Garmin Venu 2 Plus is a feature-rich smartwatch. It was released in January 2022. It was subsequently followed by the release of the Garmin Instinct 2 smartwatch in February 2022.
Venu 2 Plus is a complete smartwatch for modern use. Instinct 2 is a rugged GPS watch that is tailor-made for sports enthusiasts.
Which of these two smartwatches would you prefer to buy? Let us look at both watches and see the features, functions, and technology driving each of these watches.
Main differences
- The biggest differentiator is the AMOLED display of the Venu 2 Plus smartwatch. Instinct 2 standard edition watch has a MIP (memory in pixel) screen in monochrome.
- Venu 2 Plus uses a Corning Gorilla Glass of the third generation.
- Venu 2 Plus has an in-built speaker and microphone.
- Venu 2 Plus has higher device storage for offline music storage and mapping.
- Venu 2 Plus has a gyroscope and ambient light sensor.
- Instinct 2 does not offer Wi-Fi wireless connectivity.
- Instinct 2 lacks the feature of contactless payments through Garmin Pay.
- Instinct 2 is a rugged smartwatch with a higher number of in-built profiles under outdoor recreation sports, swimming, cycling, and running.
- Instinct 2 has exceptional battery life. Instinct 2 battery backup is almost 3 times the battery life of a Venu 2 Plus smartwatch.
It is time to look at all these differences and other capabilities of both watches in more detail below.

Display
Instinct 2 has a monochrome display made of a MIP (memory in pixel) screen. Venu 2 Plus uses a much more vibrant and bright display technology.
Venu 2 Plus uses an AMOLED display. Because of the AMOLED display, Venu 2 Plus has the following 2 advantages over the Instinct 2:
- Venu 2 Plus has a much better display resolution. It has a resolution of 416 x 416 pixels.
- Venu 2 Plus can easily support the Always-on-display mode for the display.
Another notable thing to note is the 3rd generation Corning Gorilla Glass in the Venu 2 Plus smartwatch.
Instinct 2 uses a chemically strengthened glass made with MIP (memory in pixel) display.
The difference in display configuration reflects in the display resolution and overall screen responsiveness.
We look at all the display specifications of the Venu 2 Plus and Instinct 2 smartwatches below.
Display specifications | Venu 2 Plus | Instinct 2 |
---|---|---|
Display lens | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Chemically strengthened glass |
Display size | 1.3″ or 33 mm | Custom, two-window design; 0.9” x 0.9” (23 x 23 mm) |
Display type | AMOLED | MIP (Memory in pixel) |
Display resolution | 416 x 416 pixels | 176 x 176 pixels |
Pixel density | 453 ppi | 124 ppi |
Color display | Yes | No |
Touchscreen | Yes | No |
LED Flash light | No | No |
Ambient light sensor | Yes | No |
Venu 2 Plus has a vibrant AMOLED screen. Instinct 2 is a rugged watch. The display resolution and quality cannot match what Venu 2 Plus offers.
Physical specifications
There are considerable differences between the Venu 2 Plus and Instinct 2 smartwatches in hardware specifications. Expectedly, Instinct 2 is designed for rugged sports.
We look at the main physical specifications of the Venu 2 Plus and Instinct 2 watches below.
Specifications | Venu 2 Plus | Instinct 2 |
---|---|---|
Watch size | 43.6 x 43.6 x 12.6 mm | 45 x 45 x 14.5 mm |
Thickness | 12.6 mm | 14.5 mm |
Watch weight | 51 g | 52 g |
Watch body material | Fiber-reinforced polymer with stainless-steel rear cover | Fiber-reinforced polymer |
Bezel | Stainless steel | Fiber-reinforced polymer |
Band material | Silicone | Silicone |
Band size | 20 mm | 22 mm |
Recommended wrist circumference | 125-190 mm | 135-230 mm |
In-built speaker | Yes | No |
In-built microphone | Yes | No |
Device storage | 8 GB | 32 MB |
Water rating | 5 ATM (50 meters) | 10 ATM (100 meters) |
Swimming profile | Pool Swimming | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming |
Wireless connectivity | Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi | Bluetooth, ANT+ |
Garmin Pay | Yes | No |
Gyroscope | Yes | No |
Thermometer | Yes (tempe sensor needed) | Yes |
Garmin Elevate Heart sensor | Yes | Yes |
Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
Barometric altimeter | Yes | Yes |
Pulse Ox SpO2 monitoring | Yes | Yes |
Compass | Yes | Yes |
Contactless or NFC payments are possible on Venu 2 Plus by using the Garmin Pay app. And, Instinct 2 does not support Wi-Fi connectivity.
Device storage of 8 GB in Venu 2 Plus is a significant feature as it affords storage for music and mapping.
The steel bezel of Venu 2 Plus gives a more premium appearance to the watch.
The thermometer feature on Venu 2 Plus will need a tempe sensor to be bought separately. That should set you back by another $39.99. Instinct 2, however, has an integrated sensor for the thermometer.

Music
Venu 2 Plus offers a rich music experience in comparison with Instinct 2.
Venu 2 Plus smartwatch can work on all the following possibilities:
- Venu 2 Plus can store music files on the device.
- Venu 2 Plus can be used to control music stored on the smartwatch
- Venu 2 Plus can be used to control music on the paired smartphone.
Instinct 2 does not have the memory to offer music storage. So, it offers a limited music functionality that includes the following:
- Instinct 2 can be used to control music on the paired smartphone
If you are looking at full-fledged music functionality on your Garmin, Venu 2 Plus gets a preference over the Instinct 2.
Multi-sport and Activity profiles
Instinct 2 offers a comprehensive suite of profiles for cycling and outdoor recreation. We cover the activity profiles in brief for the Venu 2 Plus and Instinct 2 smartwatches hereunder.
- Instinct 2 has a higher number of profiles for outdoor recreation than Venu 2 Plus. Some of these include Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, Backcountry Skiing, Rowing, Kayaking, Surfing, Hunting, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Snowshoeing, Fishing, Horseback Riding, Tennis, Tactical.
- Instinct 2 has a higher number of profiles for cyclists. Some of these include Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Cyclocross, Triathlon.
- Instinct 2 also has additional running profiles for treadmills and trail running.
Battery
Instinct 2 has a long-lasting battery. The battery backup of Instinct 2 is almost 3 times the backup offered by the Venu 2 Plus.
We look at the battery backup offered by Venu 2 Plus and Instinct 2 in different watch modes below.
Watch mode | Venu 2 Plus backup | Instinct 2 |
---|---|---|
Smartwatch mode | Up to 9 days | Up to 28 days |
GPS mode | Up to 24 hours | Up to 30 hours |
GPS mode with music | Up to 8 hours | |
Max Battery GPS | Up to 70 hours | |
Expedition GPS | Up to 32 days | |
Battery saver mode | Up to 10 days | Up to 65 days |
Instinct 2 has a longer battery backup than Venu 2 Plus.
Costs
Venu 2 Plus is priced at $449.99 and Instinct 2 standard edition costs $349.99. There is a $100 difference in costs between the Venu 2 Plus and Instinct 2.
Final verdict
Instinct 2 is suitable for rugged sports activities. In particular, Instinct 2 has a wide coverage of outdoor sports and cycling.
Venu 2 Plus is a decent smartwatch with wholesome features, that include the AMOLED display.
The choice between Instinct 2 and Venu 2 Plus depends on the use case scenario. For most people, Venu 2 Plus ticks all the boxes as it is a contemporary smartwatch with exceptional features.
Suggested reading
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