Garmin Fenix 7x Sapphire Solar

Like the Samsung, if your bank isn't supported then use Curve as a proxy. The new samsungs also support Google play.

After three Samsungs I've moved to a Garmin Venu. It doesn't have so many features but it's a better sports watch. There's only so much you can do on a 1" screen anyway so i'd rather have a more reliable gps recorder and better battery life.

There's no Google pay on Garmin, and it doesn't support NatWest - https://www.garmin.com/en-ZA/garminpay/banks/ however you can get around that with a curve card, I do this as none of my banks/credit cards support Google pay contactless on my phone, so instead I use a curve card which has a couple of cards linked, curve does the payment then you can select which card actually has the money taken from it.

Also, coming from a galaxy watch - you need to treat the Garmin as a sports tracker with some basic smart watch capabilities, not a smart watch with sport tracking capabilities.

As a proper sports watch with some smart features, they're brilliant - and I only have a basic forerunner 245. I might upgrade to a fenix 7 solar sapphire next year, or more likely an enduro 2, because... Why not! 😁

Fenix 5x so a couple of generation behind. So non of the pay type bobbins.

It's quite a different product to the Samsung)apple watches. Essentially it's a very specialist sports watch with some smart features lobbed in. Works for me.

Flipping expensive now.

I’ve got the Fenix 7 Solar.
Went back to the Garmin from an Apple Watch. The Apple Watch is a much better smart watch and had some great features clunking Apple Pay, none of which I used.
I prefer the Garmin as it’s a much better sport tracker.

Having had an F6 Sapphire (and sadly losing it at sea) and now an F7 Sapphire Solar as a replacement, I’d say get a 6x Solar. I’m a big fan of the Fenix series and use all the music/pay and many sports apps.

The extra functions of the 7 don’t justify the extra cost, IMHO. I use Revolut and Starling on Garmin Pay and it’s excellent.

Have they uprated the charging facility on the later models - my 5x has developed some temperamental charger plug in issues - keeping the port that is against your wrist clean if you do 'stuff' is a bit of a pita.

Have a 6 sapphire, used for a couple of years now, battery life is brilliant and it’s a great bit of kit, but I’m lucky if I use 10% of what it can do. I would say have a proper think of what you need from a watch and let that lead your choice, or to hell with sensible and just get a fenix because life’s too short and they are cracking!

Garmin 6x here. Brilliant sports watch. Doesn’t work with any of my cards but then I’m an Apple Pay kinda guy and don’t go shopping without my watch so it’s never been an issue.

My partner has an Apple Watch - better in every way as a smart watch but gets charged every night which would be a deal breaker for me. Garmin does everything I need in a sport watch and a million things I don’t need

Have they uprated the charging facility on the later models – my 5x has developed some temperamental charger plug in issues

I started using port covers - but the charging port of my 6 seems much more durable than on my 5 Plus (which had the pins corrode).

If the cable isn't making a very positive connection to the watch, try squeezing the sides of the plug in a little bit - I think they warp slightly over time, and then don't click in as convincingly.

I was looking at the standard 7 when thE Forerunner 955 came out.

I genuinely could not see a reason to spend more then.

I use garmin pay through a starling card, works a treat.

Also take a look at the Epix Gen 2. Same functionality as a Fenix, but with an AMOLED screen which is just lovely.

my 5x has developed some temperamental charger plug in issues

I had issues with this on my Fenix 6. I cleaned the charging port out with the end of a cocktail stick and removed a load of gunk. Worked much better after that.

I’ll have to take a look at port covers for the new one.

Also take a look at the Epix Gen 2. Same functionality as a Fenix, but with an AMOLED screen which is just lovely.

It was a tough choice whether to go with the Epix over the Fenix, part of me thought “sod it, I may as well spend the extra for the Epix” but common sense took over and I went for the Fenix. With hindsight I probably should have just went with the Epix but I’m more than happy with the Fenix.

I've not worn a watch for +15 years, since I smashed my wrist but a pal's pal was selling a spotless basic Fenix 6 at a bargain price, so I took a 'plunge'.

It just works, and works well - battery life is brilliant and it records my rides and all my other data. I don't need/bother with the pay function and TBH I really only use the watch to record, using the App for everything else.

Unsure what the 7 costs, but the £100 I paid for the 6 I'm happy with.

The Fenix line is very good. It’s quite a basic “smart watch” though so do check it does what you want / need it to.
Battery life is particularly good at circa 10 days for my 6 which means that I typically charge it once a week.

The display is quite dim indoors with the payoff being low energy consumption and it’s very readable outdoors. The Epix as mentioned by others looks like a good alternative if you want a brighter display indoors.

Hang fire and wait to see what the new Apple Watch is like (announced next month)

I think I am about 4-5 years in now 5x, 6X Pro Solar, I use at GYM 5 times per wk cycling 2 times per wk and maybe need to charge every 2 -3 weeks. I don't use payment on watches so can't comment but I have found watch and service from Garmin excellent and recently had a warranty change which was completed within 4 days.

The functions and apps are endless my current bike is an Ebike so get all all info on watch including AXS gears, I will certainly get the 7x just waiting for price to go down.

I think whatever model purchased you will be happy with.

Hang fire and wait to see what the new Apple Watch is like

I'm camped firmly with Android I'm afraid