Garmin Venu 3 vs Fitbit Sense 2 smartwatch

Garmin Venu 3 was released in August 2023 and is a relatively newer variant in the Venu series. Fitbit Sense 2 was released in September 2022.

In this study, we compare the 3rd generation Garmin Venu 3 watch and Fitbit Sense 2.

Smartwatch features covered in this post

Main differences

Garmin Venu 3 can work on GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo satellite networks. Fitbit Sense 2 can only work on GPS and GLONASS satellite systems.
Garmin Venu 3 comes with an incident detection feature. This is akin to the fall detection feature of Apple smartwatches. Fitbit Sense 2 lacks the fall detection feature.
Garmin Venu 3 has full-fledged music functionality. Fitbit Sense 2 lacks music functionality.
Venu 3 can support a wide range of wireless connectivity, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and ANT+. Fitbit Sense 2 can only support Bluetooth. It lacks Wi-Fi and ANT+ support.
Garmin Venu 3 has a higher device storage of 8 GB. Fitbit Sense 2 can store up to 7 days of activity data.
Garmin Venu 3 offers a longer battery backup than the Fitbit Sense 2.
Fitbit Sense 2 comes with an ECG app to take on-demand electrocardiogram readings. This is one of the biggest strong points of the Fitbit Sense 2. Garmin Venu 3 also supports the Garmin ECG app.
Fitbit Sense 2 lacks the sensor for a compass. Venu 3 does have a sensor for the compass.

These are some significant differences between the Garmin Venu 3 and Fitbit Sense 2 smartwatches. We look at the product capabilities and differences in detail below.

Display specifications

Garmin Venu 3 uses the 3rd generation Corning Gorilla Glass in the display lens. It is one of the best display lenses available in the wearables industry.

Venu 3 and Fitbit Sense 2 support AMOLED display technology. Both watches also support the Always-on-display (AOD) mode. Do note that the AOD mode does consume a lot more battery.

A detailed comparison of the display features of Venu 3 and Fitbit Sense 2 is presented below.

Display specifications	Garmin Venu 3	Fitbit Sense 2
Display lens	Corning Gorilla Glass 3	No information
Display shape	Round	Box or Square
Display type	AMOLED	AMOLED
Display size	1.4″ or 36 MM	1.58″ or 40 mm
Display resolution	454 x 454 pixels	336 x 336 pixels
Touchscreen	Yes	Yes
Color display	Yes	Yes
Always-on-display	Yes	Yes
Ambient light sensor	Yes	Yes

The overall display size of the Fitbit Sense 2 is larger than the display size of the Garmin Venu 3. This could be attributed to the shape of the display of Fitbit Sense 2.

The display resolution, however, is higher in the Venu 3 than in Sense 2. You will find the display brightness and screen clarity of Venu 3 is higher than Fitbit Sense 2.

Physical specifications

You will find the build quality of Garmin Venu 3 exceptionally better than the build quality of the Fitbit Sense 2 smartwatch.

Venu 3 is designed to last for an extended period. The bezel of Venu 3 uses stainless steel. Fitbit Sense 2 has an aluminum bezel.

We look at the main physical specifications of Garmin Venu 3 and Fitbit Sense 2 below.

Physical specifications	Garmin Venu 3	Fitbit Sense 2
iOS compatible	iOS 15 and higher versions	iOS 15 and higher versions
Android compatible	Android 7 and higher versions	Android 9 and higher versions
Watch size	45 x 45 x 12 mm	40 x 41 x 11mm
Watch weight	47 g	46 g
Thickness	12 mm	11 mm
Band size	22 mm	Small and Large bands
Band material	Silicone	Silicone
Watch body	Fiber-enforced Polymer	Polymer
Bezel	Stainless Steel	Aluminum
NFC or Contactless Payments	Garmin Pay	Fitbit Pay and Google Wallet
Water resistance	5 ATM or 50 Meters	5 ATM or 50 Meters
Device storage	8 GB	7 days of activity data
Speaker	Yes	Yes
Microphone	Yes	Yes

Garmin Venu 3 and Fitbit Sense 2 have an in-built speaker and microphone. You can answer calls directly using the smartwatch.

ECG App

Fitbit Sense 2 supports the Fitbit ECG app. You can take electrocardiogram readings using the Fitbit ECG app on a Sense 2 smartwatch. These readings can be shared with your Doctor for analysis of irregular heart rhythm conditions.

Garmin ECG app received FDA approval in January 2023. We expected Garmin Venu 3 to include the Garmin ECG app. It was not part of the smartwatch software at the time of launch.

However, as of writing this, the Garmin ECG app has been made available on the Garmin Venu 3 smartwatches. This change or new feature support was communicated on 17 October 2023.

So, Venu 3 does close the feature gap with Fitbit Sense 2 by the addition of support for the Garmin ECG app.

Music

Fitbit Sense 2 does not have music functionality. This could be considered a major drawback of the Sense 2 smartwatch.

Meanwhile, Garmin Venu 3 has full music functionality. A Venu 3 can offer the following music features:

You can manage, control, and play music on the paired smartphone.
You can store music or personal audio content on the watch storage of Garmin Venu 3.
You can also download music streaming apps like Spotify and Deezer using the Connect IQ store.
With a premium subscription to Spotify, you can download music on the smartwatch for offline listening.

GPS support

Garmin smartwatches have built a reputation around offering reliable and accurate GPS connectivity. Garmin Venu 3 can support GPS, GLONASS, and GALILEO satellite networks.

GALILEO is the satellite network that is owned and managed by the European Space Agency (ESA). The Galileo satellite network offers better GPS coverage and accuracy within Europe.

Fitbit Sense 2 can only support GPS and GLONASS satellite systems. It misses the GALILEO satellite network support.

Garmin Venu 3 promises better GPS coverage throughout Europe with its Galileo network support.

You will find that the GPS performance and accuracy of a Garmin Venu 3 are more dependable, and accurate than that of Fitbit Sense 2.

Battery

Garmin Venu 3 offers a longer battery backup than Fitbit Sense 2.

A Fitbit Sense 2 comes with 6 days of battery backup. The battery will drain faster while using GPS services. For practical considerations, you can consider a battery backup of less than 1 day while using the GPS networks.

Garmin Venu 3 offers up to 14 days of battery backup in the smartwatch mode. A detailed list of watch modes and the battery backup offered by Garmin Venu 3 is shared below.

Watch mode	Garmin Venu 3
Smartwatch mode	Up to 14 days
GPS-Only GNSS mode	Up to 26 hours
All-Systems GNSS mode	Up to 20 hours
All-Systems GNSS mode with music	Up to 11 hours
Battery Saver mode	Up to 26 days

Another strong point of the Garmin Venu 3 is the presence of ‘Battery Saver Mode’. Battery Saver mode offers up to 26 days of battery backup. It, basically, allows you to use the Venu 3 at extremely low power settings.

Sensors

Fitbit Sense 2 lacks a sensor for the compass. All other core sensors are available on Fitbit Sense 2 and Garmin Venu 3.

Sensors	Garmin Venu 3	Fitbit Sense 2
Accelerometer	Yes	Yes
Barometric altimeter	Yes	Yes
Compass	Yes	No
Gyroscope	Yes	Yes
Skin temperature readings	Yes	Yes
Heart rate sensor	Garmin Elevate Heart Sensor	Optical Heart Sensor
Blood Oxygenation sensor	Yes	Yes
NFC Receiver	Yes	Yes
GPS Chips	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO	GPS, GLONASS

Costs

Garmin Venu 3 has been launched at a list price of $449.99. Fitbit Sense 2 comes for a list price of $299.99.

Final verdict

For an additional $150 spent on Garmin Venu 3, you are getting the following benefits:

Sturdier watch
Better GPS performance
Longer battery backup
Wi-Fi and ANT+ wireless connectivity
Well designed in-built programs for running, outdoor recreation, swimming, cycling, and training.
Steel bezel

The biggest positive of Fitbit Sense 2 is the support for the Fitbit ECG app. Fitbit Sense 2 does offer a comprehensive suite of health features.

We would pick a Venu 3 over the Fitbit Sense 2 inspite of higher costs. We can see that Garmin releases frequent firmware updates for all the watches. Garmin smartwatches are well supported by the company and offer a reasonably longer period of watch ownership.

More Smartwatch Comparisons

You may like to read more smartwatch comparisons below: