Garmin Vivoactive 5 was released in September 2023. Venu 2 Plus has been around since January 2022. However, Venu 2 Plus continues to be one of the most sought-after Garmin smartwatches.
We compare Vivoactive 5 and Venu 2 Plus in terms core features and differences below.
Main differences
The main differences between Garmin Vivoactive 5 and Venu 2 Plus are shared below:
- Garmin Vivoactive 5 costs less than Venu 2 Plus. The difference in the list price of both watches is $150.
- Garmin Venu 2 Plus supports the Garmin ECG app to detect irregular heart rhythm issues. Vivoactive 5 does not support the ECG app.
- Venu 2 Plus has a steel bezel and Vivoactive 5 has an anodized aluminum bezel.
- Vivoactive 5 supports apps for nap detection, sleep coaching, and meditation. The latest app suite is missing in the Venu 2 Plus watches.
- Vivoactive 5 lacks sensors for the Gyroscope and Barometric altimeter. Venu 2 Plus has both of these sensors.
- Venu 2 Plus has an in-built speaker and mic. You can make calls or answer calls directly using Venu 2 Plus. Vivoactive 5 lacks a speaker and mic.
- Venu 2 Plus has a 33 mm screen; Vivoactive 5 has a 30 mm screen.
- Vivoactive 5 improves battery backup by almost 20 percent over the Venu 2 Plus smartwatch.
- Venu 2 Plus has a higher device storage of 8 GB. Vivoactive 4 comes with 4 GB internal storage.
- Vivoactive 5 also includes more activity profiles in outdoor recreation and cycling.
- Vivoactive 5 also has a wheelchair mode. Venu 2 Plus does not support wheelchair mode.
We look at the core features and differences in detail below.
Display specifications
Garmin Vivoactive 5 and Venu 2 Plus use the 3rd generation Corning Gorilla Glass. This is a pretty decent standard display lens in the wearables industry.
Vivoactive 5 and Venu 2 Plus support AMOLED display technology. Both watches also support the Always-on-display mode. The AOD or Always-on-display, however, drains significant battery charge.
The core display specifications of Vivoactive 5 and Venu 2 Plus are compared in the table below.
| Display specifications | Garmin Vivoactive 5 | Garmin Venu 2 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Display lens | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Display size | 30 mm or 1.2″ | 33 mm or 1.3″ |
| Color display | Yes | Yes |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Display resolution | 390 x 390 pixels | 416x 416 pixels |
| Ambient light sensor | Yes | Yes |
| LED Flashlight | No | No |
The only difference between Vivoactive 5 and Venu 2 Plus lies in the size of the display lens. The bigger display lens of Venu 2 Plus affords a slightly improved display resolution.
Physical specifications
There are some important differences between Vivoactive 5 and Venu 2 Plus in terms of physical attributes.
Venu 2 Plus has an in-built speaker and mic. So, you can make or answer calls directly using the Venu 2 Plus.
Venu 2 Plus also has a higher device storage of 8 GB. Vivoactive 5 comes with 4 GB storage.
Vivoactive 5 is slimmer and thinner than the Venu 2 Plus smartwatch. Venu 2 Plus uses a stainless steel bezel. Vivoactive 5 uses a bezel made of anodized aluminum.
Vivoactive 5 is missing sensors for the Gyroscope and Barometric altimeter.
We discuss the main physical specifications of Garmin Vivoactive 5 and Venu 2 Plus below.
| Physical specifications | Garmin Vivoactive 5 | Garmin Venu 2 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Watch size | 42 mm | 43 mm |
| Watch dimensions | 42.2 x 42.2 x 11.1 mm | 43.6 x 43.6 x 12.6 mm |
| Thickness | 11.1 mm | 12.6 mm |
| Bezel | Anodized aluminum | Stainless steel |
| Watch body | Fiber-enforced polymer | Fiber-enforced polymer with steel rear cover |
| Watch weight | 36 g | 51 g |
| Band size | 20 mm | 20 mm |
| Recommended wrist circumference | 125-190 mm | 125-190 mm |
| Water rating | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Swimming profiles | Pool swimming, Open water swimming | Pool swimming |
| Device storage | 4 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 | No | Yes |
| Barometric altimeter | No | 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 | No | Yes |
| In-built microphone | No | Yes |
| Android compatibility | Android 7 or higher | Android 7 or higher |
| iOS compatibility | iOS 15 or higher | iOS 15 or higher |
GPS
Garmin Vivoactive 5 and Venu 2 Plus support GPS, GLONASS, and GALILEO satellite networks for GPS connections. Garmin smartwatches provide reliable and accurate GPS connectivity.
However, both watches lack the multi-frequency positioning sensor and the SatIQ sensor.
Therefore, Garmin Vivoactive 5 and Venu 2 Plus do not support the multi-band GPS mode or the dual-frequency GPS mode.
Garmin ECG app
Garmin ECG app helps in detecting irregular heart rhythm issues. In other words, the Garmin ECG app helps in detecting Atrial Fibrillation conditions.
Garmin ECG app received FDA approval in January 2023. Venu 2 Plus became the first smartwatch to get the Garmin ECG app.
As of writing this, Venu 2 Plus is the only Garmin smartwatch that is compatible with the Garmin ECG app.
So, Venu 2 Plus is fully compatible with the Garmin ECG app. However, Vivoactive 5 does not support the Garmin ECG app.
Battery
Garmin Vivoactive 5 and Venu 2 Plus offer an extended battery backup. Vivoactive 5 does offer at least 20 percent higher battery backup than the Venu 2 Plus.
We compare the battery backup of Vivoactive 5 and Venu 2 Plus in different watch modes below.
| Watch mode | Garmin Vivoactive 5 | Garmin Venu 2 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch mode | Up to 11 days | Up to 9 days |
| GPS Mode without music | Up to 21 hours | Up to 24 hours |
| GPS Mode with music | Up to 8 hours | Up to 8 hours |
| Battery Saver Mode | Up to 21 days | Up to 10 days |
A striking aspect of Garmin Vivoactive 5 and Venu 2 Plus is the availability of the ‘Battery Saver Mode’. Battery Saver mode allows you to use the smartwatch at extremely low power settings for an extended period of time.
Music
Garmin Vivoactive 5 and Venu 2 Plus offer a full suite of music features. The following music functionality is enabled on both smartwatches:
- You can store music or personal audio content on Vivoactive 5 and Venu 2 Plus. The music files can be managed directly using the smartwatch interface or software.
- You can control music on the paired smartphone using Venu 2 Plus and Vivoactive 5.
- You can download music streaming apps like Spotify and Deezer using the Connect IQ store. With a premium subscription, you can download playlists and music content for offline listening.
Activity profiles
Vivoactive 5 has additional activity profiles in outdoor recreation, swimming and cycling. We look at a comparison of available profiles on both smartwatches below.
| Activity profiles | Garmin Vivoactive 5 | Garmin Venu 2 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Gym | – | Strength, HIIT, Cardio and Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing, Pilates, Yoga |
| Cycling | Biking, Indoor Biking, eBiking, Handcycling, Indoor Handcycling | Biking, Indoor Biking |
| Swimming | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming | Pool Swimming |
| Outdoor recreation | Skiing, Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Snowshoeing, Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Tennis, Padel, Pickleball, Disc Golf | Hiking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Skiing, Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Snowshoeing Stand Up Paddleboarding, Tennis, Padel, Pickleball, Rowing, Disc Golf |
Wheelchair mode
Garmin has introduced a wheelchair mode in Vivoactive 5. Wheelchair mode will help wheelchair users track and monitor physical activities like wheelchair pushes.
Garmin has also added wheelchair workouts in the software to help wheelchair users plan activities.
Costs
Garmin Venu 2 Plus has a list price of $449.99. Garmin Vivoactive 5 comes at a list price of $199.99.
Final verdict
Venu 2 Plus is the only Garmin smartwatch that includes the Garmin ECG app. So, you can take electrocardiogram readings with a Venu 2 Plus. Additionally, the in-built speaker and mic are a valuable part of the watch.
For practical considerations, Vivoactive 5 does offer value for money performance and features. The reduction in cost has been made possible by the use of anodized aluminum in Vivoactive 5.
At the same time, new features like the wheelchair mode, nap detection, sleep coaching and meditation apps have been added to the Vivoactive 5.
My personal liking is for the Vivoactive 5. This is also because the Vivoactive 5 is a leaner and slimmer smartwatch with good display performance.
More smartwatch comparisons
You may like to read more about the smartwatch comparisons below:
- Garmin Venu 3 vs Vivoactive 5
- Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Vivoactive 4
- Garmin Venu 3 Vs Fitbit Sense 2
- Garmin Venu 3 vs Fitbit Versa 4
- Garmin Venu 3 vs Fenix 7
- Garmin Venu 3 vs Venu Sq 2 smartwatch
- Garmin Venu 3 vs Venu 2 Smartwatch
- Garmin Forerunner 955 vs Venu 3
- Garmin Venu 3 vs Vivoactive 4
- Garmin Forerunner 265 vs Venu 3
- Garmin Venu 3 Vs Venu 2 Plus