The Garmin Venu 3 is arguably the model’s most smartwatch-y smartwatch to this point, simplifying the consumer expertise with a delightfully vivid AMOLED touchscreen and providing issues like music and contactless pay from the wrist.
Alas, a lot of the helpful smartwatch performance, comparable to the flexibility to reply to calls and preview messages by way of the watch face, are restricted to Android customers solely. That’s why Apple’s Watch Collection 9 nonetheless guidelines the roost with many iOS devotees.
What’s extra, Apple’s health monitoring prowess has vastly improved through the years and Collection 9 working WatchOS 10 makes for a formidable health coach, way of life guru and common wellness buddy.
Each the Garmin and Apple providing are amongst a few of the greatest smartwatches on the market in the meanwhile, however which one is worthy of your hard-earned money? We stand them contact screen-to-touchscreen to be able to see which watch comes out on prime.
Apple Watch Collection 9 vs Garmin Venu 3
Apple Watch Collection 9 vs Garmin Venu 3: worth and availability
(Picture credit score: Leon Poultney)
At time of writing, the Garmin Venu 3 is available in two bezel sizes. The smaller 41mm Venu 3S prices $449/£449/AUS$749 and is available in six muted colors, from pastel pinks to lotions, mild inexperienced and an all-black mannequin.
The bigger Venu 3, with its 45mm bezel, is similar worth except you go for the mannequin with a black leather-based strap, wherein case you’ll need to half with $499/£499. We couldn’t discover this explicit mannequin in Australian {dollars}.
In terms of the Apple Watch Collection 9, costs begin at £399/$399/AUS$649 for the aluminium, 41mm case. You’ll have to half with an extra £20/$20/AUS$40 in the event you fancy the bigger 45mm Aluminium case measurement.
Costs then improve to £699/$699/AUS$1,199 in the event you plump for the stainless-steel casing of the identical measurement.
Go all-out and possibility the biggest 45mm case in Stainless and you’ll have to stump up £749/$749/AUS$1,279, massively eclipsing the value of the equal 45mm Garmin Venu 3.
Winner: The Garmin Venu 3 is the cheaper possibility on probably the most half, making it the winner right here.
Apple Watch Collection 9 vs Garmin Venu 3: specs
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Apple Watch Collection 9 | Garmin Venu 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Sizes | 41 mm, 45 mm | 41 mm, 45 mm |
| Weight | 31.9g/ 51.5g | 34g/ 42g |
| Case materials | Aluminium or Stainless Metal | Fibre-reinforced polymer and stainless-steel |
| Water score | 5ATM | 5ATM |
| Lens materials | Ion-X glass (Aluminum), Sapphire crystal (Stainless Metal) | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Show kind | At all times-On Retina LTPO OLED show | AMOLED (Optionally available At all times-On mode) |
| Show decision | 352×430 pixels (41 mm), 396×484 pixels (45 mm) | 454 x 454 pixels |
| Max brightness | as much as 2,000 nits | not acknowledged |
| Battery life | as much as 36 hours | as much as 26 days |
| Storage | 64GB | 8GB |
Winner: Apple nearly takes it on display brightness and its speedy processor.
Apple Watch Collection 9 vs Garmin Venu 3: design and construct high quality
(Picture credit score: Leon Poultney)
The 2 watches take a really completely different method to each design and construct high quality. The Apple Watch Collection 9 feels extra like a bit of jewelry, with its modern aluminium or stainless-steel casing and number of trendy straps which are on provide.
In the meantime, the Garmin Venu 3 feels a bit extra fundamental. This possible isn’t helped by the selection of fibre-reinforced polymer for the casing, which is completely strong however doesn’t precisely scream luxurious.
Equally, the black silicone strap that got here with our Venu 3 check watch was extra of a pale gray and may’t compete with the fashionable array of bands that Apple now provides. Apple additionally went massive with the eco-credentials this yr, claiming it’s the first watch to be absolutely “carbon impartial” without having scrapped leather-based straps and has focussed on recycled supplies for a number of of its hottest loops.
In terms of withstanding each day life, each fashions are water-rated to 5ATM, which is completely high-quality for swimming however greatest averted if you wish to dive deeper. The shows are additionally very comparable in measurement, with Garmin simply pipping Apple by way of all-out actual property.
(Picture credit score: Matt Kollat/T3)
That stated, Apple’s At all times-On Retina Show delivers a whopping 2,000 nits of brightness, whereas the Venu 3 manages simply 1,000. Throughout testing, we discovered that it didn’t make an enormous quantity of distinction and with brightness pumped as much as max on the Venu 3, it was completely introduced sufficient for many conditions.
Naturally, it’s troublesome to match the processors and working techniques right here, as they’re each very completely different. The newest Apple Watch Collection 9 runs its S9 IsP chip, which is arguably the quickest and slickest it has ever been. It additionally permits for sooner on-device Siri, Precision Discovering for suitable iPhones and gesture management.
The Garmin consumer expertise is slick, and menu screens flick between each other with little bother, however we did discover some requests had been slower than others. Activating the on-device voice assistant, which requires a connection to a smartphone, might be a bit clunky, for instance.
Winner: Apple provides the better-looking watch, however the Garmin is extra discreet. Private desire guidelines there, however there’s no denying that Apple has the extra premium-feeling watch. Apple wins.
Apple Watch Collection 9 vs Garmin Venu 3: options
“Garmin is arguably nonetheless higher for individuals who actually wish to delve into athletic efficiency statistics post-workout.”
(Picture credit score: Leon Poultney)
Each watches function a lot of the identical well being and fitness-tracking {hardware}, with blood oxygen, temperature and optical coronary heart price sensors neatly built-in to maintain observe of vitals.
What’s extra, they each function accelerometers, gyroscopes and altimeters, to allow them to precisely observe motion and will increase in altitude, which helps in figuring out the variety of stairs you’ve climbed in a set interval.
Beforehand, we’d have stated the Garmin makes probably the most rounded health watch, however Apple has actually upped its sport on this division of late, providing the identical built-in exercise profiles, wellness options and well being recommendation from the wrist.
Garmin is arguably nonetheless higher for individuals who actually wish to delve into athletic efficiency statistics post-workout, because the accompanying Garmin Join app provides reams of knowledge for health followers to pore over. Equally, it’s simply as straightforward to get topline info with a fast look on the watch face.
That stated, the Venu 3 lacks a few of the actual granular element, comparable to VO2 Max, Coaching Load and Coaching Impact that’s discovered on Forerunner, Fenix and Epix watches. It additionally doesn’t provide working energy and different efficiency metrics with out first synching an exterior energy meter.
“The Apple Watch Collection 9 is the much better smartwatch, as long as you’re already embedded within the Apple ecosystem.”
(Picture credit score: Matt Kollat/T3)
Over time, Apple has made actual headway on this space, and issues like working energy can be found on the Apple Watch Collection 9 with out the necessity for extra sensors. What’s extra, watchOS 10 now additionally helps third-party Bluetooth sensors, so it’s potential to connect issues like biking energy meters for extra in-depth exercise evaluation.
Lastly, the Apple Watch Collection 9 is the much better smartwatch, as long as you’re already embedded within the Apple ecosystem. Customers can accomplish that way more from the wrist, comparable to reply to messages and navigate with Apple Maps from the wrist, whereas the App Retailer is totally filled with useful software program, from flight info to manage over the good residence. It’s a real mirror of your smartphone’s capabilities, somewhat than merely paying lip service to the ability of the smartphone in your pocket.
Though Garmin provides some good options for Android customers, this lack of an app retailer actually does see it fall behind by way of true smartwatch options. Simply take a look at the watch faces on provide via Garmin ConnectIQ – some are questionable at greatest.
Plus, Apple has even launched gesture management to take care of all the notifications it should throw on the wearer, making it a real next-gen piece of tech.
Winner: The Apple Watch Collection 9 is the much better smartwatch, but it surely’s additionally making strikes on Garmin’s well being and health monitoring dominance. Apple is a transparent winner.
Apple Watch Collection 9 vs Garmin Venu 3: battery life
“The Garmin Venu 3 sits on the very reverse finish of the spectrum, in a position to run for a powerful 26 days in battery-saver mode.”
(Picture credit score: Leon Poultney)
With nice energy comes nice compromise, and other than the value of the Apple Watch Collection 9 eclipsing that of Garmin’s Venu 3 while you begin ticking the choices packing containers, its battery life can also be borderline embarrassing by comparability.
At the easiest you may count on simply over 36 hours of juice from the Apple Watch, however that is vastly impacted in the event you use it repeatedly to trace runs, verify emails and navigate with. Throughout testing, we discovered we had been charging it most days, particularly when used as a sleep-tracking gadget.
The Garmin Venu 3 sits on the very reverse finish of the spectrum, in a position to run for a powerful 26 days in battery-saver mode. Now, that is the very best case, however even below common use, we discovered it might probably simply final every week earlier than it wants plugging in. That features carrying it to mattress.
This provides nice peace of thoughts if you’re travelling and don’t need to need to pack further charging cables. Equally, these out tenting or having fun with life within the wilderness can even depend on their Garmin to run the course.
Worst case, you’ll stand up to twenty hours with each single piece of GPS {hardware} working flat out.
Winner: The Garmin is the clear winner right here and really troublesome to beat.
Apple Watch Collection 9 vs Garmin Venu 3: verdict
“The Apple Watch Collection 9 is a formidable smartwatch that performs admirably when tasked with health and wellness monitoring duties.”
(Picture credit score: Apple)
Just a few years in the past, we’d have had bother recommending an Apple Watch as a real health gadget, seeing because it beforehand solely scratched the floor with fundamental working, strolling and motion metrics. That is merely not true now, and Apple actually can provide Garmin a run for its cash in terms of built-in exercise profiles and the element customers can dive into post-session.
Maybe Apple’s greatest downfall stays its battery life, which is pathetic in comparison with what Garmin can provide, whereas its gadgets are solely of use to these with Apple smartphones. The Garmin is the extra rounded watch, an actual do-it-all gadget that can enchantment to each iOS and Android customers.
However the place it tries to enchantment to everybody, it lacks the smartwatch chops that Apple now brings. It merely doesn’t do the work and residential life assistant stuff significantly properly. Primarily, it stays a health watch with some smartwatch capabilities.
Nevertheless, the Apple Watch Collection 9 is a formidable smartwatch that additionally now performs admirably when tasked with health and wellness monitoring duties. In the event you can deal with charging it just about each night time, it’s the clear winner.
