Fenix 7 Base vs 955, are you kidding me?

RunningDad said:

This could mean that the base fenix does have multi-channel, but it's lock out because Garmin wanted to sell as much sapphire models as they could before adding multi-channel and running power to "lesser" models

Possibly... But this would be a slap in the face to whomever bought a Fenix 7 sapphire for the dual frequency GPS. That is exactly what debated here, a serious, high end respectable company should respect more than this it's customers... If, as anybody suspects, the gps chip is the same, and even more if it is in the end unleashed through a firmware update, that will be a tough one to explain to whom paid a (substantial) premium fee to get it previously

This.

I can't imagine how they could do it without making a lot of people very angry. I thought about an extra fee to upgrade, but wouldn't that be a slap in the face as well? 

Yeah, they've painted themselves into a corner with that one. Can't see why anyone would buy a base F7 now...they might as well discontinue it !

Yeah that would be very bad as well... The more I think about this, the more I am convinced there has been a big unwanted delay in the release of the Fenix 7, it would have made sense if had be say 1.5 years before release of the fr955, it could be explained by "the technology is not that new anymore, we must release it on the top of the line running specific watch", bot not in the same cycle of devices releases...

Possibly they had planned the dates differently and then have been hit by production difficulties for the pandemic and what not, but in this case the mistake has been to not unlock the multi freq gnss before launch. 

It will be funny if the advanced metrics of the fr955 can't actually work with single band gnss... What do they do, unleash the power of the chip, or... Limit the functions release to the Fenix 7ss only? 

Most probably, they would actually release the metric but not the gnss chip potential, accepting less accuracy on the non sapphire F7.

Either ways... Kind of a mess!

Agree, but... Before that Thay could sell a specimen to me for 100€ !

Just saying...

Is the difference in gnss a strange choise? Yes, of cource. The fenix 6 base was just a striped fenix pro, just as the fenix 7 base is now. Paying a 100 more for the 6 pro was logical, but hundreds more for better gnss isn't for many. They skipped a "pro" like watch and went all out on the sapphire model. But Garmin is still a company that wants to make money. And the fenix and forerunner lines don't have to compete with each other, just with their targeted markets (the competition).

I bought a base Epix 2, because I don't care about multiband and still don't (not useful to me) and I specifically decided against sapphire glass, so I'm still as happy as I was when my watch arrived in the mail, but I can understand the frustration. Many people felt compelled to buy the premium versions just to get the most accurate gps tracks (once burned, twice shy applies to a lot of F6 owners, eh?). 

Then again, it's not my job to figure this out for Garmin. It's their pickle. 

9970217 said:

Yes, they are flagship-line models compared to $500/600 FR955 and specially compared to $350/$400 FR255, no matter what you say

If I were wrong, we wouldn't be having this conversation now would we?

That's not fair... hard to read more specs for much less money. I hope Garmin makes some kind of upgrade to our Fenix 7 soon.

That's the feeling generated by this... And that's exactly what has been discussed here!

I for instances as much as I would like these features on my beloved Fenix 6x, don't feel it's unfair, mine, though had a price tag higher than the price of a fr955, is a old watch in comparison... While it can't be said the same for the Fenix 7.

If a company generates this kind of feeling to their premium product line customers then surely something went wrong, whether it is Garmin direct fault or not