Uncompromised and trendy
The Garmin Venu 3 launched in mid-2023 as a testing floor for brand new options like Sleep Teaching, nap detection, and an enhanced Physique Battery metric. Since then, it has added ECG and pores and skin temperature readings, plus some Forerunner instruments like operating kind evaluation. Not solely is it a wonderful watch, however it’s additionally liable to get higher over time because of Garmin’s updates.
For
- Fashionable, thin-bordered AMOLED in two sizes
- Mic & speaker built-in
- ECG and pores and skin temperature
- Restoration time and enhanced Physique Battery
- 30 further sports activities modes
- Third button for shortcuts
- Wheelchair mode
In opposition to
- Practically twice the worth
- Thicker and heavier
- Venu 3S has worse battery life
Mid-range high quality
Despite the fact that the 2022 Venu Sq 2 preceded lots of the new options above, it nonetheless has the necessities you’d need in a Garmin watch: above-average GPS and coronary heart price accuracy, an 11-day battery life, Garmin Coach, and customized exercises. Plus, you get an AMOLED show as an alternative of the boring MIPs widespread to low-cost Garmin watches. Nonetheless, be prepared for compromise in comparison with the Venu 3.
For
- Skinny and light-weight for Garmin watch
- Pixel-rich AMOLED
- Similar GPS accuracy, battery life as Venu 3
- Correct Elevate v4 sensor
In opposition to
- No altimeter, gyroscope, ECG, or pores and skin temperature
- Should pay $50 further for music, wi-fi
- Squircle design could also be polarizing
The Garmin Venu 3 seems to be incredible, has a ton of latest tips and upgrades for the fashionable athlete, and provides you the mic/speaker combo it’s essential to take cellphone calls in your wrist. It is also fairly costly in comparison with your typical watch!
Athletes used to purchasing low-cost squircle trackers may look as an alternative on the Venu Sq 2 — or the Venu Sq 2 Music Version — and hope they’ll get away with the mid-range possibility, whereas nonetheless getting these candy Garmin metrics and coaching instruments.
So, must you purchase the Venu 3, the most effective mainstream Garmin watch with only a few compromises? Or must you select the Venu Sq 2, which our reviewer known as the “Goldilocks smartwatch” for its balanced method?
Holding these with frugal budgets in thoughts, let’s break down the Garmin Venu 3 vs. Sq 2 Music to see how they examine in consolation, sensors, battery, options, and different areas so you may make an knowledgeable buy.
Garmin Venu 3 vs. Venu Sq 2: Design and show
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| Class | Garmin Venu 3 / 3S | Garmin Venu Sq 2 Music |
|---|---|---|
| Show | 1.4-inch (454×454) or 1.2-inch (390×390) AMOLED touchscreen | 1.41-inch (320 x 360) AMOLED touchscreen |
| Materials | Fiber-reinforced polymer | Fiber-reinforced polymer |
| Bezel | Chrome steel | Anodized aluminum |
| Dimensions | 45 x 45 x 12mm; 41 x 41 x 12mm | 40.6 x 37.0 x 11.1mm |
| Weight | 47g; 40g | 38g |
| Fast launch bands | 22mm; 18mm | 20mm |
| Safety | 5ATM; Gorilla Glass 3 | 5ATM; Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Colours | 3: Silver/ Whitestone; Slate/ Black; 3S: Slate/ Pebble Gray; Silver/ Sage Gray; Smooth Gold/ French Grey, Mud Rose, or Ivory. | Cream Gold with French Grey; Peach Gold with Ivory; Slate with Black |
Each the Venu 3 and Venu Sq 2 stray from the standard Garmin watch look, however the Sq 2 is very so. Because the title implies, it has a squircle look that can attraction to followers of the Apple Watch or low-cost health trackers just like the Amazfit GTS 4 Mini.
Its display screen measurement and sq. form depart loads of room for widgets and notifications, and it has a excessive 341ppi ratio for dense textual content. It has an aluminum bezel across the show as an alternative of the same old fiber-reinforced polymer, which could make it much less sturdy but in addition look extra “regular.”
For comparability, the rounded Venu 3 and 3S design offer you a extra “conventional” smartwatch look, particularly because of the stainless-steel bezel giving it seen class and texture. Nobody would mistake this for a hybrid watch, however it’s nonetheless extra doubtless to attract glances than the extra generic Sq 2.
Each Venu watches rely totally on touchscreen controls, missing the Up/Down buttons you’d get on a Garmin Forerunner or Intuition. As our Venu Sq 2 reviewer put it, this “is not very sensible” when your fingertips get sweaty throughout a exercise, particularly when in comparison with watches with a rotating bezel or digital crown.
Whereas the Venu Sq 2 has two buttons — one for choosing and beginning exercises, and one for going again or beginning a brand new lap — the Venu 3 provides a 3rd button totally for shortcuts. You’ll be able to choose your favourite instrument like music controls or your cellphone’s assistant, and at all times have or not it’s one faucet or maintain away. Plus, they’ve a metallic end that goes with the Venu 3’s elegant look.
You additionally get the selection of two show sizes: the 1.4-inch Venu 3 or the 1.2-inch Venu 3S, which has the identical worth and options. Each hit about 320ppi, which is fairly normal for high-end watches. And there is little or no wasted area across the border, whereas the Venu Sq 2 has a thick black border and fewer pixels.
The Venu Sq 2’s primary design perk is how skinny it’s, in comparison with your typical Garmin watch. Most are within the 13–15mm vary, jutting out out of your wrist. The Venu 3 additionally falls below common at 12mm, however the 11.1mm Venu Sq 2 is lighter than the 1.2-inch Venu 3S, not to mention the Venu 3.
Past that, each the Venu 3 and Venu Sq 2 have loads of fashionable shade choices, a sweat-wicking silicone band with a Fast Launch mechanism for simple swaps, and 5ATM water resistance.
Garmin Venu 3 vs. Sq 2: {Hardware} and battery life
| Class | Garmin Venu 3 | Garmin Venu Sq 2 Music |
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Elevate 5 HRM with ECG and pores and skin temperature; Pulse Ox (SpO2); accelerometer; ambient mild sensor; barometric altimeter; compass; gyroscope | Elevate v4 HRM, Pulse Ox (SpO2), accelerometer, ambient mild sensor, compass |
| GNSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO |
| Accuracy modes | All-Programs GNSS or GPS solely | All-Programs GNSS or GPS solely |
| Connectivity | Garmin Pay (NFC), Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi | Garmin Pay (NFC), Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi |
| Music storage | 8GB | 4GB |
| Mic & speaker | Sure | No |
| Battery (Smartwatch) | 3: 14 days; 3S: 10 days | 11 days |
| Battery (All the time-on show) | 3: 5 days; 3S: 5 days | 3 days |
| Battery (GPS solely) | 3: 26 hours; 3S: 21 hours | 26 hours |
| Battery (All-Programs GNSS) | 3: 20 hours; 3S: 15 hours | 20 hours |
Earlier than we proceed with the Venu 3 vs. Venu Sq 2 comparability, let’s briefly clarify how the Venu Sq 2 and Sq 2 Music examine in {hardware}: They’ve just about equivalent, however solely the Music version has music storage (clearly) and Wi-Fi connectivity. Even should you do not want on-watch music, wi-fi assist makes downloading updates or syncing with Garmin Join considerably quicker. If you are able to do with out, although, the Venu Sq 2 is a cut price for what it presents at $250.
The Venu 3 has considerably higher {hardware} than the cheaper Venu Sq 2, because it ought to for $200 extra. However let’s begin with the squircle watch’s upsides, resembling the truth that it has the identical All-Programs GNSS assist for triangulating your place utilizing a number of satellite tv for pc methods.
Neither is as correct because the Forerunner 265 or different dual-band GPS watches, however solely the Venu 3 is priced comparably to these; at $250, the Venu Sq 2 primarily competes towards GPS-only watches, giving it the sting.
By way of battery life, they rating identically for GPS-only monitoring (26 hours) and All-Programs monitoring (20 hours), whereas the Venu 3 pulls forward by three days in smartwatch mode and 4 hours when streaming music and monitoring your place (11 vs. seven hours). In comparison with the proportionally sized Venu 3S, although, the Venu Sq 2 wins in most classes in addition to AOD mode.
Now, we begin stating the Venu 3’s perks. The primary and most blatant one is the built-in mic and speaker for Bluetooth calls or voice assistant passthrough out of your cellphone. There is no LTE assist or correct watch instructions, and our Venu 3 reviewer famous that the speaker high quality is on the “quiet and tinny” aspect, however that it “works in a pinch” and the mic high quality is nice.
For well being monitoring, the Venu 3 has the latest-gen Elevate sensor that helps handbook ECG readings for AFib detection and passive pores and skin temperature readings at night time that issue into your Sleep Rating and probably spot sicknesses. The Venu Sq 2, with its Elevate v4, does have fairly correct coronary heart price knowledge, fortunately, however it lacks the flexibility to measure Coronary heart Fee Variance (HRV) throughout sleep.
A extra problematic lacking characteristic for out of doors athletes is the Venu Sq 2’s lack of an altimeter for judging flooring climbed or the impact of elevation in your tracked outcomes. Â Plus, it is lacking a gyroscope for extra correct wrist motion knowledge that the Venu 3 makes use of to investigate your operating kind and energy.
Lastly, should you’re shopping for the Venu Sq 2 Music Version for, nicely, music, remember the fact that the Venu 3 has twice the space for storing. In any other case, although, you are getting a reasonably related {hardware} expertise. The actual variations, unsurprisingly, come right down to software program options.
Garmin Venu 3 vs. Venu Sq 2: Options and software program
| Class | Software program |
|---|---|
| Accessible on Venu 3 and Sq 2 Music | Physique Battery, sleep monitoring/ rating, Well being Snapshot, stress monitoring, menstrual cycle monitoring, Health Age, breathwork / respiration monitoring, customized exercises w/ 1,600 train varieties, Garmin Coach, Depth Minutes, music playback controls, |
| Solely out there on Venu 3 | Enhanced Physique Battery, Morning Report, Sleep Coach, nap detection, ECG readings, pores and skin temperature, passthrough voice assistant, Bluetooth calling, Jet Lag advisor, Meditation, wheelchair mode, wrist-based operating dynamics & energy, HRV standing, Purple Shift mode, Restoration time widget, exercise profit (restricted) |
| Sports activities profiles on each watches | Working, Treadmill Working, Indoor Observe Working, Strolling, Pilates, Yoga, Power, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Coaching, Stair Stepping, Indoor Rowing, Biking, Indoor Biking, Pool Swimming, Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Snowboarding, Snowboarding, XC Traditional Snowboarding, Disc Golf |
| Unique sports activities profiles on Venu 3 | Ground Climbing, Mountaineering, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Handcycling, Indoor Handcycling, Open Water Swimming, Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Desk Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball, Snowshoeing, Basketball, Volleyball, Discipline Hockey, Ice Hockey, Soccer/Soccer, American Soccer, Lacrosse, Rugby, Final Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball, Boxing, Blended Martial Arts |
The Garmin Venu Sq 2 has 21 core actions that talk to what most on a regular basis individuals will monitor for actions, particularly health club or at-home exercises. With the Venu 3’s 30 further sports activities profiles, although, you get actions that actually want an altimeter (Mountaineering, Climbing) or gyroscope (all of the ball and racket sports activities). I assume the latter additionally is available in helpful for the wonderful Venu 3 wheelchair mode.
You’ll be able to see within the desk above that the Venu Sq 2 has the Garmin software program necessities associated to well being monitoring and the flexibility to observe customized exercises, both indoors or open air (through Garmin Coach).
The place it falls particularly brief is within the Venu 3’s new smarts. For instance, whereas the Venu Sq 2 has Physique Battery, the Venu 3 has an enhanced model from 2023 that particularly reveals what actions elevate and decrease your rating, from naps or lengthy sedentary durations to powerful exercises or high-stress durations.
Equally, whereas the Venu Sq 2 provides you a sleep “rating” grading your sleep high quality, you do not get the brand new Sleep Coach guiding you on how to enhance your sleep high quality, nor the HRV (stress) and pores and skin temperature knowledge to get a extra correct rating.
Despite the fact that the Venu 3 is not a real operating watch — you’ll be able to see our Venu 3 vs. Forerunner 265 information on all of the operating instruments the Venu 3 lacks by comparability — it does have necessities like operating energy, operating kind evaluation, a considerably obscure exercise profit abstract after you end a run, and a restoration time estimate for the way lengthy to attend till the following one.
That final perk is very helpful for self-guided athletes, which can push you away from the Venu Sq 2. However you’ll be able to at all times make do by judging your individual tiredness for your self. It is determined by what sort of athlete you’re; for some, the Venu Sq 2’s means to log your energy burned, reps accomplished, and distance traveled might be greater than sufficient. For others, the Venu 3 — our decide for the greatest health smartwatch throughout manufacturers — has extra bells and whistles to encourage you to work more durable.
Garmin Venu 3 vs. Sq 2 vs. Sq 2 Music: Which must you purchase?
Assuming that we’re evaluating the Venu 3 and Venu Sq 2 Music version, you’ll be able to see the laundry listing of upgrades you get for paying $150 further. Relying in your socioeconomic scenario, that could possibly be doable or approach an excessive amount of, the distinction alone equaling the price of a good health tracker.
In comparison with these, the Venu Sq 2 is a incredible possibility, providing you with a critical improve with its Garmin instruments. That is why it is the “Goldilocks possibility” between dear Garmin timepieces and low-cost bands that will not final.
However it’s additionally honest to say {that a} Venu 3 would in all probability final you a yr or two longer than the Venu Sq 2, what with its extra superior well being sensors and post-launch updates. It isn’t going to really feel outdated anytime quickly. So the distinction in value is negated considerably by the Venu 3’s longevity.
As of publication, the Venu 3 and Venu Sq 2 each sit on our listing of the greatest Garmin watches, so you are not making a foul selection both approach. Should you can afford it, although, the Venu 3 is the clear selection, with the Venu 3S as a good compromise should you’re tempted by the Venu Sq 2’s petite design.
Trendy and feature-packed
Select the Garmin Venu 3 if you would like cutting-edge Garmin software program and sensors, together with a extra conventional watch-like design. Skip it for the Venu Sq 2 should you’re on a strict finances.
Affordably dependable
Select the Venu Sq 2 for a similar core options, battery life, and GPS accuracy because the Venu 3 in a extra reasonably priced bundle. Skip it if you would like extra than simply the Garmin necessities.
