The new Amazfit T-Rex 2 is Zepp's latest smartwatch meant for the outdoors, and it goes up against the equally rugged Garmin Fenix 7. The T-Rex series is Amazfit's line of rugged smartwatches which was first announced in January 2020 at CES. In March 2021, the company released the T-Rex Pro as a follow-up to the first model.
Rugged smartwatches are designed for those who favor outdoor activities such as rock climbing, skiing, hiking, mountain biking, and parkour. Considering these activities can be intense, a smartwatch with more protection is a better option, allowing it to survive shocks and sometimes extreme environments. Brands such as Casio, Garmin, and Polar already cater to this group. There are even reports that Apple may launch a rugged version of the Apple Watch.
Like many rugged smartwatches, the Amazfit T-Rex 2 and the Garmin Fenix 7 are larger than regular models. Both wearables have near-identical dimensions, with the T-Rex 2 measuring 47.1 mm in diameter and 13.65 mm in thickness and the Fenix 7 measuring 47 mm in width and 14.5 mm in thickness. However, the Amazfit is lighter at 66.5 grams, while the Fenix 7 weighs 79 grams. The difference in weight can be attributed to the choice of materials used. The T-Rex 2 has a glass-covered display and polymer alloy case. On the other hand, the Fenix 7 has a Gorilla Glass-protected display, stainless steel/titanium bezel, fiber-reinforced polymer case, and metal rear cover. The Amazfit T-Rex 2 is available in Astro Black & Gold, Ember Black, Wild Green, and Desert Khaki colors. Garmin sells the Fenix 7 in three variants – a Standard version that's available in Silver, a Solar version that comes in Gray, and a Sapphire Solar version that can be purchased in Carbon Gray, Mineral Blue, and Black.
Amazfit T-Rex 2 Is The Affordable Option
The Amazfit T-Rex 2 has a bigger and sharper 1.39-inch 454 × 454 AMOLED display, compared to the 1.3-inch 260 × 260 transflective display of the Fenix 7. Furthermore, the T-Rex 2 has always-on display support and a brightness level of up to 1,000 nits. Both smartwatches have a heart rate sensor and support all-day blood oxygen level measurement, in addition to sleep tracking and women's health tracking. Garmin goes further by adding body battery energy monitoring, respiration tracking, and hydration tracking. In terms of activity tracking, the T-Rex 2 has support for over 150 sports modes. The Fenix 7, on the other hand, doesn't boast as many modes but covers more than the basics. The Fenix 7 has an advantage over the T-Rex 2 with built-in storage, which is either 16GB or 32GB depending on the model. Both watches have a 10 ATM water-resistance rating.
Zepp and Garmin have equipped their smartwatches with GNSS support but the Amazfit T-Rex 2 should offer better location tracking as it uses a dual-band module and supports five satellite positioning systems. The Fenix 7 supports only three satellite positioning systems. Users of the T-Rex 2 will be able to import routes using the companion app and see their movement in real-time on the watch. The direct return navigation mode allows users easily find their way back to their starting point via the shortest straight line. Garmin also allows users to import routes but takes things further with preloaded topographic maps, SkiView maps, and up to 42,000 maps of different golf courses around the world.
Users will find similar sensors across the board such as an accelerometer, altimeter, barometer, compass, and gyroscope. However, only the Fenix 7 has a thermometer. It is also the only one with NFC (payment support) and Wi-Fi. In terms of battery life, the Amazfit T-Rex 2 can run for 24 days, and this can be extended to 45 days with battery saver mode. Heavy usage brings the battery life down to 10 days. In contrast, the Fenix 7 has 18-day battery life for the standard version (22 days for the solar models), and activating battery saver mode will see it last up to 57 days (173 days for the solar models). Zepp ships its smartwatch with Zepp OS which has third-party app support (including a GoPro app) but it pales in comparison to the apps available for the Fenix 7 which also runs a proprietary operating system. The two watches are compatible with both Android and iOS devices.
Clearly, the Fenix 7 is the better rugged smartwatch, thanks to its premium build and additional features. However, the T-Rex 2 one-ups it in terms of display and a higher number of supported sports modes. It is also significantly cheaper with a $230 price tag. On the other hand, Garmin charges $700 for the Standard version of the Fenix 7, $800 for the Solar version, and $900 for the Sapphire Solar edition. What's more, Zepp is bundling all orders of the T-Rex 2 with a free Amazfit Smart Scale which is worth $50.