The Garmin Venu Sq is an update of the well-known Garmin Venu and is aimed at fitness-conscious users who value a smartwatch with extensive tracking features. Since the Venu Sq (check out the Garmin shop) is already available at a price of around 195 Euros (~$195), it could turn out to be a real insider tip for price-conscious Garmin fans. We tested the Venu Sq as part of our sports watch theme, compared it with the Garmin Venu and checked whether the new edition fully exploits its potential.
In this article
Design and Setup
The Garmin Venu Sq expands the Venu series. The classic Garmin Venu becomes a premium device with a circular case and AMOLED display. The Venu Sq relies on a rectangular design with LCD protected by Gorilla Glass 3. It also features two control buttons on the right edge, just like its predecessor, which are discreetly embedded in the watch’s plastic case. The bezel of the watch is made of scratch-resistant aluminum.
As usual for the US-american manufacturer, the setup of the Garmin Venu Sq is simple and straightforward. We download the Garmin Connect app to our smartphone, create a Garmin account, and pair the watch via Bluetooth using a pairing code. We also select the desired language when we start the watch for the first time. Unlike the Venu, however, the Venu Sq changes the units of measurement accordingly this time. If we choose German as the operating language, then the watch automatically displays all measurements according to the metric system.
Technical Details
| Size screen | 1,3 inch |
| Wrist band material | Multiple choices in color and material |
| Size watch | 37 x 40 x 10 mm |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth |
| GPS | yes |
| Battery life | 6+ days |
| Supported systems | Android, iOS |
| Water resistance | Swim, 5 ATM |
| Display | AMOLED |
| Sensors | Health and fitness tracking |
App and Software
Those who already own or have used a Garmin smartwatch will quickly find their way around the Garmin Connect app. Switching from another Garmin watch to the new Garmin Venu Sq works smoothly via the device selection. Even Garmin newcomers will find the wealth of data that the app records with the help of the smartwatch very clear and intuitive.
Familiar Garmin Connect features also work with the Venu Sq: We can record and schedule workouts, collect specific achievements and join groups, store gear (and track miles run with a specific pair of running shoes, for example), and store emergency information or share live locations. The watch also has built-in accident notification, which allows the Venu Sq to send its own location to emergency contacts stored in the smartphone if it detects an accident or if we request emergency assistance ourselves.
Training
As usual, Garmin shows its full strength when it comes to training: We can record various sports via the Venu Sq itself, including different running and cycling variants, but also golf, rowing, winter sports, SUP, strength training or yoga. If we cover a distance in the respective sport, the Venu Sq tracks the distance covered via GPS. After the workout, we can view a summary in the app or directly on the watch’s display – including a route map and other data such as calories burned, kilometers covered, steps, and so on.
Runners and cyclists can use the free training plans available in the app with the Garmin Venu Sq. The smartwatch then reminds users of upcoming workouts as soon as they start a session. We can then choose to start a workout from the plan or just work out as is. The app offers detailed explanatory videos for all units, so the training plans are also very suitable for beginners.
By the way, the Garmin Venu Sq offers the same water resistance of 5 ATM as the Venu and is therefore suitable for showering and swimming, but not for diving. If you want to record a swim workout, you can set the lane length beforehand so that the watch counts the lanes covered.
The Garmin Venu Sq can also count during weight training, which works better than many other smartwatches with similar features in the test, but still not quite optimally. We tested the watch during an Olympic weightlifting session with snatches and overhead presses. The watch still registered four out of five repetitions in a set and did not bother with the complexity of the exercise. If the smartwatch does not record our repetitions correctly, we can at least correct it in the app.
There, we can also enter the weights moved and add additional exercises – the app offers a selection of several hundred different exercise variations for this purpose, from load pulls to bench presses and single-arm kettlebell snatches to specific activities like the overhead triceps stretch in a seated position with dumbbells. So anyone who wants to do without an analog training diary will definitely get a viable alternative here, even if there is still a bit of room for improvement in the actual recording of repetitions.
Garmin still has an ace up its sleeve for the Venu Sq: Because the watch is not only compatible with training plans for runners and cyclists from the app, but also allows training with preloaded workouts in the areas of cardio, strength training, yoga and Pilates. If you want, you can also create your own workouts via Gamin Connect and then display them on the Venu Sq.
Sleep
Because Garmin has made few changes to the Venu Sq’s design compared to its predecessor, the new smartwatch is just as comfortable to wear while sleeping and is virtually unnoticeable. The Venu Sq automatically records sleep phases and reliably measures when you fall asleep and when you wake up. It also measures pulse and breathing rate as well as blood oxygen saturation. We can see the result of the previous night at a glance on the app’s home screen and get a detailed overview of all sleep data again by clicking on sleep tracking.
The integrated vibration alarm clock works reliably, but does not recognize sleep phases. A corresponding third-party app from the Garmin IQ Shop remedies this, but it clearly affects the battery runtime. The Garmin Venu Sq’s alarm clock has a snooze function that we can program individually. Finally, the Garmin Connect app asks us for our usual sleep time, so the smartwatch automatically deactivates incoming notifications during this time if desired.
Music
Garmin offers the Venu Sq both with and without a separate music function. If you opt for the music version, which costs about 50 Euros more depending on the model, you can easily load your own music into the smartwatch’s onboard storage, just like on the Venu. This works without additional software. The music can then be played via Bluetooth headphones on the go without needing our smartphone.
The Venu Sq without music storage also has music control, but it only works in combination with our own smartphone. We can install associated apps for Spotify and Deezer on the Venu Sq or control the music played on the smartphone via the integrated music interface. All in all, the music control of the Venu Sq worked absolutely exemplary in our test. Pairing with various Bluetooth headphones also worked smoothly. Many other smartwatch providers could take a leaf out of this book.
Battery life and Price
Garmin promises a battery life of up to six days for the Venu Sq. We activated notifications and sleep tracking in the test and also completed at least one workout per day including GPS tracking. The Venu Sq lasted about five days before it reached a charge level of ten percent. Although it lags behind pure fitness trackers (find more fitness smart watches)and high-end smartwatches, it offers more runtime than the predecessor. Because the Venu Sq is also fully recharged within an hour, we rate the battery life of the Venu Sq positively.
Depending on which variant of the Garmin Venu Sq you’ll choose, the watch costs between around 195 Euros (square display, no music function) or 244 Euros (square display, music function) and 342 Euros (round display, music function). Garmin also charges an additional surcharge for certain color variants. Interchangeable wristbands are also available starting at just under 30 Euros.
Conclusion
Garmin has obviously understood what its customers want, and with the Garmin Venu Sq it offers a smartwatch for amateur athletes who also value a discreet design. Like the Venu, the Venu Sq looks more like a normal watch and less like a clunky sports smartwatch. Nevertheless, it doesn’t have to stand in front of the genuine sports watches from the competition from Suunto or Polar.
However, the innovations compared to the Venu remain manageable: The Venu Sq offers a few more information directly on the watch instead of only in the app – for example, maps of distances covered during training or a graphical overview of the heart rate during the past hours. Garmin has also adapted the design of the user interface and integrated a few additional training functions.
Garmin has thus improved many small details of the Venu with this smartwatch, which is a real buy tip for price-conscious smartwatch users in our opinion. Those who own a Garmin Venu do not need to switch to the Venu Sq. But those who are looking for a relatively inexpensive smartwatch with many useful tracking and training features will get their money’s worth with the Garmin Venu Sq starting at just under 200 Euros.
