In 2022, Garmin launched the Fenix 7 with various advanced features and improvements over its predecessors. They offered excellent screen size, a metal body, a lightweight design, multiple band options, more memory to download music and maps, and so many minor improvements.
In this comparison, we’ll be comparing these two models, the Garmin Fenix 7 and Fenix 7s, in terms of features, design, battery life, and pricing to help you decide which one fits your needs and style.
Garmin Fenix 7 vs Fenix 7s: Price
The Garmin Fenix 7s comes in 42mm with four available versions: Standard ($649), Sapphire Solar ($799), Pro | Solar ($799), and Pro | Sapphire Solar ($899). In terms of colors, it has Silver, Dark Bronze, Carbon Gray, and Soft Gold. It comes with a silicone band, but users can use Suede, Fabric, or Metal bands too, according to their style preferences.
In contrast, the Garmin Fenix 7 comes in 47mm with five available versions: Standard ($649), Sapphire Solar ($799), Pro | Solar ($799), Pro | Solar (No Wifi) ($799), and Pro | Sapphire Solar ($899). It comes in Silver, Black, Slate Gray, Silver Gray, and Titanium colorways. It also comes with the same silicone band but offers Leather, Fabric, and Metal bands to choose from to style it according to your mood.
Overall, both models have the same pricing but offer different sizes, plus the Fenix 7 also has a Pro | Solar (no Wi-Fi), which I don’t know why they have this option for the No Wi-Fi model, but they have, so I can’t help. Other than that, they also have a few band options, which you can choose according to your style and comfort.
Garmin Fenix 7 vs Fenix 7s: Comparison
| Specifications | Garmin Fenix 7 | Garmin Fenix 7S |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Brand | Garmin | Garmin |
| Model Name | Fenix 7 | Fenix 7S |
| Design and Body | ||
| Weight | 75 grams | 80 grams |
| Material | Stainless Steel | Stainless Steel |
| Shape | Round | Round |
| Display | ||
| Type | Transflective memory-in-pixel | Transflective memory-in-pixel |
| Touch | Yes | Yes |
| Size | 1.2 inches | 1.3 inches |
| Resolution | 240 x 240 pixels | 260 x 260 pixels |
| Features | Always-on Display | Always-on Display |
| Connectivity | ||
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| GPS | Multi-band GPS | Multi-band GPS |
| Extra | ||
| Sensors | Pedometer, Heart Rate Monitor, SpO2 (Blood Oxygen) Monitor, Calorie Count, Step Count, Sleep Monitor | Pedometer, Heart Rate Monitor, SpO2 (Blood Oxygen) Monitor, Calorie Count, Step Count, Sleep Monitor |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | ||
| Camera | No | No |
| Technical | ||
| Compatibility | Android, iOS | Android, iOS |
| Multimedia | ||
| Music | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | ||
| Backup | Up to 11 days | Up to 18 days |
| Features | ||
| Water Resistant | Yes | Yes |
| Water Rating | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Water Depth | 50m | 50m |
| Extra Features | Alarm Clock, Stopwatch, Timer, Reminder | Alarm Clock, Stopwatch, Timer, Reminder |
| Price | $899 | $899 |
Garmin Fenix 7 vs Fenix 7s: Design and Build
When it comes to design, both models have the same bulky and sporty type of look specifically made for athletes and fitness enthusiasts, which is not for styling (if you are thinking).
The Fenix 7s standard edition boasts a stainless steel bezel and fiber-reinforced polymer with a metal rear cover for its casing. Plus, corning gorilla glass to protect the watch from scratches. The Sapphire Solar edition features a titanium bezel and fiber-reinforced polymer with a titanium rear cover for its casing and power sapphire glass for display protection. The Pro Solar has stainless steel, and the Pro Sapphire Solar has both titanium and stainless steel options available.
The Fenix 7, on the other hand, also features the same stainless steel and corning gorilla glass for the standard version and titanium and power sapphire for the Sapphire Solar edition. The Pro | Solar and No Wi-Fi editions both have the same stainless steel bezel and fiber-reinforced polymer with a metal rear cover for their casing; at last, the Pro | Sapphire Solar has a titanium bezel and fiber-reinforced polymer with a titanium rear cover for its casing.
If we talk about buttons, both models have the same five buttons setup, with three on the left and two on the right side. Plus, they offer touch-screen support, so you can use either button or touch for toggling through UI and maps, and both work fine. Both have a rating of 10 ATM for water resistance, meaning you can use them while swimming. They can withstand being submerged underwater up to 100 metres, so you can use them for deep diving too.
They all come with a 22mm quick-release silicone band with the watch, but you can choose between Leather, Nylon, Suede, and Metal bands, which provide you with more comfort and feel. Personally, Nylon works best for my skin; however, some may suit silicone or other options, so take your time and choose the most suitable band for yourself.
Overall, both models have the same material and band options available, so you can choose whichever fits you best. Additionally, they also have the same 10 ATM water resistance rating, so if you are a swimmer or deep diver in both cases, you can use these watches.
Garmin Fenix 7 vs Fenix 7s: Display
In terms of display, both models have the same sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) display, with the only difference being the size.
The Garmin Fenix 7s features a 1.2-inch transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) display with a screen resolution of 240 x 240 pixels. It has a dimension of 42 x 42 x 14.1 mm, and the lightest weight you get is 63g (with bands) for the standard edition, and 75g is the highest it gets for the sapphire solar edition. The display is protected with a power sapphire (sapphire) or corning gorilla glass (standard), providing added safety and durability from scratches and dust.
The Garmin Fenix 7 features a 1.3-inch transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) display with a screen resolution of 260 x 260 pixels. It has a dimension of 47 x 47 x 14.5 mm, and the weight is between 70g and 80g, depending on the model you choose. It also offers the same power sapphire (Sapphire edition) and corning gorilla glass (standard edition) to protect the watch from scratches and beatings.
Overall, both models have the same display, weight, and lens material, with the only difference being the screen size. They are durable and scratch-resistant, plus the display is bright and vibrant, and it gets more vibrant and colorful when you use it in direct sunlight.
Garmin Fenix 7 vs Fenix 7s: Health and Fitness Features
There’s not much of a difference in this segment, and you get similar features on both of these models.
Both models have a wrist-based heart rate sensor, a daily resting heart rate, an abnormal heart rate alert, a 24 x 7 respiration rate, pulse ox blood oxygen saturation, a body battery, a stress tracker, breathwork, advanced sleep tracking, nap detection, hydration, women’s health, a health snapshot, a skin temperature sensor, and a jet lag advisor.
Additionally, they also have a sleep score to tell you how well you slept and the nuances of your sleep. One thing you get on the more expensive pro models is the ECG capability, which is a must-have feature in today’s watches.
In terms of activity tracking, both models have the same sport profiles, including swimming, HIIT, cardio, running, basketball, and ring sports like boxing and mixed martial arts. Plus, they also have a step counter, floor climbed, calories burned, distance travelled, true up, and moveIQ for automatic sports detection.
Additionally, they also have downloadable training plans, VO2 max, real-time stamina, endurance score, virtual partner, a very handy feature to compete against yourself, and it tracks your running data with your previous runs, training load to provide insights into your recovery, and so much more. They also have multiple sports-specific features for running, golfing, swimming, and cycling.
Overall, in this segment, both models have the same health and fitness features, with the only difference being the ECG capability in the pro models. Other than that, they have various sports profiles to help you stay fit and healthy, plus sports-specific features for hardcore athletes too.
Garmin Fenix 7 vs Fenix 7s: Smartwatch Features
There’s not much to see in this segment either, as both models have similar features.
Both models feature Garmin Pay for contactless payments and music storage to download and store music for offline listening. The only advantage with the Pro models is that you get multi-band GPS, which is more accurate than regular GPS. It also provides more accurate readings in areas with buildings and trees, plus it also has built-in mapping and more storage (32 GB) than the standard version (16 GB).
Additionally, they also feature smart notifications, the ability to view images from notifications, a morning report, a calendar, weather forecasts, play and control music, find my phone and watch, and many more. In terms of compatibility, both models can connect to a wide range of Android and iOS devices.
On top of that, they also feature up ahead, which provides information about upcoming locations along your route. You can even explore new areas with the help of the back-to-start feature, which can help you get back to where you started. Additionally, they also feature Ultratrac mode, which basically extends the battery life by reducing the recording rate of GPS data. They also have many more minor features that will help in your adventure journey.
Overall, both models have identical features in this segment; however, the pro models have more storage to store music and maps, multi-band GPS for more accurate GPS tracking, built-in mapping, and a flashlight as well. Other than that, everything is the same, so you can decide if you want the Pro Models feature or not.
Garmin Fenix 7 vs Fenix 7s: Battery Life
This is where you can see some difference; a bigger model means more battery life, and this holds true with these models.
The Garmin Fenix 7S battery life can last for around 11 days in smartwatch mode. With battery saver mode, you can extend the life to 38 days, but in GPS mode, it can last up to 37 hours, which is good in my opinion. If your battery is at 100%, then it can give you 90 hours of GPS mode, which is more than enough. If you go for the Pro model, it can give you 14 days in smartwatch mode, 46 hours in GPS mode, and 162 hours with max battery.
The Fenix 7, on the other hand, can last for around 18 days in smartwatch mode. You can extend it to 58 days with battery-saving mode enabled. Its GPS mode battery is longer than the 7S solar model, or 57 hours. If you go for the Pro model of this watch, you can get 22 days in smartwatch mode, 173 days in battery saver mode, and 73 hours in GPS mode.
Overall, the size difference of the Fenix 7 provides more battery life; however, it can be up or down depending on your personal usage. Both models come with a Garmin proprietary plug charger, which takes 1.5–2 hours to fully charge the device.
Garmin Fenix 7 vs Fenix 7s: Verdict
Both models have awesome capabilities in health features, build material, sports tracking, display size, and battery life. The only downside is their pricing. $650 for a smartwatch is too much. In this price range, there are so many models like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, Google Pixel Watch 2, and Amazfit GTR 4.
You can choose either of these models. They have similar pricing and features, but the Garmin Fenix 7 has a longer battery life and a larger screen, meaning more content at a glance. Plus, you can read fonts and locations on maps more easily than with the Garmin Fenix 7s. Additionally, the battery life in this model is excellent, so you can go for a longer time without worrying about the battery.