agreed. I have a Fenix 6 with GG and my 5 with sapphire and I still can't weigh up the reflection/scratch resistant pros / cons issue! This is really useful!
I bought the 7x sapphire solar and it was almost impossible to see the screen indoors and 7x is huge! I changed it for fenix 7 regular glass and it’s wayyyyy better. You can see the screen easier and soo much lighter than the 7x Update: I bought a protector glass on amazon and it works perfect.
Totally agree. I also had both Fenix 7 silver ns (non-sapphire) and Fenix 7x ss (solar sapphire) black. At the end I returned 7x. Besides MUCH better display, Fenix 7 used to lock satelites twice as fast (5 sec vs 10 sec), both on "All systems". Also schratches on the silver body are MUCH less visible than on the black. The ONLY pro of 7x was the titanium body making it only 4 grams heavier then Fenix 7. Stay away from sapphire!
So Gorilla Glas+Glass Screen Protector is still better visibility then Saphire Model? I own a scanwatch 2 as Daily driver, which has a Saphire Display by default and I never had issues reading the watchface.
I must make a small correction that "The same sapphire glass glare situation" doesn't apply to mechanical Omegas. Expensive mechanical watches usually have an anti reflective coatings on both sides of the sapphire glass, plus the glass itself is slightly curved. A dome shaped. The end result is that it rather looks like not having a glass at all than having a reflective glass. Overall I like your videos. Keep up the good work.
I'm looking at buying a Garmin but at the end of the day I have to ask myself what is it I actually need compared to what I think I need. There is a vast difference!
Switched from 6 Pro Solar to 7X Solar. I don’t care about sapphire, because I had zero scratches on my 6 and Casio ProTrek I’ve used before Garmin. I was acctualy worry that I will scratch the Titanium bezel easier than steel one, cause it’s softer material. I don’t believe DLC is on the same level as it is in some real industry and instruments. Maybe I’m wrong, no hate there 🙂 Happy for those I’ve got ✌️
I've got the Fenix 7s Sapphire Solar. And damn its the best watch i ever used. Lightweight, very good gps accuracy and all the other known stuff. If you can afford go for the 7s sapphire.
After bellyaching for a while, I finally splurged and got the Epix 2. I got the base model with glass and silver mostly because that was all that is available now. I don't really think I need sapphire and I'll enjoy a slightly brighter screen. Thanks for all your videos
Since I had very good experience with my Fenix3 sapphire - still working only scratch marks on the bezel - I went straight for the Epix2 sapphire as a upgrade after 7 years.
Love my silver base model Epix. I’ll take the clearer display any day. Had a 6xpro with standard glass with no marks worn 24/7. The GPS is miles better without multiband anyway. Saved myself £120.
Thanks for sharing! The Gorilla Glass is perfectly acceptable... I just like the peace of mind of sapphire. Glad you're enjoying the Epix! And yes, the GPS is so much better in basically every mode!
@@martin.kuchar1 I don't have one on mine. The sapphire would be an extra piece of mind but I feel the raised bezel will do a pretty good job of making sure things don't come in contact with the screen. We'll see over time though
I don't think it was in their control. The amount of orders that came in exceeded their supply so they had to back order some folks unfortunately. On the upside you're free to cancel your order and buy from another store. I've noticed that various retailers started to get them in stock like PlayBetter (links in description), and even REI local stores.
@@ChaseTheSummit I am looking at the fenix 7X Sapphire Solar (Mineral Blue DLC Titanium/Whitestone). 3-4 weeks backorder on Play Better. 5-8 weeks backorder on the Garmin site.
Thanks to this channel, I went out and bought the Garmin Epix (sapphire) and I think I cant go back to the normal screen after experiencing the AMOLED display. Its just gorgeous and so much easier to see and operate. Despite Chase's warning that if the sun does shine from behind and perpendicular to the watch face, the Epix is still extremely legible at least in my experience. This is def the one to go for. I wish they had a non dlc titanium grey model WITH sapphire and mutiband gps. I have no idea why they released 2 different Epix configurations...
@@ChaseTheSummit Thanks for the info Chase, much appreciated. But I am confused, looking at the Garmin website, it does not mention DLC for any of the available Epix models. As far as I'm concerned there's only normal titanium Epix's. What am I missing?
I took the plunge on a base 7s. Mainly because sapphire only comes with Solar which will take an additional €200,-/€300,- in Europe. My personal experience with Gorilla Glass is that it is pretty durable. (at least enough for me) Also not all color combo’s are available in all variations so that may affect the actual decision as well. I personally are not a fan of black watches so the white/stainless color on the base 7s was spot on for me.
@@ChaseTheSummit I'd a very bad experience on the surface treatment on the fenix 6 bezel, the black coating scratches just looking... How it is on the black F7?
@angelodaniele641 did you go for a black fenix7? On my fenix5 I purposefully chose the silver bezel because you don't notice scratches. But now looking at an epix pro sapphire, I am kinda leaning towards the black dlc because I'm not sure if I will like the white case of the silver version...
Great video. Wish I could have seen it before purchasing mine! I just got a F7 Solar Sapphire and the reflectiveness/glare is way too much for me. I'm returning it and going to the base solar model. I previously owned a F6 Solar and a F6 Ti Sapphire. The new F7 models with sapphire seem to have even worse clarity than the F6 sapphire models. It seems like the addition of solar and touch has really affected the display's "base" contrast so when you add a sapphire lens on top of that it becomes pretty difficult to read. Like you say, outdoors is fine but the majority of the population spends most of their time indoors. You would think indoor visibility would be a high ranking priority for a smartwatch like this. Actually, I wish they'd done more Gorilla Glass models this generation. FYI Garmin does change their product images for the Black DLC and Carbon Gray DLC variants, but the difference is pretty minimal. The only difference is the highlights on the bezel.
For sure, the addition of solar + the touch digitizer definitely has an effect on base contrast but I don't find it to be too distracting and compared to other brands it's still one of the better displays. Thanks for sharing!
@@ChaseTheSummitThis is the first Garmin watch that I have to specifically hold up to my eyes and find the right angle in order to read the display. Even on my F6 sapphire it was mostly readable at off angles.
@@guraygu you expressed all my concerns about F7 sapphire. I have F6 sapphire titanium and this is exactly what I was afraid of in the new F7 display. I've read this on many forums and it's terrible. Especially in situation where Garmin made almost all “full-charged” F7 models only in a bundle of sapphire-solar. And I like transflective screens, but not amoled. Dead end…
Thanks for the great comparisons. I’m surprised the reflectivity of sapphire doesn’t bug you more, because when I watch your side by sides I see a vast difference in readability of the screens. To me it’s a dealbreaker and makes sapphire not worth it, but I don’t usually scratch my screens either (knock on wood)
I think it looks a little more dramatic on camera. In person it just means tilting your wrist at a very slight angle and both of them look similar. It takes some getting used to. I just like the durability because I'm clumsy lol.
@John Brubaker I’m 100% with you. I had a Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar delivered to me today and the glare is just awful IMO. I had my 6 Pro for a while and it was gorilla glass. I didn’t have any issues with scratching luckily and the difference is HUGE on legibility.
I have a sapphire screen on my 6 year old fénix 3 hr and it doesn’t have any scratches on the screen. It really is incredible, I bump it all the time at work. Definitely worth the hundred dollar upgrade.
In terms of GPS accuracy they're all basically the same unless you use multi-frequency mode on the sapphire models. Even then, the difference isn't that noticeable unless you're in SUPER challenging situations. The GPS accuracy has been greatly improved accross the board even in basic modes. I'll have a deep dive video to follow up on this!
Well, this video just convinced me to order the F7X Sapphire. Thanks Dave! I hope you have a couch for me to crash in, 'cause I'm pretty sure that my wife is considering kicking out of the house, eheheh.
Really appreciate your time and skills making these videos. This helped me decide between The Epix 2 Sapphire and the Felix 7X Sapphire. Great content!
@@ChaseTheSummit Hi Dave, is the Sapphire Solar display noticeably dimmer/less colourful than the standard Solar?....as in, would the colour on the Sapphire model put you off buying it?
@@ChaseTheSummit Hi Dave, about 7 days ago I purchased a Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar in black DLC titanium. I think maybe a year or so ago you released a video where you preferred the Feenix 6S because it has a slightly smaller body and fits your wrists more comfortably. I was worried that this watch was going to be so big for my wrists as my old Fenix 3 HR Sapphire was quite large and heavy and would sometimes rotate around my wrist. For the last 3 years I've been using a forerunner 245M and it fits perfectly so I had considered a 7S. However, I decided I wanted the bigger watch and screen and thought I would put up with it not being as snug fit as my 245M. However, because this watch is made from titanium, it's actually much lighter than I thought it would be and it doesn't move around as much as I thought it might do so that is in fact an added bonus. The sapphire solar was also on a really good deal and was cheaper than the solar 7 (!!) So it was a no-brainer!! So far I've not used it much (new dad life!) but I love it, it feels so much more advanced than my 245M! Thanks for all the videos, really helped me with an insight into the watch.
Yesterday I decided to go for fenix 7 pro solar instead of sapphire solar, and ordered it. Tech wise I get the same for more less money (the solar only wass in sale) and better legibility. And the additional orange button 😉. I'm still happy with my decision, even after seeing this video.
Thanks for the great review. Been having a hard time which model of the 7 to go for. Well bit the bullet and went for the Sapphire Solar… After buying the base model and returning it! happy I did or else I’d have always that niggling feeling … I should have got the best one! Anyway you made my mind up! Thanks
I personally think that in direct sunlight, Garmin should increase the luminosity by an extra 200-300 nits for the epix pro models, specially the sapphire models. Just an extra boost in direct sunlight would help sometimes. (Have a epix pro gen 2 titanium grey 47). Great video, thank Sir
Thanks a lot, you are the only one noticing and giving a feedback on the blueish issue that seems to be solved on the 7 models. Awesome review, as usual 🤘🏼
Very useful video please keep doing these. I think I would of been abit butthurt with the dullness of the saphire screens in low light on the fenix, I put off upgrading from my 745 when they first came out, still miss the brightness and low reflectivity of it but I like my fenix 7 solar and would of paid more for the titanium and extra storage/gps if you could get it in non sapphire.
I’m looking at buying a Fenix 7 sapphire watch for the Dual band GPS, Also tempted with the 955 now with the latest software upgrade and hopefully the bugs sorted out, but also tempted by the Garmin oled display, so what to buy, by the way live all the geeky stuff in this video as that’s what makes deciding on a watch before you spend a lot of money 🥳
I had the fenix 3 and 5 in gorilla. I’ve use the 5 for 5? 6 years? I have a gnarly scratch in it, but I didn’t have a screen protector on it. The next watch I get, considering I will use it for 5+ years I will get the sapphire. Thanks for the content.
I *think* I have an Epix coming today. So fast Garmin! 💨 As for the saphphire, I always thought it must be a lot more expensive but I'm not 100% sure that's true. I'm also thinking that the cloudy sapphire might be less of an issue with the AMOLED. Kind of looks like that's the case, right? Also, how do you end up with 9 Fenix series watches and I can't even get one? 🤦♂️ Keep up the good work buddy!
For sure, the cloudiness of the sapphire is barely noticeable on the Epix due to the crazy bright AMOLED display. It's more noticeable on Fenix 7. Don't worry, most of the units I've seen were loaners or other peoples watches! Looking forward to your take on the Epix!
Used your link for the 7. After dealing with my 4 year old fenix 5X+ with erroded charging contacts. Its time i upgraded! Still a great watch but i decided dont need amoled screen or sapphire and plus the bulkiness im not into as much now lol. Thanks! 🙏
There is a big chunk of guys who just love the steel epix look including myself. And yes, one hundred doesn't really matter when you spend such a load of money for a toy basically
Thanks for the great comparison. Did you ever find out if Garmin apply an anti-reflective coating on their sapphire crystal? I'm really surprised at the reflections in your video, as even cheap wristwatches with sapphire + AR coating don't have this problem.
brilliant feedback on garmin epix sapphire glass and the base model of garmin epix carbon steel black ,this information is not available even on the company's website (atleast i couldnt find it) ,very important points covered ,thanks for giving me a great clarity before choosing my model
I just got my first Garmin (coming from Galaxy Watch) and went with the 7X. The Sapphire version is not available in Canada for 2 months. I don't regret my decision one bit, it's an amazing piece of technology.
I am debating between the Sapphire and Steel (Base) model Epix. I really prefer the look of the steel base model. I don't mind having gorilla glass, and the smaller storage isn't a huge deal for me. My worry is not having multi band GPS. Have you noticed a big difference in accuracy between having multiband GPS and not?
The fenix 7x sapphire solar watch has a major drawback, the screen in the menu as well as the messages that arrive when the phone is connected to the watch are set to black background and pale blue text (due to the poor finish of the sapphire glass, there is no white color, but pale blue color) and that text is hard to read. There is no option like on older models of garmin watches to change the background to be white or pale gray and the text to be black, which would be more legible. (Inverter color or display color setting). As soon as you sweat a little around your eyes during activities, you can't see clearly, or if you have a smaller (+ eye diopter) for reading, which most people over 40 have the same problem, you strain to read what is written on the screen. Otherwise, the watch is excellently made, but this problem with the screen and the lack of an option to set the background to be white or gray and the text to be black, which is more pleasant and legible for the eye, makes the garmin fenix 7x sapphire solar watch unusable for many people and if not documents in some software update the watch is a complete and utter failure. I found a lot of the same comments in several forums which says that the problem is not innocuous.
do you think that the advantages of 7 sapphire are able to counteract the large deficit of visibility? I notice that the visibility of the gorilla glass is much higher. what do you think about it?
Personally the difference isn't that big of a deal. The camera makes it more dramatic. I'd go sapphire for myself because I've scratched lots of watches and I don't 100% trust the Gorilla Glass. Plus, if you add a screen protector the visibility is about the same due to the additional layer. But, that's just me.
@@ChaseTheSummit do you also have experience regarding the greater resistance of the dlc-coated ring nut? in my opinion it is easier to scratch the bezel than the glass, don't you think? However, I have both on my arm and at home I notice the difference a lot, I have to evaluate well. thanks for your help.
I'm considering a Fenix 7s SS coming from a 745. One thing I'm 'concerned' about is the brightness of the screen due to the sapphire glass, I like that when I go out of bed in the middle of the night, switching on the screen of the 745 works a bit like a flashlight which is very useful for me. Since the sapphire of this is less bright, does the screen still emits enough light to use it as flashlight when it's pitch dark? Thanks :)
As I've never had a Garmin before, I'm finding so difficult to choose between the Epix vs Fenix 7. I've always used Apple Watches, I've got a series 7 but I was ready to switch to Garmin's ecosystem to experience the much longer battery life and was okay with the transflective display on the Fenix 7, assuming it would be the next new thing after the F6, but then they decided to launch the Epix 2 😵💫now I don't know if I really want/need the extra battery life from the F7 or I'd be happy enough with the Epix considering it's already a pretty good improvement from the AW series 7 in terms of battery and it has the AMOLED display I'm used to... 🤷♂
I mean you’d be getting better battery and a beautiful display with the epix compared to the Apple Watch. Yes it’s $1000 but it will have sapphire and will last you two years plus easily whereas the base Apple Watch will have scratches on in no time and you’ll need to update every year so price wise you’ll be spending the same amount every two years
I think you'd probably be happier with the Epix because the display is similar to the Apple Watch and it's a huge upgrade in terms of battery... But yeah, it aint cheap!
I think gadgets should use e-ink as screen tech. And the Sapphire glass really rocks! After years of travels, my fenix 3 still like new. So think about it before you buy. A little investment will keep you clear of scratches.
The transflective displays on the Fenix's are similar to e-ink in that each pixel has a memory so that it uses very little power and it's also very sunlight readable since the ambient light is what illuminates it. Thanks for sharing!
Firstly many thanks for all the nice videos and comparisons, much appreciated. Having that said, I think this scratch proof discussion is somehow exaggerated. I've had basically plastic sport watches for the last 12 years without any issues. At least I would not accept worse transparency in favour of scratch proofness, because that affects your daily life much more. I mean, in the worst case you would just have the glass replaced and then it's like new again.
Thanks for sharing. Unfortunately I've scratched quite a few Garmins that weren't sapphire. They use a Gorilla Glass DX which has an anti-reflective coating that's quite easy to damage and show scratches. A screen protector is a good way to protect this glass but I just prefer to get Sapphire and not worry about it. On the note about having the glass replaced: I don't think Garmin offers this. Thanks for watching!
It's not just a matter of clarity vs scratch resistance. In order to get certain specs like the 32G storage and flashlight, your only choice is the sapphire glass. Personally, I'd prefer to have the Epix and not worry about screen brightness, but since I want 51mm I'm going with the 7X SS.
Would you recommend the sapphire model for people who work in rough environments like a mechanical workshop? I need a smart watch that can take some abuse because the workshop is taking a toll on my phone
I see that in the sapphire versions, the colors appear more muted. It looks darker with less vibrancy. Perhaps it's due to the crystal or the anti-reflective coating they apply. What are your thoughts on that?
Hi! I would like to congratulate you for the excellent video. I am researching 2 watch models just for running. If money was no object, would you go for the Garmin 255 or the Garmin phoenix 7? Best regards alexander
Thanks Dave! I just got my Fenix 7s, I like it ! The display colors is great and better than the Fenix 6! One thing I didn’t figure out yet is whether it is possible to display my heart rate graph after my yoga workout, it still show the same as the Fenix 6 instead of the heart rate graph and heart rate zone such as many ppl have shown in RU-vid on Fenix 7.
.... I noticed directly that the Saphire glas reflects more light than the gorilla on my old 6X, effectively reducing the brightness in most cases... However it is also a great value to be a bit more carefree and not having to use protectors (or not accumulating scratches over the time)... also black color looks a bit better...
Good video. I have a sapphire 6 and gorilla 6x gorilla glass. Eyes might be getting older, but between the how reflective sapphire is, and the dimming quality, I find it impossible to read in anything but outdoor, full sun with no reflections. Don't think the video really showed how bad it is in use.
I've never had a Sapphire fenix before. I love how the bare titanium / chestnut leather Sapphire look, but if the screen is that bad I guess I'm better off with the base model and just change the strap to leather. Any thoughts? I am really scared of how the Sapphire will impact the display. On the other hand, I was also looking at the epix but I am concerned with the screen burn issue.
I had similar thoughts, so I went for the "base model" slate grey 7x solar and got the leather band separately. These look great together, but please note that the leather band is not the best for sports!
I bouught on Black friday standard f7 for 399 . And for 3€ screen protector . Yes black or carbon grey looks better and more "dirty" or have can I explain it , than standard silver . Silver version looks more like city watches and they have more elegance + with green or khaky nato stap they look amazing .
Good video. Glad you took the watches into direct sunlight. SOmething I've been concerned about with smartwatches in general....why I don't yet own one (was sonsidinger hte Samsung Galaxy watch....maybe a Garmin Epix G2...). .. Do these watches hae an "atto brightness" adjust feature? Auto upping the brightness when outside midday after lunch when the sun is usually the most intense? So easy to washout a display. Phone or smartwatch...if the brightness isnt nearly maxed out....
The one thing I already don't like able I my new Fenix 7x Sapphire Solar compared to my 6 Pro is the darker screen. I knew it was going to be darker, but it's nearly unviewable in anything less than direct sunlight without activating the backlight. I've only had it for a day now, mind you, but it's something that irritates me every time I try quickly glancing at the time.
I'm not sure which one to choose between the Fenix 7x or the epix . The epix does look nice but super artificial and wonder if it is actually too bright. The fenix 7x has to have solar which doesn't look all that nice personally. I was thinking for that reason to maybe go with the tactix standard edition as it doesn't have solar and same price.
Thumbs up! Looking to upgrade from FR945, mainly because I need more durable saphire screen, I just want that confidence, that I won't crack my FR screen hitting pool lines, because it happens almost every workout (have screen protector, but I hate it). But Fenix and Epix is just too heavy for me. Forerunner 945 (955) with saphire screen would be perfect combination. I think OLEDS and touch function will also come to 955, but what are your thoughts? Will we ever get saphire screens on forerunner series?
Love your videos! Quick question: Is the black color of the Epix and Fenix DLC different shades? My Epix is more gunmetal, my Fenix DLC is very black. Hard to tell from your videos but I noticed it right away when I unboxed them Epix. Thanks!
Carbon Grey sounds cooler, but slate works. Since I agonize over my purchases obsessively, do you think they will come out with an Epix-S some time? I am used to smaller watches and am really interested in this one.
Lots of questions about additional Epix sizes. Some want bigger, some want smaller. I suspect they went for the 47mm to test the waters to see how it sells before committing to more sizes. That said, I have no insider knowledge but I think they're selling well so maybe?
My F6xPro recently had a failed barometer/altimeter sensor. Was offered either refurbished F7x Sapphire Solar for $230 or 20% F7xPro Sapphire Solar. I use an HRM Pro for the majority of workouts so the updated HR sensor doesn’t really matter much. Is there enough of a difference between the 2 to justify the difference in cost?
The Pro model is a year newer so you'd probably get more feature updates longer if that means anything to you. You also get the more accurate Gen 5 heart rate sensor along with wrist temperature sensing and ECG functions. Other than that, they're very similar.
They're basically the same but it depends on the quality of your screen protector. One thing I hate about protectors is that they tend to "smudge" and don't shed dust/water while Sapphire beads up and stays pretty clean.
@@ChaseTheSummit yeah its weird too because its hard to photograph, but theres a diagonal line across most of the screen that can gather gunk and be more visible at times
I kind of get the "you're spending so much already, might as well spend more" argument, although you could also easily say these watches are already 2 or 300$ too expensive (mainly due to a lack of competition for garmin in this segment) and that the extra money really pushes it into bad deal territory. But as most people, my choice will be based on their design restrictions. Personally, I'll go with the base model of the Epix mainly because I really like the look of the steel version while I find the black on black incredibly common, bland and boring. I had a black 5x for 4 years which might explain the exhaustion :) I also believe it'll hide bezel scratches better (coming from the black dlc coated 5X I must say it's not great. These thin silver scratches really show up on a dark bezel, the outer rim of the bezel goes first, then you have no choice but accept that it gives it "a rugged look"...) Finally, where I am (Switzerland) there's 150 to 200$ difference for the Epix between base model and sapphire. The base being at around 750$. That's too much to justify a multi-band gps I won't need, extra GB for maps I won't use and a glass that's better than gorilla glass yes but GG is already very durable. I'll use these $$ in 3,4 or 5 years to upgrade to the Epix 5X. I might give a screen protector a try if I find a good one just for peace of mind. Does anyone have experience with getting the glass (not the screen) replaced by Garmin on a fenix/epix watch? Someone told me 150$ but it was for a forerunner. If that's the case here as well then it's really not worth upgrading up front in my opinion.
Yeah I mean. I can't spend your money for you. I can only share my opinion on the pricing and the marginal increase for sapphire. thanks for sharing your thoughts!
@@ChaseTheSummit I'd have a problem if you could :) your videos and reviews are great, I appreciate your approach definitely. My 5X plus dying before reaching the 4 years mark also kind of cooled me down in terms of "let's go for the best".
Who is this imposter?? It's clearly not Dave as he's not wearing a CtS hat!!! 😂 But seriously, great video, as always, super helpful, especially with comparing the readability between the screens.
I opted for the 7X sapphire over the 7 sapphire for one main reason. If I'm going to invest this much money into a watch, and plan to have it for the next 5 years...why wouldn't I invest the extra $100 now to get that? Along with the sapphire, the 7X offers 10 more days of base battery life vs the 7, and potentially 16 more total days with solar. $100 is nothing if you think of the watch as a 5 year investment.
I totally agree with you. An additional 100$ will definitely be worth it. But there is one problem: in most European countries, the difference between 7 and 7 sapphire solar is around 300$ (sadly there is no option for only the sapphire version). So the question is, is additional 300$ worth to have a sapphire solar version? Or better go with a regular 7 and buy a screen protector.
Is there any "add-on" to raise the bezel or put another cover over it and retain the button pushing? It would be nice if these were more like the g-shocks in this area.
I have a deep dive on this coming. In short, all of the GPS modes are improved from the Fenix 6 to 7. The multi-band mode is the most accurate but only in very challenging situations.
