Garmin’s Venu lineup is a paradox: it is a testing floor for its latest and most enjoyable options and upgrades, but additionally extra generic than its siblings in an try and attraction to mainstream consumers. The Garmin Venu was its first AMOLED watch, the Venu Sq its first squircle design, and the Venu 2 Plus the primary so as to add a mic & speaker. The Garmin Venu 3 follows that experimental template to a T.
The Venu 3 announcement intrigued us with new instruments like Sleep Teaching tech with nap detection, guided meditation, wheelchair mode, a better UI, and a revamped Elevate v5 sensor able to ECG readings and pores and skin temperature readings (although the latter remains to be dormant). It additionally snagged the mic and speaker from the Venu 2 Plus.
On the identical time, the Venu 3 lags behind comparably-priced Garmin watches for particular coaching instruments whereas additionally falling behind your typical smartwatch for cellphone connectivity, mobile help, or basic smarts. It is a jack-of-all-trades however grasp of none.
My Garmin Venu 3 evaluate will attempt to converse to each potential audiences: Garmin followers contemplating the extra mainline Venu over its specialised siblings and mainstream smartwatch customers deciding whether or not to go away their Apple or Galaxy Watches behind to enhance their health.
Garmin Venu 3: Worth and availability
The Garmin Venu 3 and Venu 3S launched in August 2023 for $450 / £450 / €499. Priced $50 greater than the Venu 2 sequence, it matches the Venu 2 Plus, which first added a mic and speaker to the Venu lineup. Which means you need to solely think about it a worth improve when you’re tired of Bluetooth calls and voice assistant instructions.
You may primarily discover the Venu 3 on mainstream tech websites like Amazon, Greatest Purchase, and Goal, in addition to fanatic websites like REI and Crutchfield. Though new Garmin watches not often go on sale for the primary 12 months or so, we have already seen the Venu 3 dip about $25 off, so preserve a watch out for offers when you’re unwilling to pay full worth.
Garmin Venu 3: Design and bands
Garmin not often rocks the boat with its watch designs. The Venu 3 seems similar to your typical Forerunner, solely about 1mm thinner and tapering down in the direction of the sensor array extra rapidly. In different phrases, it is much less cumbersome and barely extra svelte than your typical Garmin watch, making it extra comfy for sleep monitoring.
Its three buttons, two lower than the Garmin normal, commerce their normal thick, plastic type for narrower metallic buttons that look unbelievable however lose usability. You must be extra deliberate in urgent them. The highest and backside buttons carry out their normal Garmin OS features, like beginning a exercise or backing out of menus, whereas the center button has two customizable shortcuts for pulling up the assistant, music controls, or different instruments.
Typically talking, the Venu 3 is barely extra touch-dependent than your typical Garmin as a result of lack of Up/Down buttons, which may show a little bit of an issue throughout exercises in case your fingertips get sweaty. For on a regular basis use, the 1.4-inch touchscreen is sort of responsive with stunning display transitions, however the lack of a crown or bezel does imply having to swipe via all the pieces.
A lot of the greatest Garmin watches use hardened plastic materials that retains the burden down and GPS indicators flowing freely however offers them a considerably low cost look from the aspect. The speaker slits on the left aspect additionally stand out starkly — at the very least on my Whitestone mannequin.
When you can combat your vainness, although, the Venu 3’s stainless-steel bezel helps it look unbelievable from the highest down, so you will take pleasure in it even when it is not a standing image to others from the aspect.
Venu 3 consumers can select between Silver bezel / Whitestone case & band and Slate bezel / Black case & band. Venu 3S consumers have extra choices: Slate with Pebble Gray, Silver with Sage Grey, and Mushy Gold with French Grey, Mud Rose, or Ivory.
Talking of the Venu 3S, its show is 0.2 inches smaller and weighs 7g much less. It lasts 4 days much less in normal smartwatch mode — although the identical 5 days in always-on show mode — and 5 hours much less in GPS mode. All different options are the identical, however you sacrifice battery and show house for consolation on smaller wrists.
Whichever you select, one design alternative I really like with the Venu 3 is its Fast Launch bands. You may slide a change to attract a metallic pin inward and take away every band half in seconds. Then, together with your alternative 22mm or 18mm bands, you slide the identical pin inward, slot the opposite metallic finish right into a slot, and slot the primary finish out to connect it. In comparison with Garmin watches that require a particular device to launch their bands, it is far more seamless.
If I stored my Venu 3 as my each day driver, I would in all probability swap out my band pretty rapidly. I would not say that I “hate the strap that comes with the Venu 3,” as my colleague Jerry Hildenbrand wrote in his current Venu 3 hands-on, however it’s much less comfy than the default Forerunner strap with its thinner, softer silicone and wider lug holes. Typically talking, I want firms prioritize breathability over type, whereas the Venu 3 took the alternative strategy.
Garmin Venu 3: Show
Garmin and lots of of its working watch rivals have shifted away from MIP and in the direction of AMOLED shows lately, a development solely made potential as a result of these new fashions can final for weeks while not having a dim, low-battery show. For the Venu sequence, which made the AMOLED change forward of the pack, it wanted a brand new strategy to stand out.
The important thing perk of the Garmin Venu 3 show is its slim bezel in comparison with most working watches. You get a 1.4-inch show from a 45mm case, whereas the Venu 2 and Forerunner 265 solely supply 1.3-inch shows at 45mm and 46mm, respectively. You would be hard-pressed to get extra visible house at this measurement.
Garmin hasn’t publicized its nits of brightness, however I might assume it is about 1,000. That is on par with most AMOLED health watches just like the Fitbit Sense 2 however under the brand new 2,000-and-up you get on newer smartwatches just like the Galaxy Watch 6 or Apple Watch Collection 9.
It is shiny sufficient to be absolutely seen in direct daylight on the proper angle, however I am going to word the identical grievance I had with the Garmin Forerunner 265 AMOLED show: its Gorilla Glass 3 safety is not on par with the sapphire glass you get on many comparably priced health watches. I at the very least want it had the GG 3 DX normal discovered on the Forerunner 965 for a greater anti-reflective coating; with out it, the Venu 3 show undoubtedly catches the sunshine greater than I might like.
Garmin Venu 3: {Hardware} and sensors
Garmin watches historically lag behind a lot of the greatest Android watches or Apple Watches in sleep monitoring and well being sensors. The Venu 3 would not utterly shut that hole, however it definitely comes nearer to the mainstream than ever.
Garmin constantly measures coronary heart fee and coronary heart fee variance for all-day stress knowledge by default, and you’ll allow all-day blood oxygen monitoring if you want — one thing most different manufacturers would not have the battery life to supply. You even have respiration fee and menstrual cycle knowledge, plus the choice to log hydration.
That is all pretty frequent for Garmin watches, however the Venu 3 provides an ECG sensor, solely the second to take action after the Venu 2 Plus. We hope Garmin finally provides passive AFib detection, however for now, the flexibility to take a 30-second coronary heart rhythm studying at any time and test your previous ends in the Join app is a superb perk.
Simply needless to say you will must replace your Garmin watch, allow ECG readings within the Garmin Join “End Setup” menu, and then add 2FA to your Garmin account to guard your knowledge earlier than you’ll find the ECG app on the watch.
The Elevate v5 sensor additionally has dormant pores and skin temperature knowledge; as Devices & Wearables noticed, the October Venu 3 beta notes claimed so as to add “pores and skin temperature knowledge to sleep monitoring” earlier than Garmin deleted it and stated it was “inadvertently included.” Now we have to imagine the following beta replace will add it quickly, supplying you with extra helpful sleep insights.
| Class | Garmin Venu 3 |
|---|---|
| Supplies | Fiber-reinforced polymer (Case); Chrome steel (Bezel) |
| Show (Venu 3) | 1.4-inch AMOLED touchscreen; 454 x 454 |
| Show (Venu 3S) | 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen; 390 x 390 |
| Safety | Gorilla Glass 3; 5ATM |
| Band | 22mm (135-200 mm) or 18mm (110-175 mm) |
| Monitoring | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO; All-Methods mode (No twin band) |
| Sensors | Elevate 5 HRM with ECG; Pulse Ox (SpO2); accelerometer; ambient mild sensor; barometric altimeter; compass; gyroscope |
| Connectivity | Garmin Pay (NFC), Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi |
| Mic and speaker | ✔️ |
| Key sport and well being options | Sleep coach, nap detection, Superior Physique Battery, wheelchair mode, 30 sports activities apps, restoration time, morning report, jet lag adviser, animated on-screen exercises, Garmin Coach, VO2 Max |
| Music storage | 8GB; Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music, or personal music information |
| Dimensions | 45 x 45 x 12 mm (3); 41 x 41 x 12 mm (3S) |
| Weight / with strap | 30g / 47g (3); 27g / 40g (3S) |
Evaluating the Garmin Venu 3 vs. Venu 2, they don’t seem to be essentially that completely different at first look. What’s spectacular is that Garmin gave the Venu 3 a bigger show, three additional days of battery life, a mic & speaker, and a processor able to extra superior tech, all whereas concurrently making it 0.2mm thinner and 2g lighter.
It additionally retains instruments like an altimeter for judging effort at elevation and each an accelerometer and gyroscope for monitoring your wrist actions for train detection. Despite the fact that the Venu 3 is extra “informal” in its software program than different Garmin watches, at the very least the {hardware} is greater than strong sufficient to match competing manufacturers.
I can not inform if Garmin modified the mic and speaker high quality from the Venu 2 Plus to the Venu 3, however the expertise is essentially unchanged; it is adequate in a pinch however not so good as what you get on a mainstream watch.
The default mid-range quantity is pretty quiet and tinny in a silent room. Take the time to bump it as much as a better quantity, and it turns into loud sufficient to chop via the ambient noise of a quiet stroll outdoors, however in all probability not a crowded avenue until you maintain it to your ear. As for mic high quality, the folks I known as stated that I sounded pretty clear open air however that I sounded echoey and more durable to know indoors, for no matter purpose.
Like all Garmin watch with music storage, you possibly can sync your Spotify, Deezer, or Amazon Music playlists to the watch, supplying you with fast entry. When you subscribe to a completely different music streaming platform like Apple Music, Tidal, or YouTube Music, you are out of luck and must add your individual MP3 information.
After all, this primarily issues when you plan to work out with out your cellphone readily available and wish to play music via wi-fi earbuds or the quiet speaker. In any other case, you possibly can merely use the Venu 3 for playback controls in your cellphone.
The headliner Venu 3 function is, after all, Sleep Teaching and Sleep Rating. Any watch with Physique Battery has implicitly informed you that you simply did not get sufficient sleep, however the Venu 3 made it specific, telling you when you obtained a adequate amount of sleep and high quality of deep sleep.
Garmin’s Sleep Coach will then inform you that you simply want anyplace from seven to 9 hours of sleep; Garmin itself says it will “by no means” advocate any much less or greater than that. When you’re somebody who incessantly sleeps nearer to 6 hours, you are going to get shamed and prodded into going to mattress earlier, if that appeals to you.
For the nappers on the market, the Venu 3 lastly re-adds the flexibility to manually activate sleep mode and time a nap that is then integrated into your Physique Battery knowledge. I did not take a look at this as a result of, properly, I am not somebody who naps. However I do know that your Physique Battery rating drains at a slower fee if it detects you at relaxation, so that you’re in all probability going to see correct knowledge even when you do not manually log the nap first.
Garmin Venu 3: GPS and HR accuracy
Garmin gave the Venu 3 “All-Methods GNSS,” which implies it pulls knowledge from a number of satellite tv for pc programs concurrently, like GPS and GLONASS, for a greater location lock in occluded areas. Nonetheless, it would not have dual-frequency GPS like lots of the current Forerunners and Instincts. How a lot this issues will rely on the place you usually run and the way a lot sign blockage you encounter.
I additionally assume the Elevate v5 sensor has extra correct coronary heart fee knowledge indirectly than previous Elevate v4 watches, however Garmin would not actually promote the variations throughout generations. So, I made a decision to place it to the take a look at!
For an hour-long run, I ran with the Venu 3 on my left wrist and my Forerunner 965 on the suitable. The latter was synced to my COROS coronary heart fee monitor for extra correct HR knowledge and set to SatIQ mode — which defaults to GPS-only however switches to dual-frequency when the sign wants a lift via clouds or foliage (or round buildings).
Within the coronary heart fee chart above, the lighter crimson graph matches the Venu 3, whereas the purplish graph corresponds with the COROS knowledge I am utilizing as a baseline. You may see how the Venu 3 tends to point out rounded edges the place the HRM is jagged, corresponding with extra abrupt coronary heart fee modifications over hills or pick-ups in pace. It might’t all the time sustain, in different phrases.
Typically talking, it is fairly correct and balances out fairly intently over time. Whereas I can not decide how far more correct it’s than different manufacturers, it is greater than correct sufficient for health wants.
As for GPS knowledge, the Venu 3 overestimated my distance by 0.04 miles over an hour. It was a lot better than what a GPS-only watch just like the Galaxy Watch 6 can ship, if not good. Zooming in on the map, I discovered the Venu 3 tends to float off the path or sidewalk greater than the Forerunner 965, however not on the identical scale as a GPS-only watch.
I additionally famous that the Venu 3 appeared to underestimate my elevation by about seven meters, although the graph itself intently matched that of the Forerunner 965 — merely at a decrease start line. It is one thing I assume I can repair with a fast altimeter calibration within the settings, and that sort of hole is not a lot when you’re climbing 1000’s of meters as an alternative of dozens.
I can not say how properly the Venu 3 will do in more durable sign environments, however usually, it is a becoming degree of high quality for the Venu 3, which strikes that difficult stability between informal and “severe” health.
Garmin Venu 3: Key software program options
I am going to roll out my normal Garmin disclaimer for my Venu 3 evaluate: If I examined and mentioned each software program trick on the Venu 3, it will double the evaluate’s size. So as an alternative, I am going to concentrate on the important thing returning options that’ll make it extra tempting than your typical Android smartwatch and the brand new options to tempt hardcore Garmin followers.
Just like the Venu 2, the Venu 3 has customized coronary heart fee zones, VO2 Max knowledge, depth minutes, Physique Battery scores, health age, Livetrack, animated on-screen exercises, and a Well being Snapshot.
We already mentioned the Morning Report within the final part; what’s new is a night equal known as the Each day Abstract that recaps what you probably did (aka a Exercise Day when you educated or an Straightforward Day when you recovered) and the way it interprets it. I want it was nearer in type to the Morning Report or a post-run abstract, the place it confirmed precise knowledge out of your day, however that is not the Venu 3’s power. Perhaps we’ll see a greater model on a future Forerunner.
One key Venu 3 perk is its animated exercises. You may obtain any of the 80-ish premade exercises for muscle coaching, cardio, yoga, pilates, or different indoor routines, or else create your individual from a collection of 1,600 workout routines that use particular tools, weights, or your individual physique weight.
When you begin a HIIT exercise, you possibly can test every train for an animated information of what it is imagined to appear like, in case you do not keep in mind from the identify alone or want a type test.
I might give the Venu 3’s train accuracy a ranking of three out of 5. I did a body-weight exercise of push-ups, burpees, squats, leaping jacks, and mountain climbers. Some extra deliberate workout routines like squats are tracked fairly properly, however it might probably generally log an train merely if you’re standing up or going in the direction of the bottom earlier than you begin. Throughout my 25 mountain climbers, it was correct as much as 24, after which stopped monitoring as I obtained into the 30s till I shook my wrist round wildly. And whereas doing my burpees, it froze at 9 after which, frustratingly, dipped again right down to eight as if I used to be doing it backward.
Primarily, I fortunately use it for motivation and steering, however do not be afraid to make use of the again button to skip to the following rep even when the watch says you are not fairly accomplished, or else you will simply get mad and harm your self doing additional work.
Garmin additionally added a Meditation exercise. You may select between three periods — Restore and stretch, Targeted Mantras, or Conscious Sounds — or create your individual Customized routine. They seem to be a good perk when you’re burdened, however additionally they pale compared to the Mindfulness routines you get with Fitbit Premium or Apple Health Plus, each in quantity and manufacturing values. Despite the fact that Garmin’s app is free, I do hope it places in additional effort over time.
Maybe my favourite Venu 3 function is one which I do not want: the wheelchair mode. My colleague, Jerry Hildenbrand, wrote about how its wheelchair mode is the very best, palms down, of any smartwatch model as a result of it correctly judges pushes as an alternative of steps, would not encourage you to “arise” as a whole lot of watches do, and makes use of a customized algorithm to guage effort as an alternative of VO2 Max that takes into consideration the restricted cardio ranges and higher upper-body pressure of somebody in a wheelchair.
I additionally recognize getting a key function I rely on with my Forerunner and Intuition watches: a Restoration time widget. It judges your tiredness primarily based in your health degree and tells you the way lengthy to attend till your subsequent exercise, going past what Physique Battery can let you know every day.
What you do not know is why you want that lengthy or how your coaching is progressing. Technically, Garmin added a brand new “Exercise profit” device in your post-workout abstract. In my case, it gave me an “Bettering health” rating after my hour-long run and informed me I used to be bettering my endurance. However you do not really see a Coaching Load or Coaching impact abstract, telling you the way a lot time was spent at cardio or anaerobic ranges. That issues to me, however entry-level athletes can merely rely on Garmin to provide them a exercise judgment that an Apple or Samsung watch could not.
Garmin gave the UI and notifications an improve, together with tons of fairly watch faces that take full benefit of the show measurement. However your total expertise will fluctuate relying on whether or not you utilize iOS or Android.
First, the common updates: You may change to a bigger font for the primary time, there is a “Recents” menu to entry your last-used apps rapidly, a brand new swipe-right shortcut (which you will in all probability use for the Recents menu), and a brand new Actions/Apps cut up if you faucet the top-right button. Discovering and utilizing apps on Garmin watches has all the time been a little bit of a chore, so giving a number of new methods to entry them rapidly is an actual boon.
Particularly for Android customers, now you can see photographs in textual content or electronic mail notifications as an alternative of the same old “Hooked up: 1 picture” textual content. Plus, slightly than use default Fast Replies, you possibly can really kind out a textual content response in your watch keyboard if you’d like. That stated, with out LTE help, I do not a lot see the purpose since you possibly can pull out your cellphone to do that far more rapidly or use the voice assistant to transcribe your reply as an alternative.
To make clear, the voice assistant is not a watch assistant; it is your cellphone’s assistant handed via your watch’s Bluetooth. So, whereas it is good to have Google Assistant away from Put on OS or Siri away from Apple Watch, you possibly can solely use it as a strategy to preserve your cellphone in your pocket, to not really pull up an exercise or widget on the watch itself.
Competitors
Garmin selected $449 as a baseline for its mid-tier flagships, which means the Venu 3 instantly matches the Garmin Forerunner 265 and Garmin Intuition 2X Photo voltaic, whereas the brand new $299 Vivoactive 5 undercuts it. Of these, the runner-focused Forerunner 265 is its greatest foil; the Venu and Intuition lineups could not be extra completely different, whereas the Vivoactive 5 is a (painfully) downgraded Venu for budget-hunters.
Let’s begin with the Forerunner 265, the greatest working watch of the 12 months. Earlier than a run, you see a Coaching Readiness metric with an actual variety of hours till your physique is able to run and a each day prompt exercise primarily based in your health. You get extra sports activities modes like Monitor Runs, Path Runs, and Multisport/Triathalon. After your run ends, you possibly can see your working energy, coaching load, acute load, and restoration time. I may go on in regards to the distinctive perks for cyclists and swimmers, however the level is that the Venu 3 lacks a whole lot of instruments that severe outside athletes would recognize.
The Venu 3 offers you higher battery life, a bigger show, a mic and speaker, the brand new Elevate sensor, wheelchair mode, and some different particular way of life perks. The newest Forerunner beta replace introduced Venu 3 instruments like sleep insights and superior Physique Battery to the 265, although, so the working watch would possibly shut the hole over time.
As for the Vivoactive 5, it is a 1.2-inch AMOLED watch with a cheaper-looking aluminum bezel. You lose the brand new Elevate v5 sensor, the altimeter, and the gyroscope. It has a shorter battery life and no all-systems GNSS. You do not get the mic and speaker for calls, nor the third button for shortcuts. You do not even get animated on-screen exercises, one thing the MIP Vivoactive 4 supplied. You are saving cash, however it’s possible you’ll not like all of the compromises you must make.
In any other case, the Garmin Venu 3’s most important rivals are smartwatches just like the Pixel Watch 2 or Apple Watch Collection 9 that bundle health instruments with extra strong smartwatch instruments. They solely final a day per cost or much less, however they’ve near-perfect integration with an Android cellphone or iPhone, which means you possibly can reply to notifications with extra than simply fast replies and obtain a bunch of apps.
Garmin Venu 3: Must you purchase it?
You can purchase the Garmin Venu 3 if…
- You need the Garmin instruments however not the standard Garmin design and expertise.
- Your typical health routines are coated by the 30 sports activities modes accessible.
- You particularly want a mic and speaker or the ECG device.
You should not purchase the Garmin Venu 3 if…
- You want a correct Put on OS or watchOS smartwatch for the smarts Garmin cannot supply.
- You want extra strong health metrics discovered on Forerunners, Instincts, or different fashions.
As a runner, the Venu 3 sequence is not strictly designed for me; it is for individuals who would possibly sometimes run however will combine it in with their normal indoor exercises like HIIT, weights, yoga, and who must know Physique Battery stats greater than they do Coaching Readiness stats.
Its thinner, light-weight, and crownless design makes it simpler to put on whereas bending your wrist for sure workout routines. And even when it is not fairly as trendy as a hybrid mannequin just like the Garmin Vivomove Pattern, it is shut.
I might discover it interesting if Garmin finally added a mic and speaker to different future Garmin watches, however the Venu sequence wants its gimmick now that increasingly more of its gadgets have switched to AMOLED. I ponder if the following trick can be including mobile help, one thing folks have been clamoring for because the Forerunner 945 LTE — which used mobile knowledge for some primary security and messaging features however not for precise calling.
The opposite angle Garmin would possibly finally take is to make the Venu sequence even “smarter” at the price of its epic battery life, however I do not know what that might entail since Apple limits what any health watch model can do and Garmin cannot simply pivot to Android and Put on OS absolutely.
For now, the Venu 3 and future fashions will in all probability proceed to stroll that mainstream/specialised tightrope, and it does it in addition to I may anticipate. I’ve put it in our high spot for the greatest health smartwatches, whereas emphasizing that different smartwatches with health instruments could also be higher for you. Personally, I might advocate the Venu 3 when you’re in any respect severe about getting fitter or stronger.
The Garmin Venu 3 and 3S have thin-bordered AMOLED shows, unbelievable battery life, music storage, tap-to-pay, Bluetooth calling, voice assistant help, 1000’s of workout routines for personalized at-home exercises, Sleep Teaching, restoration suggestions, and different core Garmin instruments to maintain you on the suitable health path.