Apple Watch Series 9 vs Garmin Venu 3

The Apple Watch Series 9 and Garmin Venu 3 are two standout smartwatches, each with its own features. The Apple Watch Series 9 is known for its precise health monitoring and seamless iOS compatibility, while the Garmin Venu 3 is renowned for its excellent battery life and fitness tracking capabilities. You can also check top 10 best sports watch of 2024 and top 10 best sports watch companies in the world.

In this article, we will conduct a detailed comparison of the Apple Watch Series 9 vs Garmin Venu 3, analyzing their key differences to help you choose the one that best fits your needs. You can also check Garmin vs Apple watch; Garmin S62 vs S70; Garmin Approach S62 review; Garmin Approach S60 review to know more information about Garmin and Apple Watch.

Apple Watch Series 9 vs Garmin Venu 3 - price and models

Let’s first look at the pricing: both the Apple Watch Series 9 vs Garmin Venu 3 offer 41mm and 45mm versions.

The GPS version of the Apple Watch Series 9 is priced at $399 for the 41mm model and $429 for the 45mm model, while the GPS + Cellular versions cost $499 and $529, respectively.

The Garmin Venu 3 is priced at $449, available in both 41mm and 45mm sizes, with the smaller model called the Garmin Venu 3S.

Apple Watch Series 9 vs Garmin Venu 3 - specs and design

Both the Garmin Venu 3 and Apple Watch Series 9 offer 41mm and 45mm size options. The 41mm version of the Venu 3 is the Venu 3S, designed for users with smaller wrists, while the Apple Watch also has corresponding sizes.

The Venu 3 features a 1.4-inch AMOLED display, supports an always-on mode, and comes with a plastic case and stainless steel bezel. It is rated 5 ATM for water resistance, and the strap is a durable 22mm silicone band.

The Apple Watch Series 9 features a square display with a crown button, available in aluminum and stainless steel cases, and boasts a brightness of 2000 nits for a brighter display.

In summary, the Garmin Venu 3 and Apple Watch Series 9 each have their advantages in terms of size, design, and materials. If you prefer a classic round watch, the Venu 3 may be more appealing, while those who favor a modern tech look may prefer the Apple Watch’s square design.

Apple Watch Series 9 vs Garmin Venu 3 - processors and storage

There are significant differences in the processors and storage between the Apple Watch Series 9 vs Garmin Venu 3. The Apple Watch Series 9 is equipped with a custom S9 chip, featuring a dual-core CPU and a four-core neural engine, running on the latest watchOS 10, providing smoother performance. The Garmin Venu 3, on the other hand, runs on Garmin’s proprietary operating system, with slightly less performance.

In terms of storage, the Apple Watch Series 9 offers 64GB of storage, supporting more apps and offline music storage. The Garmin Venu 3 only provides 8GB of storage.

Both watches support offline music and app downloads, but the Apple Watch Series 9 offers a wider selection of apps via the App Store, while the Garmin Venu 3 relies on the Connect IQ platform. Overall, the Apple Watch Series 9 offers more app choices and greater storage capacity.

Apple Watch Series 9 vs Garmin Venu 3 - watch bands

The Garmin Venu 3 uses a traditional strap design, with 22mm (Venu 3) and 18mm (Venu 3S) options, providing a comfortable fit around the wrist and comes with straps designed for sports activities that are easy to adjust and suitable for long wear.

In contrast, the Apple Watch uses a proprietary strap-swapping system, allowing users to easily swap out bands by pressing a button and sliding them out. You can also check how to change Apple watch band?

It’s worth noting that the Garmin Venu 3 supports third-party bands. Additionally, Bandletic provides various high-quality bands including Garmin Watch bands, Apple Watch bands, Fitbit, and Samsung Watch bands at affordable prices, allowing users to enhance comfort and appearance without paying for expensive proprietary bands.

Apple Watch Series 9 vs Garmin Venu 3 - health and sleep tracking

In terms of health and sleep tracking, both the Garmin Venu 3 and Apple Watch Series 9 have their strengths. The Garmin Venu 3 excels in fitness and health functions, particularly with detailed sleep stage data.

It not only tracks the time you fall asleep and wake up, but also analyzes the duration of each sleep stage (deep sleep, light sleep, and REM), even offering a sleep coach feature that suggests the optimal sleep duration based on historical data. Additionally, the Venu 3 features HRV status (heart rate variability) and exercise benefits to help users better understand their health.

On the other hand, the Apple Watch Series 9 excels in sleep tracking accuracy, especially in REM sleep measurement, where it shows higher precision. Although it also provides sleep time, wake time, and sleep stage data, it doesn’t provide as much detailed information as the Garmin Venu 3. The Apple Watch also includes features like menstrual cycle tracking, SpO2 monitoring, and ECG functionality, which the Garmin Venu 3 lacks.

Overall, while Garmin provides more details in specific sleep tracking stages, the Apple Watch Series 9 vs Garmin Venu 3 shows that the Apple Watch leads in overall accuracy.

Apple Watch Series 9 vs Garmin Venu 3 - sports modes

Both the Garmin Venu 3 and Apple Watch Series 9 offer basic sports tracking features, such as running, swimming, and triathlons, with goal setting and reminders. The Venu 3 offers over 30 sports modes, making it ideal for fitness enthusiasts, but lacks advanced data such as VO2 Max and training load. Its swimming tracking is excellent and supports Garmin's golf course database, whereas Apple Watch requires third-party apps for golf.

The Apple Watch excels in running and cycling modes, capable of tracking pace, vertical oscillation, and other technical metrics, though it lacks advanced post-analysis features. Overall, the Apple Watch provides more comprehensive sports data analysis and app options, while the Venu 3 is better suited for users focused on fitness tracking.

Apple Watch Series 9 vs Garmin Venu 3 - compatibility

In terms of compatibility, the Apple Watch Series 9 is exclusive to iPhone users, meaning Android users cannot enjoy its full features. The Garmin Venu 3, however, supports both Android and iPhone, making it more versatile and accessible to a broader range of users.

Both watches offer basic features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC, supporting contactless payments and smart card storage for enhanced daily convenience.

Additionally, the Apple Watch Series 9 offers a cellular option, allowing users to use certain functions of the watch independently without needing an iPhone. The Garmin Venu 3 lacks cellular connectivity and must be paired with a smartphone for full functionality. This distinction gives the Apple Watch Series 9 an edge in terms of independent use.

Apple Watch Series 9 vs Garmin Venu 3 - battery life and charging

There is a notable difference in battery performance between the Apple Watch Series 9 and Garmin Venu 3. The Apple Watch generally has a shorter battery life, typically requiring daily charging. Even in low-power mode, it lasts only 30 to 36 hours.

In contrast, the Garmin Venu 3 offers an impressive battery life of up to 14 days, far surpassing the Apple Watch. If you don’t mind charging daily, the Apple Watch is a great choice, but for users who dislike frequent charging, the Venu 3 offers a far better solution.

In everyday use, the Venu 3 performs exceptionally well, lasting up to 4 days even with the always-on display enabled. With GPS use without music, it can last up to 26 hours, significantly exceeding the Apple Watch Series 9. Although both watches take over an hour to charge fully, the Garmin Venu 3 can reach 80% charge in just 45 minutes, providing a convenient solution for users in need of a quick charge.

The Garmin Venu 3 uses a proprietary charging cable, while the Apple Watch uses a magnetic charger, which is more convenient for use. Overall, Garmin offers a more user-friendly option with longer battery life and efficient charging.

Summary - which one is right for you?

If long-lasting battery life and an OLED screen are your priorities, the Garmin Venu 3 is undoubtedly the better choice, especially with its outstanding battery performance. However, it sacrifices some complexity in terms of design and functionality. In contrast, the Apple Watch continues to lead in accuracy, particularly in heart rate and sleep tracking, though the difference is minimal.

In conclusion, while the Garmin Venu 3 offers unique advantages in battery life and screen quality, it compromises slightly in functionality and detail. The choice between the Apple Watch Series 9 vs Garmin Venu 3 depends on your preferences for battery life, accuracy, and features.