Garmin Venu X1 vs. Venu 3: Should you improve or stay up for the Venu 4?

The Garmin Venu X1 is among the oddest watches the emblem has offered. It’s a premium-tier, thin smartwatch that makes the Venu 3 glance restricted in many ways and awesome in others.

Given how dear the Venu X1 is, you can most definitely wish to know the way a lot better it’s than the mainline Venu 3, which prices $350 much less. We’ve heard rumors that the Venu 4 may arrive quickly, however till then, the Venu 3 stays some of the highest Garmin watches to be had, providing options that generally include costs similar to these of the Fenix 8 or Forerunner 970.

It comes down for your priorities. The Venu X1 arguably has the most efficient exhibit and luxury of any Garmin watch, along side complex coaching gear and maps. But it trades away the weeks-long battery existence that Garmin energy customers are acquainted with, and plenty of of its upgraded options can be overkill for the standard Venu crowd.

Garmin Venu X1 vs. Venu 3: Design and exhibit

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The Garmin Venu lineup objectives “mainstream” audiences. Its designs prioritize light-weight taste, with fewer buttons and AMOLED presentations (prior to that become the norm for Garmin). The Venu 3 suits that mildew, measuring 1–2mm skinnier than maximum Garmins and covering its polymer frame with a phenomenal metal bezel.

The Venu X1, then again, very obviously emulates the Apple Watch Ultra 2 squircle glance, aside from with a surprisingly thin body that leaves little room for an ordinary Garmin battery. It’s extremely comfy to put on, however the design will flip off Garmin enthusiasts who dislike Apple Watches on concept.

The 2-inch Venu X1 and the 1.2-inch Venu 3S weigh the similar, which is the crux of the X1’s enchantment: a weight you’ll slightly really feel paired with a ton of visible information, whilst the 3S has to squeeze issues in.

Part of the load distinction comes from the X1’s lighter nylon strap, however it is in fact fairly comfy (aside from for being exhausting to take off of bigger wrists), while I complained that the Venu 3’s default silicone band wasn’t breathable sufficient in my assessment.

My greatest grievance with the X1 design is that it simplest has two buttons. Venu watches most often rely on touchscreen controls, however no less than the Venu 3 has a 3rd button for 2 shortcuts. Otherwise, the X1 does not have the Up / Down buttons that Garmin energy customers like, or the crown that Apple enthusiasts may like. It’s simply as swipe-dependent because the Venu 3.

The 1.4-inch Garmin Venu 3 exhibit is in fact fairly excellent, on par with the a lot pricier Fenix 8 in solution and brightness. But this X1 squircle design creates room for a ton of additional visible information, because the watch face above presentations.

That stated, you will have to come to a decision in case you want this information sufficient to spend loads extra for it; we will speak about the principle use case (maps) in a later segment.

What’s specifically great is that the Venu X1 is two times as brilliant because the Venu 3 and all different Garmin AMOLED watches aside from the Forerunner 570 and 970. The older type is brilliant sufficient for standard cases, however has a tendency to get washed out in sunny climate, whilst the X1 is totally visual.

Garmin Venu X1 vs. 3: Hardware, sensors, and battery

Both the Garmin Venu X1 and three game the latest Elevate gen-5 sensor, with the most efficient HR accuracy, tension and restoration information, and nightly pores and skin temp and respiring price information. Put otherwise, you will not get new or higher information via upgrading to the X1.

In truth, the Venu X1 is lacking ECG readings, if you are thinking about tracking middle well being. We consider this comes right down to design: Garmin makes use of a steel bezel stressed to the sensor’s electrodes, and the Venu X1 simplest has titanium at the caseback. Garmin does not do passive AFib detection like different manufacturers, so the Venu 3 is your highest guess for normal check-ins.

Like lots of the newest Garmin fashions, the Venu X1 has a integrated flashlight, activated via keeping down the again button. It’s a lot more helpful than the display-based flashlight at the Venu 3, however it’s going to burn via your battery temporarily in case you use it too continuously. It’s decently brilliant for one thing up shut, however no longer the most efficient are compatible for midnight exercises.

Both fashions have a integrated mic and speaker for Bluetooth calling and passthrough instructions for your attached Android telephone’s assistant or iPhone’s Siri. New to the desk is the X1’s Voice Command instrument for on-watch purposes like “Start a run” or “Show my coaching standing.”

Unfortunately, Voice Command has a tendency to be reasonably buggy and restricted, a trait it stocks at the Fenix 8 and Forerunner 970. Hopefully, Garmin will make it smarter over the years. For now, surroundings it up as a shortcut means that you can skip a number of swipes to open an app or menu, however be ready on your command to get misinterpreted every so often.

Generally talking, the Garmin Venu 3 fits its costlier sibling in the case of {hardware}, and it beats it handily for battery existence. It will get an additional six days out of the field, 3 extra days’ AOD mode, and 6 further hours of all-systems GNSS monitoring.

The Venu X1’s 8 days of battery existence indubitably is not dangerous in comparison to a smartwatch, however because it does not have the smarts of an Apple or Wear OS watch, and it prices just about up to an Enduro 3, you’ll want it lasted longer.

Garmin Venu X1 vs. 3: Software

This product compare page presentations each distinction between the Venu X1 and Venu 3, however since it is a ache to learn via loads of options, I’ve put the tool highlights within the desk under.

The Garmin Venu 3 is tailored for indoor athletes, with a variety of pre-made exercises and on-watch exercise animations and muscle maps to turn the shape and advantages for every. It does have the necessities for runners, cyclists, and swimmers, with correct location information and post-workout information on how lengthy to relaxation, however not anything past that.

By distinction, the Garmin Venu X1 is going all out. For indoor athletes, you’ll apply a Garmin Strength Coach coaching plan that personalizes exercises for your skills as a substitute of simply selecting premade ones. And for out of doors athletes, the X1 has just about the entire similar operating and biking gear because the Forerunner 970 — with the exception of the most recent operating tolerance metric and dual-band GPS.

In specific, coaching load is important for serving to athletes pass judgement on if their exercises are numerous and difficult sufficient to beef up, and lactate threshold guides athletes at the HR turning level the place their our bodies cross into overdrive.

The Venu X1’s signature function, then again, is mapping. You get preloaded topographic maps for roads and trails, plus golfing lessons if that is your passion.

Very few Garmin watches have integrated maps, together with “adventurer” watches just like the Instinct 3. The Venu 3 does not also have breadcrumb navigation, so you’ll’t create a Garmin direction or obtain and apply GPX maps.

In this example, I’ll examine the X1 in opposition to different “top class” Garmin fashions. In the footage above, you’ll see how the X1’s sq. exhibit will give you a lot more context on your environment and room for extra textual content and buttons; the costlier Fenix 8 naturally cuts off visible information, so you need to zoom out extra to look what is within reach, and any textual content is disruptive.

It’s certainly one of my favourite options at the Venu X1, however it is usually truthful to mention I do not get an opportunity to make use of it continuously, and I infrequently apply lessons on-watch. If you are satisfied sufficient the use of your telephone for mapping on every occasion you hike, perhaps you do not want to spend loads extra for this instrument.

Garmin Venu X1 vs. Venu 3: Which will have to you purchase, or will have to you improve?

The Venu 3 stays some of the highest health watches regardless of launching in 2023. It’s a well-rounded possibility for individuals who need correct exercise effects and a few fundamental coaching ideas, however have already got an app or trainer to lead their coaching.

You would possibly wish to stay up for the Venu 4, however given how inflation has hit Garmin watch costs, that might simply finally end up costing $500 or extra, and we do not know the way other it’s going to be. The Venu 3 or Vivoactive 6 could also be a greater are compatible for the extra informal, frugal health fan.

The Garmin Venu X1 is superbly comfy and will give you extra complete coaching gear throughout maximum sports activities, nevertheless it may well be overkill for the standard Venu purchaser. In fact, it is extra of a Forerunner 970 rival, for folks keen to chop their battery existence in part for a lighter are compatible and extra information at a look.