The Apple Watch Extremely might have satisfied some outdoorsy sorts to change from their Forerunner or Fenix, however Garmin could possibly be about to battle again once more with a flagship successor to its strongest sports activities watch, the Garmin Epix 2. 

In accordance with rumors from The5KRunner (opens in new tab) and Devices & Wearables (opens in new tab), a Garmin Epix 2 Professional is more likely to arrive by the tip of Might, with the information coming courtesy of leaks from Garmin resellers and a few current regulatory filings. 

And whereas the replace will possible be a comparatively minor one, a number of new options might make it an excellent stronger Apple Watch Extremely rival than the present Epix 2. Firstly, the Epix 2 Professional might get a bigger show that matches the 1.4-inch AMOLED we have seen on the Garmin Forerunner 965.

That may nonetheless put Garmin’s new watch behind the Watch Extremely’s wonderful 1.92-inch display screen (which has a brightness of two,000 nits), however the Epix 2 Professional might trump its Apple rival in different methods. 

On the fitness-tracking entrance, for instance, the brand new Epix will possible choose up most of the options we have seen more moderen on the Forerunner 965, like Coaching Load Ratio and Operating Dynamics. The latter helps you to observe and analyze your operating approach while not having an additional sensor like an HRM heart-rate monitor.

Sadly, it does not sound just like the Epix 2 Professional will include any new sensors that we have not seen on its predecessor of the Garmin Fenix 7, however the rumors counsel {that a} flashlight could possibly be included on the biggest mannequin. Talking of which, it appears possible that the Epix 2 Professional can even be obtainable in three case sizes (42mm, 47mm, and 51mm), with the present Epix 2 solely obtainable within the 47mm choice.

After all, these are all simply rumors proper now, however the imminent arrival of an Epix 2 Professional, with some comparatively modest updates, presently appears extra possible than a Garmin Fenix 8, which we aren’t anticipating to see till early 2024. 

Naturally, the Epix 2 Professional is predicted to be expensive, with The5KRunner predicting costs of €950 (round $1,050 / £840 / AU$1,575) for the 42mm model, €1,050 (round $1,150 / £930 / AU$1,740) for the 47mm model and €1,150 ($1,270 / £1,015 / AU$1,900) for the 51mm mannequin. 

If you’d like probably the most premium sports activities watches round, there can even be the same old Sapphire variations obtainable for a small markup when the Epix 2 Professional possible arrives in late Might or mid-June.

Evaluation: A small however promising Epix replace

Simply as Apple has moved into Garmin territory with the Watch Extremely, the very best Garmin watches have equally adopted smartwatch options to make them higher all-rounders – and the Garmin Epix 2 Professional could possibly be its strongest thus far.

After all, it might be overkill for many individuals, with beginner-friendly fashions just like the Venu 2 or Forerunner 45 sitting on the reverse finish of its lineup. However when you’re in search of a high-end sports activities watch and have a tendency to do most of your train within the gymnasium, slightly than on day-long hikes, then the brand new Epix could possibly be a superb various to the Garmin Fenix 7. 

We nonetheless price the Apple Watch Extremely as the most effective smartwatches you should buy, and it could possibly be the higher alternative when you’re predominantly in search of a smartwatch that has tons of apps and a surprising display screen. 

However the place Garmin watches nonetheless come into their very own is with the depth of their health options, like the superb Morning Report, and the Epix 2 Professional will possible get most of the ones we have seen on the Forerunner 965. Garmin watches additionally are likely to have extra buttons, that are higher than touchscreens in lots of health eventualities, and connect with an enormous vary of coaching tools utilizing ANT+ and Bluetooth BLE sensors.

On condition that our Garmin Epix 2 evaluate referred to as it “the final word sports activities watch” that’s “implausible for navigation”, we’re wanting ahead to seeing its rumored Professional successor and taking it for a spin in our cross-training periods.

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