Garmin - Venu 3S

Although it's much smaller, I prefer my venu 3s over my galaxy watch 7, will probably upgrade to the venu 3 sooner or later, but for now this is perfect

I use Garmin Venu 3S, but I wasn't into running when I bought it. My next watch for sure will be a Garmin Forerunner.

I've had the Venu 3S since February 2024 and I'm pretty happy with it, being the first smartwatch I ever got and it being a Garmin. However, as I've been slowly getting into running in the past year, I feel like I'm missing out on a lot with the data... analysis? it lacks. I've been low-key thinking about switching to another model, and the smaller size FR 570 is just 1mm bigger than my current 41mm Venu 3S (I'm a girl and have very thin wrists), looks nice and reportedly supports all the training/running data analysis that my current watch lacks + better GPS. But that's where the positives end? Sounds like they're using the same heart rate sensor - and I've heard the Venu 3/3S not picking up heart rates correctly when your HB slows down? - does that mean same quality tracking, or is the software on the FR 570 handling this better? Thoughts?

I really wanted the Suggested Workouts, Training Effect, Primary Benefit, Lactate Threshold and Race Predictor. But now I see that Venu 4 really does have all of those? With the added benefit of Sleep Alignment, and Lifestyle Logging, which seems to be missing in the other models. But I got the lifestyle logging update on my 3S yesteday... I was initially going for the FR 570 because it's roughly the same price as the Venu 3S as when I got it 2 years ago. Something like less than 50$ difference. FR 255 seems fine... but with Garmin fast dropping support and updates for older watches, I'd prefer getting something newer?

My husband got me a Garmin Venu 3s for Xmas. I've swum with it twice so far and love it!

Love my Venu 3s too, got many compliments on it!

I recently got into fitness this year and lost about 60 pounds, I got an apple watch to track my activity (I mainly do cardio workouts) but I didn’t like how it looked on my wrist and the fact that it wasn’t that accurate. Also the battery life was trash, I’d leave my new series 10 in the drawer charged and it’d be dead the next day. I bought a new Venu 3S, it’s beautiful, I exchanged a Vivoactive 5 for it and I can say the Venu’s appearance is better and feels smoother however Vivo wins in terms of battery life. Venu dies much quicker, and I feel like the software design of Garmin feels a little lackluster however I’ve grown used to it and I love the comfortability, accuracy, battery life and design of garmin. I wont be going back to Apple, however the new paid subscriptions and having to pay for some watch faces that look decent, and then the watch itself being very pricey feels a bit like a drawback. The strap doesn’t really feel that strong and having to buy more is just more costs, not to mention it didn’t come with a charging block and it requires a USB port, so I have to use my apple one to charge it. All in all, I love the device for fitness and how much better it looks but there are some downsides imo.

And I absolutely love it, I know venu isn’t the model that I needed but definitely wanted, it’s gorgeous.

I’m in loveee with the venu 3s and i love how you are all enjoy it as well. it’s so pretty right

I’m on day 6 with my watch and I’m at 45% haven’t had to charge it yet. It’s doing great compared to my 24 hours of my Apple. Venu 3s was a great choice of change for me

It was time to upgrade my apple watch and when I heard the Venu 3s had a 10 day battery, I was SOLD! I'm so happy with it and I'm really loving the circular watch a lot more too.

Garmin Lily 2 active will be the smallest that fits your bill. I have the Venu 3s which is a little smaller than the Pixel 3 but lighter, but bigger than the Lily

I reacted to the sleep tracking that it was not performing so well at. This was a dealbreaker for me, but could be that I should look at another Garmin model.

Garmin Venu3S. It works fine to be honest.

I recently bought Garmin Venu 3s, and love it so far. It tracks all my activities and I like that it has so many activities to choose from.

I just got a Garmin Venu3s a couple of weeks ago, and I like it a lot. I didn't feel like I needed a full blown smartwatch because I already have a smart phone. Just seems redundant to me to have two smart devices. The Garmin does all the things I want, without feeling like I paid for unnecessary features.

Venu (3 or 3S) and Vivoactive 5 are both cute and come in neutral colors. They're decent for running but are more "lifestyle" watches than running watches. The 265S (S means it's the smaller version) is better for a serious runner. It isn't super "cute" but it comes in white with light blue accents. You can buy aftermarket straps of course.

Garmin venu 3s can track intervals and the run.

Any issues with scratching? I returned my Venu 3s after a week because I had mega scratching on the watch face from just daily wear in that time. It's made me really hesitant to buy another Garmin watch that doesn't have Sapphire glass. Personally, I don't understand why they don't have Sapphire glass standard on all their watches. It seems like such a cheap upgrade for significant performance benefit.

Battery life, circular face (have the venu3s), sleep tracking.

Update I bought a forerunner and used it a couple times but ended up returning it for the Venu 3. I am happy with my choice!!!

I got the Venu 3s and couldn’t be happier! Tried out the forerunner but hated the way it looked and I feel like their running tools/stats are incredibly similar

I went through the whole smartwatch search a couple months ago. I tried the Apple Watch and hated feeling like my phone was strapped to me (disabling all notifications did not work!!) Everyone told me to get a Forerunner if I’m a runner and I tried the 265 but the bulk and sporty look of it really turned me off. Returned and got the Garmin Venu 3s and it is perfect. It has everything I need, the battery lasts all week, it has all the running stats I care about and it’s just generally been a delight!! I also love that it looks classy with a nicer outfit so I can wear it all day without feeling like it clashes.

just got it for myself a week ago, big fan my advice to OP: basically any garmin watch would do, but I love how bright the colors are on Venu 3s (AMOLED), they have other screens that are dull and not cool so make sure to check that

I have the Venu 3s and it is rated as a solid running watch on test forums. I run using the Garmin Coach 3 times a week and find the statistics completely sufficient. Previously I only had an FR 45 that could do even less. So it was a big upgrade for me. (But to be honest, the professional statistics would be too much for me, so not absolutely necessary). But if you can't wear your watch that often, then the Venu is too expensive. Then I would also go for the cheaper FR models. I mainly wanted something more stylish for everyday wear, as I feel like I wear my watches 24/7, which is why it suits me very well. 😊

Some of it depends on your personality. I had a Pixel watch and realised I was entirely unsuited to a watch that required daily charging. I hated having to do that. Have a Venu 3S now and charge it once a week or so which suits me much much better. I'm only back to running a few months and it's just for enjoyment and fitness so don't track many runs, but the Garmin tracking is excellent. I use the more health and wellness features like steps/body battery/sleep score/HRV etc all the time and find them good. I know people don't rate the sleep score that much, but I'm not expecting sleep lab accuracy - just good enough. I don't find it that useful for monitoring strength workouts, but I suppose I'm old school with them anyway. I just turn up and do them, trying to add a bit more weight when I can etc.

I have a Garmin venu 3s. Highly recommend!!

I went from Venu 2S which I loved, but the altitude stopped working so I got a 3S which was basically the same as the 2S. Now I have the 4 and it is a huge upgrade to those two. I love it, I got the smaller one with gold and white and it is slightly bulkier than the 3 but because the body is metal, it looks good and I will be able to get different colored bands, which I couldn't do with the previous ones because the bezel matched the band. It also has a lot of the metrics that the Fenix has, which I need for differentiating different types of bike rides Mountain bike or gravel or road, etc. It brings in a ton more functionality for sports which I love and I haven't explored a ton yet. The flashlight is so cool, kind of a gimmick, but I love it! The only down side for me is the shortcuts. On the Venu 2 and 3 I could swipe right and get to whatever shortcut I wanted. I had put my timers there and loved how easy it was to set a timer. Now that functionality is gone. You can assign the buttons to be a shortcut, which is what I have done, but I have to train myself to get used to it. Otherwise, it is a HUGE upgrade and gives you everything in the 2 or 3 and a lot of the functionality of Fenix but at a good value. Again, it depends on what you are looking for in a Garmin, what your main use case is. For me it is mountain biking stats, health stats, timer, all in a watch I can wear everyday and now, Flashlight!

265S if she’s a runner or wants more fitness metrics. Venu 3S if she’s not as athletic. Don’t recommend the Fenix or Epix as even there smaller sizes are clunky.

I just switched to the venu 3s from Apple Watch. Pretty happy with it! I chose it over others for size/looks, but still solid function.

The heart rate sensor has been horribly inaccurate for me, not sure why. My venu 3s had the same sensor and never any issues. It lags so bad trying to catch up to ny real time HR during activity. Very disappointed.

I moved from Fitbit to Garmin (Venu 3S) six months ago and haven’t looked back. Garmin is far superior, especially if you are a runner or cyclist. I also love the Garmin badge system. I used to love Fitbit badges, but they stopped adding new ones years ago and Garmin has monthly badges for almost everything (yoga, strength training, walking, running, etc). Plus Garmin has badges for virtual hikes (like the Camino de Santiago) and virtual climbs (Everest). One more silly thing I found: there’s a third party app that lets you do the Lord of the Rings walk from The Shire to Mordor. It’s fun!

Im sticking with my 3s only got it december and refuse to bow down to endless consumerism

Recently had the same thing happen with my charge5. Second Fitbit that failed after a couple years. I landed on the Garmin Venu S3. There was a labor day sale and I got it for under $400. I love it.

I switched about a week ago from Apple Watch to a Venu 3S, it was on sale at Amazon. I have small wrists so it's a good size. While all the smartwatch features on the Apple were fun to play around with, I rarely actually used them. Usually if I saw a notification on my watch I'd pull my phone out anyways. The health tracking and interfaces of the Garmin work much better for me. I also prefer the traditional round look over the square Apple watch. The longer battery life and faster charging has been a huge plus, I wasn't even sleeping with the Apple watch because of that, but am with the Garmin. I also realized that the Garmin has more real time heart rate tracking, it's something that's been useful to me at times.

Seconding the Vivoactive 5. Amazing watch for the price! If she thinks she'll want a mic built into her watch (for calls and wrist based assistant), the Venu 3s might be a better option, but it's also significantly more expensive (as a surgical resident I'd expect she'd be aware of how inaccurate most wrist based ECGs are, and so likely isn't interested in that, which is the main thing the upgraded sensor from the VA5 to the V3 gives you).

I have the venu 3s with small wrists and it’s perfect! I too went from a Fitbit versa and I love it. ❤️

For my Mom, the Venu 3S. Smallest model with ECG. For her husband, probably the Forerunner 965 or Fenix 8. He likes gadgets and is very active, including lots of cycling and hiking. Not sure if he trains with power... The Fenix also has ECG. Currently not relevant to my stepdad but maybe for your parents?

My wife and I are doing this. I’m getting a forerunner 965 because I want the map. She got the venu 3s.

Garmin Venu3s. Even when not as active, I really like keeping track of my sleep score and HRV is such a helper in spotting sickness, or something off.

The Venu 3S might be a good fit for you. The "S" stands for small, so you get the 41mm screen - noticeably more understated than the 45 or 47mm screens. Otherwise it has all the capabilities with the Venu 3, which includes the ability to connect directly to Concept 2 PM5s if you want (though you might want to use the ErgData phone app instead). I think it also has bouldering or climbing specific activity tracking but that's not going to be as important or useful. The main difference from some of the other models is a sleeker look with fewer big chonky buttons and none of the knobby "rugged" look you get from some of the other models. And it's going to have more features than you will know what to do with.

We have a Venu 3S in the family. The previous Vivoactice 2S just died after 4 years of use. Didn’t turn on. Venu 3S Good: Great screen. Vibrant colors, sharp. Light. Compared to the Fenix line it feels nothing. Looks nice, more "fashion", than rugged. Bad: Screen got scratched very fast. Needs charging every 2-3 days. Compared to the FR and Fenix, there are no extra features. It is just "less". It feels random what is left out. The menu compared to the FR and Fenix feels less thought trough and buggy. It is neither fully touch screen, neither fully button. It is a strange mix of touching and pressing the buttons. Especially during exercise it is a pain to use, my wife often needs to stop, dry her hand and wipe the screen to check something, then restart. Not that small at all, due to the sickness it gets bumped into everything. Speaker and mic is useless. Not loud enough, mic needs to be put next to your mouth. We only used it a few times when we bought the watch, and never again. Even for short calls like "When do you get home?", it didn't work as the sound was poor on both ends. ECG: we tried 2x, and forgot that it is even there, never used again. Take away: Unless you want really the Garmin ecosystem, most brands are better as a general fitness-smart watch IMHO. They have LTE, better Android or Apple Integrations, faster, etc. I wouldn't get the Venu 3, rather a Vivoactive.

I second venu 3s. Long battery life, nice look, has all the activities I need. Edit: btw it is impossible for me to wear it around the ankle without extenders. You must be really skinny or at least "small boned".

I got the venu 3s for all of those reasons and love it.

you hav to ask yourself what do you need from this watch. For me personally, nothing on the smartwatch side of a pixel watch is useful to me, which is why I'm on a venu 3s. It can do so much on the fitness side and it also can do tap to pay, and it has 7 day battery life for me with AOD.

Definitely don’t get the Lily or Lily 2. The Lily 2 Active does have built in GPS so it might be okay for your needs. However, I had it for about 7 months and changed to the Venu 3s which is 100% better. The Lily series is a basic fitness watch that is not worth the price when there are other watches at the same price point that give you way more features. I also have small wrists and the slightly larger size of the Venu 3s if just fine for me and honestly not noticeable when wearing it. I’ve been using Garmin Pay on my watches over the years and it works great. (Saw someone said it doesn’t work for them, but I’ve never had an issue) If you haven’t already, you can compare watches side by side on Garmin’s website which is very helpful! But I’d recommend a watch in the Vivoactive, Forerunner or Venu series.

I work in healthcare as well, having to scrub sometimes and also have super tiny wrists. I love my Venu 3S (smaller version of the Venu3). I can use it to stream music, my battery lasts about a week while using the oxymeter all the time as well as using it for tracking my workouts for about 7-9 hours a week. I just tuck it in my pocket when I have to scrub in. It lacks nothing in terms of activity or data tracking while looking sleek. Highly recommend.

I just switched to the Venu 3S from a pixel watch a couple of months ago and love it! The battery is excellent (for me, 5 days) and you can customize what notifications are sent to your phone. For me I only have texts and calls come through but you could send through literally every notification if you want.  As far as integration with peloton, I use syncmyworkout to send the peloton data to Garmin, and have no issues with my heart rate showing up on screen. Just have to set it up as a heart rate monitor once and then it will connect automatically. I will say that the interface of the watch feels a little clunkier than a true smart watch by Apple or Google but once you get the hang of it it's not bad. 

I don't think it's just because of the bands. I find the venu3s actual watch case (which won't change between bands) to be more sleek and stylish. Very similar to the vivoactive look but slightly more slim.

Garmins are a bit pricey, but I treated myself to a Garmin Venu 3s earlier this year after my old Fitbit died. I have used it for both running and swimming, and I'm liking it so far. Good battery life.

This. The only thing I occasionally miss is mapping but it still has a lot of features. Personally, I'm much happier with a small watch than having an aircraft carrier strapped to my wrist 24/7.

I'd also check out ebay for a slightly used/new in box discounted rate for a watch. That being said, I have a Venu 3s and love it. I run with my dogs or on treadmill and do f45. It has a treadmill activity so you can log the mileage and such from the treadmill on it. I use the cardio activity to track my f45 workouts as I don't want to spend the time I putting the workout. I also have been playing around with the creating a workout and using my watch to track it (strength wise). It's pretty nifty!

My wife upgraded from the Lily to the venu 3S and is happy with it.

This is a great review. I have both and use the garmin for fitness and my Apple Watch for living. 

I'd say venu 3 or venu3s. You'll get notifications, yes not as integrated as apple watch but you get the best of Garmins smart watch side and best for fitness tracking. It is comfortable to wear for sleep tracking and great battery life.

I have Had my venu 3s for close to a year now and love it! I use mine for cycling, running, Lifting etc. Works really well for my typical, daily and very average Fitness needs (i am not an athlete and no professional/advanced runner). It is also able to run EKG Tests.

I switched from AW series 7 to a Garmin Venu3s. I had an older Garmin that was still working perfectly that I wore for running… and my AW for everything else. The AW battery was dying and I decided to just upgrade to a new Garmin and haven’t regretted it. The Venu has enough running factoids to satisfy me and I really don’t miss the AW features that I can’t do on the Garmin (like texting or looking at pictures.. never did that on my AW anyways)…. The battery life blows Apple away…. 8-10 days between charging.

I wish they would have upgraded the glass on the new Venu. I’ve had the 3s for almost a year and it has two scratches. My Apple Watch never had scratches. I’m not rough on my watch… they both happened by accidentally hitting the kitchen counters with my wrist. Still love my watch… just hate the scratches…

Unpopular opinion…. I’m a bit underwhelmed. I have a 3s and love it… but the 4 doesn’t seem to have that much more and the design isn’t that much better.

I wish the Garmins had better glass. I had my Venu3 for TWO days (bought it Nov 2024) and I bumped into the edge of our kitchen countertop…scratch right across the face. 😔

How is that possible? I have the smaller model Venu 3s and still lasts 7 days..

That makes sense..I have neither turned on.

Fenix 7s was too bulky on me, Lily active 2 was hard to read, Vivoactive looks plasticky almost toy like, Venu 3s looks more premium, so that was what I went for. No regrets

I have small wrists and use Venu 3s. I cannot pull of a Fenix. Had a 7s but sold it, too Bulky.

Yep. I have Venu 3S after a Forerunner. Gotta admit that I like it way more and find it more useful.

\- The smartwatch functions like call notification. My phone is always on vibration mode so if it's in my purse, I don't feel it. The notif of Venu 3 takes care of this. I can also have a short convo without taking the phone out if I'm carrying a backpack. \- ECG & skin temperature. (For women, measuring skin temp makes period prediction pretty accurate. I find this immensely helpful.) \- The general aesthetics. This is a personal preference but I find FR looks a little too sporty to be worn with some of my clothes. I need to highlight that I'm a casual runner (1 half marathon/yr) and do mostly indoor workouts, coupled with some water sports during summer. So for anyone who's really serious about running, FR is probably a better choice. Also, someone mentioned that Venu 4 will be announced soon. So it might not be the best time to get a Venu 3/3S now until after the announcement of 4.

One thing you need to bear in mind is that Garmin is a fitness watch maker. Though Venu 3 **looks** like a lifestyle watch, it's still a fitness watch first with lifestyle functions, such as smart notifications, mixed in. I got the pink 3S a month after its initial launch. Great battery (mine lasts about 10 days with normal use), still looks brand new without any screen protector, and it has the latest sensors from Garmin to track everything you've mentioned and more. The smart notifications act more as an alert when my phone is in the bag. It's not meant to be a standalone sys. Having said that, if you are looking for an iWatch replacement to pair with iPhone, I'm not sure if there's anything that works the same with iPhone as iWatch due to the closed ecosystem of Apple. 😅 But if you don't mind something different, Venu is a great choice. But like other commenters mentioned, wait for Venu 4 announcement first. ***Edit***: I keep forgetting about Garmin's latest Venu X1. It MIGHT be the iWatch replacement/rival (It's also square). But I really don't know much about it.

I used my last Forerunner for 6 years before I changed to my current Venu 3s 2 years ago. The Forerunner was still working by then, I only changed because I wanted the Venu, not because the FR broke. In short, they last.

I third Venu 3S. I recently changed from vivoactive to Venu 3S. My husband has a Fenix 7. He was pushing for the bigger watches, but the Venu is perfect for me in terms of style and functionality and it has the most recent sensor (unless there has been a new release). Long battery life, metrics I care about (HRV, sleep, body battery, heart rate). I work out indoors every day so I don’t need the music nor the GPS features on my watch. The training readiness and other metrics you get with bigger watches would be overkill for me. I’m really happy I didn’t listen to my husband and that I got this more stylish watch; it’s all I need.

I switched from an Apple Watch to Venu 3S. I love it. I also was fed up with the Apple battery life.

I just switched from Apple to Garmjn. Only had it 5 days so far, but I’m happy with it. I have the Venu 3S.

I got the Venu3s in French grey for my Mrs and she loves it. She’s not at all into sports/fitness but loves the data, the morning reports and just the general look of the watch.

I went from a fenix 6s sapphire to a venu 3s and it was the same experience for me. I much prefer the venu because I just didn’t use all of stuff the fenix had and I’m not a pro. The venu is more comfortable and does everything I need and is much easier to use

The vivoactive 6 wasn’t announced or released when I got it yet, but I picked the venu 3s because it was smaller and had a better HR sensor than the vivoactive 5. My fenix was just so heavy and bulky, I really wanted something lighter and more comfortable

This is exactly how I feel about my venu3s. It’s stylish yet gives me the necessary data for my runs. At the point of purchase it cost me about $450. It might be a bit steep comparing to the lower level forerunners but for what I get on the lifestyle side of the device, I’m super happy.

I came from a charge 4 and I liked the size of it and was using it for HR, sleep, steps, some sport stats, I did some research and ended up with the Venu 3s (I see the venu 3 is mentioned here as well, but I wanted a smaller watch). I am very happy with it! Oh I was also thinking of an Apple Watch but decided against it because of the battery, I don’t want to charge every day.

I went with the Venu3S because it's smaller than the Venu 3. The battery lasts 8 days. I bought it to track floors too, but it doesn't work as well as my Fitbit for floor counting. I like it for swimming and it tracks my sleep well. It has loads of features, but I customized it for me. I use it more as a fitness tracker than a smartwatch. It's very comfortable to sleep with at night, and though the watch face is bigger than my Fitbit HR, it's never left marks on my face or scratched my mole like the Fitbit The Fitbit is not flat like the Venu3 S. The Vivosmart is like a hybrid and doesn't have all the features of the Venu 3S. I got my Venu3S at Target; it was $100 less, and I also got an additional 5% off because I have the Target Red Card (their credit card). I think the Venu 3S is smaller than Vivosmart, which is what I wanted. Everyone has noted that they think the Venu and Venu 3S is overpriced. If Garmin has continued to price it at $329, instead of $429, then it's worth it.

My venu 3s died pretty quickly when I first got it, but then was fine after. Idk if it was bc it was getting all the metrics or what, but I wouldn’t worry about it unless it continues to be pretty poor.

Yep, same for me. Super happy with my 3s, but the metal case, gps, flashlight (an of course the software additions) have me wanting to upgrade probably early next year.

Fellow small wristsers! I've just ordered a Venu 3S for my 16 cm wrists. I thought I made a mistake

If the only downside you have on the Lily 2 (35.4mm screen size) is GPS, then I would suggest the Lily 2 **Active** because it has built-in GPS. The screen is slightly bigger at 38mm. If you want a similar screen to the vivoactive 5, then your options are another vivoactive 5 (42.2mm), a venu 3s (41mm), or a forerunner 165 (43mm) / 265s (41.7mm). Note that the forerunners may not be as classy as your wife would like.

I have a Venu 3s and I get zero notifications on the watch.

I have very small wrists and I love my Venu 3s. When I have to scrub in at work, I wear it on my ankle. 😀

Switched to Garmin Venu3s & I'm obsessed

Me too! I'm trying not to think about how much I've paid over the years but Whoop checks all my boxes compared to competitors. I got a Garmin watch to see if it would replace Whoop but I just can't sleep with it at night, the slim firm of Whoop wins there plus their sleep data doesn't seem accurate compared to Whoop. My hands are too small for a bulky Oura ring and I'm an Android user so no apple watch for me. I do admit, if I was in a worse financial situation, Whoop would have to go.

Venu 3S

Garmin counts repetitions of weight lifting, but Polar tells you when to start a new set (HR recovered) Garmin has many overall health metrics, but many were evidenced as imaginations. Nevertheless, they are looking nice. Polar is combining all in a few sentences. Sleep is mainly tracked by movements. That’s accurate at both. The sleep phases are determined by best guess. Garmin works well for my wife, Polar works much better for me. This includes the training recommendations. Polars training recommendations are limited to a handful of offers, but consider general health aspects. I like them.

I switched from a Pixel Watch 2 to the Venu 3s. The big draw for me was the battery life because my watch is primarily an activity tracker for me and charging the Pixel Watch every day was annoying me. The smart watch functions I used were limited to the watch buzzing when I got a phone call or a notification, which the Venu 3s can do just fine. If you want proper smart watch features where it's an extension of your phone, I don't think the Venu is it. I somewhat miss voice assistant - it doesn't work on the Venu. And I was able to control my lights and other smart devices from the watch directly, which was nice, which I also slightly miss but is outweighed by the Venu being better for the activity/fitness tracking stuff. Nothing about the Venu 4 appeals to me as it seems like the big difference is the features for running and I'm not that into running. I'm very casual about it, I don't race, I don't particularly aim for PRs, I'm not fussed about achieving a particular pace for specific runs, so I basically just use it to track that I ran and that's it. I otherwise mostly strength train and run to make sure my cardio fitness doesn't lag too far behind.

Yeah I got a good deal on the 3S and I'm fine with it. I was worried I'd regret getting the 3S relatively close to a potential 4 release, but nope. Especially with the price difference.

I got my Apple Watch Series 7 for health reasons -- I need to keep a close eye on my heart rate. But to get continuous heart rate monitoring, I needed to run a workout, and the battery life was reduced to a few hours. It also pushed further into my wrist, which caused pain. High heart rate alerts were also very delayed. I have the Venu 3S now and with continuous heart rate monitoring, body battery, and the various other health stats, it's far superior to what I had. I wouldn't go to a device without a body battery-type feature at this point.

Venu 3s all the way!

Its probably not perfect, but i do find garmin fairly accurate. Ive had the venu 2s and 3s now, and everytime I have more than a glass of alcohol my REM sleep really suffers.

I have the venu 3s and that one is 41mm. Love that size. And the battery is alright. If I am very active (as hiking holiday active) it needs a charge every 2 to 3 day otherwise about every 5 days. And it looks good :D

I have the Venu 3s and I run 3-4 times a week. I have no complaints. Does it have all of the advanced metrics the forerunner does? No. But as someone who is going to wear my watch around the clock, I wanted something I felt would also look nice at the office. The Venu 3s lets me set up training plans, and gives me all the data I personally need. I am in no way an elite runner - very much middling. But I like having something I can wear all the time because I track other things besides running (like walks, sleep, etc.) my friend has a forerunner and she didn't even know about half the features that were in it, and I know she hasn't used most of them.

Coming from an Apple Watch, I was torn between these 2 myself. I went with the Venu 3s because I prioritized maintaining more smart features and something that would look less clunky wearing it at work/school over the advanced training metrics of the FR. The Venu 3s is versatile for tracking lots of different sports and I’ve found it great for running too. For example, you can input interval workouts and your watch will be set up to lap accordingly, you also get a lot more stats than Apple Watch about HR/power zones and main training effect from each run. You can also do training plans on it. However, it is missing some of the super detailed training metrics of the 4R like daily recommended workouts and training volume. Long story short, if you wanna get rlly into running and you want a primarily fitness watch with super detailed running metrics, get the 4R, if you want a better Apple Watch with a good combo of fitness and smart features get the Venu 3s.

All of the Garmin line have those activities (run, gym, swim). Most have 30+ activity types. I’d check out the Venu 3s (Venu 4 rumored to be coming out soon), and different strap options. Its sleek design can be dressed up easier than something like X65 or Fenix.

I use the Garmin Venu 3S. I like it a lot. The battery lasts about about a week depending upon how much exercise you're logging. I use it the most to track my steps, sleep, menstrual cycle, workouts, HRV, heart rate, check weather, and respond to texts. I think the sleep is tracked as well as a smart watch can given where tech is at. The under water function works great. No issues there. This was my first investment in terms of a smart watch and it has met or exceeded all my expectations.

Venu 3s, wife loves it

Honestly for parents get an apple watch or thr Samsung one. That's what I've given my parents. You can share their health data with yourself if needed. If Garmin is the only option then you can consider the venu series I think it has ecg as well.

Garmin in general does have a lot more to offer from health point of view but nothing is ever really "accurate" you have to work with the baseline and delta for any information on any watch. All current watches offer competitive features Garmin is more fitness oriented. The best thing for them would be that they don't have to charge it everyday. My wife has venu 3s it's closest to a smartwatch and fitness watch you can get with Garmin.

You wear both?!? Oh my I was looking for someone who was doing that. I just picked up a venu 3s yesterday but still want to keep my Apple Watch for closing rings. How are you wearing both?

I had read some reviews on the VA6 prior to purchasing that the auto brightness was an issue and I’ve not had that issue. The UI seems great. It’s just the cheap feel that I dislike at this price point. I did buy it through REI, so I do have a return window if I choose to go that route or swap to the Venu 3, which I do agree looks much nicer. Edit: Gonna switch to the Venu 3 and pay the extra money. If I’m gonna have the watch for another 5 years, I want it to be something I love.

I’m glad you agree. Definitely not worth the price. I am still shocked as to how cheap it looked and felt. So glad I switched to the Venu 3s!

I JUST got the Venu 3s delivered this morning and I’m in loveeee. Came back to update! Looks nearly identical to the VA4s. Definitely recommend going for the s if you’re worried about the face being too big on your wrist.

I just got the Venu 3s delivered yesterday and I personally LOVE it! 😍

I moved from a Fitbit Sense 2 to the Venu 3S, and I'm thrilled with my change. The face sizes are comparable, and so is the thickness, so my tan line was perfect. LOL I like the 3 small buttons on the side, and the interface with my android phone is superb and very customizable. I have a small wrist as well, and I'm very happy with how it looks on my wrist. I considered the Vivoactive 6 but found the Venu 3S on sale and went for it. Zero regrets. That's not to say there weren't frustrations in getting it all set the way I like it. But here, YouTube, and Google helped me get everything just how I like it.

I have a Garmin Venu3s. Bought it before I started running, not knowing I’d start. I wanted an activitywatch that didn’t look like one so I loved the gold bezel on the Venu. In hindsight the forerunner would have been a better fit, definitely missing out on some of the functions. Still prefer the design of the Venu though.

The Venu 3 and 3s are awesome start watches and it looks stylish on the wrist if you care about that

The Venu 3s is perfect for running.

After 10+ years of using FitBits, I've finally had enough. I've had 4 Sense 2s that failed within 1 year (I only purchased two; both failed within the first year and were replaced under warranty, and both replacements also failed within 1 year). They also gave me the same "offer" of 35% off another worthless piece of garbage. Thanks but no thanks! I have family members who swear by Garmin, so I purchased a Venu 3s, but I'm sorely disappointed in that so far, so can't say I'd recommend it. I know a lot of people who love their Apple watches, but the short battery life is a no-go for me.

I actually bought my fiance the Venu 3 at first but we exchanged it for a FR265. Hes a beginner casual runner but he wanted the FR running metrics. Also the Venu doesn't show hiking trails as maps or breadcrumbs just a directional arrow, that's all. During activities Venu 3 allows you to pause but on FR you have the option to resume later and exit out fully and then continue later. It also gives you better data screen options for during activities. Venu 3 just looks a lot better, it's more streamlined. I got myself a Venu 3S after seeing his Venu 3 that we returned on. I wear the FR for workouts and the Venu the rest of the time.

Yeah it's sad and actually funny how Garmin makes any S series watch look like it came out of a kinder egg (even tho you've paid top dollar). I had a similar disappointment with the venu 3s, really terrible aesthetics.

Oof I dunno I was really underwhelmed by it (aesthetically), but hopefully that's just me being fussy - maybe if the bezel was matte I'm not sure. Factor over form tho, it's great - super light weight and not fatiguing to wear.

I just faced the same choice for my wife.... I opted for the Venu 3S because of the Speaker and the newer heart rate sensor.

I have a garmin venu 3s and I an very happy with the allround-ness of it being a fitness watch but also featuring OW swimming as an option and it’s a good looking watch and great value for money imo

I also have the Venu3s and I love it

Garmin Venu 3s with an elastic band. Checks every box you listed and has an amazing battery life (I have the venu 3 and the battery life is a week and I think it might be a day less than that for the 3S) The 3s is smaller than the 3

I started running last summer and bought the forerunner 165 in September. I was still fairly new to running so couldn’t really justify the extra cost for the 265 and wasn’t really bothered about training readiness. I’ve absolutely loved this watch. I’ve become much more serious about running and currently training for a half. My only criticism of the 165 is that it’s ugly! I’m female and want a watch I can wear everyday and it not look out of place… so last month I took the plunge and bought the Venu 3S. I have no complaints with it, it does what I need it to do and it looks beautiful on my wrist. I do still have the 165 though, only really using it for courses and pace pro which annoyingly the 3S doesn’t support. Other slightl niggle is that although the 3S has buttons for stopping and starting a run, you do have to use the touch screen to select run and to save it (unless I’m doing something wrong). In the winter, when I’m out running and wearing gloves, that’s a bit of a pain. I’m still in two minds whether to keep my 165 or sell it. For now, I’m switching between the two and the connect app is completely seamless with both of them.

Garmin for sure!!! I just upgraded mine so if you’re interested in a Garmin, I have an excellent condition Venu 3s

I would! Other garmins have a lot more features that you wouldn’t need.

I would not get a Lily. They look cute, but they are lacking in fitness features. If you want something that looks more feminine than a forerunner, you might consider the Venu 3s. My petite 15yo daughter wears it and it fits her well. It looks more dressy than a forerunner but still has plenty of fitness features. Garmin pay is mostly useless, so I wouldn’t count on that working for you, but you can get the Starbucks app on your watch if you want. 😂

Recently got a Garmin venu 3s (it's just the smaller version of the 3) and I'm in love with it. It does everything I want it to and mainly use it for sleep tracking, heart rate, stress levels and logging my workouts. Battery lasts me about a week? I hear it depends on how much info the watchface is expected to show which makes sense because I only have heart rate and steps. Edit: You can also customise the watchface!

I’ve had my Fenix 6 Pro for 6 years, still works perfect. Bought a Venu 3S because it fit my style more (the Fenix was very clunky on my wrist and was a work watch). The Venu is still holding up great.

Third a Garmin! I have the Venu 3S and I LOVE IT

I loved my Venu 3s but gave it to my mom. I will get another one sooner or later

My venu 3s is great. Doesn’t have the additional buttons that some of the other running watches have. But this still provides tons of data and looks stylish

I just got the Venu 3s and my Apple Watch obsessed daughter wants to trade up for one. It’s got the “nice watch” territory covered and still has all the tracking.

I have an FR265 and my wife a Venu 3s. We both like our watches quite a lot and would not change for the other's. My 265 has some extras like the breadcrumb navigation and bike power meter connection that I use, while my wife does like answering quick calls on her wrist. Neither functionality is perfect: breadcrumb is by no means mapping and the sound quality in the Venu does not mean you will enjoy doing it. I'd rather see my calls in the watch and answer them with my Openrun Pro headphones. I have a bit more metrics on training while she has the newer optical HR sensor with ECG, which she does not use since neither of us have any cardiopathie. Both are good watches and will do the job for your recreational aspirations, I think. So maybe you should go with the one you like the most on your wrist.

I have the Venu 3s and it doesn’t have the daily suggested workout feature, but it does have the garmin coaches for running plans and workouts

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2025/09/garmin-venu-4-hands-on-everything.html I’ve a Venu 3s. Looks classy, compact form factor. I’m happy with it! But I don’t see any reason to upgrade. The Venu 4s and 4 are just expensive software updates.

Venu 3 (or 3s if you want a smaller one) would probably fit the bill.

Yeah I've got the venu 3s, use it to track my swimming. So far accurate. Unless I need to stop mid length sometimes it thinks I've done two. Only happened twice though

I second the venu 3s as a fellow skinny wristed woman! Gotten quite a few compliments for it

for a small wrist, I got my wife a venue 3s and she loves it. plus you can use the watch to answer phone calls. battery lasts about 10+ days. she charges it when it dips below 20%.

I have 3s, i get 7 Day using it normally, but with heavy gps, youtube music. Etc it lasts 3-5 Day depending on usage. Which is still good, not complaining

I made the move from a Fitbit Charge 5 to Garmin Lily, then Garmin Venu 3S. It's fantastic! I have no issues after updates, battery life is so much better, I'm really happy with the Garmin product. But, it sounds like you want something more basic. Perhaps the Garmin VivoSmart 5 fitness tracker band would be ideal?

All the products seem great to me too, and based on what I've read they are great. When I chose the Lily, I wanted to go with a lower cost option to try out the brand. I also have small wrists. And, the lily is attractive. I decided to switch to the Venu because it has GPS built in, so I no longer need to rely on a connection with my phone as I did the Lily. I don't train for marathons or anything like that, so the Venu works very well for my needs. I also prefer the smaller size of the 3S because my other models are wider than my wrist and it looks weird. My purchase decisions boiled down to excluding watches that had far more substantial features than what I was looking for, would look like I was wearing a brick on my wrist, or were way out of my budget. I found filtering this way narrowed down my choices tremendously. Of course, your individual criteria are going to be different. My bottom line opinion is that you are very likely going to be really pleased with whatever model you choose. If you like how the Fitbit senses when work outs start, get a Garmin that has its own GPS. You can compare models on garmin's website. Tap on the "compare" button for each watch your interested in.

Well you have a pixel 8a there are some benifits like were mentioned by getting the pixel like payments and even more. Like synced alarms, do not disturb, calendar, reminders, tasks and such. Some of that works with a Samsung watch just not fully well. Your not into fitness but what about over all health? Maybe try out sleep tracking and stress? Cycle tracking (assuming Female that is) It's fun to watch your metrics and just see what your body is doing. Food tracking, step tracking just for fun. Also what about LTE so you can use the watch if your phone dies, lost, or stolen and can still make calls get texts in emergency's. All of that can be done in most of the big name watches but if you want the smart features you want to probably stick with Samsung and Pixel watches. I have used a Samsung watch (Pro 5 then Ultra 7) for the last 3.5 years, long before that I was Fitbit fan and jumped to Pixel 1 when it was release before going to Samsung. Recently tried Garmin Venue 3 (NOT a smartwatch) right back to Pixel watch 3. I really enjoy and like my Pixel 3 it syncs and works perfect with my Pixel 9 when the phone goes into DnD the watch does. When I set an alarm on ether one it sets it on the other. When your using your phone and text comes in it will not buzz your watch. It's little things like that you can set up.

It depends on what you need it for. Most people would be fine with a Venu3 honestly.

Garmin venue 3 works great for tracking my swimming and other workouts. Great smart watch with a good battery life

For the best health monitoring, take the Venu 3(s). Comes with the latest Elevate 5 Heart rate sensor and stylish as well.

The venu 3/3s would probably be the most accurate because of the combination of how light it is as well as its elevate 5 sensor. 

If you do more than swimming, check out the venue 3, the smart watch functions are decent, it covers most bases for "normal" people including golf, and looks nice overall.

So true, I have 45mm with a Venue 3 and this is already almost too big. Also please think about the height of watches on small wrists, too. The larger Garmins tend to get higher, too.

For swimming, Garmin has no competition. Built-in GPS and the ability to measure underwater signals, not just strokes, but also heart rate, breathing, etc. I have a Venus 3 and I'm in love with it.

Venu 3/3s (smaller) or vivoactive 6. Venu 4 should be teased this month or September according to Garminrumors.con Check out the quantified scientist on YouTube for testing and reviews of dozens of fitness trackers (including almost every Garmin)

I'm in a similar boat. Started running not too long ago and bought a Venu3 in the first week. It's fine and it works, but in hindsight, I think I might have preferred a FR265 instead. The metrics appear to be a bit broader and more focused on running on that watch. I think it is more a "nice to have" than essential set of features. I don't use the smart features on the Venu at all, and sometimes I wished I had a button instead of just the main screen to adjust a screen while running in the rain or when I'm really sweaty. The touchscreen is fine, except for those conditions. I do like the spoken-word instructions in Garmin Coach and Runna workouts, I don't think the FR265 has those... I'm looking to buy a FR 570, 970 or F8 47mm now.

If you are serious looking for a Garmin that can do anything that an Apple can do but better you are going to be seriously disappointed, there is no Garmin that can do that. Apple has better sensors than Garmin and is far better when it comes to health tracking features. Garmin is lacking in sleep tracking as well. They are good at tracking activities and the data that comes from that and has a longer battery because its smartwatch features are so basic. The software is outdated and buggy so be prepared for endless updates and the UX and UI is terrible. The watches themselves are quite cheap looking for the prices with plastic bodies and some with the tiniest of metal bezels, not to mention the tackiest of colour combinations that "scream look at me". Probable the FR165 or the Venu3.

Garmin already has battery issue on watches such as the one you use. I have used several different Garmins and there are only a few models that really have great batteries unless you start turning off features. I never got more than 4-5 days with the amount of activity that I did on FR265 unless I turned off features that I had paid to use. I used a Venu3 it was at best I could squeak out 4 days with the same use. I am still in the Garmin echo system but I don't use the watches anymore, the software is what eventually pushed me away - it is just terrible for a company of that size and the almost biweekly updates that broke more than they fixed just frustrated me to no end. For the prices they charge it is completely unacceptable. There are so many other brand options honestly. Yes Garmin offer a great deal of data but 80%+ users don't even understand or use what they are looking at and even those that do don't really need that data. The GPS is good but the watches are mostly cheap looking and the premium feel gets less and less as the bezels shrink. Garmin was once the best in the business but their priorities have changed and the direction they are taking seems to be in conflict from what they used to be.

THe Venu is a lifestyle watch, a health and fitness watch lacking a great deal when it comes to running data, even the new Vivioactive 6 has more features than the Venu3. The FR265s is a training watch and far better for runners.

The fr is the better watch for running, it is a training device. The Venu3 is a lifestyle watch, a health and wellness device.

Garmins are very behind gw in the smart features department. Second major difference with gw world is feature sets - all watches have different combinations, the only safe choice is fenix. All other models require deep analysis. Venu3, the smartest watch of its time, does not have timer presets and does not show sunset in the weather app, other models do. Third, be familiar with software update policy. Unlike wearos, Garmins software updates do not assume new UI and features, you can get some of them or not, but you may not expect them.

The large Venue 3 has decent battery life, a good HR sensor, dual band GPS, and some other perks you might like. It's their best "healthy lifestyle" watch that's not activity-specific like the FR watches. if you're looking for something more sporty, larger face, and maybe you'll like to get more out of the watch later, the FR 965 or, if you want to spend extra on the latest model, the 970.

I'd say 265 is a better comparator to V3 and 165 is a basic entry level sport/run watch - still capable and a great price to get into Garmin. Battery life, dual band GPS, barometric altimeter are 3 features that I'd say are close and critical to me. The 165 does not appear to have dual band GPS, so, despite being better than other brands, your accuracy may suffer on mountainsides and in big cities. Seems the 265 has a lot of perks and training metrics that add up over the 165 and you get what you pay for. https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2024/02/forerunner-differences-comparison.html Venue 3 is less of a 'run focus' in favour of overall health and less sporty finished look. It has a later gen heart rate sensor, as well, than the 265.

The fact that I can actually sleep with it in and I don’t have to charge it before hand is worth the money spent on the Venu3…. Even though my main reason to switch is “it’s pretty”… also my husband and daughter are Garmin users so it’s pretty fun comparing metrics! I never used the apple watch for all its capabilities as a smart watch, so this was a seamless switch for me!

My venu3 autodetects walks, runs, cycling and elliptical machine.

Had a Venue 3 now have a 4. Display is much brighter and very nice. Can't speak to exercise/coaches additions as I am laid up right now with foot injury. One feature I LOVE is the flashlight. Thought it was a gimmick, but I use that thing all the time. Have not stressed it but it is known battery life will be slightly less than Venue 3. First impressions are this is great watch, but those with Venue 3s might want to wait for Venue 5. There is not a right answer just what is right for you. The first detailed reviews of Venue 4 are appearing on Youtube which highlight changes between 3 and 4 and compare it to Apple watch.

I'm partial to the Venue series. I think it is very well rounded. Very good fitness-health-wellness-sleep watch with tons of features. Absolute beautiful bright display (especially Venue 4). Wonderful battery life. Many smart watch features. Doesn't feel like you're wearing an anchor. It is compromised - not an elite fitness watch, not in class of smart watches compared to Apple/Samsung, and not cheap. Venue 4 versus Venue 3. Having both, while I love the 4, the 3 is really almost as good and cheaper. Venue 3 also manages to squeeze a couple of more days of battery life than a 4. It all depends on wallet. Concern: Garmin Connect. Worried Garmin is going to gut it and put all the good features/history into a subscription-based Garmin Connect Plus ecosystem.

I have a Venue 4 and think it will meet your needs, but since you're a day watch only user you may want to look elsewhere for something cheaper. It has a lot of sleep stuff you won't use. Has the training widgets you desire and decent amount of smart phone items. It is not an elite fitness watch, but the OLED is beautiful in all day and night conditions. At your training level you would get a solid 8-9 days of life before needing a charge. I thought the flashlight was a gimmick, but I use that thing daily. Venue 3s are dropping in price quite a bit, have a slightly dimmer (but very nice) display, almost the same exercise features, no flashlight, and longer battery life.

Go for the FR 955. I initially got a Venue 3 (switched over from Apple Watch) and decided I wanted maps and a more sports focused watch. Don’t care for the overly rugged look of the other watches but the Forerunner is literally perfect. Could not be happier.

I use a Venu3. I am happy with it. I am not serious enough to need an actual computer with map capability. I know the routes I am riding, not super adventurous going on bike packing trips, etc.

Garmin - They have a lot of watches at different price points. There is built-in GPS and the battery lasts for several days, unlike a smart watch that you typically need to charge every night. The Garmin app easily syncs with other fitness apps, if that's important to you. If you have a smaller wrist, go for the "S" models that will look and fit better.

I use a Garmin Venu watch and get about 5-7 days between charges. Not much gps tracking, but if you actually use it to track a run or bike ride every day you'll still get 3-4 days.

I’m the first one to answer, incredible! :) Well, I am wearing my Garmin Venu watch since 2019/2020 nonstop! I use it daily. It is the perfect companion, very durable and I bought one of these metallic arm braces so that it looks more „office worthy“ [metallic braces](https://share.google/tq9XG0FDMVUHklYxK) It is super stylish and handy, and even though the battery is slowly dying on me (sadly🥲) if I ever have to get another watch, I will buy one of the Garmin Venu versions, because I just love it and the qualities insane… for like 350 bucks ( in 2019) I got a good watch for six years without problems It has all necessary features and is of course waterproof (which was important to me because back than I swam a lot) Now I use it mostly for tracking my sleep and my steps and my workouts just to reinforce the mindset of: „ Iwear a fitness watch, because I am a healthy person and fitness and wellbeing is important to me“

I would personally always take a Forerunner over the Venu series, as I am pretty serious about my fitness. I don't really care much about smart watch features, just need a bare minimum. And the venu series seems to take tradeoffs with fitness features to accommodate the increase in smart features.

Garmin lasts about 2 weeks without charging. Venu line.

It is beat with the Garmin Venu line.

Most people coming from apple go vivo active or venue. Venue being closest to a smart watch. Personally, I'm a instinct guy. Although I'm wearing a Fenix today since I didn't charge my Instinct for 2 weeks and it died before bed. I've swam tens of thousands of meters (more like hundreds but..) in pool, open and salt water with my Garmins. Done free diving (only to about 40ft, I'm not very good) and press the buttons regularly sub surface. I've also done cliff jumping with every watch, and haven't lost a garmin to water intrusion. I would definitely select a 100m rated model for water sports. Any watch can fail but I've had 6 garmins and none have. I also had a bunch of Casio and Timex over the years and not one failure.

Been wearing the same Garmin for 5 years now. Sometimes the splurge is worth it. If you can wait, there will probably be some deals for the upcoming holidays and Black Friday, but that is a bit away. Personally I do like an all in one smart watch for fitness tracking and phone syncing.

Garmin Venu series are comparable to an Apple Watch. Garmin’s GPS tracking for outdoor activity is a little bit better/accurate. That’s something to consider if you want to log hikes, bike rides, walking, running etc. I use an iPhone and just download the Garmin Connect app, that’s where all the data is stored. The Venu series are more fashionable. The first Venu model has the basic sleep tracking. I know the newer ones have some other updated features. I do find the sleep tracking, body battery, active/resting calories data to be pretty accurate based on how I feel.

Depending on the types of weights you utilise in your training, you may want to consider a Garmin with Sapphire Glass. It's pretty much bulletproof (I have hit mine with a 24kg kettlebell more times than I care to mention). That said the Venue range is great if you are not juggling kettlebells.

If you want a watch that leans more towards the social side in appearance, go with one of the Venu series that fits your budget. If you want a watch that leans more towards the sporty side in appearance, go with one of the Forerunner series that fits your budget. Both will fit your requirements.

From what you have written, budget is not a constraint for you. I'd go for a watch. Tracking sleep is very useful. I am implementing small changes to improve sleep and the data from the watch is helpful. Eventhough it's not perfect. If i could afford it, I'd buy a Garmin Venue right now. Also, while a chest strap may be a tad bit more accurate for heart rate tracking, it is not something you want to wear for hours at a stretch every day. There a watch is useful.