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Epix Pro - 51mm thoughts so far

Chuck
over 1 year ago

I’ve had my 51mm Epix Pro now for three days and thought I’d provide a few of my thoughts so far for those who might be considering it.  I had an Epix 2 before upgrading and was on the fence about upgrading but incredibly happy I did.

  • I was on the fence if 51mm was too big, I’m a bigger guy but the Epix fit pretty well.  I’m not in love with the 51mm form factor.  It locks into my wrist perfect and doesn’t move (the Epix always would move just slightly enough to be annoying).
  • The flashlight is a pretty awesome feature.  I’ve definitely used it a number of times already when I needed a quick light to see something.  It’s nice just to have in for those times instead of needing to go find a flashlight.
  • The band that comes with it is beefy, but more comfortable than the stock band that came with the Epix 2.  The stock band on the Epix 2 always rubbed me wrong but the one with the Pro doesn’t do the same.
  • Sleep tracking seems to be much improved (I’m guessing as a result of the new HR sensor).  With the Epix 2 the sleep tracking rarely lined up with how I felt my slept was (or how I knew it was based on when I went to bed, got up, etc).  On the Pro is seems pretty much exactly what I expect.  This was one of my biggest complaints with the Epix.  I know sleep tracking in general is kind of a crap shoot but since Garmin uses it for many of their metrics it’s nice to be closer to what I felt it should be.
  • The new pro watch faces are beautiful.  I’m using the default one (customized to my liking) and it looks amazing on the watch.
  • The software updates (that will be coming to other models) are a nice touch.  The hill shading is a feature I’ve personally been wanting for a while.  Though I’m a flatlander I am looking forward to using it more on my upcoming trip to England.  Also the radar in the weather app is a nice touch.  Used it last night and compared it to Radar scope (which is what I primarily use) and it spot on.  Jury is still out on how much value I personally find in the endurance and hill scores.
  • 31 days of battery life… on an AMOLED screen… that’s just mind blowing

One of the things I want to test but haven’t yet had a chance to is if the Bluetooth is improved.  With my Epix 2 I couldn’t use my AirPod Pro 2 or my Beats Fit Pro on an outdoor run because they would cut out all the time.  My AfterShokz always worked fine.  I used my AfterShokz with the Pro and it worked as expected.  Still need to try the AirPod Pro 2 and my Beats Fit Pro to see if they still cut out or work better.

Overall I’m super happy I made the upgrade and would recommend for anyone on the fence, if you can afford it, make the upgrade.  Personally I’m glad I did and now feel like I have the watch I’ve wanted and will keep it for a couple years now before looking for anything new.

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    Thanks for your thoughts. I wished the first Epix2 was offered in 51mm. Now that it is, it’s super tempting. Unfortunately my family members wrists are too small to gift them my 47mm PensiveJoy

  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 1 year ago

    Thanks for the post. I have always been a fenix user (since the first fenix), but since the solar ones came out, I'm not a fan of that solar ring, and the way it makes the screen look. Also, the combination of the sapphire and solar glass made the display too hard to see at certain angles.

    I tried the Epix 2 sapphire, and liked it, except for the battery life, but now that they have a 51mm version with better battery life, I ordered one. It's out for delivery right now.

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    I agree with all your observations.

    I upgraded from a Fenix 6x pro and I'm happy I did. I like the 51mm size, and I absolutely love the bright AMOLED display. And I agree - 31 days battery life - that's more than my Fenix 6x.

    For me, legibility is the main thing. I want to be able to see notifications (texts, incoming calls, etc.) without having to put on my glasses or stare too intently. With the Fenix 6x MIPS screen, I was just barely able to do that. With the Epix Pro AMOLED screen, I can see my notifications with no problem. So that's mission accomplished for me.

    I always had pretty good luck with the WHR and sleep tracking on my Fenix 6x, so I haven't really noticed an improvement in these areas.

    The maps are way, way better on the AMOLED display, but I don't use maps that much.

    I haven't tried out golf on the Epix Pro, but it was always good on my Fenix 6x. It will be interesting to see how the display fares in the bright sunlight out on the golf course. I will find out on Sunday and report back.

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    Nice. I have the Fenix 7X and I have just ordered the new Epix Pro 51mm. Can’t wait to get it!!!

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to geomasocco

    You're going to love it! I also have a 7X, and just got my Epix 51mm 2 days ago, and it's been living on my wrist ever since. The 7X sized-screen, Enduro2-sized battery, and Epix-quality graphics are a total game changer. This watch is incredible.

    It's not 100% a replacement for 7X - obviously the battery life falls way short, even though it's plenty for 95% of the things I'll ever do (whereas Epix 2 47mm would have only been good for maybe 75% of what I do, which is why I didn't get one).

    I'm hanging on to my "old" 7X Sapphire just for those rare occasions where I really need to record a >3 day long adventure without recharging, maybe once or twice a year. Otherwise I'm switching to Epix 51mm for everything else.

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    I used Garmin watches from 2013 until 2019, when I switched to Apple. I bought an Ultra 6 MO ago but was unhappy with the metrics, even with 5 different recovery apps I purchased. I missed the awesomeness of Connect and have continued to read these threads for all these years.It seems Garmin has fixed alot of the software bugs they had. I just got my Epix Pro 51 Sapphire and am simply blown away with It is fantastic.

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    I'm so on the fence whether I pick the 47mm or 51mm.

    I have the F7X SS and I know it's too big for my 150mm / 6 inch wrist.

    I really like the big screen but was contemplating on a smaller/lighter 47mm.

    Battery is not "that" big of a deal for me.

    But I'm worried I will miss the screen real estate if I go 47mm.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to iLuvGadgets
    iLuvGadgets said:
    But I'm worried I will miss the screen real state if I go 47mm.

    My 2 cents for whatever it’s worth, the higher resolution of the AMOLED Epix display means that you can fit more data clearly on the 1.3” screen.  This is why the 47mm Epix can have the 8-field activity display.  I believe that with the 47mm Epix you will not feel like you are losing anything from the 51mm F7X.  The only exception may be if you have vision concerns, but I wear reading glasses and the extra contrast of the AMOLED screen makes it easier for me to read even without my glasses.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to iLuvGadgets
    iLuvGadgets said:
    But I'm worried I will miss the screen real estate if I go 47mm.

    Yeah, I was worried about the same, and that is the reason (along with battery life) that I never bought a 47mm Epix.

    People do say that the 1.3" screen is just as readable as a 1.4" Fenix display, but to me it's not just about readability - my vision is fine, I can read the tiniest of print. For me it's more about the real estate, fitting more stuff onto the screen, particularly with maps. I really dislike the way maps look on anything smaller than 1.4", and honestly I wish it was even a little bigger than that.

    Anyways, I went with 51mm Epix Pro, for my wrist that's only a little bigger than your at 6.5". I'm loving it so far and glad I chose it over the 47mm.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to ericgottlieb

    Yes. Exactly why I had gone with the F7X because of the 8 data fields (and flashlight).

    With the epix's screen resolution that's not an issue anymore.

    Doubts doubts doubts... but it's a good thing to "worry" about... LOL