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If you’re in the market for a new sports watch, looking for deals on older Garmin models is where you’ll find the best value.
That’s especially true as the sales start to heat up ahead of Amazon Prime Day, and two top Garmin watches are significantly reduced right now.
The Garmin Epix Pro is reduced to $549.99 from $899.99 on Amazon, while the Garmin Fenix 7 Pro is $449.99 down from $799.99 on Amazon. Those deals are on the standard 47mm models of the watches, but the entire range of both is reduced.
Both models offer better value than the new Garmin Fenix 8 range, which contains the successor to both the Epix Pro and Fenix 7 Pro watches, but which is the better pick in the sales?
Largely your choice comes down to three factors: display, battery life and price. Other than that the Garmin Epix Pro and Garmin Fenix 7 Pro offer the same design and features, so let’s tackle those three factors in turn.
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro vs Garmin Epix Pro: display
The Garmin Epix Pro has an AMOLED display, while the Fenix 7 Pro has a memory-in-pixel display.
Having used both watches I prefer the AMOLED screen myself. It’s brighter and more engaging, and clearer to read indoors and when outside under cloud or tree cover.
However, the Fenix 7 Pro’s display is still clear enough in all conditions, and in bright sunlight it’s as readable as the AMOLED screen. The always-on mode of the Fenix’s display is also easier to read, before you turn your wrist to fully wake up the screen on the Epix.
The main benefit of the memory-in-pixel display is longer battery life, however, which we’ll get into now.
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro vs Garmin Epix Pro: battery life
A brighter display means shorter battery life in both watch mode and when tracking activities, so you will have to charge the Epix Pro more regularly than the Fenix 7 Pro.
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Watch mode | 11 days/14 days solar | 10 days/4 days always-on | 18 days/22 days solar | 16 days/6 days always-on | 28 days/37 days solar | 31 days/11 days always-on |
GPS-only | 37 hours/46 hours solar | 28 hours/20 hours always-on | 57 hours/73 hours solar | 42 hours/30 hours always-on | 89 hours/122 hours solar | 82 hours/58 hours always-on |
All-systems GPS | 26 hours/30 hours solar | 21 hours/16 hours always-on | 40 hours/48 hours solar | 32 hours/24 hours always-on | 63 hours/77 hours solar | 62 hours/48 hours always-on |
All-systems GPS + music | 7 hours | 6 hours | 10 hours | 10 hours | 16 hours | 17 hours |
Multi-band GPS | 15 hours/16 hours solar | 13 hours/10 hours always-on | 23 hours/26 hours solar | 20 hours/15 hours always-on | 38 hours/41 hours solar | 38 hours/30 hours always-on |
I tested the 51mm model of both watches myself, and used the Epix Pro in always-on mode. The Epix Pro lasted me around 10 days on a charge, while the Fenix 7 Pro lasted me three weeks.
That’s when using them in mostly cloudy conditions — if you live in a sunny spot the solar panels on the Fenix 7 Pro will extend its battery life even further.
The 51mm models significantly outlast the smaller watches in the range, so if you are keen on long battery life they are worth paying the extra for.
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro vs Garmin Epix Pro: price
Whatever size and style of watch you opt for, the Fenix 7 Pro version will be cheaper than the Epix Pro, usually by around $100.
That’s a big saving and means you can get a sapphire titanium model of the Fenix 7 Pro for the same price as a standard steel Epix Pro, which is a big upgrade in design quality if you’re not too fussed about the AMOLED display.
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro vs Garmin Epix Pro: verdict
The main decision you have to make here is picking between an AMOLED display and longer battery life, but there is one model that offers both, which is the Garmin Epix Pro 51mm.
It's the most expensive watch in either range, but getting 10 days of battery life with an always-on AMOLED screen is amazing, and if you use the raise-to-wake setting it can last weeks on a charge.
I wore the 51mm sapphire Garmin Epix Pro for a year and got used to the size quickly. That model is $655 down from $1099 right now on Amazon, which is a great saving for those who don't want to choose between battery and the brighter display.
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