Customer Ratings & Reviews

PROS + Puts health first with a wide variety of health tracking features including body battery, stress, HRV, recovery, sleep, and more tracking available right out of the gate + Automatic sleep and nap detection with built-in sleep coach + Data, data, and more data for all you want to track + Plenty of smart features like call/text response with built-in mic on watch, notification tracking, timer, alarms, flashlight, stopwatch, etc. + Screen gets plenty bright for outdoor use with great colors for artistic watch faces + Multiple sports apps for indoor and outdoor use + A dedicated wheelchair mode for better accessibility + Guided Garmin coaching functionality built-in, along with guided meditation exercises + Heart rate tracking is very responsive and seems very accurate + Built-in GPS for route tracking and location detection + Automatic emergency contact notification in case of emergency situation detection + Lots of free and paid apps available via Garmin ConnectIQ + Garmin Connect App provides lots of easy ways to interact with watch functions and data + Very comfortable to wear all day and night + ~2 week battery life CONS - Dedicated music apps need to be installed via ConnectIQ app, which limits functionality (e.g. no Tidal or Apple Music currently) - Some settings nested in the app, requiring a fair amount of online research to really know what the watch can fully do and where to access things like data privacy measures, or how to swap watch faces easily SO-SO ~ Stress detection can be hit and miss with some false positives or missed stress ~ Offers a ton of features and customizability, but that also makes the learning curve a bit steeper than normal to really get the benefits from the watch ~ Step tracking seems a bit generous in my opinion compared to other step trackers I have used, and seems to pick up more phantom steps than usual ~ Doesn’t play quite as nice with IOS as it does with Android (for example there is no direct way to limit notifications in the watch from some apps but not others, requires turning off banner notifications for the apps in IOS) THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT I really love the Garmin Venu 3. It isn’t perfect, as no device is, but it really swings with all of its might by trying to offer as many features as possible, and it is really surprising how often it nails them. This has very quickly become my favorite smartwatch I have used, and I still feel like I am learning new things everyday about it that make me like it even more. It is by far and away the most comfortable watch I have used, and it has all of the health tracking and functionality I could ask for to make everyday use very easy. I have found that the stress tracking can be a bit hit or miss, as sometimes it mistakes excitement for stress, or underestimates stress in situations where physical symptoms are lessened, but honestly, this is a very tall task for any wearable. In general though, it still managed to track average stress well, and the data did tend to correlate with what I perceived as high stress moments, even if the edge cases weren’t always detected. But this example is a good one to show how this watch performs in my view. Even when it doesn’t do things perfect, it still does them very well. It is just a very well rounded, feature rich, customizable, comfortable, and useful device. I haven’t had any bugs or quirks yet that I couldn’t easily look past, and if you are willing to spend time really setting it up to be what you want/need, you will get a lot out of it. It does really give you back what you put into it, and so you may have a steeper set-up curve than you are used to for really dialing it in and figuring out everything it can do and how to do it, but if you put in the time (which is the fun part in my eyes), you have a fantastic piece of technology on your wrist at all times. Like I said, it's my favorite smartwatch and smart wearable I have used thus far, and I highly recommend it. SET-UP From a set-up standpoint, the Venu 3 is pretty easy to get up and running. It mainly involves pairing the watch to your phone using Bluetooth and Garmin Connect app. The pairing process is very similar to any other smart device you may have used, and is really very straight forward. Once connected to your phone, you can connect it to Wi-Fi, and then you are pretty much off to the races. You will go through a set-up process, a quick tutorial, and then you are pretty much free to adjust everything to your liking. In terms of customization, there is a ton on offer here. You will find yourself using the Connect and ConnectIQ mobile apps a fair amount to download custom watch faces, music, and other apps native to the watch. This is a pro & a con in that you have a ton of options (can be a bit overwhelming at first honestly), but you also are reliant on 3rd party apps for some of the features like native music streaming, which means when apps like Tidal or Apple Music are unavailable, you can be out of luck. Not a big deal for me, since I like to use my phone to control music, but your mileage may vary, especially if you like to use native music apps that aren’t supported for things like control while running. You get a lot of controls and functionality on the watch itself, with many features and shortcuts accessible directly via the watch itself. You can use the mobile app to get yourself set-up, but once up and running, you shouldn’t need to use the app for everyday use unless you really want to get in-depth with metric tracking and workout creations. You can do a lot with the watch, its touchscreen, and customizable shortcuts between apps and features. FEATURES I think the biggest takeaway here is that there is a little something for everyone when it comes to what the Venu 3 offers. It bills itself as a GPS Smartwatch, but honestly I was most impressed with its health tracking functionality that could give many dedicated health trackers a run for their money. From things like dedicated automatic sleep/nap tracking, workout detection, heart rate/HRV monitoring, guided workouts/meditations, stress tracking, recovery, body battery estimation, and more; the Venu 3 really puts health first. The best part is that all of this functionality is just available out of the gate, without needing to pay for a premium monthly subscription to maintain the benefits, which can’t be said for many other health trackers. Sure, you may miss some of the more specialized health tracking features if you are really into health monitoring, but for me and most everyday users or casual athletes, I would be surprised if this isn’t more than enough for you. Add to this more traditional smartwatch features like answering calls/texts with the watch, managing notifications, stopwatch/timer, flashlight with the screen, and more, and you have a fully well rounded device. One of my low-key favorite features has been to shortcut to the flashlight app with one button press, which is great when getting up at night without having to search for your phone in the dark. You get a ton of customization between the Connect and ConnectIQ apps, and the watch specific apps you can get for free or purchase from the ConnectIQ store. I particularly love the wide variety of watch face apps available, and I have customized a few I can easily swap between for different use cases depending on what I am going for. Some of them in particular really go heavy on data tracking, if you want to have as much data as possible at your fingertips. One of the features I really appreciate, even if it doesn’t apply to me directly, is the accessibility features like wheelchair mode for health tracking tailored to those individuals who use a wheelchair daily. For women, there is also Menstrual Cycle tracking built-in. Of course, all of this would be mute if the watch didn’t perform well at these features, and thankfully it does in almost all regards. The actual tracking capabilities are very accurate from my estimation, and while things like in-depth sleep cycles and stress are hard to validate, they generally sense check with what I see/feel day-to-day. Things like REM tracking or high-stress moments may not be as accurate as dedicated devices for tracking these things, but you can’t expect miracles from an all-in-one watch like this. It hits where it counts, and still provides plenty of useful information I have been able to use to help improve my behaviors. One great example of this is when it suggested a 5 minute guided breathing meditation because I was getting stressed, which did help and I could see the results clearly in the data. COMFORT AND EVERYDAY USE It is very comfortable to use and lightweight, and I never had any issues wearing it all day or even at night for sleep tracking, which I wasn’t expecting, given I normally hate wearing watches or other jewelry to bed. Honestly I barely noticed it was on half the time, and it only took a day to adjust to it, due to its lightweight and comfortable band, with highly granular wrist size adjustments. For everyday use, this is likewise a great device, and is very easy to navigate and function once you get used to the gestures/shortcuts. Honestly, there isn’t much to say here. It is very comfortable and intuitive to use. With practice and some customization, you should be within just a few clicks or swipes of most everyday features you want/need.

The Garmin Venu 3 GPS Smartwatch has become an indispensable part of my daily routine, seamlessly blending functionality with style. This sleek and lightweight device has truly impressed me with its array of features and exceptional performance. Firstly, the design is a standout feature. The watch's slim profile and comfortable weight make it ideal for all-day wear. The high-resolution AMOLED display is vibrant and easy to read, even in bright sunlight, providing crisp visuals for notifications, workouts, and various activities. The inclusion of GPS functionality is a game-changer for fitness enthusiasts. Accurate tracking of runs, hikes, or bike rides without needing to carry a phone adds a level of convenience that's hard to beat. The watch's sensors are incredibly precise, delivering detailed and reliable fitness metrics, making it a fantastic workout companion. Battery life is a crucial factor for any smartwatch, and the Venu 3 doesn't disappoint. Despite its impressive array of features, it boasts a commendable battery life that lasts several days on a single charge, even with regular use and GPS tracking during workouts. This reliability minimizes the need for frequent charging, which is a significant plus. The watch's intuitive interface and customizable widgets make navigation a breeze. The user-friendly experience extends to the Garmin Connect app, which offers in-depth insights into fitness data, sleep tracking, and personalized health recommendations. Syncing data and customizing settings is effortless, enhancing the overall user experience. Moreover, the watch's durability and water resistance add to its appeal, allowing me to wear it during various activities without worry. The availability of numerous watch faces and interchangeable bands further adds a touch of personalization to match any style or occasion. In conclusion, the Garmin Venu 3 GPS Smartwatch is a standout choice for individuals seeking a blend of style, functionality, and reliability in a smartwatch. Its lightweight design, impressive battery life, accurate fitness tracking, and user-friendly interface make it a top contender in the market. Whether for fitness tracking, daily use, or style, the Venu 3 stands tall as a versatile and dependable smartwatch.

Good watch consistent with notifications already has a scratch on the glass which I’m not super happy about but in general it works well. The battery lasts about a week. I would recommend it. The screen is beautiful has tons of options that has lots of different watch faces, etc..

The Garmin Venu 3 strikes a wonderful balance between sleek smartwatch design and robust fitness tracking—perfect for everyday wear and health-conscious users. Its 1.4-inch AMOLED display (454 × 454 pixels) is bright, colorful, and exceptionally sharp, offering vivid visuals that stand out even in sunlight .One of its standout features is long battery life—up to two weeks in smartwatch mode and around five days with frequent GPS use—putting many rivals to shame. This makes it ideal for long trips or those who simply don’t want to charge every night. On the smart side, Garmin brings back the speaker and microphone, enabling on-wrist calls and voice assistant access—truly convenient for quick replies or hands-free use Gadgets & Wearables

TLDR: This is a fantastic alternative for those not married to the competitions’ products. INITIAL IMPRESSIONS I’ve been a Garmin user for years, but quite honestly when someone mentions Garmin, who doesn’t think about their GPS units. A long-time gold standard in the GPS industry Garmin has also been making smartwatches for many years. Unfortunately, they have been overshadowed by the watches made by their competition. I tried a Garmin smartwatch several years ago. I made it almost a week before returning it. The lack of a touchscreen interface and, at the time, a very thin app store did not win me over. Call it being spoiled from using the smartwatch from Garmin’s competition, the touchscreen interface is just too intuitive to not have been included. I was looking for a watch that could provide an overall whole health approach at the time, which Garmin has always strived to provide, I just didn’t fall in love with the non-intuitive interface. The Venu 3 addresses nearly every concern I encountered in my previous purchase and aims to be a major player in the smartwatch field. The Venu 3 has a 45mm AMOLED touchscreen, physical buttons, superb battery life, for those with smaller hands and wrists, a sleeker, thinner design, and a very robust and comprehensive app store and watch face options. Not as good as the competition, but light years better than it was a couple of years ago. USE Having never had a true Garmin smartwatch for any length of time, I was a bit concerned about the interface. I am accustomed to my Android smartphone manufacturer’s watch and its interface, so I wasn’t sure if I would like Garmin’s way of doing business. I think they have done an excellent job at bridging the gap between their offering and the offerings of Garmin’s 2 major competitors. While the user interface is different and so far, I find less intuitive than my previous Pro model of Android watch, it is just a matter of getting used to Garmin’s idiosyncrasies. The screen is sharp and responsive. Apps that provide a thumbnail of an event like my doorbell or smart lock look clean and clear. Possibly even clearer than my other smartwatch. In addition to the negatives, I’ve listed about my previous Garmin smartwatch, I found it annoying that I couldn’t get text messages or make and receive calls from the watch. After all, that is one of the main selling points to me for having a smartwatch. Garmin has addressed all these issues. The Venu 3 allows you to make and receive phone calls from the watch, along with sending and receiving text messages. I find the phone portion works just as well as Garmin’s competition, but the text messaging aspect leaves room for improvement, I will address in my negatives section. Though, I will give Garmin props for making the text extremely legible. Garmin does not hide the fact that they want to market their watches to those seeking and wanting a fitness-oriented product. The Venu 3 does this well. There are many items that keep you informed about your day and overall health. Things like sleep analysis, step counter, workout intensity, heart rate, stress level, pulse ox, recovery, floor counter, and body battery. While some of these features are available from Garmin’s competition. Garmin puts their own unique spin on each one that even though some are available on my Android smartwatch, these apps feel different, and honestly more comprehensive and informative on the Garmin. I have grown used to my previous watch interface, having had the last 3 generations of the product, but I prefer Garmin’s approach to fitness and health. It is a subtle, but interesting and informative change. They even offer guided workouts directly on the face of the watch. Outstanding. NEGATIVES I don’t like Garmin’s approach to text messaging. I have, so far, found it unreliable. My old Android smartwatch included a companion app on my phone that allowed for an intuitive option for speech to text. I find the Garmin implementation lacking. I have not had a successful speech to text completion yet, even though my phone and watch are paired perfectly, and I have enabled all the necessary Google permissions. Garmin claims up to a 14-day battery life. I have used the watch for the past 4 days and am now at 17%. Garmin is estimating 3 days remaining, but it won’t be close to that. I have 1 day left, at most. It is still better than the 5th generation Pro model Android watch I have. It lasts 3 days, at best. My buddy’s iOS-based watch must be recharged every night. CONCLUSIONS I am quite impressed with Garmin’s newest product. I consider this watch the first real Garmin offering that can compete with its 2 major competitors. My experience before left too much on the table to consider switching. Having used this watch for some time now, I can see users being as happy, or happier with this watch, if they are not married to Garmin’s competitions’ ecosystems. Garmin’s approach to smartwatches and whole-body health is unique and thorough. The Garmin OS appears to be as refined as any of my other smartwatches. I find delivery of texts and alerts quicker than my old watch. There haven’t been any stutters or slowdowns switching between apps and notifications and no lagging going from one thing to another. Good work. While the text messaging debacle still needs some sorting, I still recommend the device and think those in the market for a smartwatch should give the Garmin a try. I doubt they will be disappointed. RECOMMENDED

I have used many of the competitors smartwatches and was able to try out my first Garmin brand with the Venu 3 model. I was impressed with the 45mm AMOLED touchscreen display as I put on the watch on started to set it up. I then realized that the watchband took away from the amazing display since it was a basic sport type of band that I started avoiding with other brands. I liked that the watch had a USB C cable for charging the watch which seemed more convenient than some of the other brands as far as being more universal. I set Garmin up to work with my latest android smartphone and iPhone as well to be able to experience the watch on with either phone I use and downloaded the two Garmin apps I needed the most. The Garmin Connect App was a must have application to work with the Venu 3 to be able to customize the settings and to have access to a wealth of information that the watch is able to provide for the user. I also downloaded the Connect IQ Store app to be able to add different watch faces and other applications such as a couple music apps and other ones I used. I liked that there was enough variety that seemed comparable to the competition’s apps. After going through the learning process of using a whole different platform than I was accustomed to as a first-time user of the brand I was able to start to decide how I liked it compared to my prior experience. I found the texting and answering phone call options to be inferior to what I was used to and was hoping for a better experience. I do have to say that it at least has the option for people to use a more universal approach to having access to the features via Bluetooth connection with their smartphone. The better part of my experience was the wealth of health information that Garmin had to offer via the watch sensors and software for tracking your movements along with other health vitals. I was impressed that it seemed more in-depth than what I had experienced with the competition and liked it better overall. I honestly see the watch is being much better for athletes and people more physically active than I currently am just because of my current work and circumstances. I find it to have a big impact on people who are more accustomed to competitions and online physical training classes to help motivate them. Overall, my takeaway from the experience is that Garmin has found a way to be more competitive in the smartwatch market but has not convinced me to give up my preferred brand yet.

The Garmin Venu 3 is an awesome smartwatch. The screen is super clear, the battery lasts for days, and it tracks everything from workouts to sleep really well. GPS is accurate, and the health insights keep me motivated. Comfortable to wear all day and packed with features—definitely worth it!

It’s been almost a month since I bought this watch, and I’ve only had to charge it twice so far. The battery life is honestly impressive, it lasts a long time, and you don’t need to charge it every day like many other watches on the market. While the compatibility isn’t as seamless as Apple’s ecosystem, it more than makes up for it with excellent battery performance and reliable health and fitness tracking. Overall, it’s a great smartwatch if battery life, durability, and tracking accuracy matter more to you than tight ecosystem integration.

Excellent fitness watch. It has the perfect combo of smartwatch and fitness tracking elements. I recently went from an iPhone 15 Pro to a Pixel 9 Pro, had an Apple Watch Ultra 2 and therefore needed a new watch. Not only is the Garmin more accurate but it also has better fitness tracking and health tracking such as active calories burned and calories burned at rest. I also bought the Garmin heart rate Strap Pro to increase the accuracy of my heart rate recordings as regardless of manufacturer, wrist HR sensors are inferior to the chest strap sensor. I wish I went with the Garmin before I got the ultra watch 2 as it's much better overall. The only trade off is that the apple watch has better integration with the system where you can control remotely from the watch and the UI looks better. But the Garmin works, the UI doesn't look fancy but it works and can do most of the things I could do on my Apple watch. The battery life is also superb! Holy smokes this thing blows every other watch out of the water. I lift for 2 hours 6 days of the week followed by 50 minutes of cardio and do kickboxing for an hour 5 days of the week. After a normal day where I start with my watch at 96% battery, by the end of the day on average the battery life is at 86%. Very impressive for having to use the heart rate sensors, GPS, smart notifications, and other things. My apple watch would have to be charged everyday because I would be in the 50s to 40s after a normal day of activity. To end with it, it's half the price of a watch ultra!!! Don't make the same mistake I did, get the Garmin, you're not going to regret it.

I've been testing the Garmin venue 3 for about 6 days. It is lightweight, long lasting, quick charging, feature packed, and extremely health focused. Overall, I love it. The AMOLED display is gorgeous. Every screen is clear and vivid. It didn't matter if I was indoors or outdoors I could always clearly see the information that was being displayed. It is hands down the best smartwatch display I have seen to date. The band is very comfortable. It's a 22mm, quick release, one-size-fits-all style band, and it has enough holes to be adjustable for any wrist. The charging cable isn't my favorite feature of this watch. Rather than being magnetic and wireless, it is a proprietary four-pin plug-in style connector on one side and USB-C on the other. It works pretty good and it charges the watch from 5% to 100% in about an hour.  The battery life is excellent. They advertised 14 days but after my first charge it only lasted three. After my second charge it seems to be on track for at least 6 days. It seems that the battery life is dependent upon what type of watch face I chose. The watch also has a battery save mode. Which is probably the one that actually gets you the 14 days but I didn't test that. However, with that said it still has the longest lasting battery of any smartwatch I have tested. The watch operating System seems to be a custom-made OS that is pretty decent. It took me about a day to really understand where all the settings and apps were. But after that it was pretty intuitive. As for the apps. This is definitely a health focused smartwatch. It has exercise tracking modes for just about any any workout I could think of. For example, there's apps for walking, running, biking, pickleball, yoga rock climbing and a whole lot more. But for my use I was more interested in the body tracking features. I really like that it keeps track of my heart rate, my stress level, my sleep, calories and respiration. And the feature I love most about this watch is that it can connect to headphones and download Spotify playlists for use offline. That means when I go to the gym I no longer have to keep my phone near me in order to listen to music. This is the only smart watch that I know of that can do that. With all that said, this is easily my favorite smartwatch and a highly recommend it.

I have only been using this for a couple of days, but so far it’s really good. I have 2 other smart watches and they are great too, but they dont have the sport and tracking features that this has. The screen is very nice and has a lot of good customozable watch faces. I wish it had a few more serious faces, but there are plenty of good ones to choose from. The GPS and heart rate accuracy seem great. Leaps and bounds above the other watches. Battery life is spectacular and the voice assistant and ability to connect and take/make calls works perfectly. Over all this is just a great watch. You get all the Garmin features and smart watch features packed together. I have used a lot of other Garmin watces including the Epix and they are amazing for very serious athletes, but if you arent out climbing mountains and running iron man triathelons this watch is great for a runner or someone very serouos about working out and its more fun. They did a great job!

Context: I'm a long-time Garmin user & a more recent Apple Watch user. As of now, my Apple watch is in a confused purgatory wondering about its future. After my initial Garmin 305 (big, chunky, laptop-looking watch only good for tracking runs), when I decided to enter the smartwatch world, I went with the Garmin 230 & eventually a 235 when the 230 was tragically lost. I ran & rode my bike for thousands of miles, using those watches to both track all that activity without issue as well as just telling time & getting notification from my phone, etc.. I was pretty darn happy! Eventually, I got an Apple watch- less because I wanted to replace my Garmin & more because I wanted an iPod shuffle... which they don't make any more! After a couple failed shuffle-like products, I relented and just got a refurbed Apple watch so I could load music on it. After wearing it for a while, though, I actually liked the non-activity-tracking aspects of the watch- e.g. sleep tracking, better/kinder motion tracking, etc.. What sucked about it, though- BATTERY LIFE! Has to be charged at least once a day & I NEVER relied upon it for anything more than a 1-2 hour activity. Now, the Venu3... it's got the same Garmin battery life for days at a time that I was used to (even with daily 1-2 hour GPS tracking. AND it has all the "lifestyle" apps & features that I liked about the Apple watch. It's about the same size as my older 235, but the screen is using much more of the surface and is crazy brighter (see pic), the interface is still really nice with enhancements in the ability to customize via the app & the Garmin ConnectIQ store. Honestly, the only 2 things I'd say I'm not 100% pleased with- there's no Apple Music app in the ConnectIQ store (suppose that's not a surprise) and I'd rather it have an always-on display, but I was already used to that from my Apple Watch, so I can overlook that. If you're looking a fitness & lifestyle all-around smartwatch, it would be hard to go wrong with a Venu3!!

I had an Apple Watch for years and opted to get rid of it due to battery life and sleep tracking. This Garmin is great. Last for over a week with no charge. The bands are easy to switch out and dress up/ dress down or add some color. Easy to use.

I am a big fan of smart watches and have apple watch, galaxy watches to track health and fitness related activities. I was looking for one which provides longer battery life and Garmin Venu 3 Health and Fitness GPS smartwatch as Garmin is champion in making quality fitness related products. In the box, it came with Venu 3 Watch, Charging/Power Cable, and Manual. I have downloaded the Garmin Connect app from app store and paired it with watch after following the on-screen steps. This watch is design is good and it is very lightweight. It is comfortable to wear throughout the day. This watch has tons of features compare to another other smart watches in the market. It has bright AMOLED display and outstanding battery life up to 14 days in smartwatch mode. The body battery energy monitoring is great feature to get personalized insights on sleep, stress levels and workouts. It has 30+ sports apps to keep the body moving which includes walking, cycling, and swimming. The built-in speaker and microphone are very handy to make and receive phone calls and ability to respond text message from watch is great feature. With Nap tracking, it detects nap length and provide the insights how it will affect body battery monitoring. It has many features to track heart rate, morning report, fitness age, stress tracking. The ability to download the favorite music and playlists from Spotify and Amazon music and listen them with headphones without phone is another nice feature. This is a great nice-looking watch with outstanding battery life to track health and fitness related activities.

This watch is awesome. It has helped my fiancés overall health and is great at tracking workouts. The battery last days without even charging it, and then it hardly takes any time to charge it!

I’ve only had to charge it twice in a few weeks of ownership with daily use! It’s not as easy to use as an Apple Watch but I’m still learning. Good information is available so I’m still learning. Big clear and bright screen that’s easy to see. Overall, I’m happy with the purchases

I have used a couple different watches in the past being Apple & Fitbit. This watch by far is the best one I've had. This watch has so many features that the others didn't & it seems to be very accurate when tracking golf, steps, calories and other activities. Impressed!

I bought this watch after using AW for a few years. I really loved AW except for the battery. However, this Garmin watch has more features than my AWS 10 and plus the 14 days’ worth of battery. If you were to turn off a few settings like Pulse Oximeter, it might give you more than 14 days. As for the build quality, I would say it’s solid. It honestly didn’t feel cheap, and Gorilla Glass makes it look attractive and durable! I wish I got the black version instead of the white. I mostly wear black outfits, so it would’ve been perfect. I recommend this watch to anyone who’s looking for a reliable smartwatch that tracks HR, steps, and sleep accurately. If you have OCD about battery life then this watch is for you!

I have many Garmin and Samsung Watches. :-) I use them both/all, they serve their purposes in completely opposite ways, as most know. Best Upgrade: I bought the Venu 3 as soon as I saw the images within notifications capability. It works as advertised with text messages and ring. I don't use social media to speak to other apps. It's a much improved notification experience with images shown on watch. Been using for 10 days. Run, bike, walk, strength, HIIT, yoga, pilates completed. Exercise daily to varying intensities. The tracking of GPS and HR is as good as it gets with Garmin for wrist based trackers (android user). HR sensor seems to be more responsive. HR can get lost doing upper body workouts, which has always been the case, but seems to lock back in very quickly when it finds the actual HR. Heartrate strap is always an option. I have mostly been using Galaxy Watch 6 (I wear both regularly for comparison) for about the last year waiting for something more significant from Garmin for smart features. For active types, either watch can work and provide history and motivation, but when you come back to Garmin, there just isn't any doubt that the components, programming, and accuracy of fitness items are better. For those that don't care about Run and Bike. Strength and HIIT options are awesome. The auto tracking in Strength isn't perfect, but it gives a nice graphic finish to indicate the muscles worked and gets the particular lift 50% correct making it easier to edit afterward, if you really want to focus on muscle workouts with reps/weight. For daily active types, the battery life is best described as a week, in my opinion, but I always charge my Garmin's every 3 or 4 days. Just in case I decide to do a random 50 mile bike ride. A good thing about Samsung is the ease of upgrading and healthy trade-in allowance making a yearly upgrade less than $200. Garmin is more expensive, review after review confirms accuracy, and also gives you access to a web interface for another method of managing fitness history and data. It's probably a good trade-off and why I continually upgrade both watches. This is a nice incremental upgrade for Garmin. I wish they would allow the full function of Garmin fitness ecosystem on the Venu series. Venu is lighter and probably more accurate then the heavier premium watch versions. I also wish Garmin would change the Intensity minutes to allow users to set the first day of a week. Intensity Minutes is the core of how Garmin (and generally follows govt recommendations) tracks activity per week. Please let users set Sunday as the first day of an Intensity Minute week! Many have been begging for a decade. PS: I do a diverse range of working out at 50+ yrs old. In the Garmin ecosystem, I typically set my Moderate Intensity Activity to Zone 2. Run and Bike can be set separately and it's easier to achieve (and track) high HR in steady state exercise.

Love the Garmin watch. We saved a good amount since it was the Venu 3 instead of the Venu 4. Also, it was on sale for $100 off. It is working so well. It is everything that a Garmin Watch should be. It has a very long battery life and all the functions that we want. Not disappointed.