Garmin has extended its watersports range with the Garmin quatix 7 series, designed specifically for boating. Comprised of three different models – the quatix 7, plus Solar and Sapphire versions – the headline features include MFD control and comprehensive integration with Garmin marine electronics, a new touchscreen display alongside button options, and a long-lasting battery. We've actually already tested this watch out – read about it in our Garmin quatix 7 Sapphire review.
It's one of a number of new additions for the Garmin watch lineup this year – we've also seen the arrival of the Venu 2 Plus, Fenix 7, Epix Gen 2 and Instinct 2 joining the range, to name a few.
We were huge fans of this model's predecessor – our tester called it 'the ultimate marine multisport watch' in our Garmin quatix 6X Solar review, and we gave it a spot in our best outdoor watch guide, too – so we were excited to see what this updated model has to offer.
New boat-friendly functions include integration with Garmin chartplotters and other marine electronics, and, when paired with compatible onboard equipment, you can use your quatix 7 to control the boat's autopilot. You'll be able to stream important info such as water depth, engine RPM and wind conditions, directly to your wrist from wherever you are on the boat, and set up anchor drag alarms and tide alerts. More advanced models also offer multi-band GPS for more accurate positioning.
The series comprises three different models: the quatix 7, quatix 7X Solar (which adds solar charging) and quatix 7 Sapphire (with an always-on AMOLED display). While that display does affect battery life a little, which is still an impressively long lasting watch – Garmin promises up to 18 days of juice for the standard model in smartwatch mode, and the Sapphire can reach up to 16 days. As ever, the Solar model can potentially massively extend that (up to 37 days in smartwatch mode).
The quatix 7 Series of course also comes with an absolute boat-load of other fitness and wellness features for use both with other watersports (there are activity profiles for fishing, sailing, sail racing, kayaking and surfing) and when on dry land (health monitoring data, sleep monitoring, profiles for running, cycling, golfing and more). While you're probably only going to consider buying one of these if boating is your bag, those keen sailors who don't want to purchase a separate smartwatch for their regular everyday use should rest assured the quatix 7 will have them covered.
The quatix 7, quatix 7 Sapphire and quatix 7X Solar are available to buy now, with an RRP between £599.99 to £1,049.99, depending on the model.
