Garmin Venu 3 In-Depth Review: 21 New Features Tested!
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- čas přidán 26. 06. 2024
- Here's everything you needed to know about the new Garmin Venu 3 and Venu 3S, from the new features, to accuracy, to whether or not the sleep coach and plenty more actually work. Buy the Garmin Venu 3 here (Xamzn.to/3EPE9W3), link help support the channel!
Garmin has just launched the new Venu 3 series, which goes back to having two separate sizes, while adding in a slate of features - some of which are the first time we’ve seen them on a Garmin wearable. This includes things like nap tracking/detection, as well as a new Sleep Coach, and even an evening Daily Summary (sorta like Morning Report, but at night).
The watch also increases features in a number of sports/fitness areas, including expanded sport profiles, sensor support, and new support for wheelchair push tracking and handcycle sport tracking. Plus the company has pulled in a number of favorite features from their higher end watches like the Morning Report, Recents menu, and screen-based flashlight.
I’ve been testing both sized watches, with the help of my wife, in our training to see how these stack up. This includes diving into not just the daily wearability and usability, but seeing whether these new features like the Sleep Coach actually work, plus of course heart rate and GPS accuracy testing.
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#GarminVenu3 #Venu3 #Garmin - Sport
Great review. I have had my Venu for a week now. I don't know what I would do without it now. It has got me to be more active in every way. Great watch even if I'm 80 years old. I still love my gadgets, like my Venu 3. Very comfortable and easy to use. 😊
LOL at 4:40 Love the review, as always, I rely on you to tell me all I need to know at first glance with any new Garmin device. Thank you!
thanks DCR. your review convinced me to upgrade from my very well used venu 1
So great, thanks for this review, my Venu 3S comes today! also love that you are in the Netherlands, which is where I live, too! Thanks so much for this!
You are my go-to reviewer every time a new Garmin Watch comes out. Cheers and wish you all the best !
That's a hell of a review. Thanks man!!
Great review! Loved how comprehensive the reporting was. 🎉
I had my Venu 3 for about 4 days now, it´s amazing in every way, everything you want from a smartwatch and a training watch, its down to 74% battery after 4 days of use, very good
does it have trail or hiking mode?
Your a funny dude u know.. It's just bad with a very laggy interface.. How can u say it's good? Compared to a Apple watch/Samsung 5 or 6 and Huawei GT4/4 Pro this Venu 3 watch feels very cheap lol..
@@Tha-King-Arthur i have had both galaxy watch 5 and apple watch 8 and the venu 3 is way better for my needs
@@Tha-King-Arthuryour also funny dude.
@@Tha-King-Arthurprobably because it has way more features then the apple watch and better battery life then all of those
Great review. As always super useful. Thank you
Super useful! Thanks for the review! Top notch
I’m planning an upgrade to the 965 this fall. I really hope the new wellness features and the LARGER FONT option make it over!
Kudos for the great review! Looks like it's very much worth its price.
Man I wish Garmin had a trade-in program! Great review!!
YES!😤😤
Instant purchase if they did
Yes!! I have two sitting in a drawer and one on my wrist, I want to upgrade but I can’t justify a 4th Garmin 🫣 - especially when the other 3 still work.
It wouldn't make sense because the pace of the market is constantly evolving so the chips and components they use devalue very fast once the next watch with better components comes up
As ever, excellent review DC!
Great review! Thank you!
Great review. Thank you. I would definitely buy Venu 3S for my wife :) Glad to know I did not buy 2S a month ago and hope for new unit to come in a few weeks.
Great review, as usual. Thanks to your and DesFit videos I made the leap and bought the Venu 2 S last year. So happy with it. I hope they will add the nap tracking to older models via an update as well, as I plan on using this watch till it completely gives up. :)
I've always had fenix watches and just sold my 6x pro so not sure I might get this now as my upgrade instead of the epix 2. Great review and some nice details thanks. Good food for thought
tempted to upgrade form the Venu to the 3, as adds some of the features I wanted before.
Thanks so much for review
Picked up the Venu 2 S for my wife last year, but was unaware at the time of how valuable the HRV metric is to understanding the body's training readiness. Am considering upgrading and selling the Venu 2 S, especially after your excellent review. Thanks for another informative video.
Can you please tell me lug to lug measure of venu 2s?
These updates seem pretty substantial to me. HRV is probably one of the single measures that I reference the most in my day to day planning.
Great review, thanks! Is there in watch jumping rope activity?
Thank you for the great review. Would you do a video comparing the Venu 3 versus Forerunner 265? Thanks
Was so excited for the 12 speed mechanical Shimano 105, that I missed this for a day. Which usually never happens with Ray's videos!
This will be my purchase once the battery on my Venu starts to struggle, if I manage to wait that long. Super happy with Venu 2 and I know I'll be even more so with the 3.
That was a very comprehensive and well documented presentation. My heart was set on the Venu 2 Plus since it first came out, but due to the lack of some basic features that I wanted, I looked elsewhere and ended up with an Amazfit with their well known by now, inconsistent and inaccurate HR sensors. A full refund is pending because of a screen fault that it developed fifteen months after the purchase. I was considering the new Huawei GT 4 Pro but wasn't so sure about it. And now I know why. This is the watch I want and this is going to be the next smartwatch on my wrist. Thanks D.C!
Great review! I like it!
Nice shot; popup on watch recommending doing some yoga, meditation etc. then a burger and chips come into view!
On the watch. It looks great but that price tag is eyewatering. And the same £449 in UK! Ouch.
You're welcome. 🤣
Thanks for the review! Any info about the porting of the nap feature to other watches? I'm sure the flagships will get it, but Instinct2? F6 series? Thanks! (Also: There has been 2-3 releases of Venu since VA4, do you think the MIP display is discontinued in this segment?)
Thank you for mentioning the ecg feature. A must-have for me. Is there any news on this?
Ray - been waiting patiently for your Suunto Race review and loved that one today and this one. But I’m so unsure where to go on BF!!
I want accurate HRM and Sleep monitoring but don’t need to be smartwatched to bits or have to charge too regularly. All rooads led to Fenix 7, Venu 3 or Race - but with a budget (ish) and being a cyclist (getting old) not runner I then went to Venu 3, especially after seeing the sleep accuracy video by The Quantified Scientist.
Hoping you agree, as I’ve flip flopped a lot?!!
Thanks as ever.
Great video ! Does it have a temperature sensor ? Like predicted ?
I can’t believe that the UI looks 10x better than in top models that are 2x more expensive!! And it also have more features!
higher model with equivalent feature are probably on the way too
Garmin said it won't update the UI of the fenix and epix...
So it looks like, besides the new heart rate V5 sensor, 20/21 new features are on the Vivoactive 5 as well, thats pretty cool!
Thanks for your review. I am the owner of a now, non-functioning VivoActive 4 because on a whim, I decided to take an introductory scuba diving lesson at Hastings Reef (Northern part of the Great Barrier Reef). It was well after we submerged to more than 25 feet did I realize that my tried, true, and trusty friend (my Vivoactive 4), was most likely not designed for this sport. And, yes, indeed, it no longer functions. I'm middle-aged. I'm not a performance athlete. I exercise 3-5 times a week. I use the Garmin watches to keep track of my over health. My workouts include strength, cardio, yoga, swimming, and walking. I no longer can run do to hip issues.. I need to replace my watch. I'm not impressed that the next generation of VivoActive doesn't have the altitude component (steps, inclinces, etc). So, I'm looking at the Venu series. Based on your reviews, this seems to be the most appropriate watch for me and my lifestyle. I'd appreciate any more insight that you may have. Also, I'm scheduled to be certified in diving this February with my 16 year old son. So, the watch needs to be able to withstand another dive or two. :-) Thank you for your consideration!
I have had my vivoactive 3 since 2019 and I am looking at getting a new watch. I was initially looking at the vivoactive 5 but some things that you mentioned in there sees that the venu 3 is a better fit for me. I want the phoenix 7 but it's a bit too far out of my price range. One thing I have been noticing is that when I run under trees, my GPS does some weird things and says I'm running at 7min/km which is not true.
This video is very helpful and I have enjoyed all the data comparisons from the same workouts.
Great video, thanks! I finally got the Venu 3 over the Galaxy 6. My only regret is not buying it sooner!
any info on the new features coming to older watches? like body battery details and nap tracking to forerunners 255/265 and 955/965… we’ve been wanting this for a long time hahahah
Thanks for this review. Great stuff. I have the Fenix 6 Pro Sapphire. I'd like to upgrade to a watch with the new display screen and touch. I'm looking at the Fenix 7 Pro but TBH it has a lot of features that I never used on the 6 so thinking I don't need the 7. However, I do hike a lot and wondering how the Venu really handles hiking. I rarely do backpacking but have. Garmin eTrex if I do that. Otherwise I use the HIIT and skiing trackers. So do you think I can get away with the Venu for day hiking (i.e. 10-15 miles) that can give me all the tracking, breadcrumbs, elevation, compass, etc?
Thanks for the review, does this watch have a rope skipping mode?
Another awesome review, question, the bracelet attachment, I returned my Venue 2 plus because the band attachment kept releasing while I was wearing it. Is it the same design?
Ray when do you think we will see sleep coach on FR965?
Great review! One question, this or Forerunner 965?
One thing that’s awesome about the venu 3 is the golf stat tracking. I’m looking to buy a Garmin watch as my Apple Watch has awful battery and lackluster features. I’ve been looking at the forerunner 256 and venu 3 and the venu 3 seems to do more well the forerunner does less but does them better (forerunner does not have the golf stat tracking)
Ray the hype leading up to the release talked about temperature. So, you didn't mention it so I assume not there now? Coming in the future? Thanks and great review as always!!
That's the problem with rumors...they aren't always true. I suspect the hardware/sensor is capable of it, but it's definitely not a feature enabled today.
Wow, nice watch.
Thanks for the review! Any idea whether some of the new features (e.g., sleep coach, etc.) will be added via software update to FR965?
I am hoping to see some/all of these on the Fenix 7 Pro...🤞
Added that point in another comment. I understand why the 265 has different features, but why does the 965 not have the new Venu features? Weird segmentation block there unless they add them later...
God Garmin was sneaky with this release. Havent seen it in the shops.
I've been watching it and new it was coming out. But there was no marketing at all
The Venu Sq firesale they had last month hinted at it.
Don’t use the creators name if your not praying to him…Exodus 20:7
Me either
@@chriscotton4207same story:) I was watching it, read articles about release dates, expected it this early fall. But then suddenly 💥boom, I see the reviews by DC R. and DesFit guys. When did they manage to do that?😅
My old school original 8mm thick Vivoactive had a 3 week battery life and now although tons more features, the battery life isn't great so we have to charge it more frequently. Do you know if this Venu 3 has the Qi wireless charging capability? Seems a shame that this watch (which includes the nice speaker and microphone for taking calls) costs $450 and a basic Apple Watch SE costs $250 and has the mic and speaker. I prefer Garmin's software and stats though.... Thanks for the incredible review as always!
Great review thanks! Current Apple Watch user here but I am up for a battery service/replacement and am seriously considering the Venu 3.
I LOVE the venu!
No multiband but performs better vs some more expensive watches with multiband (coros)
Nicely done Garmin 👍
My Amazfit was a multiband and it was performing worse than this one.
U can't get extra bands?
@bradonvega4965 I was talking about satellites bands
@@bradonvega4965 He meant GPS bands, not wrist bands.
Great review, the one thing I didn’t find in it though and would like to know is if there is any function in Venu 3 that shows fitness readiness and recommends workout for the day. Thanks
I bought Venu 2, 1 year ago. Kinda want to upgrade but i still do like the Venu 2. Don't know if i need all the new stuff on the new one. We'll see.
Always appreciate the thoroughness of the reviews. One thing I didn't hear you mention (you may have?) is that the Venu 2plus case has a metal back vs. the Venu 3 appears to have a plastic back. I really appreciate the metal back on the Venu 2 plus (perfect watch to wear to work and bike commuting and casual runs/hikes).
If they did change it from metal to plastic, that'd be super disappointing.
I agree --- great review, but the plastic back is a big change to overlook
Is it fair to say that the Venu 3 is a better pick over the 265 for someone that does an equal mix of HIIT sprinting/weight lifting/cycling/walks ? It seems like its more of an all-rounder versus the 265 which is very running centric. The 5th gen HR monitor looks like a big upgrade for accurately tracking HR for HIIT hill sprints and weight lifting.
Thank you, great video as always Ray!
Any idea if the naps feature will migrate to the next beta/quarterly update for Winter of the Fenix 7?
I just wish they would put full golf function on the venu devices! I have the first venu and it's the only thing I want. I would love solar but understand the fit would be tough with the size and screen.
Hi Ray, thanks for all the great vids! Do you think other watches besides the Venu series will get the Gaming profile too? Like the Forerunner 965 for instance or the Epix/Fenix series?
What is the gaming one for
Thank you
Looks like it’s time to upgrade my trusty VA4!
Is it worth to upgrade from elevate 4 (FR 255 here) to elevate 5 HR monitor? I love having underwater wrist based hr monitoring but occasionally my FR 255 struggles to give me accurate readings during a swim workout. When I move the watch around a bit it does pick up
Thank you for the review. Just left unclear does Venu 3 show activity widget on screen placed underwater? E.g. Swim 2 shows it and it is readable.
Was looking to buy my first ever Garmin watch and the Venu 3 pops out from nowhere. It's a sign!
Will some of the new software features get rolled back into Venu2 / 2 Plus? Like the sleep coaching, body battery etc etc..
Good stuff so far, minute 8
Looks very similar to Venu 2+ except some feautures i don't really care about. Is the screen ratio highter? Are bezels smaller?
Hi, Thank you for your wonderful review.
I have a question for you that I can’t seem to find an answer online. And since both you and your wife have these watches I figured I’d ask you.
Are the straps on the 3s interchangeable with the 3? I’m a woman with a small wrist but I would prefer the larger screen and would like to buy pretty bands in the future.
Thank you for the great surprise review really didn't see this one coming. Venu 2 got a pass from me mostly due to not supporting cycling power and was looking at Forerunner 255/265 instead. I wonder for Venu 3 does the extra power parameter like normalised power hence TSS at least got recorded after the activity is uploaded to Garmin Connect?
I was in the same position, hopefully it does.
This is me. Let us know Ray! I'm surprised you don't think this is a watch with major updates. It's the first time garmin has PM support on a smart watch?
Thanks Ray, I'm riding out a Venu (1), screen failing... this V3 seems compelling, I like the larger font too. My main disappointment with the V1 was Bluetooth connectivity to my Jabra earbuds; with the watch on my left wrist, my body would block the connection to the receiver in the right earbud causing music dropout. Switching wrists fixed it. To be fair Garmin had a disclaimer on compatible headphones, but a better/stronger BT signal certainly would help make the half meter connection from my wrist to ear more consistent. Any feedback? Also, any word from garmin on the screen lifespan/quality?
Funny, I have the Venu 1 and Jabra earbuds also. But I don't really use them together much because the Jabras have fit issues for me. Didn't notice any connection issues.
Garmin kindly sent me an out of warranty replacement for my VENU, I just got it and will test to see if the BT connectivity issues are still there.@@renaissancemaneric8019
Do you think that the Venu 2 Plus will have a software update to get some of these new features?
Could you please consider comparing the Venu 3 and Epix series? Thanks!
I have the 965 and was considering the venu 3 because I feel the 965 is wasted on me, but I think I'm going to keep it as I have it but also when you said it's more sports oriented I thought there's no point plus the 965 is a great watch.
Great review! Oh wait a sec, still no triathlon feature for venu 3?
Nice review. Please would you say that the 45mm is too big for women? I feel it is. I’m looking to buy this.
Thanks for a great review. One thing i can't find any information about these watches is how they work with google maps. I cycle a lot, especially around the city, and having to get my phone out to check directions is very difficult, especially when its cold. Could you do a video on how to use these watches with gmaps and how easy it is? especially how they compare with each other ie Instinct 2 vs Venu 2/3 and compared to fenix 7 too. I'm not looking for fenix 7 levels of information-I'm looking for practical ease of use and a demonstration of how it works. Thanks
For me, sleep tracking is a priority, so I'll be looking forward to The Quantified Scientist's analysis. Unfortunately, Garmin has always been near the bottom when it comes to sleep phase accuracy. Looks like a nice upgrade in lots of other areas though.
It's not that Garmin has been near the bottom. It's all about Apple being so high at the top that nobody can compete.
His videos are super useful anecdotally I've tried literally all the main brands and weirdly Fitbit was the most accurate.. I found it way more accurate than my Apple watch 7... But I hate Fitbits devices. Garmin's sleep tracking for me on my Fenix 7 and before that Vivomove has been so bad it's almost pointless. I've got a 2 year old that STILL wakes up once or twice a night... But I consistently get 80 to 90 scores. 🤣👍🏻
Wouldnt suprise me if QTS absolutely trash the Venu 3 as he has been doing with any Garmin device. Hes always been a Garmin-hater and is biased towards Apple products. He once scored Apples heart rate correlation value above 1.0 which is impossible - there is such a big difference between his test results and the results ray, desfit, chase the summit and fit Gear Hunter is getting that something is off. Truth is Garmins new sensor is catching up to Apples accuracy
@@mortenvinther8940Very true. The effort he is putting is very admirable. But it's just one sample size and something which is not very convincing to make a critical decision. But more similarities now with regard to the Samsung 6 series. Inaccuracies seem more consistent across many reviews.
More accurate as compared to what? What kind of certified or medical grade gear are you using to corroborate? @@RMILLSMMA
I really want to upgrade from my Vivoactive 4 due to the nap tracking being better. I'd like to know how well the workout summary compares to Whoop as well.
Brilliant thanks. I recently bought an Edge 840 and love the fitness insights. I’m now trying to decide which Garmin wearable to use off the bike, as my Ultra doesn’t share data with Connect. I walk/hike but not sure which Garmin (there are so many) would suit. This could do the job perhaps or a Forrunner. Could I ask for any pointers please?
Same here -- my Edge does all I need when biking and I can't run (bad knees), but would be interested to track my (lack of) fitness as a whole. Venu3, FR265, Apple Watch?
Like you I mainly cycle and use an Edge 530 with an HRM strap. I recently bought a Venu 2 Plus to complement the data when I don’t ride. Only issue is now thinking if worth returning it for the Venu 3
Is the new sleep tracking going to be updated to the Forerunners? If so, I am not sure why anyone would pick this over the Forerunner 265, to be honest. You need your phone next to you anyway to use the calling feature, so one might as well just use the phone directly.
Can you show a comparison of the two watch sizes with the same message? Can you read as much on each, just slightly smaller font, or does the smaller watch show less?
My partner has a venu currently but needs to upgrade as she is doing more trail running and hiking. Does the venu 3 allow you to enter and do courses? Thanks!
I loved my Venu, but it developed a terrible screen burn-in, it became basically unreadable, even though I had AOD= off (the screen was OFF unless I raised my wrist). Hope they have solved this major (and very wide-spread among Venu versions owners).
Oh no!
Yup, mine has an annoying burn too. I have had it for many years, though, so not complaining.
I have had my Venu since Sep '23, still going strong and i wear it every day - contemplating the upgrade to the venu 3 but nothing wrong with mine, even if i want the new features!
Fantastic in depth review. Does it sync with Strava?
yes
Any improvements in the Pulse Ox with the new sensor vs the vivoactive 5 which I am currently testing with?
Hey! I’m looking for watch for everyday use and swimming and running. Mainly I do MTB and road cycling and then I use garmin edge. Would it be a problem or something using both of edge and venu while riding on a bike or better to leave watch at home?
Thank you very much for this in depth review!
I am a swimmer, but not a triathlete and looking mainly for swimming functions in pools - such as the Garmin Swim.
Unfortunatley the swim is lacking in a lot of other features and I also like the Venu 3 a lot better in from of looks.
--> Does the Garmin Venu 2 now also support creating and uploading trainings for swimming in the pool? The Venu 2 unfortunately is / was not compatible for that. Which is why opted out of buying it and am still searching...
I bought the Venu 2 and thought swimming was supported. I hopped into the sea and tried to find the Open water mode but there is none. So I ordered a Polar watch which is developed for athletes and not as a competition to Apple and Samsung watches.
My question to help me decide is would I be okay with the venu 2 plus instead of the 3?
Like that HRV they added... wish Samsung would add that to the Galaxy watch... Pushing 60 and would like to keep and eye on that HRV... Thanks for the vid!
I slept with my Epix 2 for a year, loved the morning report body batterie initially, but after a while, if you’re tired, it’s just like someone telling you in your face every day: “ you look like shit”. A limit for me of being monitored 24/7. You could get worried (not helping)
What is the maximum number of data fields that can be displayed during an Activity? Thanks.
I have had a Vivoactive 4 for a couple of years. Any idea how much of an upgrade this would be?
Hello! Is there a possibility to listen to audio alerts about the pace during training without headphones?
Spoke to a cardiologist about HRV and Garmin tracking. Wasn’t particularly impressed by any of it and not something they even measured with state of the art portable EKG I wore for 48 hours. 😂
So I guess I’ll take the data on F6 with a grain of salt.
Does it have the daily workout suggestions?
Wait, there was a smaller version of this behemoth? Aww man. Well, I still love my big boy.
Nice of Garmin to wait until right after I bought the Epix Pro 51 to release the Garmin watch I actually wanted for much cheaper....
Thank you for this great video! For running, do you think that the Venu 3 can be more useful than the forerunner 965?
No, not for running, the 965 wins there easily. It has running power, PacePro, ClimbPro, a gazillion more metrics/features/etc... That said, one can also use the Venu 3 perfectly fine for running.
@@Dcrainmaker Thank you very much :-)
Hi, could you please provide some information or a video or reference on how the watch works for navigation? I am interested in using it for climbing or biking. I would like to upload a route as a GPX file and use it as turn-by-turn navigation. What kind of maps does the watch use? If not, what external apps can be used for this? Is this watch suitable for my needs?
Could you put the side by side an add the Venu 2 Plus? I own one and I’m trying to see if I upgrade or not. 🙏 I have a 170mm wrist so Venu 2 Plus is great but not sure about the 3. The 3s seems tiny so that would help!
I guess the Venu 2 is now discontinued :/ We never got that morning report feature or any of the UI improvements