Garmin Venu 2 Plus review: This fitness-tracking smartwatch just got smarter

For

• Stunning AMOLED display
• Reliable fitness tracking and Garmin Passenger vehicle
• Call quality is better than expected
• Fantastic battery life

Confronting

• Recovery communication could exist amend
• Not enough third-political party apps

Pros

• +

  Stunning AMOLED brandish

• +

  Reliable fitness tracking and Garmin Coach

• +

  Call quality is better than expected

• +

  Fantastic battery life

Cons

• -

  Recovery advice could be amend

• -

  Not enough third-political party apps

• -

Garmin Venu 2 Plus specs

Price: $449
Size: 43mm
Display: Touchscreen AMOLED
Battery life: ix days (viii hours GPS)
Durability: 5 ATM
GPS: Yeah
NFC: Yep
Compatibility: iOS, Android

The Garmin Venu 2 was already a stellar fitness-tracking smartwatch. I consider it 1 of the best Garmin watches that'due south both a capable workout companion and stylish lifestyle device — a residue mastered by the likes of the Apple tree Picket 7 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.

To better claiming its big-name competitors, the $449 Garmin Venu 2 Plus introduces on-wrist calls and vocalisation assistants. While it maintains Garmin'south reputation for thorough fitness tracking and accurate GPS, the Venu 2 Plus is now a stronger sell for those who desire their smartwatch to deed every bit an extension of their smartphone.

Though Garmin still lacks a large tertiary-party app store and continues to steer articulate of LTE support, embracing more advice tools is a major step towards mastering the complete smartwatch experience. Equally yous'll read about more in this Garmin Venu 2 Plus review, this wearable has the hallmarks to continue upwards with all the all-time smartwatches around.

Garmin Venu 2 Plus review: Toll and availability

The Garmin Venu 2 Plus is bachelor now for $449. The standard Venu ii costs $399, which marks the Venu 2 Plus as a clear step upward from last year'due south Venu launch. Information technology appears the Venu two will remain on sale, though.

Garmin Venu 2 Plus review: Pattern

All in all, the Garmin Venu 2 Plus looks very much similar the Garmin Venu two, and the original Garmin Venu earlier that. The lineup stands equally Garmin's middleman of limited lifestyle watches and the brand'southward best GPS watches. With its round face, side buttons and sleek hardware details, it reminds me most of the non-classic Galaxy Scout iv.

(Image credit: Hereafter)

I key blueprint difference betwixt the Venu 2 and Venu two Plus is size options. The Venu 2 comes in 40mm and 44mm cases, while the Venu 2 Plus comes but in 43mm. I like larger smartwatches so I don't mind 43mm as the sole selection, though I could see shoppers wanting a more discreet size.

(Image credit: Future)

The Garmin Venu ii Plus also adds a 3rd command button. Two of the buttons human action as assigned apps or shortcuts (I set up mine to the workout bill of fare and my music player) while the lower 1 is a back button. All three buttons open dissimilar controls with a long press, like a tool carte du jour or settings. This smartwatch as well has a touchscreen, just the buttons are essential for navigation, then I hardly tapped on the screen. At least this meant fewer fingerprint smudges — and less gamble of errant taps from sweaty fingers.

(Image credit: Future)

Speaking of the display, the Garmin Venu 2 Plus's color AMOLED screen has multiple brightness levels and an ambient light sensor that can auto-adapt the effulgence based on your surround. More chiefly, the Venu two Plus display besides holds up against direct sunlight while outside — a major shortfall of Garmin'due south more than way-forward offerings, but a celebrated feature of Garmin'due south more than fettle-focused models, similar the Garmin fenix 6 or Garmin Instinct. Better even so, the Venu 2 Plus has an always-on brandish choice, only I kept it off for the sake of battery life.

Garmin Venu 2 Plus review: Fettle and health tracking features

The Venu ii Plus has substantially the aforementioned fitness tracking as the Garmin Venu 2, supporting daily footstep counts, motility goals and stairs climbed like all the best fettle trackers. Information technology similarly gets more than 25 congenital-in workout types and collection of more than than 1,400 additional presets bachelor for download. For over 75 full workout types the watch will testify proper form through helpful animations. A few of the best Fitbit watches offer a version of this characteristic, so visual guidance is not a Garmin exclusive, just well-executed feature nonetheless.

(Image credit: Future)

Garmin is known for many of the best running watches, and while the Venu 2 Plus might not exist the most rugged, it's suited for nearly training regimens with footstep and routing features. Whether you're looking into how to run a 5K or how to train for a marathon, you can apply the Garmin Coach'southward gratuitous adaptive training plans. Similar the Venu 2, the Venu 2 Plus has as authentic a GPS as it gets, loading up in seconds. The readings aligned with my altitude readings on my gym's treadmill, as well as my bike'due south odometer.

One wellness-tracking characteristic I particularly similar most the Venu 2 Plus is Wellness Snapshot. Health Snapshot logs a ii-infinitesimal window of key wellness stats, showing you lot multiple important metrics on a single screen. Information technology reminds me of the all-in-ane wellness readings on the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro, and it'south a tool I wish more smartwatches would copy.

(Image credit: Future)

Among the metrics collected in Health Snapshot is Body Battery, Garmin's energy monitoring score that keeps tabs on how sleep, stress and exercise impact your readiness. It'southward like to Fitbit'southward new Daily Readiness Score and the Oura Ring Generation iii's readiness score, though Garmin doesn't offering nearly as much actionable information based on your scores.

As for sleep tracking, the Venu 2 Plus tin track your sleep stages, SpO2 and respiration levels overnight. It'southward accurate enough. But I wish the lookout man had some kind of wind down or recommended bedtime based on Body Bombardment and sleep scores, similar my Apple Watch 7 or Oura Ring.

Garmin Venu two Plus review: Smartwatch features and calling

The Garmin Venu ii Plus promises a more than connected smartwatch experience than well-nigh other Garmin watches. With Android and iOS phone call support, making and answering calls from my wrist was a cakewalk. Many call-supporting smartwatches simply work with iOS phones or Android phones — non both — though that seems to changing. I recently tested the Amazfit GTR Pro 3, which like the Venu 2 Plus works the same with either smartphone software.

(Image credit: Future)

In add-on to being able to brand a call without earthworks for a phone, the Venu 2 Plus pairs with smartphone administration. A long printing of the watch's centre push button summoned Siri, letting me send texts or command the best HomeKit devices using my vocalization. Those with Google Assistant- and Bixby-enabled smartphones should benefit from the aforementioned convenience.

(Paradigm credit: Future)

The Venu 2 Plus can hold up to 650 songs, including playlists from Spotify, Amazon Music and more. Garmin Pay, mirrored notifications and tools like timers are likewise integrated into the user experience. More programs can be installed with the Garmin Connect IQ store, though the 3rd-party app selection remains limited compared to the watchOS and Google Play article of clothing app stores. Garmin Connect is perhaps better for finding fun (and free) sentry faces for the Venu 2 Plus, if that'due south your thing.

Garmin Venu 2 Plus review: Battery life

Garmin's smartwatches are battery life beasts, and the Venu 2 Plus is no exception. The sentinel is rated for 10 days of normal use, and 8 hours of consecutive GPS employ. Compared to my other favorite long-lasting smartwatches, the Venu two Plus falls between the Fitbit Sense (vii days) and the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro (12 days).

(Image credit: Futurity)

I opted to charge mine later 8 days, only to ensure it'd last overnight for sleep tracking and be ready for working tracking the next morning.

Garmin Venu ii Plus review: Verdict

As someone who'southward been post-obit the Venu line since the starting time, it'southward exciting to encounter the Garmin Venu two Plus emerge with connectivity features one time reserved for a limited shelf of smartwatches. It's as well i of the rare smartwatches that's both skilful for iOS users and 1 of the all-time smartwatches for Android.

If you lot're someone who likes taking calls from your wrist, but you also demand a smartwatch with a thorough suite of fitness- and health-tracking features, the Garmin Venu ii Plus lands in a sugariness spot of simply sporty and applied for everyday use. That said, at $449 it'south more expensive than the Apple Watch and Galaxy Watch — and has far fewer apps than both — so I'll encourage y'all to check out our smartwatch buying guide before you invest.

Kate Kozuch is a senior author at Tom'south Guide covering wearables, TVs and everything smart-home related. When she's not in cyborg mode, you lot can find her on an exercise cycle or channeling her inner celebrity chef. She and her robot regular army will dominion the world one solar day, but until then, achieve her at kate.kozuch@futurenet.com.

Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/garmin-venu-2-plus

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