The Surprising Utility of the Garmin Fenix 7X LED Flashlight
I hold my hands up. I got this one wrong. In 2022, when Garmin announced the headline feature for the Garmin Fenix 7X was an LED flashlight, I might have had a bit of a chuckle to myself about it.
Since moving to multiple model sizes for its premium outdoor smartwatch, the largest ‘X’ models have quickly come to represent the introduction of exciting, cutting-edge innovations that then start to filter down to the rest of the best Garmin watches. But I wasn’t convinced that a multi-LED flashlight on the top of the watch case was something prospective Garmin watch owners should get excited about.
Garmin claimed it would be a “game-changer for sport, adventure, and daily life.” In the early weeks of testing the 7X, that wasn’t my experience. I had quite quickly written it off as rather gimmicky. The question I kept asking myself was; ‘why would I choose it over reaching for the pretty good LED flashlight I have on my phone?’
(Image credit: Future / Michael Sawh)
It probably wasn’t until I moved out of that testing bubble of a month with the 7X and started simply living with it that my opinion began to change. I found myself using it more and more each week.
Initially, it started to become the flashlight I relied on when trying to quietly hunt down charging cables at night, allowing me to navigate my flat without turning on the main light and risking a telling-off. I didn’t need to rummage for my phone because I already had an exceptionally bright light on my wrist. It became especially handy on darker sections of my nighttime running routes or when helping me find my way back home from the gym. Even in DIY scenarios, it proved less awkward to use than a phone when lining up fixings.
I began to appreciate that Garmin didn’t just slap on a flashlight because it could; they wanted to demonstrate how useful a wrist-based light source could be. Additionally, it offered a strobe feature that could match my running cadence, enhancing visibility. The ability to switch from white to red light provided a less intrusive way to illuminate what lay ahead.
As Garmin expanded the flashlight feature to other models in its range, they continued to evolve its capabilities. Now, when I went out for a run or walk after sunset, the watch prompted me to turn on the strobe mode, reminding me to be seen as day turned into night. Furthermore, a distress mode could display emergency contact information on-screen while flashing an SOS light pattern if set up from the Garmin Connect app.
It’s no surprise that rival watchmakers recognized the utility of this feature. Brands such as Suunto, Coros, Amazfit, and Polar have since developed flashlight-equipped smartwatches, showcasing a shift in industry standards.
(Image credit: Future / Michael Sawh)
Are there any downsides to having a flashlight on a smartwatch? The integration does require additional space on the watch case, which is likely why it has primarily been included on larger, more rugged watches like the Suunto Vertical 2, Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro, and Polar Street X. However, Garmin has successfully incorporated the feature into their slimmer Forerunner and Venu series watches.
Battery life is another consideration. Running the flashlight while simultaneously utilizing GPS and other onboard sensors can contribute to battery drain. Nevertheless, unless you plan to keep it on continuously for extended periods, the resulting battery life drop may not be significant.
How could this flashlight feature become even smarter? Garmin has showcased its ability to integrate with our current environments or times of day. Incorporating further safety features is an obvious avenue, particularly for solo adventurers. Also, innovations like a UV mode or even a light strong enough to start a fire could add to its outdoor appeal. As smartwatch makers strive to enhance display brightness, a brighter built-in flashlight should also be a consideration.
As the market increasingly emphasizes advanced health tracking and scrutinizes metrics, it’s easy to overlook simpler gadgets that enhance a smartwatch’s utility. I now place the LED flashlight in the category of essential features I hope to see on any new smartwatch. Although we haven’t observed one on an Apple Watch Ultra model yet, perhaps it’s on the horizon. I have certainly seen the light, and it has come in the form of a feature I initially thought was a gimmick. How wrong I was.
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