Garmin Venu 3 is one of the newer smartwatches released in August 2023. Venu Sq 2 was unveiled in September 2022.
Below, we look at a detailed comparison between the Garmin Venu 3 and Venu Sq 2 series smartwatches.
Main differences
The main differences between the Venu 3 and Venu Sq 2 are elaborated below:
- The cost of the Venu Sq 2 is almost half the cost of the Venu 3 series smartwatch.
- Venu 3 has a round display and Venu Sq 2 has a square or box-type display.
- Venu 3 has an in-built speaker and microphone. You can answer calls directly using the smartwatch.
- Venu 3 has full music functionality. Venu Sq 2 can only control or play music on the paired smartphone.
- Venu Sq 2 has a size of 40 mm. Venu 3 has a 45 mm size.
- Venu Sq 2 has a device storage of 4 GB. Venu 3 has a storage of 8 GB.
- Venu Sq 2 lacks a gyroscope and barometric altimeter. Venu 3 has sensors for the gyroscope and barometric altimeter.
- Venu Sq 2 lacks Wi-Fi connectivity. It does have Bluetooth and ANT+ wireless connectivity.
- The bezel of Venu Sq 2 is made of aluminum. The bezel of Venu 3 is made of stainless steel.
- Venu 3 has a marginally better battery backup than Venu Sq 2 (almost 30 percent higher).
- Venu 3 has apps for meditation, sleep coaching, Jetlag adviser and nap detection.
- Venu 3 supports a wheelchair mode to track the activity or workout of wheelchair users.
Display specifications
Venu 3 and Venu Sq 2 use the 3rd generation Corning Gorilla Glass in the display lens.
Venu 3 and Venu Sq 2 use the AMOLED display technology. The AMOLED display type helps in improving the screen brightness and offers a better display experience to the users.
AMOLED display also helps in providing the Always-on-display mode on the watch.
The generic display specifications of Venu 3 and Venu Sq 2 are mentioned in the side-by-side comparison table below.
| Display specifications | Garmin Venu 3 | Garmin Venu Sq 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Display Size | 1.4″ or 36 mm | 1.4″ or 36 mm |
| Display type | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Display resolution | 454 x 454 pixels | 320 x 360 pixels |
| Color display | Yes | Yes |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Ambient light sensor | Yes | Yes |
| LED Flashlight | No | No |
| Display shape | Round | Square |
The essential difference between Venu 3 and Venu Sq 2 is in the shape of the watch. Venu 3 has a round display and Venu Sq 2 has a box or square display. Other display attributes remain similar for the Venu 3 and Venu Sq 2 smartwatches.
Physical specifications
There are significant differences between Venu 3 and Venu Sq 2 in terms of the physical attributes and features of each watch.
Venu 3 features a stainless steel bezel. Venu Sq 2 has a bezel made of anodized aluminum. Venu 3 has higher internal storage and offers Wi-Fi connectivity. Venu 3 also has sensors for gyroscope and barometric altimeter.
The detailed physical specifications of Venu 3 and Venu Sq 2 are compared below.
| Physical specifications | Garmin Venu 3 | Garmin Venu Sq 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Watch size | 45 x 45 x 12 mm | 40.6 x 37.0 x 11.1 mm |
| Thickness | 12 mm | 11.1 mm |
| Bezel | Stainless steel | Anodized aluminum |
| Watch body | Fiber-reinforced polymer | Fiber-reinforced polymer |
| Watch weight | 47 g | 38 g |
| Band size | 22 mm | 20 mm |
| Recommended wrist circumference | 135-200 mm | 125-190 mm |
| Water rating | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Swimming profiles | Pool swimming, Open water swimming | Pool swimming |
| Wireless Connectivity | ANT+, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | ANT+, Bluetooth |
| Internal Storage | 8 GB | 4 GB |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO |
| In-built speaker | Yes | No |
| In-built microphone | Yes | No |
| Barometric altimeter | Yes | No |
| Compass | Yes | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes | No |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| NFC Payments (Contactless) | Garmin Pay | Yes |
| Thermometer | Yes (requires tempe sensor) | Yes (requires tempe sensor) |
| Garmin Heart Elevate Sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Pulse Ox Blood oxygenation sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Android compatibility | Android 7 or higher | Android 7 or higher |
| iOS compatibility | iOS 15 or higher | iOS 15 or higher |
Battery
Venu 3 features a longer battery life than Venu Sq 2. The battery backup of Venu 3 is almost 30 percent higher than the battery backup of Venu Sq 2.
We compare the battery backup of Venu 3 and Venu Sq 2 is a side-by-side comparison below.
| Watch mode | Garmin Venu 3 backup | Garmin Venu Sq 2 backup |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch mode | Up to 14 days | Up to 11 days |
| GPS mode | Up to 26 hours | Up to 26 hours |
| All-Systems GNSS mode | Up to 20 hours | Up to 20 hours |
| Battery Saver mode | Up to 26 days | Up to 12 days |
| All-Systems GNSS mode with music | Up to 11 hours | – |
Venu 3 and Venu Sq 2 support the Battery Saver mode. It helps in using the smartwatch at extremely low power settings as well.
Activity profiles
There are significant additions in the activity profiles in running, cycling, and outdoor recreation in Venu 3. We compare the activity profiles of Venu 3 and Venu Sq 2 below.
| Activity profiles | Garmin Venu 3 | Garmin Venu Sq 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Running | Running, Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running | Running, Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running |
| Outdoor recreation | Hiking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Skiing, Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Snowshoeing, Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Tennis, Padel, Pickleball, Disc Golf | Skiing, Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Disc Golf |
| Cycling | Biking, Indoor Biking, eBiking, Handcycling, Indoor Handcycling | Biking, Indoor Biking |
Wheelchair mode
Venu 3 launches the wheelchair mode for the first time in Garmin smartwatches. Wheelchair mode is designed to track the pushes of wheelchair users.
Garmin has also added wheelchair workouts in the software to help wheelchair users engage in trackable activities.
ECG app
Garmin’s ECG app received FDA approval in January 2023. It was subsequently added to the Garmin Venu 2 Plus smartwatch.
Garmin ECG app was rolled out for Venu 3 and Venu 3S smartwatches in October 2023. This is within weeks of the launch of both smartwatches.
With the Garmin ECG app, you can take electrocardiogram readings. The ECG app helps in detecting heart conditions of irregular rhythm. It is useful in detecting Atrial Fibrillation conditions.
Garmin Venu 3 was expected to include the Garmin ECG app. However, at the time of launch, the Garmin ECG app was not available in Garmin Venu 3.
Venu Sq 2 does not have the Garmin ECG app.
Costs
Venu 3 comes at a list price of $449.99. Venu Sq 2 has a list price of $249.99. But, on most days, you may be able to get a discount on the Venu Sq 2 prices.
Final verdict
Venu 3 is a more complete smartwatch. At the same time, it does come at almost twice the cost of Venu Sq 2.
There are significant improvements in Venu 3 over Venu Sq 2 that include:
- Garmin ECG app support
- in-built speaker and mic
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- full music connectivity
- special apps for meditation, nap detection, sleep coaching
- higher number of profiles for outdoor recreation, cycling, and swimming
If budget is not a constraint, Venu 3 does present itself as a full-fledged feature-ridden latest smartwatch.
Venu Sq 2 conserves cost by using anodized aluminum in the bezel. But, it does have a rich set of features to offer a credible smartwatch option for the list price of $249.99.
If you are looking for a budget smartwatch with contemporary looks, Venu Sq 2 presents itself as an automatic choice.
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