Check out the new Garmin Venu in pictures
Garmin has launched a slew of wearables in the run-up to IFA 2019. One of these is a fancier take on the Vivoactive 4, the Garmin Venu.
Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets
The Vivoactive 4 itself has received a healthy boost in features over its predecessor. For starters, it now comes in two size options – a 45mm stainless steel model and a 40mm iteration for small wrists. Another design change is that there are now two physical buttons instead of one. This should make it easier to navigate the menus.
Added features include pulse oxygen readings and estimated respiration. There’s also the new Body Battery function, abnormal heart rate alerts, tracking of heart rate under water, Yoga workouts, Pilates workouts and on-screen workout animations. All of these will make the watch an even better all-round fitness companion.
Garmin Venu also gets these features, apart from the multiple size options that is. In fact, in terms of what it can do the Garmin Venu is exactly the same as Vivoactive 4. There are no differences. Don’t look for them, they’re not there.
The reason you pay a premium price for Venu is the design. The thing comes with a gorgeous 43mm AMOLED display similar to what you’d find on an Apple watch or Fitbit Versa 2.
Its pixel resolution is 390 x 390 versus the 260 x 260 display of the 45mm Vivoactive 4. This is despite the display size being smaller on Venu, (1.2″ versus 1.3″). Needless to say, this makes it much easier to read your fitness stats and messages.
The sacrifice is battery life which is only five days in smartwatch mode (versus the 8 days for the 45mm Vivoactive 4 and 7 days for 4S). In GPS and music mode its the same, around 6 hours.
One caveat, though. This battery life is for Venu is without the always-on screen option. Tweak this and it comes right down to between 2 and 3 days.
Venu comes in four design options. These include a Slate stainless steel bezel with Black case and silicone band, a Rose Gold stainless steel bezel with Light Sand case and silicone band, a Silver stainless steel bezel with Granite Blue case and silicone band and a Gold stainless steel bezel with Black case and silicone band.
The only remaining difference between Vivoactive 4 and Venu is the price. On Garmin’s website the first retails for $350 both for the 4 or 4S option. At $400, Venu sells for $50 more. Availability starts early October. The tracker can also be picked up on Amazon (check price).
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