Garmin Venu 3 vs Apple Watch Series 10 - Best Smartwatch Comparison

In the global smartwatch market, Garmin and Apple stand out as top 10 best sports watch companies in the world, each leading in different directions. The Garmin Venu 3, recognized as one of the best Garmin watches of 2025, is designed for fitness enthusiasts with its advanced health and workout tracking features. On the other hand, the Apple Watch Series 10 seamlessly integrates into the Apple ecosystem, making it the ideal choice for iPhone users. But how do these two watches compare in terms of features, design, battery life, and overall performance?

The Garmin Venu 3 carries forward Garmin’s expertise in sports and fitness, offering precise health monitoring, a variety of workout modes, and even support for voice assistants and calls. Its OLED display is bright and responsive, delivering a smooth user experience. However, since it runs on Garmin’s proprietary system, it lacks extensive app support, limiting its smart functionalities.

Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Series 10 remains the industry leader, not only excelling in health tracking but also offering a vast app ecosystem, a seamless user interface, and an even more refined experience with its latest improvements.

So, which smartwatch suits you best - the Garmin Venu 3 with its focus on fitness and health, or the Apple Watch Series 10 with its unmatched smart capabilities? This article will provide an in-depth comparison across design, display, battery life, and functionality to help you make the right choice.

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Garmin Venu 3 vs Apple Watch Series 10 - Similarities and Differences

Similarities:

• Display Technology: Both feature OLED screens, offering excellent display quality and color accuracy.
• Size Options: Available in both small and large sizes to suit different users.
• Health Monitoring Features: Both support SpO2 (blood oxygen monitoring), ECG (electrocardiogram), and skin temperature monitoring (Garmin requires a software update to fully enable some of these features).
• GPS: Both watches include single-band GPS for tracking movement and workouts.

Differences:

• Design: The Venu 3 has a circular watch face, resembling a traditional watch, while the Apple Watch Series 10 features a rectangular design, maintaining its signature look.
• Operating System: The Venu 3 runs on Garmin's proprietary OS, which does not support an app store and is more focused on fitness and health tracking. The Apple Watch 10 operates on watchOS, offering a vast ecosystem of third-party apps and customizable watch faces.
• Battery Life: The Venu 3 lasts up to 14 days on a single charge (around 5 days with an always-on display), while the Apple Watch 10 lasts 18 hours to 1.5 days, requiring more frequent charging.
• Charging Method: The Venu 3 uses a dedicated charging cable, whereas the Apple Watch 10 supports magnetic wireless charging, making it more convenient.
• Price: Both are similarly priced, but Garmin Venu 3 is slightly more expensive.

Conclusion: Garmin Venu 3 and Apple Watch Series 10 share similarities in display technology, size options, and health monitoring, but they differ significantly in design, operating system, battery life, and charging methods. The Venu 3 is ideal for users prioritizing fitness tracking and long battery life, while the Apple Watch 10 is the best choice for those seeking a seamless smart ecosystem experience.

Garmin Venu 3 vs Apple Watch Series 10 Specifications

Garmin Venu 3 vs Apple Watch Series 10 - Price

The Garmin Venu 3 starts at $450, while the aluminum version of the Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm or 46mm) starts at $400. If you opt for the cellular version, the price of the Apple Watch increases by an additional $100. In contrast, the Garmin Venu 3 does not offer a cellular version and relies on a connection with your phone. If you prefer to go for a run or outdoor activity without carrying your phone but still want to receive notifications and calls, the cellular version of the Apple Watch is the better choice.

In terms of pricing, the Apple Watch Series 10 aluminum version offers strong technical performance and is highly cost-effective, especially with the $400 starting price for the aluminum version, which provides excellent smartwatch features. The Garmin Venu 3, on the other hand, focuses more on long-lasting usage and is ideal for users who do not need frequent recharging.

Bandletic Recommendation

Overall, if you prioritize long battery life and do not require cellular functionality, the Garmin Venu 3 offers better value. However, if you need more smart features and cellular connectivity, the Apple Watch Series 10 is the better choice.

Garmin Venu 3 vs Apple Watch Series 10 - Design and Materials

Size and Design

The Garmin Venu 3 offers two sizes: 41mm and 45mm, with a classic round dial design. In contrast, the Apple Watch Series 10 offers sizes of 42mm and 46mm, featuring a rectangular design. Both designs are distinct and entirely dependent on personal preference.

Materials and Weight

The Venu 3 features a plastic casing with a metal bezel, which, while simple in appearance, makes it lightweight and more suitable for prolonged wear. On the other hand, the Apple Watch Series 10 is available in aluminum and titanium materials, with the titanium version providing a more premium feel and higher quality.

Additionally, the Apple Watch includes a digital crown and an extra button for a more intuitive touch experience. The titanium version of the Apple Watch Series 10 excels in both texture and weight.

Water Resistance and Activity Compatibility

Both watches have a 5ATM water resistance rating, making them suitable for swimming and other water activities. However, the Apple Watch Series 10 supports deeper diving depths, making it ideal for users who require enhanced underwater performance.

Bandletic Recommendation

Garmin Venu 3

• Comfort and Lightweight: The Venu 3’s round design and lightweight plastic material make it ideal for long wear, especially for daily use and workouts.
• Minimalist Style: If you prefer a simple appearance and a comfortable wearing experience, the Venu 3 is a great choice.

Apple Watch Series 10

• Premium Materials and Durability: The Apple Watch Series 10, particularly the titanium version, offers a higher-end feel and superior durability.
• Diving and Versatility: For users who need more advanced underwater features, the Apple Watch Series 10 supports deeper diving depths, making it the perfect choice for snorkeling or diving enthusiasts.

Garmin Venu 3 vs Apple Watch Series 10 - Watch Bands

Garmin Venu 3
The Venu 3 comes with a traditional spring-bar strap, with widths of 22mm (Venu 3) and 18mm (Venu 3S). The sport band is soft, comfortable, and easy to adjust, making it ideal for extended wear. It features a silicone material and quick-release functionality for easy strap changes.

Apple Watch Series 10

The Apple Watch uses a proprietary strap replacement system, allowing for easy strap swapping by pressing a button and sliding the strap sideways. While the sport loop is soft and comfortable, adjusting it can be slightly tricky. Users can choose from a variety of strap styles when purchasing, offering more personalization options.

Bandletic Recommendation

Bandletic specializes in sport watch bands, offering high-quality Apple Watch bands, Garmin Watch bands, Fitbit Watch bands, and Samsung Watch bands. Our bands are designed to withstand the toughest outdoor conditions, ensuring durability and comfort. Whether for the Apple Watch Series 10 bands or Garmin Venu Watch bands, Bandletic provides a premium wearing experience for your outdoor activities.

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Garmin Venu 3 vs Apple Watch Series 10 - Health and Fitness Tracking

Garmin Venu 3

The Garmin Venu 3 offers a variety of health and fitness tracking features, including heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen detection, and sleep tracking. It is equipped with Garmin's latest Elevate Gen 5 sensor, providing accurate data tracking, especially for sports enthusiasts involved in running, swimming, and golf.

The sleep monitoring function on the Venu 3 is comprehensive, providing more context to help users improve sleep quality. Additionally, the Venu 3 offers sedentary reminders, step counting, and various exercise modes, making it ideal for users who prioritize fitness performance and health management.

Apple Watch Series 10

The Apple Watch Series 10, on the other hand, includes ECG heart rate monitoring and skin temperature tracking, making it particularly suitable for users who require precise health data. It supports more in-depth health monitoring, such as female health tracking and blood glucose monitoring (pending further validation).

In terms of exercise tracking, the Apple Watch Series 10 supports various modes and can automatically detect swimming strokes and cycling status, syncing with iPhone navigation, making it ideal for urban fitness enthusiasts. Its sleep tracking is also relatively accurate, but compared to Garmin, it lacks more contextual information.

Bandletic Recommendation

Both watches offer excellent health and fitness tracking. Choose Garmin Venu 3 for exercise performance and sleep management. Go with Apple Watch Series 10 if you prioritize advanced health monitoring and detailed workout analysis.

Garmin Venu 3 vs Apple Watch Series 10 - Smartwatch Features and Connectivity

Garmin Venu 3

Garmin Venu 3 is ideal for Android users, featuring advanced health monitoring and sports data analysis. It supports basic notifications, music control, and Garmin Pay but lacks extensive third-party apps. Relying on a smartphone connection, it cannot function independently online but excels in fitness guidance and community engagement, making it a great choice for fitness enthusiasts.

Apple Watch Series 10

Apple Watch Series 10 is deeply integrated into the iPhone ecosystem, offering Siri, Apple Pay, standalone cellular calling, and a wide range of third-party apps and smart home controls. The cellular model allows independent use without a phone, delivering a smoother and more comprehensive smart experience.

Bandletic Recommendation

If you're focused on sports training, the Venu 3 is a solid pick. However, for a more intelligent and convenient everyday experience, the Apple Watch Series 10 is the better choice.

Garmin Venu 3 vs Apple Watch Series 10 - Battery Life

Garmin Venu 3

The Garmin Venu 3 offers an official battery life of up to 14 days in smartwatch mode. In real-world usage, with always-on display and daily workouts, it lasts about 5 days. For users who enjoy long outdoor activities, the Venu 3's battery performance is clearly superior. Even the smaller Venu 3S can last around 5 days on a full charge. Although charging takes over an hour, it can reach 80% charge in a short period, meeting everyday needs.

Apple Watch Series 10

The Apple Watch Series 10 has an official battery life of 18 hours to 1 day, depending on usage and enabled features. In practice, especially for users who exercise frequently, daily charging may be necessary. However, the Apple Watch has a fast charging feature, reaching 80% in just 30 minutes. Although its charging speed is faster, its battery life is significantly shorter, especially with the always-on display mode, which can last only about 18 hours or less.

Bandletic Recommendation

The Garmin Venu 3 excels in battery life, ideal for extended outdoor use and less frequent charging. The Apple Watch Series 10 charges faster but lasts shorter, better suited for daily urban use. For long-lasting battery performance, choose the Garmin Venu 3.

Garmin Venu 3 vs Apple Watch Series 10 - Which One is Right for You?

Your choice depends on what matters most: battery life and sports tracking or smart features and health monitoring?

Garmin Venu 3 - The Best for Sports Endurance

If long battery life and professional sports tracking are your priorities, the Garmin Venu 3 is a great fit. With 10-14 days of battery life, it’s perfect for outdoor activities and intense training, without frequent charging. Its lightweight design adds comfort, but its smart features and UI smoothness are less refined than the Apple Watch. Heart rate accuracy may also vary.

Best for:

• Athletes needing detailed sports data and training insights
• Outdoor adventurers who dislike frequent charging
• Users focused on fitness rather than smart functions

Apple Watch Series 10 - The Smart Health Powerhouse

For a smarter experience, sleek design, and advanced health tracking, the Apple Watch Series 10 is unbeatable. It offers ECG, blood sugar monitoring, blood oxygen tracking, and seamless Apple ecosystem integration. Its Super Retina XDR display ensures excellent clarity, but 18-hour battery life means daily charging.

Best for:

• iPhone users who want full ecosystem integration
• Urban professionals needing calls, notifications, and payments on the go
• Health-conscious users wanting in-depth monitoring

Final Choice - Garmin or Apple?

• Pick Garmin Venu 3 for battery life and sports tracking.
• Pick Apple Watch Series 10 for smart features and health insights.

Both have their strengths - Garmin excels in endurance and fitness, while Apple leads in smart functionality and health monitoring. Choose based on your needs!