Expert review Garmin Fenix 7 Pro

The Fenix 7 Pro is available in 3 sizes. I tested the smallest model, the 42mm Garmin Fenix 7S Pro Solar. This smartwatch feels a lot lighter than its predecessor. The 7S fits well on my small wrist, but I do find it a bit thick. That took some getting used to. The Fenix 7 Pro has lots of similarities to the Epix Pro. Want to read more about what these Garmin smartwatches can do? Read my review of the Garmin Epix Pro as well.

The battery life of the Fenix 7 Pro Solar smartwatches is already long, but you can extend it even more thanks to the solar cell in the screen. The longer I keep the watch in the sun, the slower the battery drains. With the solar intensity function, I can see how much sunlight my watch receives. Unfortunately, you can't see exactly how much battery percentage you gain with this. I was in the sun often for 3 days in a row and the battery percentage didn't decrease. That's how I saw that solar charging worked.

While swimming, the Fenix 7 Pro reads my laps, distance, and the way I swim. I can also read my heart rate accurately under water. With the new functions hill score and endurance score, I get insight into my performance on hills and my endurance after running. With this, I can improve my workouts and my performance. After 2 weeks, I got my first scores. I was surprised that I didn't even have the worst level! Of course we don't have many high hills in the Netherlands, but bridges and tunnels count too.

Only the 7X models used to have the flashlight function. Now, all models have it. I use the white light when I look for something in my storage room. The light in my laundry room was broken, so I hung up the laundry with the flashlight on. The red light is useful if you don't want the light to be too bright. The Fenix 7 Pro also has a night mode. All letters on the screen are red in this mode, and the screen isn't as bright. This is better for your eyes if you look at your smartwatch in the dark.