Garmin released Venu 3 in August 2023. Venu 2 Plus was released in January 2022. Both smartwatches are priced the same.
We look at the Garmin Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus smartwatches in the detailed comparison below.
Main differences
The main differences between Garmin Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus smartwatches are listed below:
- Garmin Venu 3 is slightly broader than the Venu 2 Plus. The size of the display lens is also bigger in Venu 3.
- Garmin Venu 2 Plus has an ECG app and allows you to take electrocardiogram readings. Venu 3 also supports the Garmin ECG app. It was rolled out on October 17 2023 on all Venu 3 variants.
- Garmin Venu 3 comes with improved battery backup. It offers almost 40 percent higher battery backup than the Venu 2 Plus smartwatch in different watch modes.
- Garmin Venu 3 launched a wheelchair mode to help wheelchair users track their movements throughout the day. There is a separate profile to track workouts for wheelchair users.
- Apps for Sleep Coach, Meditation, and Nap detection have been added to the Garmin Venu 3 smartwatch.
- Garmin Venu 3 has augmented the number of activity profiles in outdoor recreation, cycling and swimming.
We look at these differences and other features in detail below.
Display specifications
Garmin Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus use the 3rd generation Corning Gorilla Glass in the display lens.
Both smartwatches use the AMOLED display and support the Always-on-display mode. The main benefit of the AMOLED display is increased brightness in the display screen.
The other display specifications for the Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus are shared below in the comparison table.
| Display specifications | Garmin Venu 3 | Garmin Venu 2 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Display lens | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Display size | 36 mm or 1.4″ | 1.3″ or 33 mm |
| Color display | Yes | Yes |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Display resolution | 454 x 454 pixels | 416 x 416 pixels |
| Ambient light sensor | Yes | Yes |
| LED Flashlight | No | No |
Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus have similar display technology and display performance. The marginal difference in the size of the display lens translates into a higher display resolution in Venu 3.
Physical specifications
Most differences between Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus are in the physical specifications on account of the size differences.
Both smartwatches share the same water rating and device storage.
A detailed comparison of the physical specifications and features of Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus is provided in the table below.
| Physical specifications | Garmin Venu 3 | Garmin Venu 2 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Watch size | 45 mm | 44 mm |
| Watch dimensions | 45 x 45 x 12 mm | 43.6 x 43.6 x 12.6 mm |
| Thickness | 12 mm | 12.6 mm |
| Watch weight | 47 g | 51 g |
| Band size | 22 mm | 20 mm |
| Recommended wrist circumference | 135-200 mm | 125-190 mm mm |
| Water rating | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Device storage | 8 GB | 8 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 (tempe sensor needed) |
| In-built speaker | Yes | Yes |
| In-built microphone | Yes | Yes |
Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus have an in-built speaker and microphone. Both watches can make calls or answer calls directly. Contactless payments are possible on both watches using the Garmin Pay app.
ECG app
Garmin ECG app received regulatory approval in January 2023. Subsequently, it was rolled out in the Garmin Venu 2 Plus smartwatch.
So, Garmin Venu 2 Plus smartwatch allows you to take on the spot electrocardiogram readings. The ECG apps help in detecting irregular heart rhythm conditions.
Garmin Venu 3 lacked the Garmin ECG app at the time of launch. However, the Garmin ECG app has been enabled on Venu 3 and Venu 3S on 17 October, 2023. As of now, Garmin Venu 3 and Venu 3S smartwatches are fully compatible with the Garmin ECG app.
So, you can track heart rhythm conditions with a Garmin Venu 3 and Garmin Venu 3S smartwatch.
GPS
Garmin Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus are compatible with GPS, GLONASS, and GALILEO satellite networks. Both devices offer reliable, dependable and accurate GPS coverage across the world.
However, Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus lack the multi-frequency positioning sensor. This implies that both watches are incompatible with multi-band GPS.
The multi-band GPS or dual-frequency GPS is a special GPS mode in which you can get GPS data from multiple satellites at any given point in time.
The multi-band GPS improves GPS reliability and accuracy in remote areas with poor or weak GPS connectivity.
Music
Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus offer full music functionality. The following music features are possible in Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus:
- You can manage or control music on the paired smartphone
- You can store music or personal audio content on the watch storage. Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus have 8 GB of internal storage.
- You can download music streaming apps like Spotify and Deezer from the Connect IQ store. Spotify and Deezer can be used for offline listening (premium subscription will be needed)
- You can manage music on the watch storage directly using the watch interface
Wheelchair mode
Garmin Venu 3 has added a wheelchair mode to the watch. The wheelchair mode is a special mode that allows wheelchair users to track movements, track pushes, and follow wheelchair-specific workouts.
Venu 3 comes with special wheelchair workouts to track the activities of wheelchair users.
Wheelchair mode is unavailable in the Venu 2 Plus smartwatch.
Battery
Garmin Venu 3 offers an almost 40 percent improvement in battery backup in comparison with the Venu 2 Plus.
The battery backup offered by Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus in different watch modes is detailed below.
| Watch mode | Garmin Venu 3 | Garmin Venu 2 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch mode | Up to 14 days | Up to 9 days |
| GPS mode without music | Up to 26 hours | Up to 24 hours |
| GPS mode with music | Up to 11 hours | Up to 8 hours |
| Battery saver smartwatch mode | Up to 26 days | Up to 10 days |
Both watches support fast charging. You can go from zero-battery to full-battery in a little less than 2 hours with the Garmin wire charger.
Additional activity profiles
The software of Garmin Venu 3 comes with additional activity profiles in cycling and outdoor recreation. We compare the various activity profiles in Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus in the comparison table below.
| Activity profiles | Garmin Venu 3 | Garmin Venu 2 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Cycling | Biking, Indoor Biking, eBiking, Handcycling, Indoor Handcycling | Biking, Indoor Biking |
| 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, Skiing, Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Disc Golf |
| Swimming | Pool swimming, Open water swimming | Pool swimming |
Costs
Garmin Venu 3 has a list price of $449.9.9. Venu 2 Plus continues to use the same list price of $449.99. However, we expect Garmin Venu 2 Plus to be eventually discounted to lower price levels in the near future.
Final verdict
The prices of Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus are identical. We, therefore, pick the Garmin Venu 3 on account of the following reasons:
- Bigger size (45 mm vs 44 mm) of Venu 3.
- Bigger display size (36 mm) of Venu 3 against the 33 mm display size of Venu 2 Plus.
- Better battery backup
- Meditation and sleep coach apps.
Both watches, Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus have inherent support for the Garmin ECG app. So, you can take electrocardiogram readings on Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus alike.
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