We explain how to pick between these two premier Garmin watches.
With the stable of premium Garmin watches growing ever larger, picking between devices like the Venu 3 and Fenix 7 range has become increasingly difficult in recent times.
If you are set on picking up a new Garmin, these two lineups remain essential to consider; both cram a raft of features and insights into designs that stand above most of the competition.
To find out which is best for your wrist, you’ll need to know each one well—and all the areas in which they differ.
That’s why we’ve broken down all the key battlegrounds. Below, we’ll compare the designs, tracking features, smarts, and battery life and outline the type of user we think each watch is suited to. Let’s dive in.
Read the full reviews:
A word on versions
With Garmin, it’s never just a matter of choosing between two base models. There are always numerous case sizes and versions available, and this is also true for the Fenix 7 and Venu 3.
The most pertinent thing to be aware of is the fact that there are a few very distinct differences between the Fenix 7 (2022) and Fenix 7 Pro (2023). We’ll reference these in more detail below, but, otherwise, the two are pretty much the same device.
In addition, it’s important to consider the case sizes. The Fenix 7 range offers six core models for you to choose from: the standard 47mm watches in the 7 and 7 Pro series, along with ‘S’ and ‘X’ editions for each. The ‘S’ measures 42mm, while the ‘X’ models are the largest at 51mm.
And that’s not all – you’ll have to choose your screen type, as well. For the Fenix 7 models, you can choose between a standard display, a standard display with solar charging, or a sapphire display with solar chathing.
And if you want to go Pro, that choice is whittled down to a standard solar display or a sapphire display with solar.
This incredibly vast array of choices means that there is essentially a Fenix 7 for every type of wrist. Additionally, there are typically two or three different colors available for each model.
The Venu 3 doesn’t boast quite the same level of variations, but it’s still solid enough. Regarding the display, there’s no choice, with the standard model (45mm) simply joined by a smaller Venu 3S, which is 41mm.
Pricing
This difference in choice, as you would expect, along with other factors we’ll dive into below, has a pretty significant impact on price.
We’ve listed the core pricing below for each model, but, as a summary, even the cheapest Fenix 7 watch is $200 / £110 more expensive than the Venu 3.
You’ll also pay the same price for the standard and ‘S’ versions in either range, though the ‘X’ models in the Fenix 7 range will cost more – as will the 7 Pro editions.
Garmin Venu 3 pricing
- Venu 3: $449.99 / £449.99
- Venu 3S: $449.99 / £449.99
Garmin Fenix 7 & Fenix 7 Pro pricing
- Fenix 7: From $649.99 / £559.99
- Fenix 7S : From $649.99 / £559.99
- Fenix 7X: From $799.99 / £699.99
- Fenix 7 Pro: From $799.99 / £749.99
- Fenix 7S Pro: From $799.99 / £749.99
- Fenix 7X Pro: From $849.99 / £829.99
Core design: Smartwatch vs. sports watch
The main design differences between these two watch lineups are immediately obvious, with the Fenix 7 range much bulkier, rugged, and akin to the other top outdoor sports watches on the market.
You’ll be treated to some ingenious design features as a result, such as the built-in flashlight at the top of the case of the Pro models (and Fenix 7X).
The Venu 3, by comparison, is much more similar to the latest smartwatches from big-name brands like Apple, Samsung, and Google.
It still has some sporty DNA, but this is a more modern design that foregoes the on-show lug screws of the Fenix 7 watches and instead features a very clean bezel and case.
Navigation is different, as a result. While the Fenix models feature Garmin’s typical five-button array on the outer edge of the case, the Venu 3 is limited to just three.
Touchscreen support, though, is available on either. And it’s in that display where another key difference exists.
Display: AMOLED vs. MIP
The Fenix 7 models all feature a memory-in-pixel (MIP) display, which literally pales in comparison to the Venu 3’s punchy and colorful AMOLED display, despite being more power efficient.
The 7 Pro editions do have a slightly improved MIP screen over the standard models, but, in testing, we didn’t really find this to be too significant an upgrade.
And it’s certainly not enough to really compete with any AMOLED display from Garmin – even when considering the battery-sapping differences, which we’ll come onto below.
Those who want that AMOLED display in a Fenix 7 design can make the jump right over to the Garmin Epix (Gen 2) or Epix Pro (Gen 2) for a small premium. Otherwise, though, we think the Venu 3 is a far superior display in both pure aesthetics and practicality, given it’s easier to view in all conditions.
The design won’t do as well as the Fenix 7 watches during outdoor excursions, though – especially if you opt for one of the editions with that tougher and more scratch-resistant sapphire display.
Sports features and tracking
Given that these are two of Garmin’s more premium devices, you can expect a relatively extensive library of insights and sports profiles to keep you occupied. But, as with their designs, they’re actually quite distinctive.
We’ll list the three areas of note below, but keep in mind that each range’s feature set has a different general focus.
For example, the Fenix 7 range—the pinnacle of the company’s sports watches—is very focused on providing guidance for training and monitoring condition.
This means features like Training Status, Training Readiness, and other newer metrics like Endurance Score and Hill Score take center stage, and you’re also privy to all the mapping and navigation features you would expect from an outdoor-ready device.
Yet, none of this is available on the Venu 3. And that’s because this is much more of a wellness device and smartwatch. It’s just not really designed for serious training or tracking – even if it does still do a decent job for casuals.
The Venu 3 does have a couple of exclusives at the time of writing, such as the Sleep Coach, a new Meditation mode, and the upgraded version of Body Battery, but we expect these to arrive on Fenix (and Epix) devices sooner rather than later.
Heart rate sensors
The Venu 3 features Garmin’s fifth-gen Elevate heart rate sensor, making it the only device outside of the Epix Pro (Gen 2) and Fenix 7 Pro to feature its latest heart rate monitoring tech.
In our testing, we haven’t noticed a seismic difference between this and the fourth-gen sensor, but it is definitely more consistent than data from a chest strap.
The non-Pro Fenix 7 devices all feature the fourth-gen sensor array, so keep this in mind.
ECG support
After first arriving through the Venu 2 Plus line, Garmin’s ECG feature has now expanded to include many more models and regions.
The guide linked above covers the ins and outs. All you really need to know is that both the Venu 3 and Garmin Fenix 7 Pro watches have the capability (provided you’re in the right region).
The Fenix 7 models aren’t capable of the ECG feature since they feature a V4 Elevate sensor.
GNSS support / GPS type
Improving on the Venu 2, Garmin offers All Systems GNSS on the Venu 3. We’ve covered the details of satellite systems on Garmin separately for those who want all the details, but, in short, this means that users should receive a quicker GPS lock.
However, it can’t quite match up with Garmin’s Multi-Band / dual-frequency GNSS option in terms of accuracy, which uses L1 and L5 bands concurrently to pinpoint your positioning.
Importantly, Multi-Band is standard on the Fenix 7 Pro models but only features on the sapphire editions of the Fenix 7 range. This is a sure-fire reason to upgrade—particularly if you run in forested or city environments or want the best accuracy for races/events.
Smart features
Despite being styled as more of a smartwatch than the Fenix 7, the Venu 3 doesn’t really go above and beyond in this area. In fact, in our view, neither of these devices really offers a smart experience that we would grade as a strength.
Here, the key difference between the two watches is the inclusion of a built-in speaker and microphone on the Venu 3, which means you can take phone calls directly on the watch.
It’s a nice-to-have feature, but, since you’ll still need to be within range of your smartphone to make use of it, it’s also something that we’re not overly excited about.
Unfortunately, neither of these watches possesses the option of cellular support, which would make both infinitely more useable as smart devices.
Still, you do get access to the odd app through Garmin’s Connect IQ store, and this means you can at least access things like Spotify for offline listening.
And, as you would expect, support for notifications and Garmin Pay is also present.
Battery life
We’ll keep this section very general on account of the considerable variations between the expected battery life of the many Fenix 7 versions and the fact that we haven’t yet had the chance to fully test the performance of the Venu 3.
With Garmin estimating that you’ll receive 14 days in ‘Smartwatch Mode’ and 5 days with the always-on display turned on, there’s little doubt that the Fenix 7 is the superior device for staying power.
Not only is the more efficient MIP display of the Fenix range always on by default, but you can also expect to get around 28 days in ‘Smartwatch Mode’ and much more time in continuous GPS tracking modes.
Technically, you could make the battery last indefinitely with a solar edition of the Fenix 7. However, our experience with the tech shows that it is nigh-on impossible to gain any meaningful battery upgrades.
For clarity, we wouldn’t characterize the Venu 3’s battery as weak. Anything close to 5 days with an always-on AMOLED display is very good going, and we actually think the improved quality (compared to MIP) is more than worth the battery trade-off.
Verdict: Which is best?
All of the differences outlined above show that these are two very distinct watches despite being relatively close in Garmin’s hierarchy.
The Venu 3 is the ideal pick for casual athletes who are focused on wellness and health. Its modern, light, smartwatch-like design matches the Apple Watch well.
You do miss out on top-tier training insights, and it doesn’t really offer enough of a smart experience to really be considered a true smartwatch, but it’s still Garmin’s best attempt at the format.
On the other hand, the Fenix 7 range remains the gold standard for outdoor adventurers who crave performance data, sports profiles, navigation smarts, and something long-lasting.
It’s by far the more complete device of the two, as it should be for the price, but it will also be overkill for many users.
