The launch of the Garmin EPIX last year was a surprise to everyone. It was a name removed from Garmin’s vast portfolio for over seven years, originally assigned to the brand’s first hands-free navigation device. Then twelve months ago Garmin launched their EPIX Gen 2 watch, offering much of the same health, fitness and navigational features as their popular Fenix 7 model but displaying it all on a crisp AMOLED display. Today, the Garmin EPIX receives another set of upgrades with the launch of the Garmin EPIX Pro. Here’s all the differences between the Garmin EPIX Gen 2 and the Garmin EPIX Gen 2 Pro…
New Case Sizes
On its release last year, the Garmin EPIX was only available in one case size of 47mm. Now the Garmin EPIX Pro delivers two additional case sizes and in turn new colourways for the cases and straps. For smaller wrists, you have the Garmin EPIX Pro 42mm watch done in all-black with a black rubber strap or light gold with a cream nylon or rubber strap. Then there’s the largest Garmin EPIX to date, the Garmin EPIX Pro 51mm which arrives in all-black with a black rubber band or brown leather strap or bare titanium with a white rubber strap. Finally, the middle-ground Garmin EPIX Pro 47mm is available in all-black, bare titanium or carbon grey titanium.
Longer Battery Life
As is the case with the largest Garmin Fenix 7X watches, the new 51mm Garmin EPIX Pro watches deliver an even longer battery life than their smaller counterparts. While the 47mm model offers 16 days of charge in smartwatch mode, 21 days in Battery Saver Mode and 42 hours in GPS Only, the Garmin EPIX Pro 51mm offers up to 31 days in smartwatch mode, 41 days in Battery Saver Mode and 82 hours in GPS Only. Following this pattern, the Garmin EPIX Pro 42mm watch has a slightly shorter battery life promising 10 days of charge in smartwatch mode, up to 14 days in Battery Saver Mode and 28 hours in GPS Only.
Built-in LED Flashlight for all Case Sizes
A completely new feature for the Garmin EPIX Pro is the multi-LED flashlight cleverly integrated into the side of the case. This handy illuminating tool was originally equipped onto the Garmin Fenix 7X last year, but Garmin have quickly realised that smartwatch wearers of all wrist sizes require an on-the-go flashlight. With just a single tap of the watch, a bright white light will extend out from the side of the EPIX Pro’s watch case so you can light up the ground ahead of you during late night adventures. There’s also several modes and options to play around with including brightness levels, an SOS mode for signalling for help and a “Strobe” mode for running.
Hill Score
Another new feature from Garmin for the EPIX Pro smartwatch is Hill Score. This handy app allows you to strategize when preparing to run a course or a race, giving you more understanding into your uphill running capabilities. It assesses your uphill running progress overtime based on your VO2 max and training history and measures your running strength on steep ascents and running endurance on long ascents. It then combines all of this data to provide a score based on your performance over time.
Endurance Score
Likewise, the new Garmin EPIX Pro watches also debut a new Endurance Score feature. Similar to Hill Score, this app uses training data from your workouts to help you understand how training impacts your overall endurance. It uses your VO2 max, short-term/long-term training loads and other factors to gauge your fitness progress. Higher scores indicate more capacity for longer performances.
Jet Lag Advisor
Originally introduced in the Garmin MARQ 2 watch collection earlier this year, Garmin’s Jet Lag Advisor is added to the EPIX watch for the first time in the Garmin EPIX Pro. This feature is a must-have for anyone who frequently travels to different time zones, working to help minimise the effects of jet lag. It offers you advice on light exposure, sleep and exercise to get your sleep cycle back on track. You simply enter your travel details into the Garmin Connect smartphone app and monitor your body clock as it adjusts to your new destination.
Wrist Based Running Power + Heart Rate Sensor Upgrade
The Garmin EPIX Pro smartwatches also feature Garmin’s Gen 5 wrist-based heart rate monitor which is upgraded to give you optimised performance in whatever sport you’re doing. The feature is also integrated with a new running power feature which taps into metrics such as pace, vertical oscillation, grade and even local wind conditions to calculate the amount of power you’re applying to the ground as you run. That way, you can manage your effort and fine-tune your training to get the most out of your run.
Track More Activities
There was already a long list of trackable activities within the Garmin EPIX watch but somehow, the Garmin EPIX Pro delivers even more. Alongside preloaded activity profiles for swimming, cycling, running, yoga, climbing, paddleboarding and skiing, you’ll also spot several new team sports added such as football and racquet sports.
Outdoor Maps +
The Garmin EPIX Pro watches can be used alongside an optional subscription to Outdoor Maps+ offering access to premium mapping (USA coverage only) and satellite imagery (global coverage) downloaded directly to your watch. This gives you photorealistic maps on your device so you can see a high-resolution perspective from above. You’ll be able to find land features that matter to you and mark waypoints.
Red Shift Mode
Finally, the new Garmin EPIX Pro watch collection comes with a new Red Shift Mode which allows you to change the colours of the display to shades of red. This is useful for those adventuring out in darker conditions or for those who want to reduce sleep cycle disturbance.
| | Garmin EPIX Gen 2 | Garmin EPIX Gen 2 Pro (42mm) | Garmin EPIX Gen 2 Pro (47mm) | Garmin EPIX Gen 2 Pro (51mm) |
| Case Size & Material | 47mm, fibre-reinforced polymer with titanium rear cover | 42mm, fibre-reinforced polymer with steel rear cover | 47mm, fibre-reinforced polymer with steel rear cover | 51mm, fibre-reinforced polymer with steel rear cover |
| Strap | Silicone or leather | Silicone or nylon | Silicone or leather | Silicone or leather |
| RRP | £849.99 | £929.99 | £929.99 | £999.99 |
| Lens Material | AMOLED | AMOLED | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | Up to 16 days in smartwatch mode | Up to 10 days in smartwatch mode | Up to 16 days in smartwatch mode | Up to 31 days in smartwatch mode |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres | 100 metres | 100 metres | 100 metres |
| Memory | 32GB | 32GB | 32GB | 32GB |
| Screen resolution | 416 x 416 pixels | 390 x 390 pixels | 416 x 416 pixels | 454 x 454 pixels |
| Wrist heart rate monitor | ✔️ Gen 4 | ✔️ Gen 5 | ✔️ Gen 5 | ✔️ Gen 5 |
| Wrist-based running power | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Pulse Ox | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Women’s Health Tracking | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| GPS, GLONASS & Galileo | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Multi-Frequency Positioning | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Barometric Altimeter | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Battery Saver Mode | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Music Storage | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Garmin Pay | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Smart Notifications | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Flashlight Feature | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| HIIT Workout Profile | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Hill Score | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Endurance Score | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Pace Pro Technology | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Golf Features | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Running Features | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Up Ahead | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Cycles Features | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Swimming Features | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Daily Workout Suggestions | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Visual Race Predictor | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| ClimbPro | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Real Time Stamina | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Recovery Time Advisor | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Multi-Contintent TopoActive Maps | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Power Manager | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Body Battery Energy Monitor | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Jet Lag Advisor | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Red Shift Mode | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
