Garmin Venu 3 is a newer smartwatch variant released in August 2023. Fenix 7 was released in January 2022.
Let us compare the Garmin Venu 3 and Fenix 7 standard edition smartwatch in this comparison study below.
Main differences
The main differences between Garmin Venu 3 and Fenix 7 standard edition smartwatches are shared below:
Things in favor of Garmin Venu 3
The following features of Garmin Venu 3, in our experience, score over the Fenix 7 features:
- Venu 3 has an AMOLED display. The display experience is brighter and more evident than the Fenix 7.
- Venu 3 has a higher display resolution than Fenix 7.
- Venu 3 uses 3rd generation Corning Gorilla Glass. Fenix 7 uses the first-generation Corning Gorilla Glass.
- Garmin Venu 3 has an in-built speaker and mic. You can answer calls directly using the Venu 3.
- Garmin Venu 3 comes with a wheelchair mode to help track the activities of wheelchair users.
- Garmin Venu 3 has an ambient light sensor. The Fenix 7 standard edition smartwatch does not have an ambient light sensor.
- Garmin Venu 3 has apps for meditation, sleep coaching, and nap detection.
- Garmin Venu 3 has a bigger display screen (1.4″) than Garmin Fenix 7 (1.3″).
- Garmin Venu 3 is cheaper than Garmin Fenix 7 standard edition by $200.
Things in favor of Garmin Fenix 7
The following features of the Garmin Fenix 7 standard edition are better than the Venu 3:
- Garmin Fenix 7 has a better water resistance rating of 10 ATM. Garmin Venu 3 has a water rating of 5 ATM.
- Garmin Fenix 7 has a higher device storage of 16 GB. Garmin Venu 3 has a device storage of 8 GB.
- Garmin Fenix 7 has a marginally better battery backup.
- Fenix 7 has more band material options. You could get silicone, metal, fabric, or leather bands. Venu 3 has a single option of silicone band.
- Fenix 7 has an in-built sensor for temperature tracking. Garmin Venu 3 needs the tempe sensor to be purchased separately for temperature monitoring.
- Garmin Fenix 7 standard edition has a higher number of profiles in running, outdoor recreation, and cycling.
- Garmin Fenix 7 supports Golf features and the Garmin Golf app.
- Fenix 7 also supports the safety feature of Group Live Track and Live Event sharing.
Let us look at some of these differences in detail below.
Display specifications
Garmin Venu 3, definitely, has a better display lens and better display technology than the Fenix 7 standard edition.
Venu 3 has an AMOLED display. Due to the AMOLED display, Venu 3 has a higher or better display resolution. The display experience of Venu 3 is much better than Fenix 7 in terms of brightness and clarity.
Venu 3 also supports the Always-on-display (AOD) mode on account of the AMOLED display.
The display specifications of Garmin Venu 3 and Fenix 7 are compared below.
| Display specifications | Garmin Venu 3 | Garmin Fenix 7 (Standard) |
|---|---|---|
| Display lens | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass |
| Display size | 36 mm or 1.4″ | 33 mm or 1.3″ |
| Display type | AMOLED | MIP (Memory in pixel) |
| Color display | Yes | Yes |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Display resolution | 454 x 454 pixels | 260 X 260 pixels |
| Ambient light sensor | Yes | No |
| LED Flashlight | Yes | No |
Venu 3 scores over Fenix 7 standard edition in terms of bigger display size and AMOLED display technology.
Physical specifications
Garmin Fenix 7 has better physical or hardware attributes than Garmin Venu 3. A few factors that show Fenix 7 has better physical specifications include the following:
- Fenix 7 has a metal rear cover
- Fenix 7 has a higher water rating of 10 ATM than Venu 3.
- Fenix 7 has a higher internal storage of 16 GB.
- Fenix 7 supports Golf mode and the Garmin Golf app.
- Fenix 7 has an in-built temperature sensor
- Fenix 7 has preloaded ski resort maps and golf course maps.
The detailed comparison of the physical features of Garmin Venu 3 and Fenix 7 standard edition is displayed below.
| Physical specifications | Garmin Venu 3 | Garmin Fenix 7 (Standard) |
|---|---|---|
| Watch size | 45 mm | 47 mm |
| Watch dimensions | 45 x 45 x 12 mm | 47 x 47 x 14.5 mm |
| Thickness | 12 mm | 14.5 mm |
| Watch weight | 47 g | 56 g |
| Band size | 22 mm | 22 mm |
| Recommended wrist circumference | 135-200 mm | 125-208 mm |
| Band material options | Silicone | Silicone, metal, fabric, leather |
| Water rating | 5 ATM | 10 ATM |
| Device storage | 8 GB | 16 GB |
| NFC Payments | Garmin Pay | Garmin Pay |
| Wireless connectivity | ANT+, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | ANT+, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| Barometric altimeter | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Pulse Ox Sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Elevate Heart Sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Thermometer | Yes (tempe sensor needed) | Yes |
| In-built speaker | Yes | No |
| In-built microphone | Yes | No |
| Android compatibility | Android 7 or higher | Android 7 or higher |
| iOS compatibility | iOS 15 or higher | iOS 15 or higher |
Garmin Venu 3 does have an in-built speaker and mic. You can answer calls using the Venu 3 directly. Garmin Fenix 7 lacks both.
Battery
Garmin Fenix 7 has a marginally better battery backup than Garmin Venu 3.
Both watches support fast charging. You can, practically, go from an empty battery to a full battery in less than 2 hours of charging.
Garmin Venu 3 and Fenix 7 standard edition smartwatches use the Garmin proprietary wire charger to charge the battery.
We have compared the battery backup on different watch modes of Garmin Venu 3 and Fenix 7 below.
| Watch mode | Garmin Venu 3 backup | Garmin Fenix 7 (Standard) backup |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch mode | Up to 14 days | Up to 18 days |
| GPS Mode | Up to 26 hours | Up to 57 hours |
| All Satellite Systems + Music | Up to 11 hours | Up to 10 hours |
| Battery saver mode | Up to 26 days | Up to 57 days |
| Max Battery GPS | – | Up to 136 hours |
| Expedition GPS | – | Up to 40 days |
Garmin Venu 3 and Fenix 7 Standard edition support the ‘Battery Saver Mode’. You can use both smartwatches at extremely low power settings.
Activity profiles
Garmin Venu 3 and Fenix 7 standard editions differ in terms of the supported profiles for running, cycling, swimming, and outdoor recreation.
A side-by-side comparison of the various activity profiles is displayed hereunder.
| Activity profiles | Garmin Venu 3 | Garmin Fenix 7 (Standard) |
|---|---|---|
| Running | Running, Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Trail Running, Virtual Running, Ultra Running |
| Swimming | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming, Swimming/Running |
| Outdoor recreation | Hiking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Skiing, Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Snowshoeing, Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Tennis, Padel, Pickleball, Disc Golf | Hiking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Climbing, Mountain Biking, Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Water Skiing, Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Surfing, Wakeboarding, Wakesurfing, Tubing, Hunting, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Snowshoeing, Fishing, Horseback Riding, Motorcycling, Overlanding, Motocrossing, ATVing, Snowmobile, Ice Skating, Boating, Sailing, Sail Racing, Jumpmaster, Tennis, Pickleball, Padel, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Archery, Whitewater, Tactical, Disc Golf, Sailing Expedition |
| Cycling | Biking, Indoor Biking, eBiking, Handcycling, Indoor Handcycling | Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, Triathlon |
Wheelchair mode
Garmin Venu 3 has added a wheelchair mode. The wheelchair mode helps wheelchair users monitor pushes and activities during the day.
Garmin has also added a wheelchair workout to help wheelchair users plan physical activity.
Garmin Fenix 7 does not have the wheelchair mode.
ECG app
Garmin ECG apps received FDA approval in January 2023. The Garmin ECG app was subsequently rolled out to the Garmin Venu 2 Plus smartwatches.
It was widely anticipated that the ECG app would be added to the Garmin Venu 3 smartwatch. But, it was not a part of the Venu 3 software at the time of the launch of the watch.
However, as of writing this, the Garmin ECG app has been made available on Garmin Venu 3 and Venu 3S smartwatches. The ECG app was enabled on Venu 3 series smartwatches within weeks of the launch.
Garmin Fenix 7 standard edition does not have the Garmin ECG app.
Music
Garmin Venu 3 and Fenix 7 Standard Edition support a full set of music features.
Using Venu 3 and Fenix 7, you can enjoy the following music features:
- You can control music on the paired smartphone
- You can store music on the smartwatch storage.
- You can use the smartwatch to directly manage the music on the watch storage
- You can download music streaming apps like Spotify and Deezer using the Connect IQ app marketplace. With a premium subscription to these apps, you can download your playlists on the watch for offline listening.
Costs
Garmin Fenix 7 Standard Edition has a list price of $649.99. Garmin Venu 3 comes for a list price of $449.99.
Final verdict
Garmin Venu 3 is a decent lifestyle smartwatch. I will pick a Venu 3 over Fenix 7 for the following reasons:
- AMOLED display
- Garmin ECG app and ability to detect irregular heart rhythm conditions
- Better display resolution
- Better display lens
- The watch model is newer than the Fenix 7
- In-built speaker and microphone
- Wheelchair mode for wheelchair users.
I will get a Fenix 7 standard edition over the Venu 3 for the following reasons:
- If I need special profiles for running, cycling, or outdoor recreation sports.
- Higher device storage of 16 GB
- Higher water resistance rating of 10 ATM or 100 meters under-water resistance level.
- Better battery backup, especially on the ‘Battery Saver Mode’.