Verdict
The Garmin Epix Pro ( Gen 2 ) is a great sports watch , but if you ’ve already got an Epix and do n’t massively care about a flashlight or detest the size of it , then there ’s not a Brobdingnagian cause to upgrade .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The Garmin Epix Pro ( Gen 2 ) see Garmin continue the trend it started with its Fenix range by supply a good example of its outdoor watch with an AMOLED concealment , while also offering some software and hardware upgrades on the non - ProEpix , which launched in 2022 .
The Pro now see the Epix couple the three size of it options of the Fenix series , adding Modern heart rate sensors and newfangled metrics that want to tell you whether you’re able to easy lam up those hills and go the ultra length .
Garmin ’s also adding a feature that was antecedently only uncommitted on theFenix 7Xand is tot feature to its already impressive mapping attainment . So is the Garmin Epix Pro ( Gen 2 ) an larger-than-life watch and is it a vigil Epix owner should be envious of ? Here ’s our take .
Design and screen
The prominent intelligence here is that Garmin has make up one’s mind to provide the Epix Pro in the three showcase sizes , matching the 42 mm , 47 mm and 51 mm offered with its most late Fenix series watch . I had the 47 millimetre edition to test , which pit the size of it of the original Epix and measure in at the same 14.5 millimeter thickness .
To complicate matter , Garmin offer the Pro in received and sapphire editions , with the latter version getting you a sapphire crystal glass lense , titanium bezel and the crucial accession of TOPO maps . That pushes the cost up by £ 100/$100 for those extras .
Garmin still prefer against total solar charging powers , which was absent from the original Epix as well , but does now impart in an LED torch , which does seem a touch vivid than the one that debuted on the Fenix 7X.
The LED sits at the top of the watch pillowcase and has four snowy LED clean brightness configurations with an additional red moderate torch manner . you’re able to also set the flashlight to unlike modes admit a strobe light , beacon , pulse or blink and it can be set up to use while you ’re in chase after mode as well .
Outside of that , this is every bite the watch we sire with the original Epix . The QuickFit shoulder strap has been comfortable to wear , there ’s a good array of strong-arm button and while not a super luminance watch , it never felt like a hulk watch to wear – asunder maybe from when you need to take it to bed .
On the 47 mm version , Garmin has stuck to the same 1.3 - column inch , 416 x 416 AMOLED touchscreen showing , which is nicely responsive to touch , offers copious coloring material , deep blacks and has been absolutely o.k. to glint down at outside and in the pee .
That body of water resistor rating remains the same , let you submerge it in weewee up to 100 metres depth , which should be more than enough for most , unless you ’re a openhanded into your deep sea dive .
Software and smartwatch features
There ’s little change in term of what you get on the software package and smartwatch front on the Garmin Epix Pro ( Gen 2 ) compared to what we see on the Epix .
This watch is a pretty slick performer in term of interact and perplex around , but the vapourous tier of feature and setting Garmin provide on watch like the Epix means you might need to take on around with it a while to in full get a sense of what it ’s subject of .
That ’s especially dead on target of new features like the flashlight and discovering its multiple modes , or turn on the red shift mode that turns the CRT screen and user interface red . It ’s a similar tarradiddle for the busy Garmin Connect app and the separate Connect IQ Store app that you require on your phone to add up more lookout faces , information landing field , widgets and a small solicitation of apps .
That link up IQ Store admission is one of a good fistful of smartwatch features you get on the Pro , which collectively does n’t quite rival the slickerApple WatchorSamsung Galaxy Watch . Payment support is n’t as intuitive as systems likeApple Paywhile those who wish the spokesperson features on theGarmin Venu 2 Pluswill be disappointed to see that functionality does n’t make the swing .
If you like receive unspoiled notification support , well integrate music controls and music histrion and useful feature like weather update and the Morning Report feature of speech – which was really a lineament that grew on me over prison term – it does offer a better smartwatch experience than other sports sentinel .
Fitness tracking
The inwardness trailing experience that you get from the Garmin Epix Pro ( Gen 2 ) is nearly identical to the Epix Gen 2 . Whether it ’s tracking outdoor test and natural process with the more exact multiband GPS or simply give chase day-by-day measure and sleep , the Pro will wait on you well .
It ’s a great summercater watch , it covers a heavy collecting of natural process , both indoors and outdoors , and you ’ve got metrics aplenty , third - party app support and a degree of education and analysis that will appeal to those who require a productive spirit level of data point .
There are some newfangled feature here , some that will wrap back to the old Epix and one that wo n’t . I ’ll commence with the one that wo n’t and that ’s the raw optical hour sensor , which Garmin sound out is build to be a good primed for chase exercising . Optical detector like Garmin ’s one typically stutter during gamy - intensity use , so that ’s what I ’m really seem at here .
In drill , I ’d say that the new sensing element has perform well in my testing for runs and indoor physical exercise , but I have n’t seen enough to suggest that it ’s go to be as reliable as a dedicated heart rate proctor .
It performed well in ecumenical , but I still see the odd high spike in data and that was against Garmin ’s own HRM - Pro Plus chest of drawers strap . It ’s not a huge enigma that delivering heart rate from the wrist is done for convenience as opposed to deliver optimum accuracy solution , and this sensor does n’t switch that . It ’s pretty respectable , but not perfect .
Onto the lineament that will descend to the first Epix Gen 2 and we ’re now getting fresh map features like the power to view weather overlaid on maps like temperature , rain , and malarkey .
This is n’t built into the veridical - time trailing , however , and is instead found inside of the atmospheric condition Glance ( widget ) outside of the workout tracking screen . Relief blending adds rich detail for navigate off - road terrain to make Garmin ’s already smashing mapping support even better - looking on that AMOLED screen .
There ’s two big system of measurement added into the mix with Hill Scores and Endurance Scores . Both take a few weeks to start fork over those scores , and how useful they are really depends on how much you care about harness hills or getting a clear idea of your survival level .
Hill scores want to avail you better your hill running , hike up or walking abilities so it analyses activity with a slope of 2 % or more , and also looks at historic data to help generate those scores . I ’ve just been building up my education again and have been tagged with a 45 mark out of 100 , with the advice that adding more hills to training will help improve the ability to harness hills . There ’s a further breakdown of hill enduringness , hill endurance and Vo2 Max stacks , which contribute to that overall score taking a similar approach to Garmin ’s Training Readiness where you’re able to take the simple chief score or drill deeper .
Next is Endurance scores and it ’s a jolly ego explanatory one . This is a grievance that wants to give you a number to indicate just how well tuned you are to maintain effort over farsighted periods . VO2 Max is in the main the barometer for this , and Garmin expend that metric and then looks at your workout history both little terminal figure and long term ( 3 month ) to understand if you ’re building a good survival base .
I ’ve been construct my training time after injury and can see quite distinctly in the Endurance Score gubbins that my condition is improving , indicating my long - distance running ability has better .
What Garmin is take to do , along with all the other features it offers , is to box up existing metrics and brainstorm in a more digestible means . So if you give care about if your endurance levels are better or dropping off or you ’re doing enough mound work to tackle an upcoming craggy backwash course , these could be utilitarian prosody for you .
Battery life
Garmin ’s move to add AMOLED screens to its watch has seen the bombardment lifetime suffer , but it ’s not stick out as badly as many may have look to . It managed to successfully add in more power - hungry display technology , and still offer strong battery performance with or without that screenland limit to always - on .
The numbers have n’t in reality changed for the 47 mm Epix Pro compared to the non - Pro Epix . It ’s up to 16 days in smartwatch mode , which drops to 6 day in always - on mode . If you ’re using the GPS pass over only , then it ’s still the same 42 hours , while using the more accurate multiband GPS modal value learn tracking bombardment drop to 20 hours .
It ’s the large 51 mm Epix Pro that sees the biggest battery gains , where the 47 mm Epix Pro offers much the same as the Epix . With the screen door prepare to always - on I regard a day-to-day free fall - off of 10 % . With add up tracking that will of course be bigger , but the battery still hold warm .
With the sieve arrange to always - on for just under two hours of tracking in the top multiband mode , the battery dropped by 10 % .
If you opt to rely on the raise to wake instead of the AOD fashion , you will get longer , but even with it enabled the battery on the Epix Pro barrage is still very impressive .
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Should you buy it?
Like the Epix , the Epix Pro can still dish out great electric battery . Especially if you prefer for the biggest 51 mm version .
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You might not get an LED flashlight or more size options , but features like Hill and Endurance scores and young mapping smarts will be heading to the Epix Gen 2 as well .
Final Thoughts
The Garmin Epix Pro ( Gen 2 ) feels like yet another move by Garmin to cover all the pricing bases and to ward off theApple Watch Ultracompetition . Is it a strong - performing sports sentinel ? utterly . Does it need to exist ? Probably not , but it gives those looking for a sports sentry with the feeling of a smartwatch more choice to choose from .
Check out ourbest smartwatchandbest bunk watchlists for even more options .
Trusted Score
How we test
We soundly test every fitness watch / tracker we review . We apply industry stock examination to liken features right and we practice the watch as our main gimmick over the review full point . We ’ll always tell you what we detect and we never , ever , accept money to critique a product .
FAQs
No , the Garmin Epix Pro does n’t let in the PowerGlass lense that Garmin includes on its Fenix watches to enable solar charging .
Yes , the Garmin Epix Pro does include an LED flashlight , which tender white and cherry LED idle options .
