Garmin's Fenix 7S Sapphire Solar makes the case for smaller fitness watches

    Multisport smartwatches are the best option for training or outdoor activities. But it's too large. So I was genuinely surprised when these problems were solved by testing the surprisingly wearable $899.99 Garmin Fenix 7S Sapphire Solar.

    Fit is an underrated factor when people pick a smartwatch. It’s easy (and more fun) to get carried away poring over features, aesthetics, and performance. Garmin watch stands out as one of the few smartwatch brands that offer oodles of options for each product line. There are 16 watches in the Fenix 7 lineup. The 7S is the smallest at 42mm, while the 7 measures 47mm, and the 7X is a whopping 51mm. You can also opt for standard, Solar, or Sapphire Solar versions with more premium materials. Style-wise, they all come in a wide color range to suit different aesthetics.

    The 7S’ has smaller, It didn’t catch your sleeves or distract you during workouts. you could comfortably wear it all night. The 7S was more pleasant to wear.

    The Garmin 7S Sapphire Solar is lightweight at 58 grams, but the stainless steel standard and solar versions are only 5g heavier.

    Garmin 7S got a built-in multi-band GPS, has continuous heart rate monitoring and SpO2 sensors, and just about every health and fitness tracking feature that doesn’t require FDA clearance. You also get safety features like Garmin’s Incident Detection, which works with a paired phone to call emergency contacts in case something happens to you. Topographic maps come preloaded.

    Garmin’s also bolstering the smart capabilities in their watches. The 7S supports Garmin Pay, alarms, timers, onboard music storage, support for music apps including Spotify, and better watch faces via the Garmin Connect IQ store. That said, expect some limitations. For instance, you won’t get LTE connectivity, a voice assistant, or the ability to take calls from the wrist. (This is even though Garmin has introduced these features on other smartwatches). Crucially, the Fenix 7S adds a touchscreen.

    Touchscreens are divisive among fitness nerds. They are more intuitive for looking at maps, tapping widgets, and scrolling through menus. (Plus, you don’t have to memorize what button does what!) But they do not work reliably underwater and are easily foiled by sweat or gloves. Don’t worry about it, Garmin opted for a hybrid approach as the 7S also has physical buttons. There are also neat flourishes, like button guards to prevent accidental presses. You can also easily disable the touchscreen during a workout from the settings menu.