Garmin venu 3 vs 3s - Which One is Suitable for You?

Garmin, recognized as one of the top 10 best sports watch companies in the world, is widely praised for its precise sports tracking and professional health monitoring features. The newly launched Venu 3 and Venu 3S series continue Garmin’s tradition of high quality, with numerous upgrades in design, functionality, and battery life. These smartwatches not only cater to sports enthusiasts but also offer a perfect blend of style and practicality for users seeking both fashion and utility.

The Venu 3 series introduces innovative features such as nap tracking and wheelchair mode, along with an optimized design. Whether you're an indoor training enthusiast or someone looking for a smartwatch that combines style and functionality for everyday use, both the Venu 3 and Venu 3S offer versatile options. This article will compare the two models across design, display, battery life, health monitoring, and smart features to help you make the best choice for your needs.

Garmin Venu 3 vs Venu 3S Overview

Garmin Venu 3

The Venu 3 features a 1.4-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 454 x 454 pixels, ideal for users who prefer larger screens and long-duration use. It offers up to 14 days of battery life, making it perfect for outdoor activities. The watch includes new features like an optical heart rate sensor, personalized sleep recommendations, and more, making it a comprehensive smartwatch. You can also check Garmin Venu Watch bands for more information about Garmin Watch accessories.

Pros:

• Large screen with clear display
• Long battery life, suitable for extended use
• Advanced health monitoring features with personalized suggestions
• Additional features like meditation, nap tracking, and wheelchair mode

Cons:

• No automatic workout detection
• Limited music platform support

Garmin Venu 3S

The Venu 3S comes with a 1.2-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 390 x 390 pixels, making it suitable for smaller wrists or users who prefer a more compact design. The battery lasts up to 10 days and retains Garmin's high-quality health monitoring features, making it ideal for users who need convenience and quick access to data.

Pros:

• Compact design, perfect for smaller wrists
• Faster response, ideal for quick data checks
• Well-balanced battery life and health monitoring

Cons:

• Smaller screen size, not ideal for users who prefer larger displays
• Simplified features, suitable for basic health needs

Garmin venu 3 vs Garmin venu 3s Specs

Garmin venu 3 vs 3s - Design and Display

Design & Wearing Experience

Garmin Venu 3 and Venu 3S share a similar overall design, featuring a round AMOLED touchscreen and a stainless steel bezel, offering both style and durability. However, they differ significantly in size and weight.

Venu 3 comes with a 45mm case, making it ideal for users with larger wrists or those who prefer a bigger screen experience. It weighs around 50g, providing a solid and substantial feel on the wrist.

Venu 3S, on the other hand, features a 41mm case, designed for smaller wrists or those who prefer a lightweight fit. Weighing around 38g, it offers a more comfortable and barely-there wearing experience, making it especially popular among female users or those who prefer a sleek design.

Color Options

Venu 3 is available in classic black and white, giving it a more business-like and understated style.

Venu 3S comes in a wider range of colors, including rose gold, ivory, and pink, catering to various fashion preferences.

Display Comparison

Both models feature a high-definition AMOLED display with Always-On Display (AOD) support, delivering vivid colors and excellent readability. The key differences are:

Venu 3 has a 1.4-inch screen with a resolution of 454 × 454, offering larger text and a more immersive viewing experience, perfect for those who prioritize readability and a bigger screen.

Venu 3S comes with a 1.2-inch screen and a resolution of 390 × 390, still sharp and detailed, but with smaller content presentation, requiring closer viewing.

Winner: Garmin venu 3

If you prefer a larger screen and enhanced readability, Venu 3 is the better choice. However, if you value comfort, lightweight design, and a more compact fit, Venu 3S is the ideal option.

Garmin venu 3 vs 3s - Health Monitoring

Health Monitoring Features

• Heart Rate Monitoring: Both the Garmin Venu 3 and Garmin Venu 3S offer 24/7 real-time heart rate monitoring, continuously tracking heart rate changes to help users understand exercise intensity and recovery status.
• SpO2 Monitoring: Both models are equipped with SpO2 monitoring, allowing users to check blood oxygen saturation levels and assess their overall health.
• Stress Tracking: The Garmin Venu 3 and Garmin Venu 3S provide stress monitoring features, tracking stress levels in real time and offering recommendations for stress management.
• Women's Health Tracking: Both watches support women's health management by tracking menstrual cycle data and other relevant health metrics.

Advanced Health Features

• Body Battery Energy Monitoring: Both the Garmin Venu 3 and Garmin Venu 3S come with Garmin's latest Body Battery energy monitoring function, providing real-time assessments of your energy levels throughout the day to help users understand their recovery status.
• Health Snapshot: Both models offer a 2-minute activity recording feature that captures key health data such as heart rate, heart rate variability, and SpO2 levels.

Sleep Tracking

• Sleep Stage Analysis: The Garmin Venu 3 and Garmin Venu 3S provide detailed sleep stage analysis, including light sleep, deep sleep, and rapid eye movement (REM) stages, helping users better understand their sleep quality.
• Sleep Scoring & Optimization Suggestions: Both watches provide personalized sleep optimization suggestions based on sleep data, helping improve sleep quality.

Winner: Garmin Venu 3

Although both the Garmin Venu 3 and Garmin Venu 3S offer similar health monitoring features, the Garmin Venu 3 stands out with its more advanced sleep tracking capabilities and longer battery life, making it the better choice for users who require continuous monitoring and efficient health management.

Garmin venu 3 vs 3s - Fitness Tracking and GPS

Fitness Tracking Features

Venu 3:

• Offers over 30 sports modes, including running, cycling, swimming, yoga, and strength training.
• Provides detailed data such as steps, calories burned, and floors climbed.
• Software updates have added more sports modes and training animation guides.

Venu 3S:

• Similar to Venu 3, it supports multiple sports modes like walking, running, cycling, and swimming.
• Adds an activity mode specifically designed for wheelchair users.
• Offers smarter health analysis, including Body Battery tracking and sleep analysis.
• Includes professional training guidance and free training plans provided by Garmin Coach.

GPS Features

Venu 3:

• Equipped with GPS and multi-satellite system support (GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO), offering accurate outdoor activity data tracking.
• Provides real-time route tracking and activity history.
• Longer battery life, suitable for extended outdoor activities.

Venu 3S:

• GPS functionality is similar to the Venu 3 but optimized for better accuracy and battery life.
• Supports more advanced sports modes like HIIT and yoga, which require more precise GPS support.
• Adds interval training and custom workout plans, allowing users to create and manage personalized training plans directly on the watch.

Winner: Garmin Venu 3S

The Garmin Venu 3S stands out in fitness tracking and GPS, especially with smart health analysis, professional workout guidance, and customizable training plans. It’s the better choice for users needing detailed workout data, personalized coaching, enhanced GPS, and longer battery life. You can also check out other Garmin sports and GPS watches, such as the Forerunner 965, Fenix 7 Pro, Fenix 8, Epix Pro (Gen 2), and Instinct 3.

Garmin venu 3 vs 3s - Battery Life

Battery life is one of the key factors when choosing a smartwatch, and Garmin excels in this area, with the Venu 3 series continuing to offer exceptional battery longevity.

Garmin Venu 3 provides up to 14 days of battery life in smart mode, and up to 26 hours in GPS mode, making it ideal for users who need extended usage or frequently engage in outdoor activities. Even on long trips, the Venu 3 can easily meet the demand for several days of continuous use.

In comparison, the Garmin Venu 3S offers slightly shorter battery life. In smart mode, it provides 10 days of battery life, and in GPS mode, it lasts for 21 hours. While not as long-lasting as the Venu 3, the Venu 3S still offers excellent performance for daily use or users who don’t engage in outdoor activities frequently.

Winner: Garmin Venu 3

With its longer battery life, the Garmin Venu 3 is better suited for users who need extended usage and want to reduce charging frequency, especially during long outdoor activities or travel.

Garmin venu 3 vs 3s - Smart Features

Both the Garmin Venu 3 and Venu 3S offer a range of smart features designed to make everyday life more convenient. The Venu 3 introduces Bluetooth calling, allowing users to make and receive calls directly from the watch, with built-in microphone and speakers for easy communication. Additionally, the Venu 3 supports voice assistants, enabling users to quickly check the weather, control smart home devices, or send messages via voice commands.

The Venu 3S also supports making and receiving calls and sending texts, with built-in speakers and microphone, and adds convenient payment features like WeChat Pay, Alipay, and NFC transit cards. Both models support offline music playback, smart notifications, and safety tracking, allowing users to send real-time location updates to emergency contacts for added security.

In terms of smart features, both models are quite similar. They both support Garmin Pay for contactless payments, music storage and playback, and integrate deeply with Garmin Connect, offering customizable training plans.

Winner: Tie.

Both the Venu 3 and Venu 3S offer the same set of smart features, with no significant difference in their smart experience. Both are excellent choices for users looking for convenience and smart functionality.

How to Choose - Garmin Venu 3 or Venu 3S?

Garmin Venu 3 is ideal for users who need a larger display and longer battery life, especially those with larger wrists or a preference for a more robust design. It offers extended GPS battery life, making it perfect for long-distance running and outdoor activities. The Venu 3 focuses on a larger screen and professional sports features, making it suitable for users who prioritize sports performance and extended outdoor use.

Garmin Venu 3S, on the other hand, is better suited for those who prefer a lightweight, compact design, particularly for users with smaller wrists or those who like a more stylish, fashion-forward look. While its battery life is slightly shorter, it fully meets the needs of daily commuting and fitness training.

Both watches offer similar core features such as health monitoring, smart voice, and sports tracking, making them excellent choices for users seeking a balance between fitness and daily life. Ultimately, the decision should be based on your wrist size, aesthetic preferences, and intended use. If you prioritize professional sports features and longer battery life, the Venu 3 is the better choice; if you value style, convenience, and portability, the Venu 3S is the more fitting option.