Garmin Venu X1 Review - Is It Worth the Price?

2-Inch AMOLED Display & Ultra-Thin Titanium Design Take on the Premium Smartwatch Market

Garmin, as one of the top 10 best sports watch companies in the world, has officially unveiled the Venu X1, a high-end smartwatch that stands out with a 2-inch square AMOLED display and an ultra-slim 7.9mm profile - making it the brand’s thinnest and largest-screen smartwatch to date. The titanium case back and sapphire crystal lens combine premium aesthetics with durability, setting a new design benchmark for Garmin.

On the inside, the Venu X1 excels in health tracking. It offers 24/7 body monitoring features including heart rate variability (HRV), Body Battery, SpO, respiration rate, and advanced sleep analytics. In smartwatch mode, it delivers up to 8 days of battery life, supporting both daily use and active lifestyles.

Priced at $799.99 and launching on June 18, the Venu X1 marks Garmin’s first direct challenge to premium competitors like the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. It also signals a strategic shift as Garmin expands beyond its traditional outdoor watch lines into the luxury smartwatch segment.

This article offers a comprehensive Garmin Venu X1 review - diving into its design, features, and real-world performance to help you decide if it’s the right premium smartwatch for you. You can also check other featured Garmin venu watch review or comparison below:

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Garmin Venu X1 Review - Specifications

2-Inch AMOLED Display - Garmin’s Best Visual Experience Yet

The Garmin Venu X1 features the brand’s largest-ever 2-inch square AMOLED touchscreen with a resolution of 448×486 pixels. The ultra-narrow bezel design offers a wider viewing area and more detailed on-screen information compared to previous models like the 1.4-inch round display on the Venu 3.

To enhance both clarity and durability, the screen is protected by scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, delivering excellent light transmittance and maintaining readability even under strong sunlight. While Garmin hasn’t disclosed the peak brightness, the display appears noticeably brighter than past models.

In terms of user interaction, Garmin has made several thoughtful upgrades. The customizable watch face allows users to prioritize key data - like real-time heart rate, steps, elevation, and training readiness. Adjustable font sizes also make notifications and stats easier to read. Whether for daily use or intense workouts, the Venu X1's screen delivers a flagship-level visual and interactive experience.

Lightweight and Sleek - Durable Titanium Flagship Design

The Garmin Venu X1 features an ultra-slim body measuring just 41×46×7.9mm, making it the thinnest smartwatch the brand has ever produced, weighing only 40 grams. Its case combines titanium and fiber-reinforced polymer materials, ensuring both sturdiness and lightness. Paired with a soft, breathable ComfortFit nylon strap, it offers nearly weightless comfort suitable for all-day wear. You can also check third-party Garmin Venu Watch straps and Garmin Venu 3 Watch Bands.

This watch is equipped with a 2-inch borderless AMOLED touchscreen protected by scratch-resistant sapphire glass, delivering crisp and detailed visuals. The Venu X1 comes in two stylish color options - black and moss green - that balance simplicity with modern flair. Additionally, built-in features like an LED flashlight, speaker, and microphone support voice commands, enhancing everyday convenience and functionality.

Built-in LED Flashlight, Speaker, and Microphone

Built-in LED Flashlight

The Venu X1 comes equipped with a powerful LED flashlight that supports both white and red light modes. The white light is ideal for everyday illumination, helping users see clearly in low-light or dark environments. The red light preserves night vision, making it perfect for stargazing and nighttime outdoor activities.

Speaker Functionality

The watch features a built-in speaker that supports hands-free calls, allowing users to easily answer and make calls even when their phone is not readily accessible. Additionally, the speaker provides voice feedback and music playback, enhancing the overall user experience.

Microphone Support

The Venu X1 includes a high-sensitivity microphone for two-way calling and accurate voice recognition. Users can control watch functions through voice commands - such as starting workouts or setting reminders - and can also record voice notes directly, improving efficiency in capturing important information.

These three built-in features make the Garmin Venu X1 not only a powerful health monitoring device but also a smart assistant for daily life and outdoor adventures.

Comprehensive Health Monitoring for Smarter Living

The Garmin Venu X1 is equipped with advanced health monitoring features that help users track their physical condition in real time and manage their health scientifically. Key functions include:

• Pulse Oximetry (Pulse Ox) Monitoring: Using a high-precision PulseOx sensor, the watch continuously monitors blood oxygen saturation (SpO) with medical-grade accuracy, helping users understand their oxygen levels - ideal for high-altitude environments, sports, and sleep tracking.
• Body Battery Energy Assessment: Intuitively displays the body’s energy levels on a scale from 0 to 100%, enabling users to plan workouts and rest periods efficiently. A 1-hour nap can significantly restore energy levels.
• Respiration Rate Monitoring: Industry-first feature that tracks breaths per minute, especially useful for users with irregular heart rates or breathing issues. Helps regulate breathing patterns, reduce stress, and improve sleep quality.
• Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Analysis: Evaluates stress levels through smart algorithms and offers four customized breathing exercises to help users relax, reduce stress, and improve overall wellness.
• Advanced Sleep Analysis: Accurately identifies REM, deep, and light sleep stages, combined with blood oxygen and movement data throughout the night, giving users deeper insights into sleep quality and helping optimize sleep habits.
• Morning Health Summary: Automatically generates a daily health report summarizing previous night’s sleep quality, HRV changes, and body energy levels - providing a quick assessment of the day’s readiness and helping plan activities accordingly.
• Women’s Health Tracking: Supports menstrual cycle, symptom, and mood tracking to offer comprehensive health management and personalized recommendations for female users.

Balanced Battery Life and Practical Features

Despite its powerful health tracking capabilities, the Garmin Venu X1 delivers up to 8 days of battery life in smartwatch mode - ideal for extended everyday use. With GPS + GLONASS enabled, it still offers up to 18 hours of continuous tracking, enough to support even an ultramarathon.

While the exact battery life with always-on display hasn’t been officially disclosed, it’s estimated to last around 3–4 days. Additionally, the watch supports music playback, smart notifications, and includes a built-in LED flashlight, achieving an excellent balance between endurance and functionality.

Comprehensive Sport Performance Upgrade

Garmin Venu X1 is equipped with powerful sport tracking and performance optimization features, catering to a wide range of fitness needs - from casual users to professional athletes.

• 100+ Built-in Sport Modes: Supports over 100 workout types, including running, cycling, swimming, skiing, strength training, hiking, and more, covering virtually all exercise preferences.
• Garmin Coach & Custom Training Plans: Offers adaptive training programs for running, cycling, and strength training, tailored to your goals. You can also create personalized workouts from over 1,600 exercises in the Garmin Connect™ app.
• Daily Workout Suggestions: Based on your training history, recovery status, and sleep quality, the watch provides dynamic daily workout recommendations.
• Training Readiness Score: Every morning, receive a personalized score that reflects how prepared your body is for training, based on sleep, HRV, and previous workout load.
• Training Status & Progress Tracking: Accurately assesses your training status (productive, overreaching, recovery) using Firstbeat analytics to help you optimize your exercise intensity.
• Stamina & Endurance Score: Monitors your long-duration stamina by combining physiological data and workout load, offering actionable feedback on endurance development.
• Climb Score & Hill Readiness: Evaluates your uphill running or cycling performance over time and offers feedback for improving climbing ability.
• Recovery Time: Tells you how long you should rest before your next intense workout session, based on your recent activity.
• Advanced Running Metrics (Wrist-Based): Includes cadence, stride length, ground contact time, and wrist-based running power to fine-tune your technique and performance.
• PACEPRO & Real-Time Guidance: Provides pace guidance based on course gradient and your goals - ideal for races and marathon training.
• Offline Maps & Navigation Tools: Features full-color TopoActive maps and turn-by-turn guidance, along with ClimbPro for elevation tracking - great for trail runners and outdoor athletes.
• Triathlon & Multisport Support: Offers automatic tracking of transitions and training sessions for triathlons, brick workouts, and swim-run activities.

These comprehensive training tools, combined with Garmin’s data-driven insights, make Venu X1 a powerful smartwatch for users who want to track, optimize, and elevate their athletic performance across any discipline.

Premium Price, Flagship Value

The Garmin Venu X1 is priced at $799.99, on par with the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and will officially launch on June 18, 2025. While the price is steep, the specs fully justify it: a titanium case, sapphire crystal display, ComfortFit nylon strap, and medical-grade health monitoring system.

Two color options are available:

• Black with Slate Gray Titanium Back + Black Strap
• Moss Green with Titanium Back + Moss Green Strap Pricing:
• $799.99 USD / 679.99 GBP /799.99 EUR

Compared to competitors in the same category, the Venu X1 offers a well-rounded package in terms of materials, features, and battery life - making it one of the most competitively priced premium smartwatches on the market.

Garmin Venu X1 Review - Summary and Recommendation

The Garmin Venu X1 combines powerful health monitoring and versatile sports features with a durable titanium body and a large AMOLED display, balancing professional performance with everyday practicality.

Whether you are a fitness enthusiast seeking precise data or a user looking for a smart lifestyle assistant, the Venu X1 meets diverse needs. Its excellent battery life, along with call support and offline maps, greatly enhance usability.

Overall, the Venu X1 offers outstanding value in the high-end smartwatch segment and is highly recommended.