Garmin Forerunner 965 vs Garmin Venu 4 - A Deep Dive into Features, Performance, and Value

The Garmin Forerunner 965, a smartwatch highly favored by professional athletes, now faces a formidable newcomer - the Venu 4. In this high-end spec showdown, the Venu 4 is priced at $549, $50 less than the Forerunner 965, yet it doesn’t fall short in display, design, or functionality. Both watches feature high-resolution AMOLED screens, delivering vivid colors and sharp clarity, ensuring an outstanding visual experience whether for daily wear or outdoor sports. Also read our article of Garmin Forerunner 965 Review and Garmin Venu 4 Review.

Next, we’ll dive into a detailed comparison of these two watches across design and build quality, display technology, battery and charging, health and fitness features, smart ecosystem, and price/value, helping you quickly identify their core strengths and differences, so you can find the smartwatch that best fits your needs.

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Garmin Forerunner 965 vs Garmin Venu 4 - Specifications

Garmin Forerunner 965 vs Garmin Venu 4 - Design and Build Quality

In terms of design and build, both the Garmin Forerunner 965 and Venu 4 continue Garmin’s tradition of high-quality craftsmanship, but they differ significantly in focus and details. The following breakdown highlights their key similarities and differences to help you quickly understand these popular smartwatches.

Similarities - Balance of Durability and Comfort

High-Quality Materials

Both watches feature reinforced polymer cases with metal bezels, covered by Corning® Gorilla® Glass for excellent scratch resistance and impact durability, ensuring long-lasting performance in everyday use and outdoor sports.

Excellent Water Resistance

The Forerunner 965 and Venu 4 both offer 5 ATM water resistance, withstanding pressures equivalent to 50 meters underwater. They are suitable for swimming, showering, or exposure to rain.

Consistent User Experience

Both models support a hybrid control system with touchscreen and physical buttons, allowing quick and precise operation whether running, cycling, or using daily.

Quick-Release Bands

Both watches support Garmin’s Quick Release system, making it easy to swap bands in different colors or materials, quickly adapting to sports, business, or casual styles. You can also check Garmin Forerunner Watch Bands such as Garmin Forerunner 965 Watch bands and Garmin Venu Watch Bands.

Differences - Professional Sports vs. Lifestyle Focus

Bezel Material

• The Forerunner 965 features a lightweight yet strong titanium bezel, offering superior strength and corrosion resistance, emphasizing the premium feel of a flagship sports watch.
• The Venu 4 uses stainless steel or aluminum bezels (depending on the version), offering a shinier look that leans toward fashion and everyday wear.

Size and Appearance

• The Forerunner 965 has a 47mm case, larger and more rugged, with a strong sporty presence.
• The Venu 4 comes in 41mm and 45mm sizes, offering a lighter, wrist-friendly fit with rounded lines suitable for commuting, fitness, and daily life.

Button Layout

• The Forerunner 965 retains a five-button layout, ensuring precise control even when wearing gloves or with wet hands, ideal for professional athletes.
• The Venu 4 keeps only two function buttons, simplifying operation but offering slightly less flexibility for complex workouts.

Additional Features

• The Venu 4 adds a practical LED flashlight, useful for night runs or emergencies.
  
• The Forerunner 965 is built for more extreme conditions, operating reliably between –20°C and 60°C, making it ideal for demanding environments.

Winner: Garmin Forerunner 965

Reason: With its titanium body, professional five-button layout, and superior environmental resistance, the Forerunner 965 excels in design and build, making it the top choice for athletes who demand maximum performance and durability.

Garmin Forerunner 965 vs Garmin Venu 4 - Display Technology

Similarities - High-Quality Display and Flexible Controls

• AMOLED Color Touchscreen: Both watches feature high-resolution AMOLED screens, delivering vibrant colors and deep black contrast.
• Touch + Button Hybrid Controls: Touchscreen operation is supported along with physical buttons, ensuring precise control during workouts or when wearing gloves.
• Always-On Display & Brightness Adjustment: Both support Always-On Display and offer auto and manual brightness adjustments to suit different lighting conditions.
• Customizable Display: Users can personalize data screens and select which fields to show, meeting individual preferences.

Differences - Size, Brightness, and Glass Material

Screen Size & Resolution

• Forerunner 965: 1.4-inch display, 454×454 pixels, ideal for large-screen viewing and outdoor activities.
• Venu 4: 41mm version has a 1.2-inch display at 390×390 pixels; 45mm version has a 1.4-inch display, better for lightweight wear and daily use.

Screen Glass Material

• Forerunner 965: Corning Gorilla Glass DX, offering superior scratch and glare resistance.
• Venu 4: Corning Gorilla Glass 3, durable but slightly less protective than DX.

Brightness & Visibility

• Forerunner 965: Performs well in bright outdoor conditions.
• Venu 4: Up to 2000 nits, twice as bright as the 965, ensuring excellent visibility in strong sunlight.

Wearing Comfort

• Forerunner 965: Larger screen may suit users with bigger wrists.
• Venu 4: Multiple size options offer a lighter and more comfortable fit.

Winner: Garmin Venu 4

Reason: With its higher brightness and flexible size options, the Venu 4 provides superior visual experience for daily wear and bright-light environments.

Garmin Forerunner 965 vs Garmin Venu 4 - Battery Life and Charging Performance

In terms of battery life and charging, the Forerunner 965 and Venu 4 each have their strengths. The Forerunner 965 offers exceptional smartwatch and GPS mode endurance, making it ideal for long workouts and outdoor activities.

The Venu 4, while slightly shorter in battery life, supports fast charging and comes with built-in call and voice assistant features, making it more convenient for daily use and light exercise.

Winner: Garmin Forerunner 965

Reason: With its exceptional battery life and reliable GPS performance, the Forerunner 965 is the best choice for long workouts and outdoor activities.

Garmin Forerunner 965 vs Garmin Venu 4 - Health and Fitness Features

The Forerunner 965 and Venu 4 both offer comprehensive health monitoring and fitness features, but each has a distinct focus: the former is tailored for professional training and outdoor sports, while the latter emphasizes daily health management and lifestyle optimization.

Winner: Garmin Forerunner 965

Reason: With precise multi-frequency GPS, Race Predictor, and professional training support, the Forerunner 965 is the best choice for professional athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, while the Venu 4 is more suitable for users prioritizing daily health and lifestyle management.

Garmin Forerunner 965 vs Garmin Venu 4 - Smart Features and Software Ecosystem

In terms of smart features and software ecosystem, both the Forerunner 965 and Venu 4 uphold Garmin’s high standards, offering users comprehensive health management tools and intelligent functionality.

Similarities - Core Smart Features and Ecosystem Support

• Garmin Connect™ Integration: Both watches pair with Garmin Connect™, allowing activity data synchronization, training plan setup, and progress tracking.
• Connect IQ™ Support: Users can download third-party apps, watch faces, and data fields to expand functionality.
• Notifications and Safety: Supports phone notifications, calls, messages, emails, as well as incident detection and real-time location sharing for enhanced daily safety.

Differences - Software Ecosystem and Usage Focus

• Forerunner 965: Ecosystem optimized for professional sports, featuring Garmin Run Coach for personalized running plans; supports pairing with multiple Garmin devices (e.g., HRM-Pro, Varia Radar). Deep hardware-software integration delivers precise training data and smooth operation, ideal for running, triathlon, and high-intensity workouts.
• Venu 4: More lifestyle-focused, with advanced notification management, built-in voice assistant, and Bluetooth calling. Supports training plans and activity tracking, but emphasizes everyday fitness and light training. The interface and interactions are more convenient for daily use and health management.
• Connectivity: Both watches support Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, ANT+, and NFC, ensuring a complete smart experience.

Winner: Garmin Forerunner 965

Reason: With its professional training software integration and multi-device support, the Forerunner 965 is the superior choice for users seeking high-performance athletic features.

Garmin Forerunner 965 vs Garmin Venu 4 - Price and Value

In terms of price, the Forerunner 965 is listed at $599.99, while the Venu 4 is $449.99. Both are positioned in the upper mid-range of smartwatches, suitable for users with higher demands for fitness and health management.

Similarities - Price Range and Core Features

Both watches are priced in the mid-to-high range.

Both offer multi-band GNSS positioning, health monitoring, and offline payment capabilities, meeting basic needs for fitness tracking and health management.

Differences - Feature Focus and Value

• Forerunner 965: Focuses on professional sports with multi-band GPS, built-in maps, advanced training tools (Race Widget, training readiness, recovery suggestions), and 32GB storage for offline music and maps. Battery life is outstanding - up to 23 days in smartwatch mode and 31 hours in GPS mode. Ideal for triathlon and marathon athletes, offering excellent value for its high-end sports features.
• Venu 4: Focuses on health and lifestyle convenience, featuring an AMOLED display, built-in LED flashlight, sleep scoring, stress tracking, Body Battery energy monitoring, voice assistant support, Bluetooth calls, and offline payments. Battery life in smartwatch mode reaches up to 12 days (45mm version). Suited for daily fitness and lifestyle users, offering a well-rounded feature set at a more accessible price.

Recommendation

• Forerunner 965: Best for users seeking professional training, accurate sports data, and long battery life.
• Venu 4: Best for users prioritizing health monitoring and daily convenience, with a balanced combination of features and price.

Winner: Garmin Forerunner 965

Reason: With its professional sports features, precise tracking, and long battery life, the Forerunner 965 delivers superior value for high-intensity athletes.

Garmin Forerunner 965 vs Garmin Venu 4 - Summary and Recommendation

After reviewing the Garmin Forerunner 965 and Venu 4 across design, display, battery, health features, smart ecosystem, and price, each watch has its unique strengths. The table below summarizes the winners in each category, helping users quickly decide which watch suits their needs best:

Summary

If you prioritize high-intensity training, professional sports data, and maximum battery life, the Garmin Forerunner 965 is undoubtedly the top choice. If you value daily health tracking, visual experience, and lifestyle convenience, the Garmin Venu 4 is also an excellent option.