Garmin - fēnix® 7S Pro – Sapphire Solar Edition

can't say for garmin but general rule is like that * garmin have more features. you can route maps on watch which means you can set a point where you wanna go without use of phone while on suunto you need to do that via your phone which can be annoying in areas where singal is questionable. also suunto have no names on watch itself on map but yea, their maps re more snappier, faster, etc. * garmin have way more data. now some were locked behind subrsicption, i'm not sure which data excat. suunto have less data but imo better organized * application on phone matters for me alot and there suunto is just better. they have one app for everything which imo is more user friendly. garmin have more apps for each purpouse one and steeper learning curve (my father have garmin edge 1040 bike computer and yea) but thats just from user to user, at the end it matters how you fell. * smart functions there is no question that garmin is better. suunto is really behind. you will get basic notifications with opiton to control music on your phone and call my phone function and function to turn down phone call with a SMS and thats pretty much it. garmin here have huge edge with their stuff * battery life on the other hand, here suunto wins no question at all! while in smart watch mode they re about the same, maybe 2 or 3 days difference, on gps mode there is just too much difference IMO, garmin is more than 2x behind in battery. now, does that matter to you? are you gonna do some multi day hikes or really some long lasting stuff like running 100km or you just in general wants more battery life? thats up to you. * as of GPS accuraccy, i can't really speak but i ve doubt you will be dissapointed by any of those watches. GPS recievers came soo long way in few last watch generations on all devices including Polar, Coros, Suunto, Garmin, even Amazifit and others that you can't go wrong with any of those devices in terms of gps quality. yea there re some minor + - offs bettwen watches, for example i can compare Vertical vs Fenix 7x pro sapphire on same route we logged 4,45km on Fenix vs 4,6km on my Suunto, I ve started my watch slightly faster soo there might be 50m. we also both logged slightly different alltitude gain, me with around 1065m alttitude gain vs my friend fenix 1059m allitude gain, my highest point on watch was more towards official readings of 1242m (it showed 1243m while my friend logged i think 1236m or similar soo yea, if you are like "well well, garmin for 800€ can't beat vertical from suunto i ve got for half the price" kind of attitude then sure, be my guest but in reality those re soo minor difference that if you re gonna argue on that..... yea. but just to show you what i ve meant * HR data i ve heard that suunto really did a big step foward with Race 2, still some minor problems but they really solved that issues Vertical and Race have. but imo me as some1 who do more trail runs / hikes / bike rides i just took my polar h10 with me and this is by far most accurate data imo. still just to point out suunto issues * can't say for sleep tracking or quality of life features since i'm not using that, maybe will start in future. soo yea at the end imo its more towards your usuage case. me as a trail runner or bike rider or hiker i preffer battery life, snappier maps and overwall better application more than garmin extra fuctions. plus yea in my case suunto vertical costed me 400€ while back then garmin forreruner 955 and 965 costed around the same but imo inferior watch with far less battery on gps mode + plastic desing with only gorrila glass which imo is bad for hiking specially if you go some via ferrata route or more demanding rocky area where its real fear to strach your watch. and garmin 7s solar sapphire glass costed me 600€ and yea, that was far too off to spend on. soo yea, your user case will determine at the end what you wanna buy, simply as that, what you preffer more, what u value more in your watch bcs at the end you can be happy with both options or just hated them soo its really hard to say.

Fenix 7ss. But also have an edge bike computer in the whole Garmin ecosystem. Swimming has been great and gets the job done. Running is pretty straightforward with any Garmin watch. Can’t speak to an oura ring. Just a chest or arm HRM.

I just bought a 7s pro ss for about 600 USD equivalent (I'm in the UK and that number includes tax). They're definitely starting to be discounted to clear the way for the 8.

I had an Apple Watch for a few years before I moved to Garmin (currently have a Fēnix 7S solar sapphire). Recently I tried returning to an AW (lasted 3 weeks as I now have a chronic illness and thought I might appreciate something less sports and fitnesses focused). The reasons I prefer my Garmin are… - Screen. MIP just feels less intrusive and in-your-face to me and is one less ‘computer screen’ type thing I have to look at each day. Also I was never overly keen on any of the stock AW faces. Either too much or too little information - Buttons. Buttons during activities are 100x better than a touch screen or the fiddly AW Digital Crown. You don’t have to look, you just press. Was walking out in the rain the other day - easier with buttons. Wearing gloves in winter - easier with buttons. Want to forward adverts in a podcast when I’m falling asleep and don’t want to open my eyes - easier with buttons - Maps. I know AW maps are improving all the time but I still prefer how maps show on my Fēnix compared to my partners AWU. We live in a rural area surrounded by trails and reliable maps are so useful - Battery. I ‘only’ get 11 days because my Fēnix is the smallest size but it’s so much better than charging every day. Never worry about my watch dying during an endurance activity, either - Data screens. The Garmin data screens during activities are so much more configurable and clearer to read than the Apple Workouts data screens. I know you can use 3rd party apps instead on AW, but I still prefer the Garmin ones - Constant HR monitoring and HRV calcs during sleep. More reliable and valid IMO - It’s bomb-proof. I do a lot of adventure sports (when I’m well) and need a watch that can take some whacks. I’m also just very clumsy. Granted, I have broken a Forerunner before but the Fēnix seems indestructible, whereas I always worry if I’m wearing an AW - it does the important stuff, but doesn’t overload me with ‘smart features’. I’ve learned I’m not really a fan of having a super smart watch when I have a phone anyway Things I do think are better on an AW: - Apple Pay. Garmin Pay works with so few UK banks and makes you faff putting in a passcode for payments so I just don’t bother - Voice control is sometimes handy, to add things to a shopping list or set a timer when cooking and not watching to touch my watch/phone - Doesn’t constantly insult me for poor sleep, high RHR or low HRV, all of which are associated with my chronic illness 😂

I had an Apple Watch Series 3 for many years. Then I bought a FR645 to try alongside, just for running. Loved it so much I decided to go full Garmin with a FR745. Loved that watch so much, until I smashed it climbing 🤦‍♀️ Decided to upgrade to a Fēnix 7S SS because I wanted maps and I clearly needed the sapphire glass. I’ve had the Fēnix maybe 2.5 years now. Recently, I thought I might prefer an Apple Watch as I am now dealing with chronic illness and have not been able to engage in any of my usual sporting/outdoor activities for 6 months. I lasted 3 weeks with an Apple Watch Series 11 before coming back to my Fēnix. I just prefer the MIP display, the battery and the buttons. I don’t really care for smart features. Also the workout screens and maps but obviously not using those much right now. Sold the Apple Watch yesterday. No regrets.

I have had a Fenix 7S sapphire for nearly 2 years now. It does everything I want and still looks and functions like new despite a fairly rough and tumble lifestyle. My main activity is stand up paddle boarding for which it is great. The health/fitness stats are not only well thought out and mature but also quite motivating. https://preview.redd.it/jgo2s7ea7zrf1.png?width=768&format=png&auto=webp&s=9f6c8a114f85311dae077c564a2ccdfff033c5cc

I used a apple watch , then galaxy watch, then instinct gen 1, now I've got a Fenix 7S pro sapphire solar and it's been by far my favorite

If it would only be about the battery life. After 2.5 years my Fenix 7SS back/lap button started acting strange. Contacted Garmin support and in less than 5 minutes I had a replacement watch being sent to me. I am an Apple fan too, but this kind of service level is unmatched.

When I got my first Forerunner, maybe 10 or so years ago, it was because Garmin was better for what I needed (HR, GPS, marathon training plan), and I wasn’t interested in a smartwatch. It was also way more expensive, for something I saw as just “cool”, but not as solidly functional. My SIL and her family are all gaga over Apple, which was a turnoff (“why didn’t you get an Apple Watch?”, as if it 100% has to be the best thing ever, also making me feel like I was some sort of dufus). Garmin was a sports watch with a few smartwatch-type capabilities, and Apple was a smartwatch that could do a few sports/health related things. And (at least back then), you couldn’t connect an HR strap to the Apple Watch for increased accuracy. Now, I just look over at my husband every day when he says “ARGH! I forgot to charge my watch!” either before he heads out to do something he wants to record, or before bed when he remembers he needs the alarm in the morning. His Apple watch is a few years old now, but it has been like that since Day 1. Every workout is an exercise in just hoping his watch doesn’t die before he’s done. Also, he uses Strava for his workouts, which is great, but after a hike or bike ride if I ask him any details from it, he has to wait until he can look on his phone or iPad. He can’t just look through the results immediately. While I’m now on my 4th Garmin (switched to a Fenix 5s by choice, then after a while the battery started dying in cold weather (I’m a XC skier), and most recently my fenix 6s developed an inability to reliably connect to GPS), I’m not regretting it. Except the ability to take phone calls on my watch - that would be nice, but it’s literally the only feature I’m jealous about. I will say the each Garmin I’ve had has been better than the last: FR 230 < Fenix 5s < Fenix 6s < Fenix 7s Pro SS. They are getting soooo expensive, so I bought the 7s recently when they were on sale, and refuse to go to the 8s. Never thought I’d spend $650 on a watch! It’s insanity. When I was shopping around and comparing features and reviews, I looked at Polar and Suunto also. But never for a moment looked at Apple. Oh, and I most definitely do not want a touchscreen. My new Fenix 7s Pro does have one, but it also has physical buttons, and the touchscreen can be locked out as needed. All I need is to have to deal with a touchscreen while wearing ski gloves. I’m pretty well immersed in the Garmin ecosystem at this point, between the progression of watches, Edge bike computer and Varia radar. I do have an iPhone and an iPad, and used to have an iPod, but that’s more because it’s easier to use the same interface for those. Overall, it’s just personal choice. One doesn’t really have to be dominant over the other. Each person needs to look at what each watch does, compare that to their priorities and preferences and needs, and go from there. There likely isn’t a wrong answer. For me, the battery life is king, especially in cold weather. And HR accuracy, but if the thing dies mid-activity, HR recording won’t help much. To ME, Garmin is more of a training tool, and Apple is more cool eye candy.

Hm. Asking those who changed is kinda biased I guess. I switched from Coros to Garmin, first to a FR 945 and then Fenix 7SS. I've logged well over 600 runs, hikes, bike rides, indoor cycling and open water swims/ snorkeling. I navigated a lot of ultras (like overnight trail ultras through unfamiliar forests) and long distance rides (600km in one go) with it. I've never encountered corrupted data or a bug that forced me to stop an activity. So I'm pretty happy and will upgrade to an Enduro 3 within the next year.

I have the Garmin fenix 7s sapphire and I love it. I use it mainly for lifting and tennis, works great.