The Garmin Fenix 7S has everything I expect from a sports watch, because the watch has a lot of sports and health functions. I also receive my messages on it, which I read on the MIP screen.
Battery and solar function
When I turned on the watch, I immediately saw the battery life at the bottom left: 11 days! I've been testing it for a week now and the battery really does last that long. This while I use all the functions I want. The sun hasn't shone very much in the meantime, so my battery life hasn't extended much. I did see that the Garmin noticed it immediately if there were some sun rays. I saw this in the 'solar intensity' function.
Use watch
I'm super happy with the touchscreen, which allows you to quickly scroll through the Fenix. I did have to get used to all the buttons and what they do exactly. But when you realize this, you can navigate through your watch even faster. You connect your watch to the Garmin Connect App on your smartphone. Here I have customized exactly what I want to see on the watch. So I personalize it to my use. I had to get used to the screen, this is not as bright as my own smartphone screen.
Health measurements
The health measurements are, in my opinion, very accurate. For example, I had a bad night's sleep and I saw that reflected in the sleep report. I also saw this in the Body Battery function: I was not fully charged. This gave me confirmation that I should take it easy and go to bed early instead of going to work out.
Sports features
The Garmin Fenix 7 has a lot of sport profiles. Too much for me, since I can mainly be found in the gym and don't do much outdoor sports. I thought it was a pity that it does not automatically recognize that you are exercising and start a sports profile. So you have to turn it on yourself. You do see your training in your intensity minutes, heart rate and calories burned.
Extension of my smartphone
I put Spotify on the Fenix 7. Unfortunately, you cannot play everything directly from your watch. You must first download lists in your app and put them on your watch. I'm super happy with this: I can work out with music without dragging my smartphone with me. I also receive my messages, app notifications and calendar notifications on the Garmin Fenix 7S.
Note: I tested the Garmin Fenix 7S Solar. The Garmin Fenix 7 models are broadly similar, they have differences such as the solar function or a flashlight.
