Following the great success of the Garmin Vivoactive (HR models in 2016, then Vivoactive 3 in 2017 and Vivoactive 4 in 2019), a sports connected watch with health monitoring, Garmin presented, in 2019, a new connected watch with a superb AMOLED screen and animated displays. In 2020, the American company is offering a variant of this model, the Garmin Venu Sq, with a rectangular design but with downgraded features, notably the screen, and offered at a selling price defying all competition.
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3 smart watches with complete health monitoring
Garmin offers 3 variants of its connected and sporty watch: the Vivoactive 4, the Venu and the Venu Sq. They each offer excellent health monitoring as well as a number of sports and connected functions. What sets them apart is their display: LCD for the Venu Sq, transflective MIP for the Vivoactive 4 and AMOLED for the Venu.
Garmin Vivoactive 4: the watch with payment, mp3 player and advanced health monitoring
A jewel of technology, this touch screen connected watch offers amzaing functions and is a great success. It can be used for a wide range of sports, including yoga, skiing, golf, rowing and weight training. It features a Garmin Pay contactless payment system to pay for purchases directly from the watch, an mp3 player and ultra-complete health monitoring functions, the best offer on the market to date. It assesses stress level and fitness, allows you to load workout programmes, and includes animated exercises to help you learn how to do cardio, weight training, yoga and Pilates. It is a serious alternative to high-end watches or Smartwatches (Apple Watch, etc.) at a much lower price. Note that the Vivoactive 4 is available in 2 case sizes (Vivoactive 4S and Vivoactive 4) to fit both thin and wide wrists.
Read our detailed review of the Garmin Vivoactive 4 and our opinion
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Garmin Venu: the first Garmin watch with AMOLED display
The Garmin Venu is a Vivoactive 4 (same features) but equipped with an AMOLED screen instead of a transflective MIP screen and offering high definition (390 x 390 px instead of 260 x 260 px). The AMOLED screen is used on high-end connected watches such as the Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch Active as well as on most Smartphones. It offers a rich range of colours and high contrasts thanks to the use of individually controlled LEDs for illumination instead of conventional backlit crystals. The result is simply stunning. The Garmin Venu can be used to display animated watch faces. However, this model is more expensive than the Vivoactive 4 and has a slightly lower battery life.
Read our detailed review of the Garmin Venu and our opinion
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Garmin Venu Sq: the connected watch for the general public for less than 200 €.
Aware of the high price of its Garmin Venu, Garmin wanted to attract new customers by offering a cheap Garmin Venu by downgrading is features, the aim being to offer a complete watch at a consumer price: less than €200. A strategy already adopted this year (2020) by Apple and its Apple Watch SE, the low-cost variant of the Apple Watch Series 6. But instead of sacrificing essential functions, Garmin has chosen to replace the AMOLED screen with an LCD screen at a much lower cost, but also of much lower quality and higher power consumption. The barometric altimeter and gyroscope have also been removed on this model. For the rest, the functionalities are identical. Garmin also offers a rectangular design, instead of a round one, and a slimmer and lighter watch, thanks in particular to an aluminium bezel instead of stainless steel. The watch is available with or without mp3 player.
Read our detailed review of the Garmin Venu Sq and our opinion
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Vivoactive 4, Venu, Venu Sq and Venu Sq Music comparison: the differences
The 3 models compared (Vivoactive 4, Venu, Venu Sq) offer almost the same functionalities. The lighter version, Venu Sq, does not have a barometric altimeter and therefore offers a few fewer functions. It is above all the display that makes the biggest difference between the 3 models.
Design and technical features: a difference mainly related to the screen
Garmin is adopting a rectangular format for its latest model, the Venu Sq, for a look vaguely reminiscent of the Apple Watch. This model has the advantage of being ultralight (almost 10 g lighter than the Venu's weight!) and thinner. Note that the Vivoactive 4 is available in 2 formats. The 4S model is designed for thin wrists. Its case is smaller (40 x 40 mm) and its screen has a smaller resolution (218 x 218 px). It is also lighter (only 40 g).
The 3 models differ especially by their screen. An economical LCD screen for the Venu Sq for a medium quality display. A transflective MIP screen for the Vivoactive 4. The latter offers a limited colour palette (64) but has the advantage of being readable even in direct sunlight. An AMOLED and high definition screen for the Venu. It can display photos and animations.
| Features | Vivoactive 4 | Venu | Venu Sq | Venu Sq Music |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  | |
| Price | 300 € | 350 € | 200 € | 250 € |
| Weight | 50,5 g | 46,3 g | 37,6 g | 37,6 g |
| Size (mm) | 45,1 x 45,1 | 43,2 x 43,2 | 40,6 x 37 | 40,6 x 37 |
| Thickness | 12.8 mm | 12.4 mm | 11.5 mm | 11.5 mm |
| Case | Reinforced polymer | Reinforced polymer | Reinforced polymer | Reinforced polymer |
| Glass | Corning Gorilla 3 | Corning Gorilla 3 | Corning Gorilla 3 | Corning Gorilla 3 |
| Bezel | Stainless steel | Stainless steel | Aluminium | Aluminium |
| Display (px) | 260 x 260 | 390 x 390 | 240 x 240 | 240 x 240 |
| Screen | Transflective PIM | AMOLED | LCD | LCD |
| Touch screen | • | • | • | • |
| Colour screen | • | • | • | • |
| Screen with animation | • | |||
| Wristband width | 22 mm | 20 mm | 20 mm | 20 mm |
| Bracelet interchangeable without tools | • | • | • | • |
| Waterproofing | 5 ATM | 5 ATM | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
Sensors
The 4 watches carry a GPS, an optical cardio on the wrist, a pulse oximeter and an accelerometer (to evaluate the distance travelled indoors, on a carpet for example). The ambient light sensor (absent on the Vivoactive 4) allows you to adjust the backlighting according to the brightness outside.
The Venu Sq, for reasons of economy, has neither a gyroscope (used to identify movements in 3 dimensions), nor a barometric altimeter (to evaluate altitude variations both indoors and outdoors rather than using the GPS, which is less accurate and does not work indoors).
| Features | Vivoactive 4 | Venu | Venu Sq | Venu Sq Music |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo |
| Wrist Cardio | • | • | • | • |
| Underwater wrist cardio system | • | • | • | • |
| Accelerometer | • | • | • | • |
| Gyroscope | • | • | ||
| Barometric altimeter | • | • | ||
| Pulse oximeter | • | • | • | • |
| Compass | • | • | • | • |
| Thermometer | Via accessory | Via accessory | Via accessory | Via accessory |
| Ambient light sensor | • | • | • |
Functions for health
All 3 models offer the same health functions. Firstbeat's algorithms are used to provide most of the measurements. Breathing frequency is evaluated from the heart and its variability. The measurement of the blood oxygen level (SpO2) allows the detection of a lack of oxygen during high altitude outings or possible sleep apnea at night. It can detect a general problem of blood oxygenation (see our article on the covid 19 and its detection with an oximeter watch).
| Features | Vivoactive 4 | Venu | Venu Sq | Venu Sq Music |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heart rate | • | • | • | • |
| Resting heart rate | • | • | • | • |
| Abnormal heart rate alerts (high & low) | • | • | • | • |
| Blood oxygen level (SpO2) | • | • | • | • |
| Physical age | • | • | • | • |
| Body battery | • | • | • | • |
| Hydration | • | • | • | • |
| Daily monitoring of efforts | • | • | • | • |
| Menstrual cycle | • | • | • | • |
| Relaxation reminders | • | • | • | • |
| Detailed sleep analysis | • | • | • | • |
Sports functions
These watches offer more or less the same sports functions. The Venu Sq does not measure cumulative ascents and descents because it does not have a barometric altimeter. Nor does it offer the animations that allow you to learn the movements of certain activities (Yoga and Pilates in particular).
Each model offers 22 sport profiles including walking, running, cycling, swimming in the pool, skiing, golf. Others can be downloaded free of charge from the Garmin Connect platform.
| Features | Vivoactive 4 | Venu | Venu Sq | Venu Sq Music |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nb of sports profiles | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| GPS speed and distance | • | • | • | • |
| HR Monitoring | • | • | • | • |
| Training programs | • | • | • | • |
| HR zones | • | • | • | • |
| Breathing frequency | • | • | • | • |
| Advanced Training | • | • | • | • |
| VO2max | • | • | • | • |
| Body Battery | • | • | • | • |
| Running cadence | • | • | • | • |
| Bike cadence | • | • | • | • |
| Running trainings | • | • | • | • |
| Varia compatible (lights, radar) | • | • | • | • |
| Functions for swimming | • | • | • | • |
| Back to the start | • | • | • | • |
| Total ascent/descent | • | • | ||
| Pilates exercises, yoga, weight training, cardio, elliptical bike, rowing, floor climbing | • | • | • | • |
| Animations (yoga, Pilates, weight training, etc.) | • | • | ||
| Functions for golf | • | • | • | • |
| Auto-pause | • | • | • | • |
Connected functions
Garmin offers convenient features, including a contactless payment solution (Garmin Pay). With the exception of the Venu Sq, all models come with an mp3 player and the ability to import playlists and stream music via Deezer, Spotify or Amazon Music (with a paid subscription).
| Features | Vivoactive 4 | Venu | Venu Sq | Venu Sq Music |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smart notifications | • | • | • | • |
| Answer/reject call by SMS (Android) | • | • | • | • |
| Calendar | • | • | • | • |
| Weather | • | • | • | • |
| Music function (Smartphone) | • | • | • | |
| MP3 Player | • | • | • | |
| Music storage (titles) | 500 | 500 | 500 | |
| Garmin Pay | • | • | • | • |
| Find my phone | • | • | • | • |
| Find my watch | • | • | • | • |
Functions for safety
On its latest watches, Garmin offers a practical function for the safety of sportsmen and women: fall detection for certain activities (cycling and walking in particular) and assistance in the event of an incident (automatic or manual calling of a contact and transmission of GPS coordinates). All 4 watches offer these functions.
| Features | Vivoactive 4 | Venu | Venu Sq | Venu Sq Music |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LiveTrack | • | • | • | • |
| Incident detection (walking, cycling) | • | • | • | • |
| Assistance / SOS call | • | • | • | • |
Monitoring of activity
Garmin offers the same functions on all 4 watches except for the number of stages climbed, which requires a barometric altimeter for accuracy and especially for indoor use. The Venu Sq is not equipped with one.
| Features | Vivoactive 4 | Venu | Venu Sq | Venu Sq Music |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of steps | • | • | • | • |
| Distance | • | • | • | • |
| Calories | • | • | • | • |
| Nb of climbed floors | • | • | ||
| Intensive Minutes | • | • | • | • |
| Automatic objectives (number of steps) | • | • | • | • |
Autonomy
The Vivoactive 4 offers excellent autonomy with a connected watch (8 days) and 18 hours in GPS mode. Note that the small model (Vivoactive 4S) has a slightly lower battery life (7 days in connected watch mode, 15 hours in GPS mode). The Garmin Venu suffers from the higher power consumption of its AMOLED screen but still offers a long battery life in GPS mode (20 hours). The Venu Sq, with its very greedy LCD screen, does very well in watch mode thanks to the automatic deactivation of the screen when not in use (this setting can be changed if necessary).
| Vivoactive 4 | Venu | Venu Sq | Venu Sq Music | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connected watch | 8 d | 5 d | 6 d | 6 d |
| GPS mode | 18 h | 20 h | 14 h | 14 h |
| GPS + music mode | 6 h | 6 h | - | 6 h |
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Our opinion on the Garmin Vivoactive 4, Venu and Venu Sq. Which one to choose?
Garmin offers here 3 recent watches (2019 and 2020) offering almost the same functionalities. It is above all the objective, the price, the design and the type of screen that will guide the choice. Functionality and autonomy can also make a difference, but that is not what most distinguishes these models.
These watches are above all connected or intelligent watches whose primary objective is to monitor health on a daily basis with, in addition, a few practical functions (listening to music without a Smartphone, payment solution in particular). They are very well suited for non-sporting use. They can be worn 24 hours a day, but this is not an obligation.
They are also suitable for sporting use, provided they are not too demanding. For training and competition, it is best to turn to a sports watch (see our comparisons).
If your budget is not limited, go for the Garmin Venu. It is the best watch among the 3 because it accumulates the advantages of the 3 models, except of course the price. Its functions are comprehensive and its AMOLED display is the best. You will have a screen with rich and shimmering colours, high definition and you will be able to benefit from animations or the display of high definition photos. Its autonomy is excellent for sports and very correct for daily monitoring (5 days).
If you are not interested in the quality screen and animations, the Vivoactive 4 is the model to choose. Less expensive, with the same functions, it will give you the same advantages apart from the high-definition display and animations. Its screen is MIP transflective, i.e. readable even in direct sunlight (like a book!), but with a very limited colour palette that is at the same time amply sufficient for a watch without animations. The Vivoactive 4S model, which is smaller and therefore better suited to thin wrists, is also lighter (40 g). It is more comfortable to wear.
If your budget is tight, then the Venu Sq is the right compromise. It offers almost all the features of the other models but a lower quality screen, with a less readable display in bright outdoor environments. It is also ultra-light and thinner than the other models. Attention, it does not have a barometric altimeter. It is therefore less suitable for use in the mountains (hiking, trail, climbing, etc.).
Likewise, if you are looking for a comfortable and pretty watch for health monitoring and a bit of sport, without the need for a luxury display, the Venu Sq should suit you for its design, light weight and full functions. Its autonomy is more than sufficient for sport and very good for use as a connected watch with monitoring. For 50 € more, you can enjoy the mp3 player. But at this price, we recommend paying an extra 50 € for a Vivoactive 4.
| Interests | Disadvantages | |
|---|---|---|
| Vivoactive 4 | Ultra-completeUltra-light (4S model) | Slightly smaller screen resolution and shorter battery life on the small model (4S) |
| Venu | Ultra-complete Superb AMOLED screen + with animations> | Price |
| Venu Sq | Value for money Fully featured Fine and ultra-light weight | LCD Display No barometric altimeter |
| Venu Sq Music | Venu Sq with extra mp3 player | At this price, you might as well buy the Vivoactive 4 |
Price and availability
These models are available for sale on the Garmin website or in specialist shops at the recommended price of 299 € for the Garmin Vivoactive 4, <.b> 350 € for the Garmin Venu, 200 € for the Garmin Venu Sq and 250 € for the Garmin Venu Sq Music Edition. Discover it below at our partners and take advantage of our current promotions or discount vouchers.
Buy Garmin Vivoactive 4
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