Garmin launches Fenix 7 smartwatch with touchscreen

Garmin Smartwatch
The new Fenix 7 smartwatch range from Garmin. (Image: Garmin) (Image credit: Garmin)

Navigation specialist, Garmin, has just launched the latest installment of its halo smartwatch offering, the Fenix. As the company's best smartwatch for cycling, the Fenix 7 bests the model it replaces with a superior battery life and a series of new features such as a built-in, multi-LED torch and stamina tracker.

In a move to bring the Fenix up to speed with its rivals, Garmin has retained the five-button configuration of the Fenix 6 but now includes touchscreen functionality to boost the user experience.

Garmin Fenix 7: Features

The Garmin Fenix 7 is suited to those who are serious about their training and want to track various metrics to ensure optimal and peak performance. While the model retains all the standard features of its forebear including maps, navigation, GPS, an optical heart-rate monitor, calorie counter, blood oxygen saturation, heart rate variability, hydration tracking, and menstrual tracking, it gains a Real-Time Stamina tool to track exertion levels. It also gets a Visual Race Predictor which uses historic running or cycling metrics to estimate performance, a Post workout, Recovery Time Advisor to help promote adequate rest periods and Daily Workout suggestions based on current training load and overall fitness level.

Garmin Fenix 7: Solar flair

While a Sapphire Solar model was recently added to the Fenix 6 range, the Fenix 7 takes things to another level with radically improved solar harvesting capabilities up to 200% over the model it replaces. It does this by way of an improved solar surface area built into the new design which boosts battery life between five days or five weeks - mode dependent of course.

Garmin Fenix 7: Pricing

The new Garmin Fenix range spans five distinct models: Fenix 7, Fenix 7 Solar, Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar, Fenix 7S Sapphire Solar and Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar. Starting from £599.99 / $699.99 / €699.99 / AU$1,049.00 Garmin has priced the Fenix 7 to be competitive in the growing smartwatch space. 

Image

View the Fenix 7 and 7S at Garmin.

Aaron Borrill
Freelance tester

Aaron is Bike Perfect's former tech editor and also the former gear editor of Bicycling magazine. He's tested thousands of bicycles all over the world. A competitive racer and Stravaholic, he’s twice ridden the Cape Epic, raced nearly every MTB stage race in South Africa and completed the Haute Route Alps. Recently, Aaron has also taken up Zwift racing and competes at the highest level of eRacing, the ZRL Premier Division.

Rides: Trek Procaliber 9.9 MTB 

Height: 175cm

Weight: 61.5kg