Live Science Verdict
The Venu 3 combine great fitness - tracking truth with some of the more lifestyle - led collection of a smartwatch . It ’s not bad , as long as you wo n’t miss some of the athlete - orient characteristic available in the Forerunner series too much .
Strong GPS and HR accuracy
look good than most Garmin look on
The Venu 3 is lighter and less bulky than some of the top-end Garmin watches like the Fenix 8 or Instinct 2.
Comfortable and long - lasting
miss a few utilitarian athlete features
Quite pricey
The Garmin Venu 3 features a vibrant, 1.4-inch OLED display.
Does n’t have a inviolable design indistinguishability
Touchscreen use can lead to accidental dictation
Why you may confide hot ScienceOur expert reviewers spend hr testing and comparing production and overhaul so you may select the secure ones for you . regain out more about how we try .
The Garmin Venu 3 offers basic workout tracking features.
The Garmin Venu 3 is the most smartwatch - like wearable to escort from the loss leader in saturated sports andfitness watches . Is this Garmin playing outside of its comfort zone ? Sure , a sense of touch , but so much of the smartwatch life is about exercise and activity tracking that none of its expertness is wasted .
The Venu 3 is exact and authentic , and has new - to - Garmin feature like ECG heart and soul pace readings . Those who are big - league exercisers should consider a Garmin Forerunner 265 or else , though : it ’s a little less glamorous - looking , but has athlete - led lineament and stats that the Venu series deficiency . The Garmin Venu 3 ’s touch - direct approaching can also be galling during workouts , but more on that later .
You ’ll pay $ 449/£449/$749AU for the Venu 3 , making it the same cost as its predecessor the Venu 2 Plus in the U.S. , but slightly more expensive in the U.K.
The Garmin Venu 3 is getting ECG readings, but we weren’t able to test this feature on our testing unit.
Garmin Venu 3 review
Garmin Venu 3: Design and display
Display : 1.4 in , 454 x 454 pixel organic light-emitting diode screen
dimension ( mm):45 x 45 x 12
dimension ( in ): 1.77 x 1.77 x 0.47
Each morning the Garmin Venu 3 will provide you with a Morning Report, which is a summary of your sleep and notes for the upcoming day.
weighting : 1.6 oz ( 46 g-force )
Water resistance : 5ATM
reposition : 8 GB interior storage
There is a lot to like about the Garmin Venu 3 performance-wise.
GPS : Yes
Compass : Yes
Contactless payments : Garmin give
The Garmin Venu 3 has a good battery life for a mid-range fitness watch.
The Garmin Venu 3 commingle Garmin ’s fittingness nous with a design that will invoke to folks who would never strap a Fenix 7 Pro around their radiocarpal joint . It look slicker , more like a smartwatch , and there ’s less of a sense the wearer is about to take off make love on about their marathon times or execute ball club dramatic play .
You have two size options here , as with many Garmin line . There ’s the 41 mm Venu 3S and the 45 mm Venu 3 , see here . No matter which size you opt for , you get a silicone shoulder strap , Gorilla Glass 3 toughened glass screen protective covering and a knurled steel bezel , while the remainder of the casing is a problematic plastic .
It ’s fairly sluttish , not too bulky and is generally a joyousness to wear . However , it ’s quite plainly - expect as smartwatches go . It ’s stylish by Garmin standards , but less so by the standards of the wider diligence .
The Garmin Venu 3 is a good option for fitness beginners and novice gymgoers, not so much for seasoned outdoor enthusiasts.
This Venu serial also gave Garmin its first - ever OLED watch , back in 2022 . The Venu 3 has a super - robust and bright 1.4 - in OLED display with 454 x 454 pixels . It ’s great for read text messages and looks far more lively and vibrant than the transflective display of something like the Garmin Instinct 2 .
Just like a smartwatch exhibit , it times out pretty quickly . But there is an “ always on ” modal value that keep the fourth dimension on - screen all day , at the disbursal of battery living . This is a touchscreen and is creditworthy for the lion ’s share of navigation .
Garmin Venu 3: Features
We used the Garmin Venu 3 for a twosome of calendar month , and while we have a lot of philia for this watch , it may not be the right-hand one if you are all about exercise and seaworthiness . Although feature - packed , it miss quite a few of the feature of , say , a Forerunner 965 or Forerunner 265 that we have grow to jazz .
For object lesson , there are no “ indicate workouts ” for runner and cyclists . You turn a loss the Performance Condition lineament that prove how you ’re doing a short manner into sessions . And you ca n’t adulterate routes onto the lookout man in edict to sail .
The Garmin Venu 3 is a lighter kind of spotter . Its peculiar feature of speech are things like a speaker and mike . This jazz group lets you interact with your phone ’s help and take calls from your wrist .
At the oddment of each utilization academic session , you ’ll see your recuperation heart pace , which in this character is measured by how many BPM your heart slow down down in two minutes , a utilitarian indicant of fitness .
While I have liked the Venu series since it start , it has misplace some of its sheen now that OLED screens are middling common on Garmin watches . The Forerunner 265 has one and costs less , for example , and the smartwatch stuff the Venu 3 can still claim exclusivity on is not one of Garmin ’s strong lawsuit .
Interacting with the digital assistant feels a little gawky and restrictive compared to a smart loudspeaker or Apple Watch . And the touching - conduct approach has led to me accidentally finishing an exercise session early when taking a warm breather or a quick trip into a workshop more times than I can count . This has been the one real annoyance of using the Venu 3 .
It is getting ECG version , though , alongside just a handful of Garmin sentry let in the Fenix 7 Pro and Epix 2 professional . This functionality was foretell mid - testing , and has now been released in some territories , but is yet to make it to my Garmin Venu 3 .
But the message here is only that serious physical exertion head may require to look at a Forerunner watch . The Garmin Venu 3 does more than enough to fulfil the vast majority of people on the fitness front .
It has the same guileful interface as the Garmin Epix 2 , making it a doddle to see your daily stats . The sentinel has 40 sports mood , and you’re able to get more from the long - stand Garmin ConnectIQ app storage if you desire .
you could charge the Venu 3 up with euphony , as it has 8 GB storage , and play melodic line or podcasts on wireless earpiece . This feature act well with the touch screen , and the interface in general palpate slick and quiet .
This spotter will give you blood oxygenation readings , try out your stress levels and can be used for wireless payment via Garmin Pay . And — a relatively new feature — the Venu 3 now has a Sleep Coach as well as received eternal sleep tracking . This pay you advice on how to improve your sleep patterns .
Each morning you ’ll also see your Morning Report , which is a sum-up of your quietus and notes for the upcoming day , including the weather . It ’s kind of adorable , but if you do n’t concord , you could always disable it .
Garmin Venu 3: Performance
The Garmin Venu 3 benefits from all the late Garmin technical school , block up one thing , Multi - Band GPS . This is found in several in high spirits - end Garmin watch out these days , including most notably the Forerunner 265 , and can really facilitate out in situation when GPS location may be tricky , such as between skyscrapers , in a bass valley or in a very tall and dense forest .
I have n’t had a prospect to take the Garmin Venu 3 anywhere quite so alien , though , and have get its location - trailing performance to be first-class . It ’s highly logical and precise enough that , for good example , you’re able to clearly order which side of the road you are running on .
It ’s the same deal with kernel rate readings . The Garmin Venu 3 has the latest generation of the company ’s warmness rate technical school , and it is excellent .
Compared to the Venu 3 Plus , it uses reflector panels and four extra LEDs that only elicit up during usage tracking to improve event . And Garmin ’s last - generation heart rate reader ironware was already great .
There are no major accuracy concern here , at least based on our testing — which was mainly ply and gymnasium use .
Garmin says you’re able to gestate the Venu 3 to last up to two weeks between charges , which is quite a significant step up from the nine 24-hour interval of the Garmin Venu 2 Plus . While that two weeks may be potential , it ’s not the form of seniority you ’ll get using the watch to its full .
For almost the intact examination menstruum I used the Venu 3 with its “ always on ” screen mode engage . This meant a simple analogue clock fount was displayed all sidereal day from 7 am to 11 pm when the watch was idle ( the elan varies depending on the ticker face you pick ) .
It gain the Venu 3 a much good watch , but add the battery drain of a healthy amount of GPS use for exercise tracking and the scout may need charging around every five day . This is one of the drawback of an OLED watch — bombardment life can vary much more than it does in a definitive transflective Garmin watch , whose display demo substance all the time by purpose .
However , it ’s not as if we ’re talk about have to charge your Venu 3 every day , or even every other daytime .
Should you buy the Garmin Venu 3?
The Garmin Venu 3 is a terrifying fitness vigil , peculiarly if you need something a fleck glossy and less restrain - looking than the very out of doors - y Garmin design norm . You get the same port as the most expensive Garmin sentry , displayed through a undimmed , colorful smartwatch - style organic light-emitting diode screen .
As a Venu watch , though , the Garmin Venu 3 does miss out on some of the more innovative exercise features you get with watches from the Forerunner and Fenix series . mean about whether you want them , as you’re able to now get some of the smartwatch gloss seen here from elsewhere in the Garmin line - up .
If Garmin Venu 3 is not for you
The Garmin Forerunner 265 is the most compelling alternative to the Garmin Venu 3 , and the one I ’d commend if you ’re big on running or fitness .
With Suggested Workouts , Training Load and on - watch routes ( without full mapping ) in tow , it issue forth across as a significantly more serious fitness watch . That said , it does n’t face as good , and has a smaller screen , no verbalizer or mike and no ECG lector . It ’s a better scout for some , but definitely not for others .
The Vivoactive 5 is also similar but costs less . It uses aluminum or else of steel , and does n’t have a speaker or mic , or an altimeter . It uses Garmin ’s last - generation center pace ironware too , but at $ 299 it is importantly cheaper . It ’s a not bad low-spirited - toll alternative .
Do n’t discount the Venu 2 Plus , either . It ’s a evenhandedly similar vigil and may be uncommitted for importantly less as an quondam ( but not that old ) model . It does n’t have the Venu 3 ’s ECG feature of speech , though .
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again , you will then be prompt to enter your display name .
