Garmin Fenix 8 vs Venu X1 vs Forerunner 970 - Detailed Specs & Performance Review

Trying to choose between the Garmin Fenix 8, Venu X1, and Forerunner 970? While all three watches run almost identical software, their hardware sets them apart: the Fenix 8 focuses on outdoor multi-sport performance and long battery life, the Forerunner 970 is designed for running and triathlon training, and the Venu X1 combines the best of both, offering a lightweight design with smart featuresa well-balanced hybrid option. Also read our articles of Garmin Fenix 8 review, Garmin Venu X1 Review and Garmin Forerunner 970 Review.

Differences in price, features, and use cases make the choice less straightforward. The Fenix 8 offers more sports modes and durability, the Venu X1 provides a comprehensive smart experience despite lacking a “Pro” label, and the Forerunner 970 is ideal for professional training. This article compares screen display, navigation, training algorithms, smart features, and battery life to help you quickly determine which watch is the best fit for you in the Garmin Fenix 8 vs Venu X1 vs Forerunner 970 showdown.

You can also check Garmin Forerunner 970 vs Fenix 8, Garmin Venu X1 vs. Garmin Forerunner 970 and Garmin Forerunner 570 vs 970 vs fenix 8.

Garmin Fenix 8 vs Venu X1 vs Forerunner 970 - Price and Availability

How to choose based on budget? The three popular Garmin watches differ in price and positioning:

• Fenix 8: High-end outdoor flagship, starting around $999, with some models up to $1,199+. Packed with features and long battery life, ideal for outdoor adventures and extreme sports enthusiasts.
• Venu X1: Mid-to-high-end lightweight smartwatch, priced around $799. Large screen and smart features make it perfect for daily wear and general fitness.
• Forerunner 970: Professional running and triathlon watch, priced around $749. Focused on advanced training data and comfortable wear, perfect for athletes and serious trainers.

Recommendation:

If you want a full-featured outdoor experience, go with the Fenix 8; for lightweight smart daily use, choose the Venu X1; if you focus on running or triathlon training and have a tighter budget, the Forerunner 970 is your pick.

Garmin Fenix 8 vs Venu X1 vs Forerunner 970 - Design and Size

All three Garmin watches feature a round dial and durable materials with a sporty design, but they differ in size, weight, materials, and special features, helping users choose based on their needs:

Size & Weight

• Fenix 8: 43/47/51mm, 70–90g, 13.8mm thick; the largest and heaviest of the three.
• Venu X1: 46mm, approx. 52g, 7.9mm thick; Garmin’s thinnest GPS watch ever.
• Forerunner 970: 47mm, approx. 56.6g, 12.9mm thick; medium size, comfortable to wear.

Materials & Water Resistance

• Fenix 8: Titanium/stainless steel bezel, sapphire crystal, Mil-Std-810 military standard, 100m water resistance.
• Venu X1: Aluminum or titanium bezel, sapphire crystal, 50m water resistance; combines style and durability.
• Forerunner 970: Titanium bezel + sapphire crystal, plastic back, 50m water resistance.

Controls & Special Features

• Fenix 8: Five-button layout + touchscreen, supports diving and outdoor adventures, feature-rich.
• Venu X1: Primarily touchscreen + three buttons, built-in LED flashlight and voice memo, ideal for daily use and urban sports.
• Forerunner 970: Five-button layout + touchscreen, supports multi-frequency, multi-GNSS positioning, designed for running and triathlon training.

Recommendation Summary

• Fenix 8: All-round flagship, perfect for outdoor adventures and extreme sports.
• Venu X1: Lightweight and stylish, ideal for daily wear and urban activities.
• Forerunner 970: Professional running and triathlon watch, focused on training data and comfortable wear.

Garmin Fenix 8 vs Venu X1 vs Forerunner 970 - Display

All three Garmin watches feature colorful, durable screens that display activity data, notifications, and health metrics, but they differ significantly in size, material, and display performance:

Screen Size & Shape

• Fenix 8: 43/47/51mm case, 1.2–1.4-inch circular AMOLED display; designed for outdoor use with longer battery life.
• Venu X1: 46mm case, 2-inch AMOLED display; the largest screen of the three, offering the most information at a glance—ideal for maps and training data.
• Forerunner 970: 47mm case, 1.4-inch circular AMOLED display; clear and lightweight, perfect for training scenarios.

Screen Material & Brightness

• Fenix 8: Sapphire crystal or Corning Gorilla Glass; clear under sunlight, some models support touchscreen.
• Venu X1: Sapphire crystal, high brightness and vibrant colors; mainly touchscreen with three buttons, suitable for daily wear and indoor/outdoor workouts.
• Forerunner 970: Sapphire crystal, sufficient brightness, five-button operation; easy to read during training.

User Experience

• Venu X1: Large screen provides excellent information visibility, very intuitive for daily use and training, but consumes battery faster.
• Fenix 8: Balances readability under varied lighting with durability, ideal for long outdoor use.
• Forerunner 970: Lightweight design with clear display in training scenarios, sufficient for runners and triathletes.

Recommendation Summary

• Fenix 8: Best for outdoor adventures and long battery life.
• Venu X1: Large screen and intuitive display, ideal for daily wear and urban workouts.
• Forerunner 970: Lightweight and clear for training; focused on running and triathlon activities.

Garmin Fenix 8 vs Venu X1 vs Forerunner 970 - Health Monitoring

The three watches have different strengths in health monitoring, catering to various user needs:

Key Comparison

Heart Rate Monitoring

• Fenix 8: 5th-generation optical heart rate module with multiple LEDs and an electrical isolation ring for more accurate heart rate tracking during exercise.
• Venu X1: Garmin Elevate Gen 5, suitable for daily heart rate monitoring, no ECG support.
• Forerunner 970: Elevate Gen 5 + HRM600 chest strap, supports advanced running metrics and ECG.

Sleep Monitoring

• Fenix 8: Tracks deep, light, and REM sleep stages; provides sleep score and 7-day resting heart rate trends.
• Venu X1: Basic sleep stage monitoring.
• Forerunner 970: Records sleep duration, stages, and scores, with bedtime reports.

Blood Oxygen Monitoring

• Fenix 8: Real-time monitoring, suitable for high-altitude activities.
• Venu X1: Basic SpO2 tracking.
• Forerunner 970: Combines heart rate for comprehensive health analysis.

Stress & Body Energy Monitoring

• Fenix 8: HRV-based stress index, Firstbeat algorithm for body energy assessment, supports guided breathing.
• Venu X1: Focused on daily health, provides energy scores and breathing exercises.
• Forerunner 970: Supports stress and body energy tracking, more training-focused.

ECG Function

• Fenix 8: Supports ECG, can detect arrhythmias.
• Venu X1: Not supported.
• Forerunner 970: Supports ECG (requires HRM600 chest strap).

Recommendation

• Fenix 8 → Users needing professional sports and comprehensive health monitoring
• Venu X1 → Daily fitness and urban lifestyle users
• Forerunner 970 → Running and training-focused users

Garmin Fenix 8 vs Venu X1 vs Forerunner 970 - Sports Mode

All three Garmin watches support multiple sports modes, including running, cycling, swimming, fitness training, and hiking, but they differ in professional sports and high-water-resistance activities:

Sports Mode Differences

• Fenix 8: Supports high-water-resistance and professional water sports, such as sailing, surfing, kite surfing, snorkeling, and scuba diving (up to 45m). Golf mode includes full vector maps, virtual caddy, and wind speed features.
• Forerunner 970: Focused on running and triathlon training, with exclusive duathlon, pool triathlon, and brick workouts. Golf only shows the green.
• Venu X1: Covers everyday running, cycling, and fitness, with an exclusive “game mode.” Golf mode provides full hole maps and a virtual caddy but does not support sailing.

Common Features

• Wide coverage of standard sports modes
• Optical heart rate monitoring
• Continuous training data analysis (pace, cadence, VO2 max, etc.)

Recommendation Summary

• Fenix 8: Best for professional water sports and high-intensity outdoor training.
• Venu X1: Ideal for daily fitness and urban workouts, with fun and practical features.
• Forerunner 970: Excellent for running and triathlon training, suited for athletes seeking detailed performance data.

Garmin Fenix 8 vs Venu X1 vs Forerunner 970 - Maps & Navigation

The three Garmin watches differ in maps and navigation features:

Feature Comparison

• Fenix 8: Supports global offline TOPO maps, multiple map layers, ClimbPro elevation display, turn-by-turn navigation, and golf maps. Ideal for complex outdoor adventures, hiking, and skiing.
• Venu X1: Offers full-color basic maps and turn-by-turn navigation. Lacks contour lines and advanced map layers, better suited for daily exercise and light outdoor activities.
• Forerunner 970: Supports basic route playback and return navigation. Focused on running and triathlon training, with limited complex terrain navigation.

Common Features

• GPS/GLONASS/Galileo satellite support
• Route tracking and recording
• Return navigation and off-route alerts

Recommendation Summary

• Fenix 8: Most comprehensive, best for professional outdoor activities
• Venu X1: Basic maps and navigation, best for everyday use
• Forerunner 970: Accurate route tracking, ideal for running and triathlon training

Garmin Fenix 8 vs Venu X1 vs Forerunner 970 - Battery Life

Battery performance is one of the most significant differences among these watches, especially important for long outdoor activities.

• Fenix 8: Smartwatch mode lasts about 18 days (up to 22 days for some models), GPS mode about 57 hours, UltraTrac mode up to 136 hours. It has the strongest battery life, ideal for multi-day hikes and extended outdoor adventures.
• Venu X1: Smartwatch mode lasts about 17 days, GPS mode about 44 hours. Battery life is moderate, but drains quickly during long activities - long hikes may require charging in less than half a day.
• Forerunner 970: Smartwatch mode lasts about 20 days, GPS mode about 73 hours. Battery life is better than the Venu X1, lightweight design makes it suitable for long-distance running, though slightly lower than Fenix 8.

Similarities

• Support multiple modes of battery life (smartwatch mode, GPS mode, etc.)
• All use proprietary charging cables or docks and support fast charging
• Include power-saving modes to extend battery life

Recommendation Summary

• Fenix 8: Longest battery life, best for extended outdoor activities and multi-day hikes
• Venu X1: Moderate battery life, better for daily fitness and short activities
• Forerunner 970: Excellent GPS battery life, longest in smartwatch mode, ideal for running and mid- to long-distance training

Garmin Fenix 8 vs Venu X1 vs Forerunner 970 - Smart Features, Flashlight & Speaker

The three Garmin watches each focus differently on smart interactions and daily features, balancing sports and everyday use.

Common Features

• Notifications: Incoming calls, texts, and social app alerts
• Music Control: Can control phone music playback; some models support onboard music storage
• Mobile Payments: Supports Garmin Pay (available in select regions/models)
• Compatibility: Works with iOS/Android and syncs with Garmin Connect

Fenix 8

• Focus: Professional outdoor and sports, while also covering daily smart features
• Smart Interaction: Voice commands, voice memos, call answering, message notifications
• Customization: Supports rich watch faces and widgets, suitable for outdoor and daily use
• UI: Industrial style, operated via 5 buttons + touchscreen

Venu X1

• Focus: Daily smart and health features
• Smart Interaction: Voice control and voice memos, smooth touchscreen operation
• UI Style: Rounded, bubble-style interface, user-friendly for daily swiping
• Enhanced Health Features: Fitness score, Body Battery, breathing exercises
• Buttons: 2 physical buttons + touchscreen

Forerunner 970

• Focus: Sport training oriented, basic daily smart functions
• Smart Interaction: Voice commands, call answering, voice memos (new firmware)
• UI Style: Industrial style, operated via 5 buttons + touchscreen
• Daily Functions: Basic notifications and music control, sports-oriented interface

Flashlight & Speaker

Flashlight

• Fenix 8 & Forerunner 970: 2 white + 1 red LED
• Venu X1: 1 white + 1 red LED

Speaker

• Venu X1: Loudest volume, best sound quality
• Forerunner 970: Medium volume
• Fenix 8: Lowest volume

Recommended Summary

• Fenix 8: Most comprehensive, balances outdoor sports and smart features, professional style
• Venu X1: Strongest daily smart and health features, user-friendly interface, ideal for daily wear and fitness
• Forerunner 970: Basic smart functions, training-focused, ideal for runners and sport training enthusiasts

Garmin Fenix 8 vs Venu X1 vs Forerunner 970 - Conclusion and Recommendation

In summary, choosing a Garmin watch depends on your personal needs:

• Fenix 8: Longest battery life, all-around sports and diving features, ideal for professional athletes and outdoor adventurers. Pairing it with durable Garmin Fenix Watch straps such as Garmin Fenix 8 47mm Watch Bands makes it even more reliable for extreme conditions.
• Forerunner 970: Lightweight with strong training features, perfect for runners and triathlon enthusiasts. With the right Garmin Forerunner 970 watch bands, it becomes a comfortable companion for both long runs and daily wear.
• Venu X1: Largest screen and best speaker, best suited for daily fitness and urban lifestyles. Stylish Garmin Venu Watch Bands give it a fashionable edge for everyday use.

If you mainly use it for everyday activities and turn off always-on display, all three watches can meet basic needs. But if you prioritize long battery life or diving capabilities, Fenix 8 is unmatched.

Ultimately, the best Garmin watch is the one that fits your lifestyle and activity habits. Whether you choose the powerful Fenix 8, the stylish Venu X1, or the versatile Forerunner 970, Garmin delivers a high-quality sports and health experience.