Garmin has brought its newest premium series, the Fenix 7, to Indonesia. This series consists of the Fenix 7, Fenix 7S, and Fenix 7X equipped with a Sapphire Solar display for strong display durability and solar charging capabilities.
The specifications and features embedded in this series are very complete to support outdoor activities from light to heavy.
Design
Among the 3 ranks in the series, the Garmin Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar was the one that landed on Tek.id's editorial desk. This smartwatch is the largest among other models in terms of dial size, which is 51 mm. Meanwhile, the screen is very spacious measuring 1.3 inches so that incoming message information or notifications can appear more complete on the screen.
Compared to its predecessor, the Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar receives an upgrade for touchscreen capabilities. Users can now easily manage and access menus on their smartwatch, without having to press a button. However, the company still provides a button option if the user is doing intense activity to avoid accidentally touching the screen.
The bezel on the smartwatch carries titanium which certainly provides higher strength against impact. This titanium design also gives the smartwatch a premium touch, giving it a subtle black color variation.
In addition to the bezel, the durability of the Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar is also given to the screen that uses the Power Sapphire screen, as the name implies. The screen is made of high-end sapphire crystal which provides a high level of scratch resistance and anti-glare performance. Used outdoors, the screen of this smartwatch can still be seen clearly, plus it's an always-on display. So, the smartwatch is always ready when the user wants to see any information.
Overall, the Garmin Fenix 7X Sapphire has a really macho design! For this reason, we think this smartwatch is more suitable for male users with large wrists. The size of the dial is very large, it will not be comfortable if it is forced to be worn by people with small wrists. Instead, maybe you can choose the Fenix 7S with a smaller size, which is 42 mm.
Performance and operation
Similar to other Garmin smartwatches, the Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar can also be connected to the Garmin Connect app, which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or App Store. The integration between the smartwatch and the app allows for more detailed synchronization of data such as fitness and exercise, as well as displaying incoming notifications to the phone.
Not only message notifications, but this also includes audio calls, as well as notifications for other apps on your phone. Unfortunately, the smartwatch does not yet have the ability to accept or reject audio calls and reply to messages with its own customization. Messages can only be replied to with templates available on the smartwatch screen.
How to operate the Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar using the touch screen is quite easy. By swiping up and down, you'll see a list of menus, such as your most recent activity, step counter, calendar, notifications, ABC, solar intensity, and much more. Menus can also be added by pressing the Edit option, after which you can select the features you want to include on the menu screen. Meanwhile, to switch to sport mode, simply press the button in the upper right corner, then a list of sport modes will appear.
The features embedded in the Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar are very complete. The smartwatch is equipped with an air pressure sensor (barometer), which can also measure altitude or called an altimeter. This feature usually comes with a three-axis electronic compass and is called the ABC sensor. This feature will be very useful for lovers of outdoor sports, such as trekking and hiking.
Still around outdoor sports features, the Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar is the first smartwatch with a built-in flashlight. No kidding, the light is not coming from the screen, but actually a flashlight pinned on the top side near the strap. The intensity of the light produced can penetrate the darkness of the night, as shown below.
For outdoor sports activities at night, this flashlight will be very useful. The smartwatch also provides this flashlight automatically when the user switches to running sports mode.
Another advanced feature of the Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar is Multi-GNSS positioning consisting of GPS, GLONASS and Galileo. This provides higher location accuracy for map navigation in various conditions. Uniquely, the Navigation feature in the smartwatch can help users find gas stations, restaurants, hospitals, shopping centers, to recreational areas in the vicinity.
Battery
Another thing that makes this smartwatch worthy of being called premium is its battery life. The company claims that the smartwatch can last up to 28 days and 90 days with saving mode. Based on the test, for 6 days the drained power usage is 22%.
Plus, the Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar can be charged either by solar power or sunlight. This solar charging sensor is placed on the screen layer so it is easy to absorb light. During use outdoors and exposed to sunlight, the smartwatch will automatically charge.
Conclusion
The Garmin Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar deserves to be called a premium smartwatch. Starting from the features, durability, until the battery is really complete and upscale. As the first smartwatch to be equipped with a built-in flashlight, the Fenix 7X really supports the needs of people who like extreme outdoor sports, plus a complete sports mode. Battery life is also a plus on this smartwatch.
Unfortunately, the size of the dial is too large and the smartwatch does not yet support the ability to receive and reject audio calls. Lastly, the Garmin Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar is priced at $999.99
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The Review
Garmin Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar
The Garmin Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar deserves to be called a premium smartwatch. Starting from the features, durability, until the battery is really complete and upscale. As the first smartwatch to be equipped with a built-in flashlight, the Fenix 7X really supports the needs of people who like extreme outdoor sports, plus a complete sports mode. Battery life is also a plus on this smartwatch.
PROS
- Full features
- Have a built-in flashlight
- Solar power
CONS
- Can't accept/reject audio calls
- Size is too big