Bought this to replace a Vivoactive 3, a watch that I loved. This Venu 3 is even better. GPS is faster and more accurate. It has many more capabilities for monitoring health. I found a watch face that works well for me. Perhaps the most helpful thing is the three buttons for navigation in addition to swiping. (The Vivoactive3 only had one, so it was always a combination of push or hold and up/down/left/right swipes.) The only minor complaint is have is that the buttons don't stick out much (which is good and bad, so a compromise), but they seem a little 'soft' when pushing them. Still, this is the best watch I've ever had, and I recommend it.

Pros: --Excellent Battery Life. --Fitness Apps and Amt of Data are accurate and amazing!! Way better than Samsung Watch 6 Classic. --Great integration with Speed Sensor 2 and Cadence 2. Accurate. --Heartbeat is accurate. --Body Battery is great. Coach is good. --Sleep app is acurrate, but I'm always getting Poor Sleep (that's on me, not Garmin). --HRV and Recovery is great. --Way more accurate that Galaxy Watch 6. --OK integration with smartphone. --IConnect is faster and more stable than better than Samsung/Wear OS. ---Has OK smartphone abilities. --Does Emails (via MS Office, and texts notifications). CONS: --Venu phone OS is not as polished as Samsung. It's built for button pushing, not for swiping. The OS really needs to be updated to modern times. --No Whatsapp integration. --Phone Volume is low. --Watch faces are OK, but could be better. Overall: --If you want a polished smartwatch, go for Samsung. But dont expect accuracy in their fitness areas. --If you want a semi hardcore fitness watch that does more than average, (not triathlonr/Pro Level, but more than average), and you are willing to trade some of the polish for fitness functionality, have basic smartphone connections, with MP3 player, and Amazing battery life (14 days max no bluetooth or constant on screen, but abt a week with constant bluetooth connections)--this is the watch to get.

I had the OG Venu for 5 1/2 years but unfortunately the screen lighting was messed up so I needed a new watch. Loved the Venu so much I didn’t really want a different one. But the Venu 3 did not disappoint. It’s very easy to use and the screen is well lit and easy to see. Love the features… some upgrades from the Venu but also similar enough I didn’t have to learn much. Great watch for a daily runner who likes a fashionable watch as well.

Primarily purchased this for heart rate feature. Also purchased the HRM Pro Plus Strap as I wanted the best accuracy during exercise and ability to sync the watch with a strap was important. So far, one or both are a bit below my expectations as at times there are discrepancies between the strap and the watch. High/Low Heart Rate Alerts don't seem to work. In walking, the accuracy of the steps/miles is way off showing under 4 miles when I have walked 5. Have tried to adjust stride length but apparently has no effect. Strap easily syncs with stationary bike at the gym but watch app does not show distance or speed for this activity. I did download a watch face from the IQ app as the stock watch faces all have small icons/font size for heart rate and hard to see at a quick glance. Watch itself is a bit large, 43 mm would likely be a better size. Have reached out to Support a few times with questions and they have been helpful.

After 9 years of having Fitbit I switched over to Garmin and very happy I did it. The interface is so much better (I can actually read all my notifications), so many watch face options. I have my workout watch face, casual/chill face, and “fancy” face for dates and nice events. I kind of wish I could put those on a schedule (hint hint garmin). It has more algorithms (data insights). I love the microphone/speaker feature and also in LOVE with the battery life. It was definitely more expensive than my Fitbit charges which did make me nervous but I’m very happy with the purchase. The next test is longevity and checking out more apps with it. Hopefully I’ll get 3 or more years out of it!

As a sportswatch, am really liking the Venu 3--the updated HR sensor does a nice job of tracking, the GPS is great on my runs and hikes; body battery is somewhat useful. Sleep tracking is just ok--I don't rely on it (unfortunately, it impacts the body battery too). I went with the Venu 3 over, eg, a Forerunner because I wanted the updated HR sensor and also I had hopes that the Venu would provide some useful but limited smartwatch features. Overall, am disappointed in that--eg, the Voice Assistant is very slow to activate, and since I have to carry my phone with me anyhow, I wind up just pulling out my phone. Standard text replies work ok. Not a big fan of using the watch to make or answer calls--it works decently, but so it's just a personal preference for me. I had problems with the speaker on my first Venu and got a replacement--but the buttons on the replacement are mushy, which is a complaint I've heard from others. Overall, I really wish Garmin would come up with a decent smartwatch that lets me leave my phone behind on runs (I need a phone for safety because of my location). But maybe the competition is too steep--or the watches would be heavy and throw off HR tracking on people like me with small wrists. Who knows.

I gifted this smart timepiece to myself after returning the purchase of GOOGLE Pixel 3 for defects unexpectedly. I never had a smartwatch, fit but or any type of tech watch because I always believed a "watch is a watch" lol...however, March 2025, GARMIN made me a believer. The easy set up, the advanced health and fitness tracking with a user-friendly design and long battery life. I appreciate its accurate heart rate tracking, particularly during strength training, and its ability to monitor various metrics like sleep stages and blood oxygen. The Venu 3 also offers a good balance of smartwatch features, including notifications, calls, and text messaging.

I really like my Fenix 7 solar, but never used anywhere near it's capabilities. So I went for the Venu 3 to get most of the features at a smaller size. It works very well and meets my needs. One thing for all Garmins, I sure would like having wireless charging again.

I changed my Venu to the Venu 3 and it was worth it. It has very useful new features such as recovery timer, morning report, and sleep enhancements. The only negative point is that the battery does not last even close to 12 days with a normal use.

In general...very pleased with the watch. Two reasons for not giving 5 stars: 1. Unable to see photos directly from watch..tried every setting with no result. 2. ECG app not available in my country (should use a disclaimer and let app work everywhere)