Garmin Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar, Larger Adventure smartwatch, with Solar Charging Capabilities, Rugged Outdoor Watch with GPS, Touchscreen, Wellness Features, Carbon Gray DLC Titanium with Black Band

Absolutely zero regrets with the F7x. Wanted to get a few activities completed and waited until I had to charge it before posting this review. Once I saw the Fenix 7x Sapphire was announced, immediately purchased on the same day. Waited only 2 days before selling the 6x Sapphire on an online auction site because the new one checked all the boxes and fit my wrist better. Started my Garmin wearable relationship with the Forerunner 405CX. That was touch enabled and challenging to use with sweat or rain. Stopped using it because it was clunky looking, very slow gps lock, and the battery life was abysmal. Went to the Fenix 3 HR in March 2016 which served me well. Then in September 2019, purchased on of the first 6x Sapphire which totally improved my life and fitness. So much that I shared my positive experience with friends and family that 5 of them purchased Fenix watches. One of them was an Apple Watch users tired of their battery always needing to be charged. Favorite new features: The biggest selling point for me of the F7x was the improved battery life. The F7x does not disappoint with battery… until I saw the Instinct 2 Solar specs. I pulled it out of the box on 1/26 at 80% charge and only charged it on 2/10 when it reached 20%. With it fully charged and all sensors on, it said 20-day battery life. Simply amazing. My F6x on a full charge said it would last 10 days but it worked out to be only 5. The big dip came when Sleep Score was introduced but it could have been the battery was on its way out. However, was bummed seeing with the Instinct 2 Solar, it is effectively unlimited battery using three hours of charging. More on the Instinct 2 below in “Asks” and “Shortcomings.” During my testing with the solar of the F7x, left it outside for an hour hoping it would be a 1 hour : 1% ratio of battery but that was not the case. Understood within Garmin documentation it says for the F7x not to rely on solar as primary charging. The other favorite feature is within Indoor Cycle, it can be set that the activity automatically broadcasts heart rate to my Peloton. Before it took quite a few clicks. I checked the F6x once it received the v20 update that included HIIT, but it still did not get the ability to set an activity to broadcast HR. To me, that should just be a software change. The other reason I purchased the F7x was for stamina score. It works well and I believe what it says. Tested it on a 5-mile treadmill stint that started at 79% and ended at Actual 7% / Potential 17%. Went out to dinner, had two beers, and then did a 4-mile treadmill run about 3 hours later. Wondered what it would read and it started at Actual 40% / Potential 40% and by the time I was done it was 0/0%. I was exhausted good to see that it measured the same. I have also noticed Sleep Score is calculated quicker. With the F6x, it would be a while since I have gotten out of bed that the score was calculated. With the F7x, if I awake but hanging out in bed, it knows the difference and calculates Sleep Score once I am awake. Tested the new heart rate sensor against my LifeFitness 9700 treadmill, Precor AMT 100, and a random LifeFitness commercial treadmill at the gym. All of them showed the same heart rate as the F7x. I have not tried my HRM-Pro with it yet. The GPS lock on the F7x is amazing. If I hit “Walk” inside the house and start the activity inside the house, it will pick up near instantly once I open the front door. Before with the F6x, it would take a few steps to lock out in the open. Out of the box, my F7x was on the 7.20 firmware. Earlier this week while sitting at my desk, I received a vibrate alert and the message onscreen said it was upgrading to new 7.24 firmware. It took only a few seconds and it rebooted the watch. This is a great improvement over the old models. With the F6x, it seemed to wait for charging cycles. Asks: Garmin must have read my F6x review on Amazon in 2019 because two of the issues I pointed out have been addressed. The 7x Sapphire is now offered in three colors including my requested black bezel. The second was the band that ships with the F7x is the exact replacement that is available without the notches. Combined with improved geometry of the F7x, the band fit exactly the same on the 7th hole with six holes showing. My ask of Garmin this time around is to have a power profile named “Instinct 2 Solar Smartwatch” that effectively turns the F7x into an Instinct 2 Solar with 28-day battery life / unlimited with solar even to the point of turning off color screen. Shortcomings of the F7x: Price is the first with it costing considerably more than the F6x. Part of that is it includes touchscreen and a feature I did not want or like on the 405CX. If I wanted touchscreen, would have just purchased an Apple Watch. Turned off touchscreen after pressing the face and seeing it turned on the watch light. The second price aspect is comparing the Instinct 2 versus the F7x since they are very similar other than looks. Do I regret buying the F7x at launch only to see the Instinct 2 Solar came out two weeks later at half price? No. It actually is going to make me use the features that the F7x has and the Instinct 2 Solar doesn’t. The only gap is battery / solar and I mentioned that in the above asks which could be addressed in a power profile. Odd things: My F7x is from the first batch. Sometimes the buttons are a bit squishy and it feels like there are sharp edges where the band attaches. Haven’t cut myself but on the F6x, that area is beveled and not sharp.

Regarding MTB, I've been using an Edge 530 and been debating to upgrade to an Edge 840 or 1040. Map quality, visibility and navigation is important to me so I was leaning towards and Edge 1040 but have delt with cracked screen issues (my fault). Recently, I settled on the Fenix 7X Solar when I saw the Amazon Prime deal. Cons: The Edge is better as a dedicated tool for MTB. The Fenix screen is not as bright as I would prefer for daily use, and I don't seem to see a setting to increase the screen brightness. Also, it's not nearly as well integrated with Android ecosystem as a Pixel watch (which I previously had), but the battery is 10x better. On the Pixel, notifications are more intuitive, speech to text is actually a thing and works well, Google pay works seamlessly with my setup via Google wallet. The Pixel watch just works better with Google Pixel phones, which is not a surprise. Notifications on the Fenix work with Android, but if you're looking for the best integration similar to a Pixel watch and that's important to you, I would hold off. Pros: As an active person (for me: MTB, eMTB, weight lifting workout, occasional swimming and hiking), this has been the best smart watch to track all the metrics and analytics that help me be better at all these things. This is by far better than Google Fitbit subscription and is FREE. This is my 1st Garmin watch and it just blows my mind of all the things they have thought of to support athletes. I'm still learning to use many of the features and haven't touched the numerous other activities it supports, but for what I use it for, MTB and weight lifting, I am very happy with it. Battery life is phenomenal, Connect App works great and I can create navigation courses just the same as the Edge 530. This is a remarkable tool for athletes, to track and maintain your health and recovery. If the right deal comes along I will still get the Edge 1040 for MTB'ing just because I would like the bigger screen for navigating rural areas. But as a daily, the Fenix 7X is a very special training tool and works very good as a bike computer. If primarily for MTB or weight lifting, I highly recommend it.

I have to admit, this watch is kind of amazing. My son has been after me to switch from FitBit to Garmin for a couple of years now, but I was hesitant. Familiarity kept me from switching. Got this on Prime Day and the analysis and breakdown of every measurement is amazing. Where other programs want a Premium subscription for in depth analysis, this watch provides tons of data already built in. The sleep data breakdown is amazing. There is a "Body Battery" that provides an indication of how much energy you likely have left to finish the day, and it is eerily accurate. I've only been wearing it a week so all of the features haven't even kicked in but, those that have are incredible. I've seen reviews that say it is large and heavy, and I have to agree however, it really doesn't matter unless you have a tiny wrist. It feels like a quality machine, which it is. Heart Rate analysis, Breathing and Respiration analysis, exercise breakdowns and options, are all detailed and informative. That doesn't even scratch the surface of the statistics it provides. The number of activities it is capable of measuring can give you analysis paralysis just trying to decide. Health Stats, Performance Stats, programs for Training and Race Planning, Race predictions, gear mileage tracking (shoes, etc), and insights to compare your performance to other similar athletes, just to provide an overview. My son says Garmin is for athletes and FitBit is for Mall walkers. Now I get it. So far, I have used it for treadmill, rowing machine, and strength training. I'm looking forward to getting it outside for a run to see some new stats pop up. I've barely delved into what it can do and I'm excited to do more. You get plenty of rest breaks throughout the day just going through the analysis of your exercise and statistics. It's definitely more interesting and more beneficial than any time wasted on social media. If I had to provide negatives, I will concede it is heavy and large but, that is likely necessary accommodate the battery that lasts for weeks, not days. The solar function supposedly extends the battery life but I have barely used 20% in the last week so I can't say what the impact actually is. There is also a certain amount of sticker shock that was only partially assuaged by the Prime Day deal. I do wish it would sync directly with my Renpho scale as I don't intend to pay another $150 for a Garmin scale. Synching through a third-party app has been mostly unsuccessful so far. Initially I questioned the accuracy of the stair count, but that seems to be improving. A detailed user's manual would be very helpful as well, but I'm having fun discovering new things pretty much daily. My guess is that if you purchase this watch you will not be disappointed. If you haven't noticed, I am very impressed and that is not the norm for me. I tend to be hyper critical of high dollar items. If you can get past the sticker shock, I would definitely recommend checking out a Fenix 7x. Did I mention it has a flashlight built in? Kind of blew me away as well, but it is an LED and provides a good amount of light for being tiny and barely noticeable. You kind of have to see it to believe it (get it, flashlight, see it.... oh well). It's definitely worth checking out.

This watch is outstanding! I killed a deer about 2 miles from my truck 10 minutes before last light. I reached into my pack and found that my main flashlight was gone. (Wife, kids lost tablet under seat) No problem. Reach into the side pocket for my trusty Olight... Gone. (Daughter, who knows.) So 2 miles from the truck I double click the ole Fenix and I tracked this deer about 65 yards. Did what hunters do after that. Which was interesting. Then drug it out with the Fenix lighting the way. I have checked readings on this watch with the GPS I've carried for 4 years more than 50 times. These readings need to be precise. If you've ever been in the woods far enough that you can't see or hear civilization you know that these two trees look exactly like those last 4000 trees you just passed. If these readings aren't precise I lose a camera that cost money. Or a deer that feeds us for months. I have searched for a camera for 45 minutes in the middle of August in a swamp. The mosquitos sucked more life out of me in 45 minutes than my ex-wife did in three years. The GPS I was using at the time was off by about 30 feet. That can be an enternity in some woods. Usually that camera is gone. Precise!!! I placed a camera in a public land spot a little over 2 miles off vehicle traffic. I clicked the location hot key. Saved it and walked away. Two weeks later I took that walk again. This watch took me directly to it. Amazing reliability. THE GPS IS TREMENDOUS!! I have had this watch bring me with in 5 to 10 feet every time. Unbelievable. A couple weeks after buying this watch I sprained my back. 4 weeks of hell. But 4 weeks of doctor visits. Everytime the nurses check my vital I compared them with this beheamouth of a watch. (It did take about 3 weeks to get used the the size and weight of the Fenix.) Never once in 10 visits not including an ER visit did this watch fail to produce. Every vital was with in 1% of the Office's readings. The medical stats are why I was originally in the market for a watch. I'm 47 about to be 48 and not as active as I was in my 30's. So keeping an eye on some of my vitals sounded alluring. I run a mechanic shop for a living. Unfortunatley watches don't really last in my line of work. Take it off at work you say. Another reason I bought the Fenix is to get notifications quickly. If I'm under a car and my phone goes off I have to stop, reach into my pocket and pull out my phone. I have to see if this is something that needs to be addressed now or can it wait. The interuption is so irritating. Not any more. A twist of the wrist and there it is in half a second. Back to work. But also the durability. Watches just don't last in my line of work. Whether it's clanging off a lift as you squeeze through. Or forgetting you have it on as you shove you're hand behind the radiator to check the lower hose and smack it against a clamp. I've been through more than a few watches. Now I have, of course, been more careful with the Fenix but so far it has a been great. (Oh it will also connect to the Garmin bow scope. You take a shot and it will mark a waypoint where the arrow was supposed to strike. That's freaking cool.) Really the only thing I don't like about this watch is the price. I don't buy $1000 watches. I can easily see this being a ten year watch. That's a long time. And well worth the price. And like I said it took me a minute to get used to the size and weight. Three or four weeks for sure. Now its nothing. Love the watch. A little lite in the back pocket but definitely don't feel cheated either.

Had this for over a year. Sturdy, functional, and can take anything you throw at it, I feel like it will last me for years to come. Used it training and running a marathon and was very useful and easy to use. GPS is accurate and only off by a reasonable figure when I'm running actual races.

The Garmin Fenix 7X Solar is an exceptional high-end multisport GPS watch that surpasses expectations with its remarkable array of features and impressive battery life. Designed specifically for athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, this watch offers unparalleled durability and reliability, making it the ideal companion for any adventure. One of the standout features of the Fenix 7X Solar is its revolutionary solar charging capabilities. The watch's Power Glass™ solar charging lens harnesses the power of the sun to extend battery life significantly. In smartwatch mode, you can enjoy up to an astonishing 28 days of battery life, and with solar charging, that increases to an impressive 9 additional days. When using the watch in GPS mode, you can rely on it for up to an incredible 89 hours, and with solar charging, that extends to an extra 33 hours. With this remarkable battery performance, you can confidently wear the watch around the clock, without worrying about running out of power, even during extended expeditions. Another noteworthy aspect of the Fenix 7X Solar is its expansive and easily readable display. Boasting a 1.4" screen, this watch ensures excellent visibility even in bright sunlight. The touchscreen functionality adds to the user-friendly experience, allowing seamless navigation through menus and applications. Additionally, the watch comes preloaded with a wide range of sports profiles, allowing you to track your progress and performance in real-time, no matter your chosen activity. In addition to its comprehensive sports tracking features, the Fenix 7X Solar offers an impressive suite of health and wellness metrics. Monitoring crucial data such as heart rate, sleep patterns, stress levels, and VO2 max, this watch provides valuable insights into your overall fitness and well-being. Furthermore, its built-in Pulse Ox2 sensor accurately measures blood oxygen saturation levels, enabling early detection of potential health concerns. The Fenix 7X Solar goes beyond its athletic and health monitoring capabilities by offering a host of smartwatch features. Stay connected to your phone with notifications conveniently displayed on your wrist. With music storage, you can enjoy your favorite tunes without the need to carry your phone. The inclusion of Garmin Pay adds a touch of convenience, allowing you to make secure payments directly from your watch. In terms of durability, the Fenix 7X Solar excels. Constructed from robust materials, it withstands the rigors of outdoor activities, and its 10 ATM water resistance ensures it remains functional even in harsh weather conditions. Additionally, the watch is MIL-STD-810G tested for thermal, shock, and water resistance, providing peace of mind in any environment. With its user-friendly interface and intuitive touchscreen, the Fenix 7X Solar guarantees a seamless and enjoyable experience. Its extensive range of features, encompassing sports tracking, health monitoring, smartwatch functionality, and more, cater to the diverse needs of athletes and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Ultimately, the Garmin Fenix 7X Solar emerges as a top-tier multisport GPS watch that sets the standard for excellence. Its exceptional battery life, durability, and comprehensive features make it an excellent choice for individuals seeking a high-quality, feature-rich, and reliable companion for their athletic endeavors and outdoor pursuits.

Well made and the OS is nice. MIP is too dark though, so returned. Wish it wood have worked out.

I purchased this item because of its major feature. Solar charging and how long it holds a charge. The second reason was the fitness element. The third is the golf course stuff. (I’ll come back after golfing to give a review about that.) Some things I noticed in the other reviews which gave me hesitance before I pulled the trigger on the purchase. 1. People liked their Apple Watch more -reasons for this were the brightness of the screen I’ll address that claim first because I feel like it’s the easiest reason to dislike this watch. I showed multiple screens of the watch in my pics. The watch is not bright when you don’t tap the screen. Anyone complaining is find a reason for this as they clearly bought something that holds charge. To hold charge it cannot have a bright screen. It uses mirrors to create it’s light and to conserve power the screen is not bright unless tapped on. I’d actually call this an ADVANTAGE because every time I’d turn my wrist on my Apple Watch that annoyed me that it would drain battery. 2. Other concerns were the weight. - these are weird concerns in the end. People switching from a standard smart watch to this will feel more weight however I like watched. I like real watches. Not just smart. This is significantly lighter than my diver, and about as heavy as my lighter feminine watches. It is REALLY light weight by that standard. Given I have the lightest but I saw weight complaints for that. I own a tissot and it’s lighter than my tissot. I saw a review which worried me with a guy saying they were shocked at its weight and couldn’t get the lightest for their wife. No offense but have more faith! Anyone complaining about weight should get an Apple Watch because they clearly don’t want a tool watch, the Apple Watch is a gadget. This is a tool. It tries to not be distracting and engaging and do what it needs then get out of the way. The Apple Watch is a device you can use to fidget with and will keep you occupied. The Garmin is utilitarian. 3. Complaints about pricing were often paired with the above “problems.” For the price it shouldn’t weigh x. For the price it should be brighter. These people were not aware of what they needed and thought they wanted a product like this because of charge etc. they were wrong. These are not problems if you understand the exact purpose of this watch. If you want a charge you cannot also have a constant light. If you want a lighter watch you cannot have sapphire and all the elements built into this watch which for its processing power is quite light. Also- you clearly don’t wear watches for dress or daily outside of Apple Watches if you believe this is heavy. (The largest size is owned by my cousin, and he said it was heavy but once gotten used to it was fine. This one would be for a larger person, a taller man, or someone who can handle the weight.) Notes: the app was easy to download, there are two. One app is for the watch, the other is an app which allows you to integrate other apps onto it. Basically an app library. Other thoughts: this is not a good watch for an older person who is not capable of understanding new navigations after getting used to the way mac works. If they have to be taught to use it, it will be too hard for them to get some of it. After 10 minutes at 26 years old I managed to navigate it promptly. However there are some features I’ll look at the manual to understand better. Swiping is easy on it and so is the ability to navigate to sports and more. Complains outside of the brave listed were for ease of use. I would say anyone complaining about that needs something more friendly to them. Not user friendly, as it is user friendly, but some are not WILLING to put in any time. If it’s not easy there’s a tech type who just want it done for them. (I have instructed them and unfortunately my dads that type. 73 and just wants me to fix it not help him learn to do it.) If you’re not willing to take 30 minutes to watch a YouTube video or read the manual don’t buy it. The easiest parts are self explanatory but there’s 5 buttons on the watch and they all do different things. The bottom button on the left sets a timer for example which isn’t how Apple Watch works. But it’s freaking easy! Stop complaining! If you want a watch which is standard in weight, long charge, functional, sends notifications, tracks work outs, and does exactly what it says it will do get a Garmin. I have ADHD and my issue is never remembering to charge. If I do charge I leave the watch behind. I now don’t have to REMEMBER. Thank god It has a “find my phone” feature and since I am very ADHD this is amazing. It is so loud. If you’re complaining about tapping the screen or other basics it’s better to get a different watch. This is convenience based and that small tap isn’t inconvenient but if it bothers you other things about this watch surely will. I think it’s an easy way to justify being mad about the price. Another review noted they didn’t like their notifications kept coming through in meetings. That is weird because well…. It has a do not disturb button. You just need to turn it on