Garmin Epix PRO – finally in your size

If you longed for a premium, high-resolution Garmin in the right size then Epix PRO (Gen 2) finally gives you what you need, now with large and small options. Definitely do NOT upgrade to the Garmin Epix PRO (Gen 2) from the previous non-PRO model, there is little to justify that.

Don’t underestimate Garmin Epix 2 PRO, I would say it is the company’s best watch for the most number of people. It looks great for work or evening wear and has more than enough juice in the tank to power your weekend adventures with all the Garmin sports and outdoor features included.

92%

TL;DR - Garmin's best watch. Period.

The Epix PRO is a superb outdoor watch with all the new features of the latest Garmin Fenix 7 PRO plus an awesomely detailed and vibrant screen. The improved features are so good that upgrading from a Fenix 6 does make sense and if you were holding off buying a Fenix 7s or 7x because of the dreary screen, that excuse has now gone. Epix PRO removes any need to compromise between features, looks and battery life. Epix PRO has them all.

Epix PRO is the real deal and an excellent investment for anyone who ventures off the beaten track for hours or days at a time – adventurous hikers, runners, cyclists and triathletes alike.

Garmin gives you a physical package that meets the demands of your environment be that MIL standard durability or WR10 water resistance to 100m. It has the full-monty of onboard sensors to detect everything from heart rate & speed to the ABCs of an Altimeter, a Barometer and a Magnetic Compass.

More importantly, it’s all delivered in an accessible package. Buttons are there when you need them and the touchscreen eases earlier Garmin weaknesses that required umpteen button presses for simple tasks. Much of what you see on the watch is now made beautiful by the great screen and Garmin really has worked hard in recent years to deliver countless improvements to the presentation of graphs, charts and simple numerics. The whole experience of using Epix PRO (Gen 2) as you flow from screen to screen with buttons and swipes is not quite there yet but it’s a heck of a lot closer to ‘there’ than Garmin has ever been.

Existing Garmin owners of any watch bought before 2022 will find many reasons to upgrade. The vast breadth and depth of sporting & adventure features are still there…plus a few new treats and all supported by speedy, smooth, all-new tech inside including the latest ECG-capable heart rate sensor for 2023.

If you like the rugged aesthetic and never plan to do an Ultra event then Epix PRO is as close to perfect as you can get.

Pricing

Base Model (no solar)

Garmin Epix PRO (Gen 2) 42mm- $899, £830, €950
Garmin Epix PRO (Gen 2) 47mm – $899, £830, €950
Garmin Epix PRO (Gen 2) 51mm – $999, £930, €1,050

Sapphire Model (no solar)

Garmin Epix PRO (Gen 2) Sapphire 42mm – $999, £930, €1050
Garmin Epix PRO (Gen 2) Sapphire 47mm – $999, £930, €1050
Garmin Epix PRO (Gen 2) Sapphire 51mm – $1099, £1,000, €1,150

Pros

Tracks Everything and Anything sporty in supreme detail
Best-ever, market-leading GPS accuracy with Multi-Band
A well-made and durable watch with a proven outdoor aesthetic
The revamped user experience is Garmin’s best so far – menus and button/screen presses improved, and many settings are offloaded to the smartphone app
Detailed, free offline maps with environmental overlays
Awesome battery life even with a fantastic, high-resolution (AMOLED) screen. FAR superior to Apple.

Cons

Expensive
No Solar option
No LTE or wireless charging
ECG not enabled at launch
Usability is improved – more is needed
Restrictive smartwatch features compared to, say, Apple/Samsung Watches

What’s New?

All that’s really new here are the two new sizes of Epix PRO plus the new heart rate sensor and a few tweaks. There are some wholly new software features but these will also get added to older Fenix 7 and Epix 2 models so there is zero reason to upgrade from one of those watches.

That said, if you are thinking of getting an Epix, you should buy the PRO version over the non-PRO version if you can afford it but all that’s really changed here is a choice of 2 new sizes.

The Important truly new Stuff

These are ALL very nice features for outdoor adventurers and athletes, if you want to read more about each feature, click on the link.

Endurance Score & Activity Impact
Hill Score
Weather overlays on widget maps (rain, temperature, wind, cloud cover)
Relief map shading during workouts
Split screen & perimeter map pages meshed with metrics
Garmin Elevate V5 Optical HR Sensor (ECG-capable)
RED Shift mode – aids night readability
Improved LED Flashlight (red/white light + strobe)
It’s the same screen technology but newly available in small and large sizes – 1.2″/42mm (390x390px), 1.3″/47mm (416x416px), & 1.4″/51mm (454x454px)

These features have very specific appeals. If you plan to run hills then the Hill Score is a genuinely useful tool to track your abilities and progress.

Similarly, I love what Garmin has done with the map overlays and split screen but I only occasionally have mini adventures and I know I have little use for them. However, if you are out every weekend somewhere near striving through the wilds then you could well use the features all the time.

Garmin has had excellent feedback and requests for the LED flashlights to be on all models; I mean, it’s handy but is it worth an upgrade just for a light?

Finally, the all-sport Endurance Score seems to appeal to multidisciplinary athletes and combines your efforts across all sports, sadly you can’t meaningfully add those individual scores together!

The New Tweaks

New watch faces (minor)

Expanded Features

These are pre-existing capabilities that are now enjoyed by all Epix PRO models not just the sapphire versions. All that’s happening here is that Garmin is making sense of its Fenix/Epix range by boiling the choice of a new watch down to Screen Type (AMOLED/MIP) vs Sapphire vs Solar vs Size (small/med/large)

It’s worth highlighting the genuinely-accurate GNSS chips that I love. But do you really need that level of accuracy?

SatIQ and dual-band GNSS
Improved charge times
32Gb storage
High price point for the larger model
Battery bump for the larger model

Garmin Epix PRO – Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can Garmin Epix PRO answer calls?

A: No, the Epix PRO has no LTE capabilities, and no microphone because it is a sports adventure watch rather than a dedicated smartwatch

Q: Is the Garmin Epix PRO touchscreen?

A: Yes, the Epix PRO touch screen can be selectively enabled or entirely disabled and it works well in most circumstances. It works well

Q: How big is the Garmin Epix PRO?

A: These are the 3 sizes: 1.2″/42mm (390x390px), 1.3″/47mm (416x416px), & 1.4″/51mm (454x454px). they are Garmin’s standard small, medium and large sizes.

Q: Is Epix PRO waterproof?

A: Yes, Epix PRO is waterproof to 100m but is not sold as a dive watch, so the high rating covers waterproofing against high impacts on the water.

Q: How long does it take to charge the Epix PRO?

A: A full charge takes an hour or so.

Q: Is Garmin Epix PRO worth it?

A: If you can afford the best sports adventure ever made then I’d say it’s worth it but there are many, lesser compromises for less money and the non-Pro version is significantly discounted in sales.

Q: Does Epix PRO have music

A: Yes, the Garmin Epix PRO has a superior music offering allowing you to play your own MP3 tracks or sync with Amazon Music, Spotify, Deezer and even podcast services.

Q: Does Epix PRO have wireless charging

A: No the Epix PRO needs a standard Garmin charging cable

Q: Is Epix PRO better than Fenix 7 PRO

A: On balance, I would say the Epix PRO is better than the Fenix 7 PRO as it combines a superior screen with a market-leading battery life that is perfect for the vast majority of athletes and adventurers. Fenix gives you a Solar-charging option but in my experience, that feature is significantly over-rated.

Where to buy a Garmin Epix PRO (Gen 2) now:

I’ll update these as they become listed in the online stores