Why I swear by this Garmin smartwatch over competing models (including the Apple Watch Ultra)

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The Garmin Venu X1 is accessible in two coloration choices for $799.99.
• The massive 2-inch show is improbable, the LED flashlight is sensible, the skinny case and lightweight band make it a pleasure to put on, and the calculator now has a tip button.
• The always-on mode reduces battery life considerably, the watch is pricey, and dual-band GPS just isn’t put in.

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jun / 2025

I have been utilizing Garmin sports watches for over a decade and have fairly clear expectations for when new fashions can be launched, however I used to be caught fully off guard by the current announcement of the Garmin Venu X1. 

It is distinctive for Garmin, however clearly appears like a reasonably direct competitor to the Apple Watch Ultra 2.

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The Garmin Venu X1 stands out with its daring, nearly sq. design and a vivid two-inch AMOLED display screen — the most important ever on a Garmin smartwatch. It affords noticeably extra display screen actual property than even the Watch Extremely 2, making room for as much as eight information fields throughout exercises. The end result? Crisp, easy-to-read stats at a look, even for getting older eyes like mine.

I’ve worn Venu fashions earlier than, however normally just for a month or two earlier than switching again to a Fenix, Enduro, Intuition, or Forerunner for my day by day use. The primary cause was that the Venu sequence leans closely on a touchscreen with simply two {hardware} buttons, and after getting used to Garmin’s five-button setup, the UI takes a little bit of adjustment.

That mentioned, the Venu was the primary Garmin watch with an AMOLED show, and the X1 takes issues to the subsequent stage with this new larger kind issue.

Just like the Fenix 8 sequence, the Venu X1 has a speaker and microphone so you may maintain calls out of your wrist, report voice notes whilst you train, and activate a number of management capabilities along with your voice. 

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Three shortcuts might be assigned to the 2 buttons in an effort to rapidly get to common capabilities with out swiping or tapping on the show. I’ve them set to voice command, flashlight, and alarms, giving me extra utility rapidly.

Talking of the LED flashlight, Garmin positioned one off to the suitable facet of the highest on the Venu X1, and it has the identical 4 white ranges and one pink mild stage that seems on the show after activation. Strobe and different superior LED mild controls throughout actions might be enabled on the Venu X1, and I’ve discovered them to be a lot shiny and helpful when out at evening in or darker environments.

A minor function of the Apple Watch Extremely 2 that I exploit usually is the straightforward tip calculator discovered within the calculator app. I used to be pleasantly shocked to see Garmin embrace a tip button on the calculator and these small capabilities assist ease the transition from an Apple Watch to the Venu X1.

One key differentiator of the Venu X1 in comparison with the Apple Watch Extremely 2 is the for much longer battery life. Should you flip off the always-on show mode, you may anticipate as much as eight days of battery life. Thankfully, the twist-to-turn-on works flawlessly, so I am not lacking the always-on mode. 

Actually, I discovered the always-on show to chop down the Garmin’s battery life to about two days, harking back to the restricted battery lifetime of the Apple Watch Extremely. With a full cost, GPS monitoring mode ought to present 14-16 hours of exercise monitoring.

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Regardless of the big show measurement, the watch could be very light-weight at simply 40 grams, because of the extremely mild and cozy new ComfortFit cloth band. The Venu X1 can be skinny at simply 7.9mm, which makes it a fair higher look ahead to sleep monitoring. Nevertheless, the skinny kind issue and large display screen might make me compromise on battery life with different Garmin units.

The Garmin Venu X1 is a greater GPS sports activities watch than the Apple Watch Extremely 2 because of its customizable information fields, native assist for extra actions, and longer battery life. Nevertheless, it lacks mobile connectivity, which might have been nice if it had been obtainable only for security causes, just like the outdated Forerunner 945 LTE.

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This new watch just isn’t actually a Venu successor, however extra of a slimmer, sleeker Fenix with a big sq. show. The shortage of multi-band GPS and ECG assist is a little bit of a miss at this value level, however the skinny kind issue might have restricted inside house, and I am keen to surrender these specs for this type issue. 

Die-hard Garmin customers might not prefer it, however it’s a nice transition machine for Apple Watch Extremely (and different wearables) followers.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

Many people had been caught off guard by the launch of the Garmin Venu X1, and it stays a bit polarizing with the massive display screen, restricted battery life, and excessive value. However from testing it for slightly greater than every week, it has been an ideal shock. 

For individuals who need a extra succesful wearable much like the Apple Watch Extremely, the Venu X1 is a welcome addition to the Garmin lineup. The massive show, skinny kind issue, and the entire Garmin customization individuals have come to like are discovered on this compelling smartwatch.