Garmin Venu Vs. Venu 2: Which Smartwatch Is Right For You?

For years, Garmin has made top-notch GPS sport watches. With the Venu series, Garmin entered the full-featured smartwatch space to take on the Apple Watch. The Venu 2 updated the original Venu with enhancements.

But should you go for the first-gen Venu or upgraded Venu 2? We’ll compare these popular Garmin smartwatches across design, fitness tracking, features, battery life and value to help you decide.

A Brief Comparison Table

FeatureGarmin VenuGarmin Venu 2
Display1.2″ circular AMOLED1.1″ or 1.3″ rectangular AMOLED
Display Resolution390 x 390 pixels416 x 416 pixels
Display BrightnessUp to 1000 nitsUp to 1100 nits
Battery LifeUp to 5 daysUp to 11 days
GPSBuilt-inBuilt-in
Health TrackingExtensive metricsExtensive metrics
Smart FeaturesNotifications, Garmin PayNotifications, Garmin Pay
Water Resistance5 ATM10 ATM
Sizes43mm only40mm, 43mm, 45mm
Price$400 originally$450+ originally

Overview of the Garmin Venu

First, let’s look back at the core specs and features of the original Venu:

Garmin Venu
Garmin Venu
  • 1.2” AMOLED display with up to 1000 nit brightness
  • Built-in GPS for tracking outdoor activities without your phone
  • Estimated 5-day battery life in smartwatch mode
  • Heart rate monitoring, stress tracking and sleep statistics
  • Supports 20+ preloaded sports apps with animated workouts
  • Smart notifications for calls, texts, calendar and social media
  • Mobile payment support via Garmin Pay
  • 5 ATM water resistance rating

Launched in 2019, the Venu combined full-featured health/fitness tracking with a bright AMOLED display in an attractive lightweight design.

Overview of the Garmin Venu 2

In 2021, Garmin released the upgraded Venu 2 series with improvements like:

  • Larger 1.3” or 1.1” AMOLED display with always-on option
  • Enhanced fitness tracking likeanimated HIIT and breathwork exercises
  • Up to 11 days of battery life with new dual-display mode
  • Higher water resistance rating of 10 ATM
  • Additional size options of 40mm and 45mm
  • Higher resolution 416 x 416 pixel display

On paper, the Venu 2 resolves some original Venu complaints with longer battery life, display upgrades and small case size option.

Also Read: Comparison Between Fenix 7x Solar and Sapphire

Key Differences Between Garmin Venu Vs. Venu 2

Now let’s see how the Venu generations compare across all the key smartwatch metrics.

1. Design and Display

While comfortable on most wrists, the Venu and Venu 2 differ aesthetically:

  • The Venu only comes in one 43mm size with a 1.2” display. Sleek look but large on smaller wrists.
  • The Venu 2 adds 40mm and 45mm sizes with corresponding 1.1” and 1.3” displays. More fit options.
  • The Venu 2 moves to more rectangular displays versus the Venu’s circular face. Comes down to taste.
  • Higher 416 x 416 screen resolution on the Venu 2 looks sharper. Brighter display with always-on option.

For display and design, the Venu 2 offers more flexibility with its additional sizing and sharp, bright rectangular AMOLED screens.

2. Health and Activity Tracking

As advanced smartwatches, both pack a breadth of tracking capabilities:

Garmin Venu 2
  • The Venu and Venu 2 monitor heart rate 24/7, stress, sleep, respiration, hydration, blood oxygen and more.
  • Each provides women’s health tracking features like menstrual cycle and pregnancy tracking.
  • Onboard GPS allows recording outdoor activities without a connected phone.
  • With animated workouts, Garmin Coach training plans, and over 20 sports apps, both excel at motivating and monitoring exercises.

Health and fitness tracking are virtually identical on the Venu and Venu 2 thanks to Garmin’s sophisticated tracking software. Both tick all the boxes.

3. Smart Features

In addition to fitness, modern smartwatches serve up smartphone notifications and daily conveniences:

  • The Venu and Venu 2 display notifications from your iOS or Android phone for calls, texts, calendar, apps, and more.
  • Garmin Pay allows contactless payments from either watch when connected to a compatible phone.
  • Safety and tracking features provide peace of mind like incident detection and locating your phone.
  • Control your phone’s music playback including Spotify, Amazon Music and more from your wrist.

For smart features, the Venu and Venu 2 offer the core functionality expected like notifications and Garmin Pay. A wash here.

4. Battery Life

One area the Venu 2 improved is battery longevity:

  • The original Venu promises 5 days of battery in smartwatch mode or 6 hours in GPS with music. Decent but not spectacular.
  • The Venu 2 extends smartwatch mode battery life to over 10 days by adding a power saving dual-display mode. Huge upgrade.
  • Even in full smartwatch mode with always-on display, the Venu 2 still achieves 8 days battery life.

For battery life, the Venu 2 is the clear winner thanks to optimizations that allow up to twice the runtime between charges.

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5. Extra Features

Both watches contain some useful extra capabilities:

  • The Venu and Venu 2 incorporate Pulse Ox sensors to measure blood oxygen levels.
  • With 5 ATM water resistance, the Venu Series can be worn swimming though the Venu 2 upgraded to 10 ATM for deeper water activities.
  • Integrated storage on the watch lets you sync playlists for phone-free outdoor exercise tracking.

The Venu and Venu 2 are evenly matched when it comes to extra sensors and features useful for health and sports.

6. Price and Value

With the added sizes and upgrades, the Venu 2 costs more:

  • The original Venu retailed for $400 making it competitive with Apple Watch pricing.
  • The Venu 2 starts at $450 for the smaller model up to $500 for the 45mm making it pricier.

Considering the improvements like battery life, brighter display and smaller size option, the Venu 2 delivers good value at its slightly higher cost. But deals on the original make the Venu enticing.

Also Read: Comparison Between Garmin Fenix 6 Pro And Fenix 6X Pro.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Below are answers to some frequently asked questions when comparing the Garmin Venu and Venu 2:

Is the Garmin Venu 2 better than the original Venu?

Yes, the Venu 2 improves on the original with longer 10+ day battery life, brighter always-on display, smaller and larger size options, and higher resolution screen. It refines the formula while retaining everything great about the first Venu.

What is the difference between Garmin Venu and Venu 2S?

The Venu 2S is the 40mm sized model in the new Venu 2 lineup. It has a 1.1″ display compared to the 43mm 1.2″ display on the original Venu. The Venu 2S also gets the new rectangular watch face shape versus the circular design of the first generation Venu.

Is the Garmin Venu 2 worth it over the original?

For most buyers, yes. The longer battery life, always-on display option, and additional sizes make the Venu 2 compelling. But if found under $200, the original Venu remains a very capable smartwatch at a bargain price.

Is the Garmin Venu better than the Samsung Galaxy Watch?

The Venu competes well with Samsung thanks to its bright AMOLED display, GPS capability, and health/fitness tracking. But Samsung offers optional LTE connectivity. It mainly comes down to iOS vs Android compatibility needs and brand preference. For iPhone users, the Venu is typically the better smartwatch choice over Samsung.

Also Read: Comparison Between Fossil Smartwatch And Apple Watch

Final Thought

So which Venu model should you buy? Here are a few factors to help decide:

Choose the original Garmin Venu if:

  • You want to save money and find it on sale under $250
  • You dislike the rectangular displays on the Venu 2
  • The 43mm size works for your wrist
  • You don’t mind charging it every 4-5 days

Go with the Garmin Venu 2 if:

  • You want over 10 days battery life between charges
  • A smaller or larger display size appeals to you
  • You prefer the touch-friendly rectangular screen
  • You appreciate the brighter, higher resolution display

For most buyers, the Venu 2 makes sense with its upgrades like improved battery life and display. But find the Venu under $250 and it becomes an attractive option for buyers satisfied with its original design and 5-day runtime.

You can’t go wrong with either excellent Garmin smartwatch. While the original remains a solid choice, the Venu 2 improves an already excellent recipe making it the best Garmin smartwatch for most buyers needing long battery life and vibrant display.

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