In terms of size, style, and function, the 2022 Venu Sq 2 is very similar to the original square Garmin watch.

The greatest difference is most notably the addition of the AMOLED display, followed by substantially increased battery power and more accurate GPS.

The crystal-clear AMOLED display shows large, easy-to-read text, even in bright sunlight.

Another win for the new Sq 2 is almost twice the battery life as the original Venu Sq: up to 11 days in smartwatch mode and 26 hours in GPS mode! Although, you will get less with using all-systems GPS, music with GPS, and if you enable the always-on screen. But overall, it's a huge boost in power that will allow you to get 24/7 picture of your overall health and fitness.

The previous Venu Sq offered only up to 6 days in smartwatch mode, 14 hours in GPS, and 6 hours in GPS with music.

And if we're talking differences, we should probably talk about the Garmin Venu Sq 2 price: $249.99 for the standard and $299.99 for the music edition. That's a $50 increase over the original series. You get to decide if the upgrades are worth it!

There's not a ton of differences between these 2 Garmin GPS watches now that the Venu Sq 2 got an AMOLED facelift.

Starting with the obvious, one is square and one is round. The Venu Sq 2 is thinner and sleeker than the Venu 2 (45 mm case, 1.3" display, 12.2 mm thick). The adjacent image does not quite show the relative size of the Sq 2 with the Venu 2S, which has a a 40 mm case with a 1.1" display and is 12.1 mm thick. The Venu Sq 2 display is 1.3" diagonally and is only 11.1 mm thick.

You can take a look at the Garmin Venu Sq 2 review video from our running watch guru, Dave, to see some size comparisons with other watches.

Both Venu 2 fitness watches come with on-watch music storage of up to 650 songs. You will have to buy the Venu Sq 2 Music edition if you want music on watch, which allows you to load it with up to 500 songs.

While these sibling watches are very similar in health, fitness, and smart features, the Venu Sq 2 does not have a barometric altimeter, which provides elevation data, whereas the Venu 2/2S will give you stairs climbed and total ascent/descent metrics.

As for price, the Venu 2/2S costs $399.99, while the Venu Sq 2 is $249.99 and the Venu Sq 2 Music costs $299.99.

So, if it's between these two Garmin watches, it will come down to size and style preference, and if you want the elevation metrics and a bit more phone-free music on your wrist.

The number one reason to buy the Venu 2 Plus over any other Garmin watch is the built-in microphone and speaker. This allows for Bluetooth phone calling and voice assistant support, when paired with your compatible smartphone.

You will be able to answer and make calls, send and receive texts, and even perform voice-enabled smart phone functions from your wrist—as long as your paired compatible phone is with you.

Aside from this pretty major difference, that puts the Venu 2 Plus at $200-$250 more than the Venu Sq 2/Venu Sq 2 Music, there is a lot of common ground bewteen these watches.

The Venu 2 Plus comes in one size that puts it betwen the Venu 2 and 2S sizes with a 43.6 mm case and 1.3" display. And like these watches, it can store 150 more songs than the Venu Sq 2 and provides elevation data as well.

Both the Garmin Venu Sq 2 and the COROS PACE 2 are packed with sports apps and are lighter-side GPS watches on your wrist.

Both offer excellent heart rate tracking, but each excels a bit more in different areas.

First of all, the PACE 2 is a bit more of a running watch with virtual run, training load, recovery, race predictor, and third-party integration with Komoot, Training Peaks, Strava, and more. It also has a barometric altimeter for elevation data.

Another strength of the PACE 2 is that it is superlight—only 29 g with a nylon strap compared to Venu Sq 2's 38 g. Which is kind of nuts since this watch offers more battery life as well: 30 hours in full GPS, 20 days in watch mode, and 60 hours in UltraMax GPS, although this mode may not give the most accurate GPS tracking. Still, this COROS watch is impressive in these categories.

What it does not offer is the rich suite of Garmin health and smartwatch features like Body Battery, Pulse Ox, sleep scores and insights, Garmin Pay™, weather widget, etc. Plus, the PACE 2 does not have an on-watch music option. In fact, you can not even play/control music on your phone.

If super-accurate GPS is a concern, the new Venu Sq 2 is the solid choice. In Dave's review video, it was every bit as good as the higher-end Garmin and COROS watches he tested it against. And then there is the AMOLED display wow-factor. The PACE 2 features a not-nearly-as-bright always-on memory LCD and is not a touchscreen.

After comparing features, you'll want to know that the COROS contender here is a full $50-$100 less than the Garmin, costing only $199.99.

Aside from a common price point—$299.99—these are two very different GPS watch experiences.

The COROS APEX (42 mm) is a mid-range multisport watch with a few more perks than the PACE2. It's strengths include running training tools like training load, recovery, race predictor, and third-party integration with Komoot, Training Peaks, Strava, and more. It also has a barometric altimeter for elevation metrics.

It sports a scratch-resistant Sapphire lens for more durability, and you can squeeze more battery life out of this popular running watch which offers 24 days in watch mode, 25 hours GPS, and 60 hours UltraMax GPS. The Garmin Venu Sq 2 gives you 11 days in smartwatch mode and 26 hours in GPS mode.

Plus, the APEX also offers some simple navigation in the form of breadcrumb trail, while the Garmin Venu Sq 2 does not have any nav.

The Sq 2 strengths are the same as with the PACE 2, as it far outdoes the COROS watch in health, smart, and music features. And the GPS is every bit as good (if not better) on this Garmin watch.

This COROS GPS watch does have some touchscreen function, but you won't get the bright AMOLED on your wrist!

While the Garmin Venu Sq 2 is a well-balanced smart, health, and fitness smartwatch topped with an eye-catching AMOLED display, the Polar Pacer Pro puts a no-nonsense lightweight running lab on your wrist.

For the same price as the Venu Sq 2 Music—$300—the Pacer Pro offers running tools beyond the Sq 2's sport profiles. These include:

• Running-specific features: Pace, Time, Distance, Stopwatch, Lap Timer, Interval Timer, Training Targest, Training Load Pro, Running Program, VO2 Max, Running Performace Test, Running Index, Race Time Predictor, Wrist-Based Running Power
• Assited-GPS for faster fix times and best positioning
• Polar's next-generation advanced optical heart rate monitor
• Barometric altimeter for uphill/downhill
• Turn-by-turn navigation with Komoot

And while it's got a brighter screen than other Polar watches, it can't compete with the Venu Sq 2's brilliant display.

Oddly, the Pacer Pro will only give you 7 days in smartwatch mode, but offers 35 hours in GPS and heart rate tracking mode, and 100 hours in power-saving mode (remember, your GPS will be less accurate in this mode). The Venu Sq 2 will give you 11 days of 24/7 smartwatch and health-monitoring. But not quite as much battery life in GPS mode.

As with other Polar and COROS GPS watches, Garmin beats everyone handsdown with a rich suite of smart, health, and music feautures with this watch. And its multi-GNSS tracking and heart rate sensor are every bit as good, if not more superior technology.

If you're looking for a strictly running watch at this price point, the Pacer Pro might be your jam. But if you want a well-rounded, stylish fitness watch with a music option, you might be thinking Venu Sq 2.

Two stylish fitness GPS watches with a few nuanced but important differences.

The Polar Ignite 2 is only $180 compared to the Garmin Venu Sq price of $250 and Venu Sq Music edition for $300.

They both offer built-in sports apps and health features, although the Garmin watch is loaded with more on the health and smart features side, like with Pulse Ox, Body Battery, more advanced sleep scores and insights, women's health, and Garmin Pay.

But the real reason for the price differnce is the AMOLED display on the Venu Sq 2 smartwatches and the option to store music on your watch for phone-free listening. The Ignite 2 can, however, control/play music on your smartphone.

Both the Garmin and the Polar options are designed for active lifestyles that want fitness features blended with style and smart features. The question is: How stylish, smart, and fit do you want your GPS watch to be?

For the price—$200—the Polar Vantage M2 is a popular sport watch that is hard to beat.

Unless you want an AMOLED display, music storage, and longer 24/7 battery life in smartwatch mode.

Affordably built for the athletic type in mind, the Vantage M2 offers a nice bundle of training tools, including Training Load Pro, Running Program, FuelWise™, and ready-made workouts from FitSpark®.

It competes well in terms of GPS and heart rate accuracy, and even has a few health and smart features, like Nightly Recharge™, sleep stage analysis, push notifications (although not during activities), weather forecast, and music controls.

But with the Garmin Venu Sq 2, you get more of a fitness watch with built-in sports apps and not quite the training tools. However, you do get that super-vibrant display, more battery life—11 days in smartwatch mode compared to Polar's 7 days—and more health and smart features.

Plus, the Vantage M2 only controls music on your smartphone, while the Venu Sq 2 Music allows you to store up to 500 tunes on your watch for phone-free listening. And this Garmin watch is more sleek and stylish than the sporty Vantage M2.

If the Venu Sq 2 is missing some of the more advanced features like training tools and navigation that you were hoping for, then you might want to level-up to a Garmin Forerunner watch at the next price point ranging from $350-$600.

The Forerunner 255 Series goes beyond the features of the Venu Sq 2 by adding breadcrumb navigation and a ton of training tools, including:

• Morning Report that summarizes your sleep, HRV status, and daily workout suggestion in one place as soon as you wake up
• Full triathlon support
• Race widget for race prep
• Race Predictor, Recovery Advisor, Training Status, Training Load, Training Effect, Finish Time, Virtual Partner, PacePro, Race Predictor, and Running Dynamics with a compatible Garmin Running Pod or HRM strap
• Multi-band GPS: Garmin’s reliable GPS accuracy just got better. By enabling multi-band, multi-satellite-system tracking on the watch, athletes can receive more accuracy in their run data, even in the most challenging environments.
• Barometric altimeter for elevation metrics.

Navigation includes:

• Point-to-Point Nvaigation
• Bread Crumb Trail in Real Time
• Back to Start
• Tracback
• Distance to Destination
• GPS Coordinates

You won't have any of these on the Venu Sq 2. But the Forerunner 255 does not offer a touchscreen or AMOLED display. However, this mid-range priced Garmin mulisport watch has nearly all the features of Garmin's high-end watches, and beats the pants off Polar and COROS watches in every way.

To this, the Garmin Forerunner 955 ($500) and 955 Solar ($600) adds a touchscreen, navigation full color topo maps, longer battery life with a solar-charging option, real-time stamina data, Garmin Live Segments, Strava Live Segments, round-trip course creator, Trendline popularity routing, golfing features, and up to 2,000 songs on watch.

If you're shopping the Venu Sq 2, you're probably not even thinking about dropping $700-$1,000 on a watch.

But when it comes to sheer multisport GPS Garmin watch badassery ... nothing touches a fēnix 7.

And while it is at the opposite end of the feature spectrum when it comes to training tools and performance feedback and suggestions based on your personal data, can't hurt to take a peak, right?

So what do you need to know about the fēnix 7 series watches that sets it apart from the Garmin Venu Sq 2 and most other watches on the planet?

• Depending on which size and model you choose, it's got banging battery life. More than you need. You'll become an entitled non-charger at some point. Promise.
• There are 3 sizes with 3 model options—Standard, Solar, and Sapphire Solar.
• Super-convenient interface with highly responsive touchscreen when you want it and 5-button operation when you need it.
• Training tools include: race widget, HRV status, training readiness, heat and altitude acclimation, real-time stamina, VO2 Max for Run and Trail Run, Training Status, Training Load, Training Load Focus, Training Effect, Primary Benefit, improved recovery time, daily workout suggestions, Finish Time, Virtual Partner, Race an Activity, Multisport Activities, Garmin Live Segments, Strava Live Segments, Round-trip course creator, Trendline Poplularity Routing, Running Dynamics and Running Power with a compatible accessory, Performance Condition, PacePro pacing strategies, trail run auto climb, and more!
• It's got a whole Garmin Approach S62 golf watch dropped into it!
• All of Garmin's navigation, including preloaded topo maps on the Sapphire Solar model. You can download them onto the Standard and Solar models.
• Multi-band GNSS, for the most accurate GPS positioning.

And, of course, this premium GPS watch is brimming with all of the best health and smart features that are available on most Garmin watches, including the Venu Sq 2. Oh, and it can store up to 2,000 of your favorite training tunes on watch.

Aside from training tools, other important differences between a fēnix 7 and the Venu Sq 2 is size and display. The fēnix 7 is a rugged outdoor training GPS watch and it is not light on the wrist. Depending on the size you choose, it ranges from 58 g to 96 g.

And the one area where the Venu Sq 2 outshines this Garmin beast is with its AMOLED display. The fēnix 7 watches do not have them.

Jump to this page if you want to learn more about the Garmin fēnix 7 series.

Both of these Garmin GPS watches have the stunning AMOLED display.

But they couldn't be farther apart in price: $250-$300 for the Venu Sq 2 vs $900-$1,000 for the epix (Gen 2).

So why would you opt for the Garmin epix 2?

Well, it's basically a fēnix 7 premium multisport watch with an AMOLED display.

However, the epix (Gen 2) doesn't have near the battery life as the fēnix 7 series can offer. But it's still considerably more than the Venu Sq 2. It comes in a standard model and a Sapphire model, and compares well with the fēnix 7 in terms of durability, although its design is a little sleeker.

To learn more about this eye-catcher of a Garmin watch, we suggest you check out our Garmin epix 2 page.

If you want a gorgeous, affordable fitness smartwatch on your wrist ...

If you don't need hardcore training tools, but 25 built-in preloaded sports apps will do ...

If you like knowing you'll have one of the most acurate heart rate sensors and highly accurate GPS tracking with you at all times ...

If only the best health-monitoring and smart features like text and notifications will do ...

If you want the option to store music on your watch for phone-free listening ...

And if 11 days in smartwatch mode is good enough battery life for you, then the Garmin Venu Sq 2 might just be the perfect GPS watch for your active lifestyle.

If not, well, we hope we've showed you some options that will be the fit you're looking for!

If you have any questions about the Garmin Venu Sq 2/Venu Sq 2 Music or any of the other GPS watches featured here, don't hesitate to hit us up in the chat box in the bottom right corner.