Gear Review: New Garmin Releases
Train smarter, not harder with the new GPS running watch options from Garmin.
Garmin Epix Gen 2
$800
Features
If you want an epic sports watch to track all of your workouts with a bright, easy to read screen, look no further than the Garmin Epix Gen 2.
The stunning 1.3” always-on AMOLED display in the new Epix Gen 2 brings your watch to life, even under bright sunlight. It has thousands of colors and is both clearer and brighter than other non-AMOLED Garmin watches, which also allows you to track up to eight data fields on the display screen at one time. Plus, the Epix watches feature the trusted button controls that work in any environment and a responsive touchscreen interface so you can quickly access your selections.
With downloadable topographical maps and navigation sensors, getting lost is a thing of the past. The Epix Gen 2 also tracks advanced training metrics during your runs, which includes pretty much anything you can think of—pace, distance, heat and altitude adjusted VO2 Max, heart rate, trail running adjustment, recovery advisor, real-time stamina data and more.
There are some great features on the Epix watches to help you race better too. A visual race predictor gives you an estimate of what your pace could be for the distance you want to run based on your past performances. Garmin also developed PacePro™, which keeps you on pace during your race with grade-adjusted guidance. Plus, the “Up Ahead” feature shows you selected information for what’s coming, including aid stations, upcoming distance/elevation and key trail points.
The Epix Gen 2 has all of the great features you know and love from Garmin. Smart notifications appear on the phone, so you will always get a text message or alerts. You can listen to your music with 16GB of storage (up to 1,000 songs) so you do not need to carry your phone. Plus, the device includes WiFi and Garmin Pay, so if your run isn’t going well you can pay for an ice cream break right from your watch.
Not sure which Garmin is right for you? Check out our guide to choosing the best Garmin watch for you.
Tech Specs | Garmin Epix Gen 2 |
Dimensions | 47 x 47 x 14.5 mm |
Weight | 76 g |
Battery Life |
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Water Rating | 10 ATM; waterproof |
Heart Rate Monitor | Yes; wrist-based monitor |
Lens | Corning® Gorilla® Glass DX |
Smartphone Compatibility | Yes (iPhone, Android); Smart notifications |
Band Size | 22mm with quick release straps |
Heath and Wellness Features
- Monitor respiration, Pulse Ox, stress, advanced sleep (with sleep stages), hydration logging and 24/7 heart rate (with user-configurable alerts for high or low readings).
- Wrist-based heart rate monitor that will give you alerts for abnormally high or low heart rates.
- Monitor activity throughout the day with step counting, calories burned, intensity minutes and more.
- Body Battery energy monitoring shows the body’s current energy level, which can help with scheduling workouts, big events and understanding when it is time to slow down.
- Women’s health features, including menstrual cycle tracking and pregnancy tracking, support women during each stage of their reproductive cycle with the ability to log symptoms alongside their other health and wellness data in the Garmin Connect app.
Sport App Activities
- Includes built-in indoor sports apps for strength, HIIT, cardio and elliptical training, stair stepping, floor climbing, indoor rowing, pilates, indoor track running, indoor biking, treadmill and yoga
- Includes built-in outdoor sports apps for running, track running,, trail running, virtual running, ultra running, hiking, indoor climbing, bouldering, climbing, mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, XC skiing, stand up paddleboarding, rowing, kayaking, surfing, hunting, jumpmaster, tactical, kiteboard, windsurf, snowshoe, biking, mountain biking, triathlon, pool swimming, open water swimming, swimming/running
- Golf features include being preloaded with 42,000 golf courses worldwide.
What’s New
There are many updates to the Epix Gen 2. Physically, Garmin gave all the Epix watches full-color AMOL display screens for a brighter and clearer display than other Garmin watches and added button guards to all of the buttons, so you are less likely to accidentally press a button. Software updates include:
- Worldwide downloadable topographical maps.
- Music capabilities, WiFi and Garmin Pay Support
- Touchscreen display as well as buttons
- GPS Only mode to increase battery life
- Garmin ELEVATE GEN 4 optical HR sensor with a glass-cover to increase durability
- New “Map Manager” feature to manage/download maps on watch
- New “Up Ahead” features for distances to markers such as aid stations or climbs that were predetermined
- RealTime Stamina feature
- Race Predictor
- Garmin Connect IQ store on watch
- Pre-loaded Skiing and Golf Maps
- Added Kiteboard and Windsurf Sports Type (and SpeedPro function for Windsurfing)
Differences between Fenix 7 and Epix Gen 2
There are a couple of differences between the Fenix 7 and the Epix Gen 2. These include, but are not limited to:
- The Epix watches have a 1.3 inch AMOLed display that are brighter and clearer. There are three brightness settings on the Epix.
- The higher resolution means that you can get up to eight data fields on one display in the Epix vs. the four fields in the Fenix 7.
- The Epix watches don’t have any solar capabilities.
Differences between Epix Gen 2 and Epix Gen 2 Sapphire
The Epix Gen 2 Sapphire has the following additional features:
- Sapphire glass and titanium bezel
- Additional storage - the Sapphire edition has 32GB vs. 16GB,
- Pre-loaded maps as opposed to downloadable ones
- Multi-band GPS
