The Garmin Venu Sq and the Garmin Venu 2 are the best free Garmin watches currently, but although they are part of the exact same line, they are quite different. That is why we have prepared this guide that equates the main peculiarities of the 2 watches, so that you can choose the one that suits you best.
The Venu Sq (like the recent Garmin Lily) is one of the more fashion-oriented Garmin watches, with smart design and an extensive range of colors and finishes, but the Venu 2 isn't in the looks department either. Although it looks more like a regular sports watch thanks to its round face,a, remains very sleek and minimalist, and comes in 2 sizes for different wrists.
The Garmin Venu 2 is one of the best Garmin watches we've tested to date. While it and the Venu Sq offer a mix of fitness tracking and smartwatch features, it strikes a near-perfect balance to our knowledge, resulting in a beautiful watch that's suitable for any occasion.
However, there is a big difference in cost, with the Venu 2 costing twice as much as the standard Venu Sq. If cost is a limiting factor, Venu Sq is going to be the best option for you. Read on to learn more about the two watches so you can choose the best device for your needs and budget.
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Price
- Garmin Venu 2 is double the cost of Venu Sq
- Garmin Venu Sq released in 2020
- Venu dos was released in 2021
The Garmin Venu Sq was launched in the month of September 2020 for $199 / €199 / AUS$349. There's also a Venu Sq Music Edition (which we tested), which costs $299 / €299 / AUS$429 and has built-in storage for up to XNUMX songs.
The Garmin Venu two went on sale in April 2021 for $399,99 / 349,99 / AU$629. The 44mm and 40mm case sizes are exactly the same cost.
Garmin Venu Sq (Image credit: Garmin)
Design
- Garmin Venu Sq is similar in shape and size to the Apple Watch
- Garmin Venu dos is round and comes in 2 sizes
- Both have a touch screen and 2 physical buttons.
The Garmin Venu Sq has a quadrangular case that measures 40,6 x 36 x 11.5 mm. (virtually identical dimensions to the smaller Apple Watch XNUMX).
The Garmin Venu two has a round body (which is more typical of Garmin devices) and comes in 2 sizes: 44mm x 12.2mm and 40mm x 12.1mm. The smaller of the 2 models is known as the Garmin Venu 2S.
Both the Venu Sq and Venu 2 have a fiber reinforced polymer case with a metal bezel. The Venu Sq's bezel is made of lightweight aluminum, while the Venu 2's is made of stainless steel. Watches come with a silicone strap as standard, but the auxiliary straps are free separately and simple to change via quick-release pins.
Garmin Venu 2S (Image credit: Garmin)
Both devices are operated via a touch screen and 2 buttons on the right edge. The lower button serves as a "back" button, which allows you to return to the previous menu or return to the home screen, while the upper button is contextual and performs different functions depending on the application or widget used. The Venu 2's buttons can be locked throughout workouts to prevent casual presses.
Monitor
- Venu dos screen is OLED, Venu Sq is LCD
- Venu dos has a considerably higher resolution
The Garmin Venu two has a vivid AMOLED touch screen with 3 brightness settings and different levels of sensitivity to wake you up from sleep. The 44mm version has a 4-inch screen, while the 40mm model is smaller at XNUMX-inch.
The Venu Sq has a more traditional XNUMX-inch color LCD screen, which (while good) isn't as attractive as OLED and consumes more power.
The Venu 2's screen also has a considerably higher resolution: The 44mm version has a resolution of 416 x 416 pixels, while the 40mm model has 360 x 360 pixels. In contrast, the Venu Sq has a resolution of only 240 x 240 pixels.
(Image credit: Garmin)
Both are quality screens, but the difference can be seen in the tests, and the Venu two can show considerably more information in a similar space, with cleaner text and graphics.
Smart watch functions
- Both devices accept contactless payments
- The standard Venu Sq has no internal storage for music
- Venu dos offers period tracking on the watch itself
Venu Sq and Venu 2 let you get smartphone notifications from Android phones as well as iOS, and Android phone owners can also text back and decline calls with a text message (a handy feature if you're in the middle of a workout).
Each and every common calendar, time, and stopwatch app is present and appropriate, and both devices also let you make contactless purchases through Garmin Pay, the moment they're set up in the Garmin Connect app. .
The two watches let you monitor music playback on your smartphone and can stream songs from either Amazon Music or Deezer. You can also use your watch to monitor your Spotify playlist.
Garmin Venu 2S (Image credit: Garmin)
The standard Garmin Venu Sq has no internal storage for songs for offline playback, but the most expensive music edition can contain five hundred tracks. The standard 2mm Venu 44 can hold up to 2,000 songs internally, while the smaller Venu 2S can hold up to 650.
Any Garmin watch user can use the Garmin Connect app to track their period, but only the Garmin Venu two and Garmin Lily let you enter symptoms and view your cycle details on the watch.
Fitness tracking
- Both watches have accurate built-in GPS
- Venu Sq does not have an altimeter to count the stairs
- Garmin Venu Dos puts more health data on your wrist
Both the Garmin Venu Sq and the Garmin Venu 2 have integrated GPS, which turned out to be amazing in our tests. We found that the Venu Sq took a while to get a lock on, but by the time it did, the results of the 2 were comparable.
Both watches have a step counter and will give you a daily step count based on your activity levels.. However, only the Venu 2 has an altimeter, meaning it's the only device that can track how many stairs you've climbed. Again, you will be assigned a goal to achieve day by day.
All-day heart rate monitoring is free on both watches, and both record "intensity minutes," which is a measure of time spent in each and every heart rate zone. Both watches also have a pulse oximeter to measure blood oxygen saturation throughout the night and throughout training sessions.
Garmin Venu 2S (Image credit: Garmin)
Both devices have an extensive range of training profiles for indoor and outdoor activities.but the Venu 2 has more options, including HIIT workouts. She can also display on-screen training animations and muscle map charts to show the muscle sets you've been working on, helping you plan your training.
Both the Venu Sq and Venu 2 can calculate your fit age (a metric based on factors like your VO2 max, age, weight, and gender), but only the Venu 2 lets you see it at a glance on your wrist. If you have the Venu Sq, you'll need to open the Garmin Connect app on your phone to see it.
The Venu 2 also includes a Garmin Trainer tool. that lets you keep track of training plans set up in the Garmin Connect app, like leaderboards for any challenge you've signed up for.
