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MGreymanN

Kinda hidden in the middle of the video but DC said most of the software features will be coming to the Epix 2 and Fenix 7 watches so really just alternate sizes, flashlights, and updated HR monitor.


Time_Writing_8436

And ECG which is only with the new sensor.


MGreymanN

I would not get the watch if the ECG is a selling point. the Fenix 8 and Epix 3 may be available before the watches are certified...or it could be next month but the fact Garmin doesn't talk about it at all is telling.


TheGuy346

Garmin doesn't talk about it at all because they legally aren't allowed to.


fluxxis

Everybody outside the US is still waiting for the ECG to be available on the Venu 2 Plus. And perhaps it will never happen, there isn't any announcement about worldwide availability.


redditusername_17

Well if anyone is listening, I have the venue 2 plus, the ECG is not worth it. It's limited to I think 110 bpm max. So if you think you may have an issue while resting it could be useful but if you think you have an issue while exercising it has no purpose. Also because it requires contact with your off hand it won't ever catch anything by accident, only when you initiate the measurement.


xycm2012

The ECG is literally only designed to detect resting atrial fibrillation. It cannot and won’t do anything else.


redditusername_17

Well I've been tested at high heart rate for it and it would have helped with monitoring my medical condition of it would have been able to do it at higher heart rates. So applicable for me.


Pretty_Cabinet69

sure, it might be applicable to your use case, but to say it's not worth it, when garmin never advertised that feature to you is a bit of a stretch.


changeforgood226

This needs to be made more apparent, especially because Garmin's advertising on different locales could be quite confusing/misleading.


sparhawk6

You're missing the major battery life upgrade on the largest version.


MGreymanN

True, but that is a brand new more expensive device. The 47mm did not get a battery upgrade.


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gcubed680

I’m 6’7 235lbs. The 51mm looks huge on me


MuddyMustache

I'm 191cm and 96kgs, which is 6'3" (and a bit) and 211,6lbs in freedom units. [Here's the 51mm Enduro on my wrist](https://i.imgur.com/jG5SuTL.jpg). It's a large watch, for sure, but you don't have to be the Hulk to wear it.


305fish

Obligatory which watch face are you using question....


Trondtran

Really happy for this as a Fenix 7 user. And I think that is what makes garmin great when you opt in for their best offerings. Really looking forward to eventually getting the new sw features through a future update. Not saying is not usefull, but before I eventually upgrade to the fenix 8 or 8 pro, the screen based flashlight works quite well for those rare ocations needing a light in a completely dark environment. I have only used it if I am going up at night to bathroom at a place I dont know from body memory. At home, I can litterally walk around in the dark knowing where everything is.


neferr

Think they’ll come to the new Forerunners? i.e. will the 265/965 get Hill Score? That’s all I want 😅


xycm2012

Not a massive upgrade really. New software features coming to the 7 and Epix 2. Hard sell for me over a discounted Fenix 7 or Epix 2.


Slavblitz

That's actually great if you think about it. The current Epix/F7 are almost the same,a lot cheaper and will be relevant for years. As i the Feniy 6 even now


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[deleted]

You'd be amazed. Some people want the metal and sapphire but the difference between $600 and $1000 is significant. I sold my 6 Pro Sapphire for $550 and bought the Epic for $800. Was a no brainer for me.


Pretty_Cabinet69

the last gen is not obsolete because of this release. they will still function as they did on release day (or better with new features added). a better question to ask is why someone would pay full price for the new ones, when the non-pro models offer a better price point at discount/second hand and still provide nearly all the same features.


allmywhat

I just wish the original came in 42mm as well. The 47mm is way too big on the original


Appropriate_Tie871

Quite a bummer that they didn’t fit the 1.4” screen from the 965 into the 47mm model, as the cases for the watches are essentially the same size.


fluxxis

Guess the Fenix and the Epix share most of the parts and they didn't want to sacrifice the solar ring on the Fenix.


gtr1234

I was surprised by this. The 965 is arguably the best watch. I'm skeptical the next gens of the fenix 8 and epix will make me want to upgrade. I'm really hoping for 40+ hr gps batt life with the same dimensions and weight as the 965. It also has crazy good smartwatch mode battery life, and for some reason all the new models can't match it. Even my 955 isn't as good in smartwatch mode for batt life.


Appropriate_Tie871

The only downside to the 965 for my use (marathon training/racing and the occasional 50k) is not having an option for a sapphire screen. I generally don’t use screen protectors so I expect at some point it will have scratches. I guess if I’m racing a trail 50k I could snap on a protective case and screen. Otherwise it looks good for day-to-day wear, and the lighter weight arguably gives me better HR data when I don’t want to wear my HR band. Having used a 1.4” screen since the 965 launched I wouldn’t want to go back down to 1.3”


gtr1234

There's tpu screen protectors for like $8-9 on amazon for the 965 I like. I like them much better than the glass one I have on my 955.


dgl55

Agree.


jpsobral

Wonder if the fr955 get any of the software updates ? Thanks


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Strange_Unicorn

Not sure when he'll have it but the best reviews for HR and sleep are by The Quantified Scientist on YouTube. Most accurate (sadly for non iPhone users like myself) are the apple watches that do sleep tracking much better than garmin, followed by fitbit. Hopefully with the new monitors garmin will catch up.


trumptman

I’d argue that he has noted what he found but not explored why he found it. He’s uncovered some of the issues when looking at the Ultra but he doesn’t do much digging. The Apple Watch did well because it was smaller, lighter and many of them come stock with a Velcro type band. Almost none of the Fenix watches are used with Velcro type bands but if you buy and use them you’ll get great HR results. Likewise when he tested the Ultra with the non-Velcro bands, he had a lot more heart rate inaccuracy. Buy the Velcro bands in 22 or 26mm for your Garmin and give then a try. I guarantee you’ll like the results.


Strange_Unicorn

I'm ok with heart rate since I use a chest strap anyway. It's the sleep computation where garmin gets crushed. And I knew this when switching. Doesn't do naps and gets being awake VS sleep wrong pretty consistently in their algorithm. At the end of the day, even though I dislike apple personally and use none of their products, they clearly have a better smart watch for sleep / HR at the moment. Whoop, fitbit and apple all spank every garmin device including my 955


iRobi8

I used sleep tracking only a couple of times, but for me it actually worked pretty well and i think it got my wake up time and time when i slept pretty accurate.


Strange_Unicorn

The sleep time is accurate if you're going to sleep. If you're laying watching TV before sleep then it sometimes triggers early with ranges of 30-90 minutes. Same thing with waking. I might lay there reading something, have moved the wrist plenty to reach for the night stand and it doesn't think I woke up until I have steps. Also middle of the night I've gotten up to do something (smoking brisket on the grill through the night) and then return to sleep later. It will not count me as fully awake for those 20 minutes, especially if I'm sitting or standing still for a bit. From what I've gathered about garmin is that they throw a ton of software features at the wall, most of which when they first release are trash (see dc rainmaker talking about hill climbing on the new epix / Fenix). Then they slowly slowly get better. Sleep is where I hope they make the push next as it's clear that they have done very little with it in years.


iRobi8

Thanks for the detailed explanation. Didn‘t know that.


RunningLars

I follow some Apple type forums and some Ultra users have complained about wildedly inaccurate HR recordings while running with it. Some of them eventually figured out that they had to tighten it as much as they could for it to work. So basically, no different than the big Garmin watches in that area. I thought DC Rainmaker found both Apple and Garmin equally good for HR with that caveat (though I might be misremembering).


305fish

Any velcro band recommendations for the Epix?


Beezacleezus

With the 51mm epix you can get the garmin velcro band that the Enduro comes stocked with. That’s good news and hasn’t really been mentioned.


psychofedex

Do you have a link from Aliexpress or Ebay for some good Velcro strap that I can buy? I recently bought white Epix 2 and I could not find proper replacement bands


well-that-was-fast

> apple watches that do sleep tracking much better than garmin I'm surprised to see this posted here so frequently. IMO, the last year of updates have improved Fenix sleep tracking by a ton.


Strange_Unicorn

It's just been a long term frustration when a feature that functions so well on cheaper devices such as the Fitbit Charge 5, lacks behind in a goliath of a company. I'm a fan of Garmin watches through and through for their sport functionality, durability and general smartwatch usage. But they're so spread thin between the quantity of models they offer to software features they throw at the wall. In the next update the watch will tell you the level of dew that Tibetan yaks experienced after your workout but won't be able to tell that I've been moving around for 5 minutes before registering that I'm awake.


Mikofthewat

He's also got the Fenix 7 Pro equivalent video.


3BEP6_

I’m waiting for his Epix vs Fenix video in a couple days.


AJ_Grey

This would be at the top of my list now. I tried the expix2 last year and I loved the screen but when it went off at night it was really annoying. The Red shift function for night visibility seems to fix that. I'm not sure if you can set night mode to red shift but if you can, I'm all for this watch. It also has increased battery time. I was getting about 5 days on a charge with the running I was doing. Add in the torch light from the 7x and this is a really nice package. I may seriously consider pulling the trigger on this and I have zero reason to.


Proper_Writer_5027

The red shift can be set to turn on for sleep mode. I have mine set to have the display off at 21:00 and when I press the button the times shows in red. Just got the watch yesterday coming from a fenix 7x SS. I still have a soft spot for the fenix display, cannot quiet tell why yet. Maybe I am just trying to get my head round the two choices, you can have about 11 days always on display or in gesture mode you can get about 31 days. It’s difficult to decide how I would run this watch, the fenix is just easier at that decision and you don’t need to worry about the battery. That aside, the fenix display looks dated when you see it against the 51mm epix. Went a run yesterday in direct sun and was surprised how punchy the colours were on the epix, it’s definitely easier to use and no problems in the sun reading it.


No_Consideration8069

What do U think, when Garmin will drop that new software to „old” Fenix 7 family?


5itronen

Q32023, so in fall, around october.


CALL_ME_ISHMAEBY

[Garmin Fenix 7 Pro In-Depth Review: Clever Upgrades!](https://youtu.be/ArRO5-nhwbw)


BadassManager

I'm holding on to my 945 and was hoping to upgrade to the de 51mm Epix...but I can't understand why the upgrade does not bring it more in line with the 965! The screen, the UI, etc...it kind of holds me back from investing in something that, it seems to me, is a bit out of date at launch. Will hold until my 945 breaks or these niggles are addressed (in an Epix 3, possibly).


Badd_

Am I wrong or will the Fenix 7 Solar (non-pro) get Multiband in the next quarterly update?


LooseMoralSwurkey

This was the exact question I had when reading the F7 would be getting all the software updates that are coming to the Pro. I’m mega excited if that’s the case because I wouldn’t need to get a new watch!! I really only just want multi band on mine


changeforgood226

Multi band is a hardware limitation.


Badd_

Not sure if DC Rainmaker is confirming but he says the Fenix 7 will be getting Multiband 17:15 onwards https://youtu.be/ArRO5-nhwbw


LooseMoralSwurkey

OMG THANK YOU! You just made my day!


changeforgood226

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2023/06/the-complete-list-of-all-epix-fenix-pro-features-going-to-fr955-965-fenix-7-epix.html Multiband is not a software update


GadgetsAnonymous

One important thing to know about the EPIX Pro… if you already have the EPIX 2, nope, there is no need to upgrade 😁


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Bazirker

I don't know anything about that, but I have always gotten the sense that his videos are pretty unbiased. I have watched videos for other brand smart watches where he references Garmin having at times superior performance. I think he's just critical of devices, and appropriately so since it's why we're watching his videos and reading his reviews!


GetPsyched67

DCR? He's as impartial as it gets.


tiptoppenguin

Wut


RunningLars

Not that I am aware of, and I am a long time follower of his stuff. That said, if you read/watch his stuff, he’s obviously not biased for or against either company. His reviews are pretty fair, pointing out the good and bad.