A significant advantage Garmin holds over Fitbit is that none of these features or metrics are locked behind a paywall. With the Venu Sq 2, users can enjoy the full range of functionalities without any additional costs or subscriptions.
Number 5. Garmin Venu 2 Plus
In recent years, Garmin has significantly enhanced the intelligence of its watches, but none exemplifies this better than the Venu 2 Plus.
The 43mm Venu 2 Plus is the sole watch in Garmin’s arsenal equipped with voice capabilities, thanks to a built-in microphone and speaker. This allows for convenient call handling directly from the wrist and issuing commands to your phone’s digital assistant via Bluetooth. While it doesn’t have Siri, Bixby, Amazon Alexa, or Google Assistant integrated directly into the watch, the clever workaround ensures effective hands-free control. Additionally, the Venu 2 Plus supports safety features like fall detection and live tracking, along with contactless payments for added convenience.
The watch’s OLED display, consistent with other Garmin models, is vibrant and easy to read. In terms of health and fitness, the Venu 2 Plus offers a balanced blend of basic and advanced features and metrics, with a focus on wellness and health. This includes intensity minutes, blood oxygen monitoring, sleep tracking, period tracking, abnormal heart rate alerts, and stress tracking. For training purposes, users benefit from built-in GPS, VO2 Max, heart rate zones, respiration rate, and downloadable training plans via Garmin Coach. Notably, the Venu 2 Plus is the only Garmin watch currently supporting FDA-cleared EKG readings for AFib detection, enhancing its health-oriented capabilities.
Considering its feature-packed profile, the Venu 2 Plus offers excellent value for its price, making it a competitive option compared to the GPS-only 41mm Apple Watch Series 8. It outperforms Fitbit’s smartwatches in terms of polish and offers more comprehensive training capabilities than the Google Pixel Watch or Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5. Furthermore, its battery life is impressive, lasting approximately a week on a single charge.
The Venu 2 Plus is the ideal Garmin choice for those seeking in-depth training features without sacrificing the productivity of a smartwatch. While it may lack a robust third-party app ecosystem, it does support popular platforms like Spotify, Amazon Music, and Deezer for offline listening. Moreover, if you desire a smarter Garmin experience over a traditional smartwatch with MIP displays, the Venu 2 Plus proves to be a compelling option.
