Garmin is renowned for its durable wearables tailored for runners, hikers, and cyclists. The Forerunner and Fenix lines are staples among dedicated athletes. However, Garmin has faced the challenge of designing a smartwatch that appeals to those who prefer a more subtle aesthetic, one that doesn’t scream “fitness fanatic!” at first glance.
Enter the Venu line, a designed fusion of fitness tracking and lifestyle appeal, merging Garmin’s reputation for health monitoring with a look that is more akin to fashionable smartwatches like the Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch.
Garmin Venu 4 Review
Price and Availability
The Venu 4 is available now in both 41mm and 45mm sizes, starting at £469.99 in the UK, $549.99 in the US, and AU$949 in Australia. This is a significant increase from the Venu 3’s launch price of £399 / $449.99 / AU$749.
If you shop around, you may find better deals. As of this writing, Amazon is offering the 45mm model for around £380, providing some relief from the higher price.
For comparison, the Apple Watch Series 11 starts at £369, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 starts at £319. Both options offer robust smart features but typically fall short in terms of battery longevity.
In Garmin’s lineup, the priced similarly Forerunner 570 focuses more on sports, while the older Venu 3 is now more affordable but still shares many functionalities.
Specifications
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- Display: 1.4-inch AMOLED, 454 x 454, up to 2,000 nits
- Material: Stainless steel with a polymer back
- Water Resistance: 5ATM (50m)
- Battery Life: Up to 12 days (smartwatch mode)
- Sports Modes: 80+
- Smart Features: Notifications, Garmin Pay, offline music, voice assistant, calls
- Price: £469.99 / $549.99 / AU$949
Design and Build Quality
The Venu 4 excels in design. Transitioning from a predominantly plastic case, Garmin now uses stainless steel for both the bezel and body, creating a noticeable uplift in quality. The watch feels premium, making it a stylish accessory for everyday wear rather than just a typical triathlon watch.
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My review model included a brown leather strap, enhancing its versatility. It can effortlessly transition from casual outfits to formal attire, making it strikingly versatile. Switch back to a silicone band for workouts, and it’s ready to perform as a serious training device. This adaptability is precisely what the Venu series strives for, and the Venu 4 achieves it brilliantly.
The standout 1.4-inch AMOLED display on the 45mm model shines with vibrant colors and sharp clarity, boasting a peak brightness of up to 2,000 nits. Outdoor visibility is excellent, and the always-on option is a bonus if you’re okay with a slightly shorter battery life.
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Another valuable addition is the built-in LED flashlight, conveniently placed on the top edge. Initially, this may seem unnecessary, but it proves handy for nighttime activities, such as finding your keys or getting your bearings during after-dark exercise.
Comfortably fitting on the wrist, the Venu 4 is lightweight despite its steel construction and is comfortable enough to wear overnight. Its 5ATM water resistance rating ensures durability during swimming, showers, and unpredictable weather, allowing you to keep it on at all times—except when charging.
A minor drawback is the reduction of physical buttons from three to two, which makes the touchscreen navigational experience more critical. While it works well at a desk, sweaty fingers can find it a bit hesitant during workouts. However, the vibrant and larger screen somewhat compensates for this change.
Features and Performance
Garmin remains at the forefront of fitness tracking technology, and the Venu 4 continues this trend. At its core, it offers robust fitness and health tracking while maintaining a lifestyle smartwatch aesthetic.
The dual-frequency GPS is a pivotal upgrade, enhancing positioning accuracy and aligning the Venu 4 with Garmin’s premium running watches. During my runs, it quickly locked in on my location and reliably tracked routes, even in tree-covered areas that typically pose challenges for less sophisticated GPS systems.
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Heart rate tracking from the Elevate V5 sensor proves consistent and accurate during steady runs and gym sessions, showcasing only slight drift during high-intensity workouts.
Garmin’s extensive health and fitness ecosystem offers features like Body Battery energy monitoring, Training Readiness assessments, sleep tracking, and over 80 built-in sport modes.
The Health Status feature is new to the Venu 4, monitoring heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), respiration, SpO2 levels, and skin temperature during sleep—alerting users when anomalies are detected. While still in beta, this tool is already beneficial for daily health assessments.
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As an everyday smartwatch, the Venu 4 performs adequately rather than impressively. Notifications are clear, calls can be answered through the built-in speaker, and offline music support is available for Spotify and YouTube Music.
However, there’s no dedicated app store, LTE support is lacking, and Garmin Pay availability can be inconsistent in the UK. If you’re looking for a watch that fully replaces your phone, alternatives like the Apple Watch Series 11 or Galaxy Watch 8 Classic may be the better options.
However, the Venu 4 excels in battery life, boasting a potential 12 days in smartwatch mode based on Garmin’s testing. In my usage, I found this to be accurate, typically enjoying around nine days between charges with regular notifications and workouts. Even with the always-on display, I managed four to five days without needing a recharge. For anyone transitioning from an Apple Watch, this longevity is quite refreshing.
One minor frustration is Garmin’s persistent use of proprietary charging cables, which adds another hassle when trying to pack for a trip.
Verdict
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In summary, the Garmin Venu 4 emerges as the most comprehensive lifestyle smartwatch from Garmin to date. With its premium stainless steel design, outstanding display, and top-tier fitness and health monitoring, it stands out in the market. Moreover, its battery life surpasses that of many rivals, such as Apple and Samsung devices.
However, it does come with its trade-offs. Some smart features are still behind compared to dedicated smartwatches, the proprietary charger can be a hassle, and the steep price increase relative to the Venu 3 may be difficult for some to justify, especially when the older model remains a more budget-friendly option.
Ultimately, if you seek a smartwatch that effectively tracks your fitness, looks suitable for various occasions, and offers excellent battery longevity, the Venu 4 is highly recommendable. Just be sure to look for deals to make it a bit more wallet-friendly.
