The Garmin Venu X1, launched on June 12, 2025, is a bold addition to Garmin’s smartwatch lineup, blending cutting-edge fitness tracking with a sleek, ultrathin design. Positioned as a premium fitness smartwatch, it aims to rival high-end competitors like the Apple Watch Ultra 2 while maintaining Garmin’s reputation for robust health and sports features.
In this article, we’ll dive into the Venu X1’s design, display, health and sports capabilities, battery life, and price, comparing it to the Garmin Venu 3 to highlight its place in the Garmin ecosystem.
Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast or a style-conscious tech lover, this guide will help you decide if the Venu X1 is your next must-have wearable.
Design and Dimensions
A Sleek, Ultrathin Profile
The Garmin Venu X1 redefines Garmin’s aesthetic with its ultrathin 8mm titanium caseback and lightweight 40g design, making it the thinnest GPS smartwatch in Garmin’s portfolio.
Unlike the circular Venu 3, the Venu X1 adopts a square shape, evoking comparisons to the Apple Watch Ultra 2 but with a distinctly Garmin flair.
This design shift prioritizes style and comfort, appealing to users who want a smartwatch that looks as good in the boardroom as it does on the trail.
Materials and Build Quality
The Venu X1 features premium materials, including a scratch-resistant sapphire lens and a titanium caseback, ensuring durability for outdoor adventures.
It comes with a 24mm ComfortFit nylon band, which is lighter and more breathable than the silicone straps found on many Garmin models, including the Venu 3. Available in Black and Moss colorways, the Venu X1 exudes a modern, sophisticated look.
Buttons and Navigation
The watch retains Garmin’s intuitive three-button navigation system, complemented by a responsive touchscreen.
The top button accesses the sports and apps menu, while the bottom button serves as a back button, making navigation seamless for both fitness tracking and smartwatch functions.
A built-in speaker and microphone add voice command capabilities, enhancing usability for calls and voice memos without needing a paired smartphone.
The table below show design differences between Garmin Venu X1 vs Venu 3:
| Feature | Garmin Venu X1 | Garmin Venu 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Case Size | 46mm | 45mm (Venu 3), 41mm (Venu 3S) |
| Weight | 40g (with nylon band) | 47g (45mm, with silicone band) |
| Material | Titanium caseback, sapphire lens | Stainless steel bezel, Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Band | 24mm ComfortFit nylon | 20mm/22mm silicone |
| Buttons | 3 buttons + touchscreen | 3 buttons + touchscreen |
Garmin Venu X1 Display
Vibrant AMOLED Display
The Venu X1 boasts a revolutionary 2-inch AMOLED display, the largest ever on a Garmin watch, with a resolution of 448 x 486 pixels. This provides a pixel density of approximately 283 PPI, delivering crisp visuals for maps, workout stats, and notifications.
The square display maximizes screen real estate, making it ideal for viewing detailed data at a glance.
Brightness and Visibility
The AMOLED screen is notably bright, with adjustable settings to suit various lighting conditions. Reviewers note its “crazy bright” output, which can be toned down to conserve battery life.
However, in low-power “rest” mode, some users find the brightness less impressive compared to high-output mode.
The always-on display option enhances usability but impacts battery life, a trade-off for those prioritizing visibility.
| Display Feature | Garmin Venu X1 | Garmin Venu 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Size | 2 inches | 1.4 inches (45mm), 1.2 inches (41mm) |
| Resolution | 448 x 486 pixels (~283 PPI) | 454 x 454 pixels (~326 PPI) |
| Protection | Sapphire lens | Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Brightness | Adjustable, high output | Adjustable, ambient light sensor |
Health Tracking Features
Comprehensive Wellness Monitoring
The Venu X1 is equipped with Garmin’s Elevate Gen 5 optical heart rate sensor, which supports continuous heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen (Pulse Ox), and skin temperature tracking.
While it lacks ECG functionality (available on some Fenix 8 models and the Venu 3), it excels in delivering actionable health insights. Key features include:
- Body Battery: Combines sleep, stress, and activity data to gauge energy levels, helping users decide when to train or rest.
- HRV Status: Tracks heart rate variability to assess recovery and stress.
- Advanced Sleep Tracking: Includes nap detection and sleep coaching, offering detailed breakdowns of sleep stages and quality.
- Stress Monitoring: Provides all-day stress tracking with guided breathwork exercises to manage high stress levels.
- Women’s Health: Supports menstrual and pregnancy tracking, with options to log symptoms and baby movements.
- Hydration Tracking: Estimates fluid loss during workouts and allows manual logging of water intake.
The Venu X1’s health suite is comparable to the Venu 3 but adds voice notes for logging health data on the go, a feature not found in the Venu 3. Its wheelchair-specific tracking mode also enhances accessibility, catering to a broader range of users.
| Health Feature | Garmin Venu X1 | Garmin Venu 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Heart Rate Sensor | Elevate Gen 5 | Elevate Gen 5 |
| ECG | No | Yes |
| Sleep Tracking | Advanced, with nap detection | Advanced, with nap detection |
| Pulse Ox | Yes | Yes |
| Body Battery | Yes | Yes |
| HRV Status | Yes | Yes |
| Women’s Health | Yes | Yes |
Sports Features
Robust Activity Tracking
The Venu X1 supports over 100 sports profiles, including running, cycling, swimming, golf, and emerging activities like pickleball and stand-up paddleboarding. It introduces advanced training tools typically reserved for Garmin’s Forerunner and Fenix series, such as:
- Training Readiness: Assesses readiness for workouts based on sleep, recovery, and training load.
- Endurance and Hill Scores: Measures stamina and climbing performance for runners and cyclists.
- Strava Live Segments: Offers real-time performance tracking for competitive athletes.
- ClimbPro: Provides detailed climb data for hiking and cycling.
- Full-Color TopoActive Maps: Enhances navigation for outdoor activities, a feature not typically found in Venu models.
Comparison with Forerunner 570
The Venu X1 shares many features with the Forerunner 570, a runner-focused smartwatch, but there are key differences. The Forerunner 570 includes multi-band GNSS for superior GPS accuracy, which the Venu X1 lacks, making it less ideal for challenging environments like urban canyons or dense trails.
However, the Venu X1’s larger display and full-color maps provide a better visual experience for navigation.
The Forerunner 570 also offers longer battery life (up to 4-5 days with always-on display) and more athlete-centric metrics like running power and triathlon mode, which the Venu X1 omits.
Here are some of the similarities and differences:
| Sports Feature | Garmin Venu X1 | Garmin Forerunner 570 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports Profiles | 100+ | 100+ |
| Multi-Band GNSS | No | Yes |
| Training Readiness | Yes | Yes |
| ClimbPro | Yes | Yes |
| TopoActive Maps | Yes, full-color | Yes, full-color |
| Running Power | No | Yes |
Garmin Venu X1 Battery Life
A Trade-Off for Design
The Venu X1’s battery life is a notable compromise for its ultrathin design and large AMOLED display. It offers up to 8 days in smartwatch mode (without always-on display) and 2 days with always-on display enabled, compared to the Venu 3’s 14 days and 5 days, respectively.
In GPS mode, the Venu X1 lasts up to 16 hours, sufficient for most workouts but shorter than the Venu 3’s 26 hours.
The bright AMOLED screen and advanced features like the LED flashlight contribute to the reduced battery life, requiring more frequent charging than other Garmin models.
| Battery Life | Garmin Venu X1 | Garmin Venu 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch Mode | 8 days | 14 days |
| Always-On Display | 2 days | 5 days |
| GPS Mode | 16 hours | 26 hours |
Price
Premium Positioning
Priced at $799.99, the Venu X1 is significantly more expensive than the Venu 3 ($449.99), aligning it closer to the Fenix 8 ($999.99) and Apple Watch Ultra 2 ($799).
This places it in the premium smartwatch category, targeting users who value style, advanced features, and Garmin’s fitness ecosystem over budget-friendly options.
The Venu 3 remains a more accessible choice for casual fitness enthusiasts, while the Venu X1 caters to those seeking a high-end, lifestyle-focused device.
Conclusion
Who Is the Garmin Venu X1 For?
The Garmin Venu X1 is designed for users who want a premium smartwatch that blends sophisticated design with robust fitness tracking.
Its ultrathin profile, large 2-inch AMOLED display, and advanced health features like Body Battery and HRV status make it ideal for health-conscious individuals who prioritize wellness and style.
Athletes will appreciate its extensive sports profiles and navigation tools, though serious runners and outdoor adventurers may prefer the Forerunner 570 or Fenix 8 for their superior GPS accuracy and longer battery life.
Compared to the Venu 3, the Venu X1 offers a larger display, premium materials, and advanced training features but sacrifices battery life and ECG functionality.
At $799.99, it’s a premium investment for those who want a versatile smartwatch that rivals the Apple Watch Ultra 2 while retaining Garmin’s fitness expertise.
If you’re looking for a stylish, feature-packed wearable for both daily life and fitness goals, the Venu X1 is a standout choice in Garmin’s lineup.
