ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The Garmin Venu X1 is obtainable in two coloration choices for $599 (on sale).
- The large 2-inch show is implausible, the LED flashlight is sensible, the skinny case and light-weight 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.
extra shopping for decisions
jun / 2025
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I have been utilizing Garmin sports watches for over a decade and have fairly clear expectations for when new fashions will probably be launched, however I used to be caught utterly off guard by the announcement of the Garmin Venu X1 through the summer season.
It is distinctive for Garmin, nevertheless it clearly appears to be like like a reasonably direct competitor to the Apple Watch Extremely.
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The Garmin Venu X1 stands out with its daring, nearly sq. design and a vivid two-inch AMOLED display — the biggest ever on a Garmin smartwatch. It affords noticeably extra display 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 ageing eyes like mine.
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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 every day use. The principle motive was that the Venu sequence depends closely on a touchscreen with simply two {hardware} buttons, and after getting used to Garmin’s five-button setup, the UI requires some adjustment.
That mentioned, the Venu was the primary Garmin watch with an AMOLED show, and the X1 takes issues to the following degree with this new, larger kind issue.
Just like the Fenix 8 sequence, the Venu X1 encompasses a speaker and microphone, permitting you to make and obtain calls out of your wrist, report voice notes whereas exercising, and activate varied management capabilities together with your voice.
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Three shortcuts might be assigned to the 2 buttons, permitting you to shortly entry common capabilities with out swiping or tapping on the show. I’ve them set to voice command, flashlight, and alarms, giving me extra utility shortly.
Talking of the LED flashlight, Garmin positioned one off to the best facet of the highest on the Venu X1, and it has the identical 4 white ranges and one purple mild degree that seem 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 night time in or darker environments.
The Venu X1 (high) is way thinner than the Apple Watch Extremely 2 (backside).
Matthew Miller/ZDNET
A minor characteristic of the Apple Watch Extremely 2 that I take advantage of 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. In case you flip off the always-on show mode, you may count on as much as eight days of battery life. Happily, the twist-to-turn-on works flawlessly, so I am not lacking the always-on mode.
In truth, I discovered that the always-on show minimize down Garmin’s battery life to about two days, paying homage 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 massive show measurement, the watch may be very light-weight at simply 40 grams, because of the extremely mild and cozy new ComfortFit material band. The Venu X1 can also be skinny at simply 7.9mm, which makes it a good higher look ahead to sleep monitoring. Nevertheless, the skinny kind issue and enormous display could make me compromise on battery life in comparison 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 useful for security causes, much like the previous 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 could have restricted inside area, and I am keen to surrender these specs for this type issue.
Die-hard Garmin customers could not prefer it, however it’s a nice transition system 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 considerably polarizing as a result of its massive display, restricted battery life, and excessive value. Nevertheless, after testing it for months now, it has been an incredible shock.
For these searching for a extra succesful wearable much like the Apple Watch Extremely, the Venu X1 is a welcome addition to Garmin’s lineup. The massive show, slim kind issue, and intensive Garmin customization choices folks have come to like are all discovered on this compelling smartwatch.
The Garmin Venu X1 will get ZDNET’s Editors’ Selection award for its refreshingly useful design, slew of well being and health options, and long-lasting battery life. “It is the Garmin model of the Apple Watch Extremely that I’ve been hoping for,” says Matthew Miller, ZDNET’s wearables knowledgeable. It ticks a lot of the bins of the Fenix 8 AMOLED at a lower cost level, has a way more comfy kind issue, and an LED flashlight that is very best for outside actions and security functions.
