Fenix 7X Pro or Epix Pro Gen 2

Hi everyone, it’s my first time to buy a watch like this and I’m thinking about Fenix 7X Pro Sapphire Solar Edition or Epix Pro Gen 2 Sapphire Edition. I’m female (105lbs) and wondering if I could buy the 47MM or need to buy the 42MM. Will the 47MM be too big for my wrist? And what’s the main difference between these two watches? How do you feel about them? Appreciate your opinion.

  • Main difference is the display(AMOLED vs MIP). From a functionality standpoint both watches are offering the same as they are fundamentally the same watch (Fenix has a flashlight functionaltiy which quite a lot of people seem to like).

    I exchanged my Fenix 6 with an Epix and wouldn't go back. Love the Amoled display.

    Size of the watch depends on what you like.

  • I have Fenix 3HR, 5X+ and 6X Pro Solar (deliberately chosen in order to avoid the dull sapphire glass of the predecessors) and, for the past year Epix Pro 51mm.

    Quite simply I cannot bare to look at my old watches now that I have the Epix. Outdoors they are fine, but indoors the murky displays are miserable to view compared with the joy of the Epix. No going back for me.

    I'm not sure if the Fenix 7 improved visibility at all over previous generations, but sapphire glass, while great for scratch resistance, always leads to a duller display than mineral or gorilla glass.

    Regarding size, I would always choose the largest I could reasonably wear. Bigger display for more data or larger font and longer battery life.

  • 100% on all counts.  The best Garmin I had was the fenix 6X Pro with Gorilla glass - until I started using the epix (Gen2) and then the tactix 7 AMOLED.

    After using the AMOLED display watches for awhile, it is disappointing to go back to the MIP displays - especially indoors.

  • After using the AMOLED display watches for awhile, it is disappointing to go back to the MIP displays - especially indoors.

    Agreed. The only time I have an issue is if I put the watch on the handlebars when cycling in bright sun. But then, that also affects the MIP screen albeit to a lesser degree.

  • I have had all major Fenix watch iterations in sapphire since the Fenix 3 and have no issues with the readability of any of them. I have a Marq Aviator Gen 2, which I love, as a more dressy watch but for a primary wearable sports watch I will stick with MIPS and sapphire. My Fenix 3 was 51mm but all the others have been 47mm. At the end of the day you need to decide what you want and only you can decide what is good for you with respect to size.47mm and 42mm may both be acceptable to you.

  • It all depends on what you value most and where you live. If you live towards the equator and can enjoy lots of sun, and if you are outside a lot, then you can enjoy the Fenix solar versions, while having good readability and long battery life. If you live more towards the north, I would recommend an Epix, with the compromise of charging more often.

  • I upgraded from Fenix 7X to Epix Gen 2 51'' AMOLED and it was great. I highly recommend the AMOLED screen. 

  • Having had the Fenix 5 through to the 7x SS then the Enduro 2 and now the Epix pro 51mm there’s most certainly pros and cons to both. There’s no doubt the amoled of the Epix is nicer to interact with and use but there is still a place for MIP displays in my opinion. Always on display on the Epix drains the battery far too much having come from the Enduro 2 so that is not an option which brings me to the wrist gesture feature which can be annoying as at times you have to really exaggerate the motion to make it light up. When driving this can be particularly annoying as you can’t just glance at the screen to see the time like you could with an MIP display. But in the flip side the data looks so much nicer on the amoled and on the 51mm with wrist gesture on for daily use and always on for workouts I still get a good 2 weeks+ battery which is impressive and not that far off what I was getting with the Enduro! With the amoled display I do sometimes feel like it looks more of a smartwatch then a sports watch. Haven’t not tried the new pro version of the MIP displays I can’t really comment but from what I’ve seen online they do look much improved quality wise etc. If there was a massive difference in price I’d say go with the cheaper one, probably the MIP as a day to day watch the MIP wins for me but if the epix/fenix can be had for the same price I’d find it hard to not go with the amoled display as it wins hands down on most things once you get used to the not always on display though you could have the always on feature turned on. Plus the battery with Amoled technology has come along way so there’s now no need to base your decision purely on this like I used to previously. Hope this helps with your decision! 

  • Oh what I forgot to add was the flashlight feature, which is a game changer and half the reason I went with the Fenix 7x SS to get this and once the Epix pro was released with it also it made my decision easier as I use it daily so it was a must!

  • You need to understand that all garmin amoled watches will dim the display during activities. 

    So to be able to see basically anything on the display in sunshine, you must do a hand gesture (lift and turn your wrist). In some activities this could be fine (e.g. running), in other activities it is impossible to do (e.g. rowing). Also, you cannot really use it for cycling in a handlebar mount.

    During scorching sun, the display is hardly visible, even with max brightness (it is fine with normal daylight conditions, though).

    If you are fine with those, then yes, the Epix has a nicer screen.

    (disc. I have Fenix 6X Pro Sapphire and Epix Pro Gen 2, I am happy with both of them, should I use these for long endurance activities, I'd choose the Fenix, for just having a gadget, the Epix, of course.)