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Fenix 7x Sapphire vs Tactix 7 standard screen readability

Dima
over 3 years ago

I was considering the Fenix 7x Sapphire Solar (F7xSS) as future upgrade. But then there is the Tactix 7 standard (T7S), which is functionality wise essentially like non-solar F7xSS.
My main concern about F7xSS — is the screen readability issues because of additional solar charging layer. And since T7S doesn't have solar charging, the screen has no additional layer. So my guess, T7S should have noticeably crisper and better contrast display. Can someone confirm that?

Personally, I'm not a fan of solar charging in current implementation. For me these extra percents of battery life in GPS mode don't make any difference. Also that red ring around the screen looks distracting. I would rather sacrifice solar ring space for bigger display, unfortunately Garmin doesn't think the same(

  • +1 over 3 years ago

    I had Fenix 7xSS for two days before I bring it back to the shop and swap for a Tactix 7 standard model. The readability of the F7XSS was terrible compared to the Tactix 7. At sunrise it was completaly unreadable and everything has pinkish/ red tone. Me personally I would suggest to go with the Tactix 7 standard.

  • 0 over 3 years ago

    I purchased the T7S approximately 6 weeks ago, or shortly after release. I previously had the Tactix Delta Solar and have found (when compared to the Delta) the screen on my new T7S to be more legible. That was immediately apparent to me as soon as I turned on my T7S. There is no getting around the fact that the solar layer makes those models overall less visible than non-solar models. It doesn’t (of course) make them in any way bad, just less legible as you have accurately guessed. 

    I have been training for a marathon over the last 4 months or so and have run 100’s of miles without my phone using the “run” mode with music, GPS only, and cadence light (I run in the early morning hours before work) and have ended my weeks with about 9 - 12% battery - that’s pretty impressive! I say all that to say IMHO you don’t need solar. I will wait for the technology to improve to the point where the solar ring is not necessary, maybe the entire screen could be enough to sufficiently charge the watch better than it does today - something like that. 

    Buy the T7S, you’ll be happy with it - I most certainly am!

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    Btw. the Saphire reads perfectly through polarized sunglasses. Only if you point the light source directly at you you will see it.