Garmin Fenix 7 and Garmin Tactix 7 are excellent smartwatches with a metallic build and fall in the higher price range of Garmin’s list. But both offer excellent battery life, a bigger display, health and fitness features, and more.
Are you wondering which one to choose? Then read our comprehensive comparison of these amazing smartwatches to find the one that fits your needs.
Garmin Fenix 7 vs Tactix 7: Comparison
| Device name | Garmin Fenix 7 | Garmin Tactix 7 |
|---|---|---|
| Device type | Smartwatch | Smartwatch |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Release date | January, 2022 | September, 2023 |
| Versions | Standard edition | Standard edition |
| Body | ||
| Dimension | 47 x 47 x 14.5 mm | 51 x 51 x 14.9 mm |
| Weight | 79 grams | 89 grams |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| Case material | Stainless Steel | Titanium |
| Strap material | Silicone | Silicone |
| Bezel material | Fiber-Reinforced Polymer | Fiber-Reinforced Polymer |
| Strap size | 22 mm | 26 mm |
| Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Sapphire Glass |
| Water resistance | 10 ATM | 10 ATM |
| Swim-proof | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended |
| Display | ||
| Display size | 1.3 inch | 1.4 inch |
| Display type | Transflective Memory-In-Pixel (MIP) | Transflective Memory-In-Pixel (MIP) |
| Display resolution | 260 x 260 pixels | 280 x 280 pixels |
| Pixel density | 283 PPI | 282 PPI |
| Always on | Yes | Yes |
| Custom watch face | Yes | Yes |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Connectivity | ||
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth calling | No | No |
| GPS | Yes | Multi-Band GPS |
| NFC | Garmin Pay | Garmin Pay |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | — | — |
| Internal Storage | 16 GB | 32 GB |
| Memory card slot | No | No |
| Cellular Connectivity | ||
| Technology | None | None |
| SIM type | None | None |
| Band | — | — |
| Sensors | ||
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Altimeter | Yes | Yes |
| Ambient light | No | No |
| Barometer | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | Yes |
| ECG | No | No |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| HRM | No | No |
| Pulse oximeter (SpO2) | Yes | Yes |
| Thermometer | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | ||
| Battery type | non-removable Lithium-polymer | non-removable Lithium-polymer |
| Battery capacity | — | — |
| Battery life | 18 days | 28 days |
| Charging type | Plug Charger | Plug Charger |
| Charging time | 1-2 hours | 1-2 hours |
| Solar charging | No | No |
Price
The Garmin Fenix 7 costs $450 less than the Tactix 7. It has a 47 mm standard version, which is only available in silver with a graphite band and retails for $649 on Garmin’s website.
The Garmin Tactix 7 comes in a 51 mm standard version and is available in black with a silicone band, which costs $1,099 on Garmin’s website.
Both smartwatches come with a silicone band as standard, but they let you choose between Leather, Fabric, and Metal bands according to your style preference and comfort.
Design and Display
Both devices come in a rounded design with visible screw rugs on the front side. The Fenix 7 sports a stainless steel bezel with fiber-reinforced polymer body and Corning Gorilla Glass on top.
In contrast, the Tactix 7 sports a titanium bezel with fiber-reinforced polymer body and a sapphire lens, which provide durability and scratch resistance compared to Corning Gorilla Glass.
Both offer touchscreen support, but this feature gets disabled during sports activities, so for that, they offer five buttons, with two on the right and three on the left, providing ease when wearing gloves or during a workout.
The Fenix 7 measures 47 x 47 x 14.5 mm and weighs 79 grams, while the Tactix 7 measures 51 x 51 x 14.9 mm and weighs 89 grams so it is not the lightest watch from Garmin, so choose the band and size accordingly for comfort.
In terms of display, the Fenix 7 features a 1.3” 283 PPI, 260 x 260 pixles transflective memory-in-pixel display, while the Tactix 7 features a 1.4” 282 PPI, 280 x 280 pixles transflective memory-in-pixel display.
Both have a water rating of 10 ATM and can withstand being submerged underwater up to 100 metres, but avoid deep diving and high pressure jets.
Health and Fitness Tracking
In terms of health tracking, both devices offer a similar set of features, such as a heart rate monitor, a SpO2 (blood oxygen) monitor, a respiration rate monitor, a stress monitor, a body battery energy monitor, hydration, women’s health, a health snapshot, a skin temperature sensor, and a jet lag advisor.
Some basic activity tracking features, including floor climbed, distance travelled, calories burned, step counter, and intensity minutes, are available on both devices.
If we talk about activity tracking, here you are also getting a similar set of sports profiles and recovery features to help you stay at the top of your game. Check out the chart for activity profiles.
| Category | Garmin Fenix 7 | Garmin Tactix 7 |
|---|---|---|
| Gym | Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing, Jump Roping | Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing, Jump Roping |
| Multisport | Swimming/Running, Triathlon | Swimming/Running, Triathlon |
| Wellness | Walking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking | Walking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking |
| Indoor Running | Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual Running | Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual Running |
| Outdoor Running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running, Obstacle Racing | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running, Obstacle Racing |
| Outdoor Recreation | Hiking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Climbing, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Golfing, Disc Golf, Archery | Hiking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Climbing, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Golfing, Disc Golf, Archery |
| Cycling | Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, BMX | Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, BMX |
| Swim | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming |
| Racket Sports | Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball | Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball |
| On The Water | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Surfing, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Fishing, Boating, Sailing, Sail Racing, Water Skiing, Wakeboarding, Wakesurfing, Tubing, Snorkeling, Sailing Expedition, Whitewater | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Surfing, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Fishing, Boating, Sailing, Sail Racing, Water Skiing, Wakeboarding, Wakesurfing, Tubing, Snorkeling, Sailing Expedition, Whitewater |
| Motor Sports | Motorcycling, Overlanding, Motocrossing, ATVing, Snowmobiling | Motorcycling, Overlanding, Motocrossing, ATVing, Snowmobiling |
| Snow & Winter | Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, XC Skate Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing | Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, XC Skate Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing |
| Team Sports | Basketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football/Soccer, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball | Basketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football/Soccer, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball |
| Ring Sports | Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts | Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts |
| Others | Jumpmaster, Tactical, Inline Skating | Jumpmaster, Tactical, Inline Skating |
Now let’s see what you get from these smartwatches. They have on-screen workout animations, muscle maps, and automatic rep counting.
Available training and recovery features include HR zones, recovery time, HRV status, VO2 max, real-time stamina, endurance score, load ratio, training load focus, training effect, virtual partner, and more.
Plus, they offer more features for runners, swimmers, golfers, and cyclists, so if you play these sports, you can choose either of these smartwatches to help you get all the important metrics directly on your wrist.
The Garmin Tactix 7 being the tactical smartwatch, you get some extra set of features such as stealth mode, night vision mode, multiple time zones, in-flight pulse OX, dual grid coordinates, and more.
Additionally, they also have features for ultrarunners and hikers, including back-to-start, tracback, ultratrac mode, reference point, up ahead, elevation profile, GPS coordinates, and so much more.
Smartwatch Features
Here also you are getting similar features such as Connect IQ Store, call, SMS, and email notifications, view images from notifications, morning report, calendar, weather forecasts, battery saver, smartphone music control, find my phone, and find my watch.
One feature where the Garmin Tactix 7 takes the lead is its GPS capabilities. Although both have excellent GPS tracking abilities, the Tactix 7 features multi-band GPS, which is accurate and faster than regular GPS and uses multiple frequencies, decreasing interference in your GPS readings.
But both have Garmin Pay to pay contactlessly for a seamless payment experience. Plus, it lets you steam, download, and listen to music directly from your wrist.
In terms of connectivity, both have Bluetooth, ANT+, and Wi-Fi connectivity, plus both can be synced with a wide range of iOS and Android devices.
Battery Life
If we talk about battery life, the Fenix 7 can last up to 18 days in smartwatch mode, while the Tactix 7 can last for up to 28 days in between charges.
In GPS-only mode, the Fenix 7 can last for up to 57 hours, while the Tactix 7 can last for up to 89 hours, which is excellent for ultrarunners and hikers who go for days before charging. See that chart below for a full comparison.
| Device name | Garmin Tactix 7 | Garmin Fenix 7 |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch Mode | Up to 28 days | Up to 18 days |
| Battery Saver Smartwatch Mode | Up to 90 days | Up to 57 days |
| GPS-Only | Up to 89 hours | Up to 57 hours |
| All Satellite Systems | Up to 63 hours | Up to 40 hours |
| Max Battery GPS | Up to 213 hours | Up to 136 hours |
| Expedition GPS | Up to 62 days | Up to 40 days |
| All-Systems system plus music | Up to 16 hours | Up to 10 hours |
Verdict
As you can see by these comparisons, these are so similar in many aspects but also offer differences, which can help you decide your ideal smartwatch.
Choose the Garmin Fenix 7 if…
You want to save some bucks while having decent battery life, a bigger display, advanced health monitoring, activity tracking, and a durable metallic build.
Choose the Garmin Tactix 7 if…
You don’t have budget restrictions and want a smartwatch with excellent GPS tracking, a bigger display, longer battery life, and a metallic build.
Check out other comparisons below: