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The entire lineup of Garmin Venu 3/3S GPS fitness smartwatches laid out in a row on some gym equipment next to some weights

Garmin Venu 3/3S vs Venu 2/2S vs Venu 2 Plus vs Venu Sq 2 GPS Smartwatch Comparison

The 2023 Garmin Venu 3/3S combines every outstanding feature of the Venu 2 Plus with the Venu 2 Series and then packs in more even standout benefits. We compare this new GPS smartwatch to these previous generations and the Venu Sq 2.

The new Garmin Venu 3/3S—released on August 30, 2023—combines the benefits of the previous Venu 2/2S and Venu 2 Plus. 

With a plethora of new health and wellness features, we think this is the ultimate Venu smartwatch Garmin has made so far! 

To find out for sure, we’re comparing the Venu 3 series to previous Garmin Venu watches—the Venu 2/2S, Venu 2 Plus, and Venu Sq 2/Venus Sq 2 Music.

This lineup has always been known for its trademark AMOLED display, attention to style and color, and focus on health and fitness benefits packaged into a highly useful GPS smartwatch. 

As usual, Garmin has figured out a way (actually, lots of them!) to improve on a good thing. 

And what’s sweeter still? Even with all these new features, Garmin kept the price the same as the Venu 2 Plus!  

Garmin Venu 3/3S price: $449.99

Super-Quick Highlights on the 2023 Garmin Venu 3/3S:

  • New Sleep Coach
  • New Morning Report—An overview of your sleep, recovery, and more!
  • New Nap Detection
  • New Wheelchair Mode
  • New Workout benefit and recovery
  • New Rate of perceived exertion
  • New Interval Creation
  • New Meditation activity
  • New Built-in speaker and mic to make and take calls from the wrist
  • New Two font sizes—small and large
  • New Smart trainer control
  • New Gaming Activity and GameOn™
  • New Audio prompts
  • New Recovery Time & HRV Status
  • New Built-in sports apps/activities: Tennis, Padel, Pickleball, eBiking, Handcycling, Indoor Handcycling, Snowshoeing, Workouts for Wheelchair Users, Open-Water Swim Metrics, Auto Rest (Pool Swim)
  • New Activity tracking: Push Tracker, Weight Shift Alert
  • New Slightly larger displays on both sizes (1.2” and 1.4”)
  • New View photos sent to you on watch screen (Android only)
  • New Jet Lag Advisor
  • Improved Body Battery
  • Improved Battery life
  • 24/7 health monitoring for heart rate, Pulse Ox, respiration, and energy levels
  • Loaded with a ton of Gym, Run, Bike, Swim, Golf, and Outdoor sport profiles and features.
  • Available in two sizes
  • Bright AMOLED display
  • Smart notifications, Garmin Pay™ and on-wrist texting
  • Download music from streaming services for phone-free listening

Watch a Garmin Venu 3 Video

What’s the difference between Venu 3/3S and Venu 2/2S?

The standout feature of the Garmin Venu 3 series over the Venu 2 series is that these new Garmin watches absorbed the Bluetooth calling from the wrist—and then some. Like viewable text images, a larger font option (thank you, Garmin, from those of us who have graduated into the readers needers kind), and even more in-depth sleep info—including Nap Detection. 

With this watch, Garmin has also enhanced tracking and activities for wheelchair users. When wheelchair mode is enabled, your Venu 3/3S will track your movements as pushes rather than steps, and you’ll have access to wheelchair-based activities and challenges. You can also alleviate potential pressure sores from your chair by setting weight-shift alerts to help remind you to shift your weight throughout the day. 

Gold and light sand Garmin Venu 3S with wheelchair activity on the display

Improved Venu 3/3S Series Battery Life

Garmin rarely makes a new watch without giving it more oomph and longer-lasting power than the previous generation. The Venu 3 lineup is no exception to this rule, as it has added battery life to give you more 24/7 wearability to help you achieve your health and fitness goals. 

  • Venu 3/3S Battery Life — Smartwatch Mode: 14 days/10 days; GPS Mode: 26 hours/21 hours. 
  • Venu 2/2S Battery Life — Smartwatch Mode: 11 days/10 days; GPS Mode: 22 hours/19 hours.

Size and Display Comparison

Garmin did a cool thing size-wise with the Venu 3 series. They made the real estate on that AMOLED display slightly bigger for each size while keeping it sleek and lightweight. 

The Garmin Venu 3/3S vs Venu 2/2S:

  • Venu 3: 45 x 45 x 12 mm / 1.4” display / 47 g
  • Venu 2: 45.4 x 45.4 x 12.2 mm / 1.3” display / 49 g 
  • Venu 3S: 41 x 41 x 12 mm  / 1.2” display / 42 g
  • Venu 2S: 40.4 x 40.4 x 12.1 mm  / 1.1” display / 38.2 g

Garmin Venu 3 Series Features vs Garmin Venu 2 Lineup

Both of these Garmin watches are loaded with robust health and wellness offerings, smart features, and activity profiles. With each, you’ll get wrist-based heart rate, Pulse Ox, Body Battery, Women’s Health—and more to monitor your health. 

 You’ll have on-watch music storage, easily downloaded from streaming services like Amazon, Deezer, and Spotify. Garmin Pay™, smart notification, calendar, and weather are also on-watch features. Bluetooth, ANT+, and Wi-Fi connectivity are standard on both of these Garmin smartwatch series.  

Plus, you’ll have loads of activity profiles, such as Running, Cycling, Pool Swimming, Paddleboarding, Strength, HIIT, Cardio, and Yoga—just to name a few! And you get VO2 Max for Run on both Venu 2/2S and Venu 3/3S. 

Gold and dust rose Garmin Venu 3S GPS smartwatch with text image on the display

Here are the features that the new Garmin Venu 3/3S has packed-in to make it stand out over the Venu 2 Series:

  • Sleep Coach and Nap Detection
  • HRV Status
  • Meditation
  • Workout Benefit
  • Recovery Time
  • Wheelchair Mode
  • Audio Prompts
  • Interval Training
  • Power meter compatible
  • Phone calls (when connected to smartphone)
  • Text response via voice (when connected to smartphone)
  • Text response via keyboard (when connected to smartphone)
  • Viewable text photos ((when connected to smartphone; Android only)
  • The latest Gen 5 heart rate sensor
  • Large font size option
  • New Built-in sports apps/activities: Tennis, Padel, Pickleball, eBiking, Handcycling, Indoor Handcycling, Snowshoeing, Workouts for Wheelchair Users, Open-Water Swim Metrics, Auto Rest (Pool Swim), Gaming
  • New Activity tracking: Push Tracker, Weight Shift Alert
  • New Jet Lag Advisor

Garmin Venu 3/3S vs Venu 2/2S Price

This new Venu will cost you $50 more than the previous one. But if you like all those added benefits, you might find it to be well worth the increase.

  • Venu 3/3S Price: $449.99
  • Venu 2/2S Price: $399.99

Keep in mind, none of the Garmin Venu watches offer much in the way of navigation. No maps or even breadcrumb trail. Although, they do have Back to Start if you should lose your way. If you want more navigation, you should check out these Garmin watches:

Garmin Venu 3 vs Venu 2 Plus GPS Watches

White Garmin Venu 3 fitness watch with calling on the watch face

The 2023 Garmin Venu 3/3S is basically a Venu 2 Plus combined with the Venu 2/2S series—with a lot of new features added!

Improved Venu 3/3S Series Battery Life

When your watch is a daily smartwatch and a 24/7 health and fitness tracker—every little bit more of battery life counts!

  • Garmin Venu 3/3S Battery Life — Smartwatch Mode: 14 days/10 days; GPS Mode: 26 hours/21 hours
  • Venu 2 Plus Battery Life — Smartwatch Mode: 9 days; GPS Mode: 24 hours

Venu 3 Series vs Venu 2 Plus Size and Display

With the Venu 3 Series, you get two sizes—one bigger and one smaller than the Venu 2 Plus. Additionally, it has a sleeker build and is more lightweight on your wrist! Here’s how these two Garmin Venu watches compare in their wearable formfactor:

  • Venu 3: 45 x 45 x 12 mm / 1.4” display / 47 g
  • Venu 3S: 41 x 41 x 12 mm  / 1.2” display / 42 g
  • Venu 2 Plus: 43.6 x 43.6 x 12.6 mm / 1.3” display / 51 g 

Venu 3/3S Features vs Venu 2 Plus

Sage Garmin Venu 3S GPS fitness smartwatch with health and fitness scroll on display

As with the Garmin Venu 2/2S, you’ll get the wealth of health and wellness features that place Garmin GPS watches in a class of their own. You’ll also get oodles of sports apps to track your running, cycling, outdoor and gym activities—even golf! Plus, these fitness smartwatches are super savvy, putting music, contactless payments, notifications, and a speaker/mic for calling and texting right on your wrist. 

But here’s where the Garmin Venu 3 fitness watch goes beyond the Venu 2 Plus:

  • Offers 2 sizes!
  • Sleep Coach and Nap Detection
  • HRV Status
  • Meditation
  • Workout Benefit
  • Recovery Time
  • Wheelchair Mode
  • Audio Prompts
  • Interval Training
  • Power meter compatible
  • Viewable text photos ((when connected to smartphone; Android only)
  • The latest Gen 5 heart rate sensor
  • Large font size option
  • New Built-in sports apps/activities: Tennis, Padel, Pickleball, eBiking, Handcycling, Indoor Handcycling, Snowshoeing, Workouts for Wheelchair Users, Open-Water Swim Metrics, Auto Rest (Pool Swim), Gaming
  • New Activity tracking: Push Tracker, Weight Shift Alert
  • New Jet Lag Advisor

Garmin Venu 3/3S vs Venu 2/2S Price

So, one last cool thing about this new Garmin watch: It’s the same price as the previous Venu 2 Plus—even with all the new features!

  • Venu 3/3S Price: $449.99
  • Venu 2/2S Price: $449.99

Garmin Venu 3/3S vs Venu Sq 2 Fitness GPS Watches

The gold and tan Garmin Venu Sq 2 with a text message from Erin on the display

While these two Garmin Venu lineups share a ton of features, they are two very different experiences, both for your wallet and in terms of style. Let’s dive into the differences!

Venu 3/3S vs Venu Sq 2 Battery Life

In this case, the Venu Sq 2 is still pretty competitive with its battery life, beating out the Venu 3S by a bit!

  • Venu 3/3S — Smartwatch Mode: 14 days/10 days; GPS Mode: 26 hours/21 hours
  • Venu Sq 2 — Smartwatch Mode: 11 days; GPS Mode: 26 hours

Venu 3 Series vs Venu Sq 2 Series Size and Display

When it comes to size and shape, these are just two different styles and designs. The Venu 3/3S is a traditional round Garmin watch with touchscreen and 5-button display. But the Venu Sq 2 and Venu Sq 2 Music feature square cases, and are touchscreens with only 2 buttons. 

In choosing your Garmin watch, you personally style preference with definitely factor into a choice between these two.

  • Venu 3 Size: 45 x 45 x 12 mm / 1.4” display / 47 g
  • Venu 3S: 41 x 41 x 12 mm  / 1.2” display / 42 g
  • Venu Sq 2/Venu Sq 2 Music: 40.6 x 37.0 x 11.1 mm / 1.41” diagonal display / 38 g 

Features and Benefits Comparison

Similar to the Venu 2/2S and Venu 2 Plus, the Venu Sq is quite competitive with the Venu 3, in terms of health, fitness, and smart features. It’s a little more basic, in terms of activity profiles, with not as many Gym and Outdoor sports built in. 

But as with the above comparisons, pound for pound, the Garmin Venu 3 is packed with more standout benefits, including:

  • Sleep Coach and Nap Detection
  • HRV Status
  • Meditation
  • Workout Benefit
  • Recovery Time
  • Wheelchair Mode
  • Audio Prompts
  • Interval Training
  • Power meter compatible
  • Phone calls (when connected to smartphone)
  • Text response via voice (when connected to smartphone)
  • Text response via keyboard (when connected to smartphone)
  • Viewable text photos ((when connected to smartphone; Android only)
  • The latest Gen 5 heart rate sensor
  • Large font size option
  • New Built-in sports apps/activities: Tennis, Padel, Pickleball, eBiking, Handcycling, Indoor Handcycling, Snowshoeing, Workouts for Wheelchair Users, Open-Water Swim Metrics, Auto Rest (Pool Swim), Gaming
  • New Activity tracking: Push Tracker, Weight Shift Alert
  • New Jet Lag Advisor
  • On-screen workout animations
  • HRM running pace and distance
  • Run/walk/stand detection

Garmin Venu 3/3S vs Venu Sq 2 Price

This is where these two Garmin watches greatly differ. The Venu Sq 2 lineup is $150–$200 less. It offers a Venu Sq 2 Music edition, so that if you do not want music, you can buy the standard version for $50 less. 

The Venu Sq 2 is the pared-down fitness GPS smartwatch. In comparing it with the Venu 3/3S features, you’ll be able to decide which one makes more sense for you.

  • Venu 3/3S Price: $449.99
  • Venu Sq 2 Price: $249.99
  • Venu Sq 2 Music Price: $299.99
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