No True Always On Option for Epix 2. Why?

I upgraded to Garmin Epix 2 from Fenix 6X because I was impressed by the AMOLED screen, something I have wanted on Garmin for a long time. What I wanted though is my screen to be ALWAYS ON without any timeout. In Fenix 6X, there is an option to set no time out. One thing I like to do is use the watch for marketing by having a watch face that describes a product and having people ask me about it. I understand the need to extend the battery time but that is NOT an issue for me. I always have access to a power source. I don't understand why there is no Always On option that has no timeout or at least has a timeout of like an hour, not 15 seconds. Customers should have options. And not everyone is worried about the battery dying!

Top Replies

lindajm22 over 3 years ago +3

I'm not sure I am following you. My epix stays on all the time. Except during my sleep hours when I have the low power watch face on. Otherwise, my watch face does not go off, it just dims after 8 seconds…
TzaR over 3 years ago +2

dsam100 said:
I don't understand why there is no Always On option

AMOLED BURN-IN.
AgentMax over 3 years ago +2

If you use built in Garmin watch face you will have always on (except the one you put your picture on) with dimming after timeout.

If you use 3rd party CIQ watch face that supports AOD -> you will have…

All Replies

0 TzaR over 3 years ago

dsam100 said:
I don't understand why there is no Always On option

AMOLED BURN-IN.

0 [Redacted] over 3 years ago in reply to TzaR

What TzaR said. It's also in the manual.

About the AMOLED Display

By default, the watch settings are optimized for battery life and performance (Tips for Maximizing the Battery Life).

Image persistence, or pixel "burn-in," is normal behavior for AMOLED devices. To extend the display life, you should avoid displaying static images at high brightness levels for long time periods. To minimize burn-in, the epix display turns off after the selected timeout (Changing the Screen Settings). You can turn your wrist toward your body, tap the touchscreen, or press a button to wake the watch.

0 Mladen T over 3 years ago

Depends what and how you want the AOD face.

There's no timeout on this example...i have all these info all day. No need to move my wrist or press a button or whatever...it's like this all the time.

0 Jean-Ralphio over 3 years ago

I think I understand the problem. The "Face it" custom face creator thing hasn't been updated to work with the Always On functionality. I suspect that even if they do get around to changing that, it'll still fade the background image out, just leaving the hands displayed in the low power mode. That would follow the general pattern of how the other faces work.

A noisy, potentially high contrast background image is exactly the kind of thing they don't want sticking around, for power and the aforementioned image retention risks.

0 lindajm22 over 3 years ago

I'm not sure I am following you. My epix stays on all the time. Except during my sleep hours when I have the low power watch face on. Otherwise, my watch face does not go off, it just dims after 8 seconds, but easily bright again with a wrist turn. Are you using a CIQ watch face? Not all of them utilize AOD and they will go off. All of the built in watch faces use AOD.

0 AgentMax over 3 years ago

If you use built in Garmin watch face you will have always on (except the one you put your picture on) with dimming after timeout.

If you use 3rd party CIQ watch face that supports AOD -> you will have reduced info on the screen after timeout

If you use 3rd party CIQ watch face that not supports AOD -> you will have a blank screen after timeout

During workout you will have AOD with dimming after timeout.

0 net1994 over 3 years ago

Besides AMOLED burn in (it is a possibility, even if Garmin swears it will never happen) it would most likely destroy the battery. Think of 6 days with AOD as it is now to maybe a day if you had it on high brightness with really, really AOD display that never dims.

0 3326487 over 2 years ago in reply to lindajm22

My garmin has been always on as well. A very important feature gor me. But something changed and now I have the same problem. Cant work my way around a time-out. Very annoying

0 AgentMax over 2 years ago in reply to 3326487

You have to use Garmin stock watch face and you will not have a timeout turning off the screen completely.

0 3326487 over 2 years ago in reply to AgentMax

The stock watch face was active! I've restarted my garmin watch and now it is back to normal! (no timeouts anymore)