tunnel on a lap so exactly these 400m are missing at the end of the track. The Fenix 6 could interpolate that, with the Epix2 is missing exactly the distance. I can prove that. If you run through the tunnel then it is so far OK.
That, by the way, is one of the biggest weaknesses, in my opinion. I have on my 20km round 2 tunnels, one ~400m and the other ~200m. At the end of the 20km simply missing 800m….im compared to the Fenix 6. You can see that I go for example with 4.63km in the 400m tunnel and comes out with 4.67 again. Nothing is corrected.
Caution, Abload has advertising.
Airportring at Frankfurt Airport.
Epix2 in
https://abload.de/img/epix22v5jge.jpg
Epix 2 out:
https://abload.de/img/epix2144j59.jpg
The Fenix 6 can track this cleanly, as mentioned.
Hi Jens, yes I know you are not trying to attack, apologies if my reply came across that way.
yes none of these watches are perfect. a review like this tries to get over a certain perspective and that scientific video in your link has a different perspective (the guy does good work albeit very narrowly targetted). bug reports and feature requests are perhaps better aimed elsewhere and are not usually for reviews.
I’m trying to honestly explain how these sports devices are useful for certain types of people. to help them make a good £200-£1000 purchase decision rather than one they quickly regret.
I’m definitely not trying to help people find scientifically accurate consumer watches…as they don’t exist.
The premium you pay for a 900€ watch is not for scientific accuracy. In this case, you pay for the screen, the brand and all it represents, the immense amount of features with a few good doses of accuracy on the features that matter.Garmin plays a certain game and you’re all an intelligent bunch that come here, so I suspect you mostly understand the key tradeoffs (that I try to highlight)
Brian, I am using GPS only, no phone connection, no OHR, belt only and inReach mini connection, Course and PacePro loaded. For one race here 2.4%/h battery with est battery at 42h using OHR. I am not simply stating what the watch tells me but relying on analysis of .fit files so this is actual battery life on long runs. The example is with OHR, I am getting better life estimates with the belt now. I will post from a 50 mile race next weekend, as this is a longer and better test.
https://analyze.dcrainmaker.com/#/public/1d635d50-e82e-4823-59dc-8ca48977ca0e
Cool. ?
I think the oHR is one of the major ?? after the advanced GNSS modes. Obviously the AMOLED display consumes more than the MIP one. Even the MIP one can be put into gesture mode which I tried on the 6X but found so cumbersome as to be not worth the effort.
I disconnected my InReach mini from the watch and run them independently but will also have my phone that can txt through the InReach. Depending on the event, a mobile phone is required kit.
Amazing review. Best watch ever. What watch face is that? It’s beautiful.
i cant remember! sy…i did look but had reset the watch by the time i realised i hadn’t included the info above!
i think it’s one of the garmin ones, it took a while to figure out it looked better in the non default colour. blue always seems to improve things.
Thanks for the great review.
There are some reports on the Garmin forums about the titanium case scratching quite easily.
Did you notice any wear and tear on the case ?
I was originally looking at the black titanium but the white is growing on me.
yes!
visible in the images when the flash is on.
similar on f7
The black titanium in the fenix 7X scratches pretty easily — even compared to the 6X black steel bezel. I have one hairline scratch and some edge nicks already. I don’t know what I did to cause them, even. I think the titanium alloy Garmin is using for the bezels is just relatively soft, compared to the stainless steel alloy they have been using.
I think the natural metal is going to show less wear overall because the scratches and flakes won’t be high contrast.
I wouldn’t let the scratching issue put you off the white case style. Pick the one you enjoy.
Something I have not seen mention in any test, is it cannot be used for pool swimming. It simply cannot count and even worse it cannot display or save the results. It has been a problem since release and has not been fixed yet. It is strange as it is not a problem for Fenix 7 which should be the same?? also it is ustable and reboots, and can have diffucult with sleep data and therefore body battery numbers. when moved from a perfect Fenix 6 this feels like a beta software. Beta 8.18 which a Release candidate for the next version has still all these problems. Garmin have tried for almost 3 month to fix it and has not done it yet. I will be happy if some one have any news when this will be fixed.
Very late to the conversation, but I returned to Garmin with this watch after using the Coros Apex Pro for about two years, and absolutely love the Epix 2.
Love the screen, love the features, even the battery is good (not amazing, but fine. I even found a Velcro quick release strap that cut a ton of weight off the watch. This is the Fenix killer, and I’ll probably stick with the Epix line from now on.
glad we are once again in agreement Justin ! nice to have you back
When do you believe a Epix 2s would be available?
zero intelligence on the existence of that model.
I think Epix is the future and so it will get all sizes probably sooner rather than later. i doubt this year.
https://the5krunner.com/2022/01/23/garmin-instinct-2-solar-unlimited-battery/
du you have a photo of an Apple Watch 7 and a Epix 2, to compare both screens?