Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Venu 3: Five Things to Know!
By Naila Syifa
Updated Nov 2023
Vivoactive 5 and Venu 3 are some Garmin models newly released in 2023, offering a range of new advanced features at a reasonable price. But how do they compare to each other? Which one is a better suit for you?
Let's take a closer look at the five most important things you should know when considering whether to buy a Vivoactive 5 or a Venu 3.
| Specs | Garmin Vivoactive 5 | Garmin Venu 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon | |
| Price | $299.99 | $449.99 |
| Dimensions | 42.2 x 42.2 x 11.1 mm | 45.4 x 45.4 x 12.2 mm |
| Weight | 36 g | 47 g |
| Screen Resolution | 390 x 390 pixels | 454 x 454 pixels |
| Runtime | Up to 11 days | Up to 14 days |
| Memory | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Speaker and Microphone | No | Yes |
| Built-in Maps | No | No |
| Body Battery | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced Sleep Monitoring | Yes, with Nap Detection | Yes, with Nap Detection |
| Built-in Sports App | 30+ | 30+ |
| Meditation | Yes | Yes |
| Wheelchair Mode | Yes | Yes |
| On-Screen Workout Animations | No | Yes |
| On-Screen Muscle Maps | Yes | Yes |
| Jet Lag Adviser | No | Yes |
Key Takeaways
Garmin Venu 3 is better than Vivoactive 5 with more health features like Jet Lag Advisor and animated workouts. Venu 3 also has a longer battery life of 14 days compared to Vivoactive 5 which lasts up to 11 days. However, Vivoactive 5 is far cheaper and offers most of Venu 3's features, such as sports apps, nap detection, and wheelchair mode.
Garmin Vivoactive 5
Everything you need
GPS smartwatch for daily fitness and health monitoring with all the essential features at a reasonable price.
Garmin Venu 3
Extra features for lifestyle
GPS smartwatch for comprehensive day-to-day health monitoring and fitness tracking with a built-in speaker and microphone.
#1 Price
Garmin Venu 3
Garmin Venu 3 is significantly more expensive than the Vivoactive 5, retailing at US$449.99. On the other hand, the Vivoactive 5 is priced at US$299.99, making it a more affordable option for budget-conscious consumers, especially if you don't need the extra features that the Venu 3 offers.
#2 Design & Display
Garmin Vivoactive 5
Both smartwatches look sleek and stylish, featuring a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 lens, an AMOLED display, and a comfortable silicone band. The Vivoactive 5 comes in 4 color options (orchid, black, ivory, and navy) you can choose to match your style, while the Venu 3 is only available in black and white.
However, the Venu 3 has a higher display resolution of 454 x 454 pixels and a larger display size of 1.4", compared to the Vivoactive 5 with a display resolution of 390 x 390 pixels and a display size of 1.2". This means that if you're looking for a smartwatch with a larger and more detailed display, the Venu 3 might be a better option for you.
Garmin Vivoactive 5
Everything you need
GPS smartwatch for daily fitness and health monitoring with all the essential features at a reasonable price.
#3 Health & Fitness Features
Garmin Venu 3
When it comes to health and fitness features, both the Vivoactive 5 and Venu 3 share so many things in common. They offer 30+ built-in sports apps to help you track your workouts and sports activities, including skiing, tennis, rowing, yoga, biking, swimming, running, and more. Workouts for wheelchair users are also available on both models.
Many health monitoring features are also supported, allowing you to keep track of your heart rate, stress, sleep, respiration, hydration levels, blood oxygen levels, menstrual cycle, and more. One outstanding feature that sets both models apart from other Garmin models is the Nap Detection, which also detects your daytime naps for a more comprehensive understanding of your sleep quality.
However, the Venu 3 has some additional health and fitness features that the Vivoactive 5 doesn't have, such as on-screen workout animations for better visual guidance, and a Jet Lag Adviser to help you adjust to new time zones and minimize the impacts of jet lag.
Garmin Venu 3
Extra features for lifestyle
GPS smartwatch for comprehensive day-to-day health monitoring and fitness tracking with a built-in speaker and microphone.
#4 Smartwatch Features
Garmin Vivoactive 5
With the Garmin Vivoactive 5 and Venu 3, you can receive notifications like emails, texts, and alerts right on your wrist, control your music, and even make contactless payments with Garmin Pay. If you have an Android phone, both models also allow you to reject a phone call with texts and view images sent to you directly on the watch face.
Another smart feature that both smartwatches offer is Morning Report, an overview of your day's upcoming calendar events, weather, sleep, and other health metrics, so you can better plan your day ahead. Safety and tracking features are also supported in both models, allowing the watch to sense when an incident occurs and send your location to your emergency contacts.
One advantage that the Venu 3 has over the Vivoactive 5 is the built-in speaker and microphone. This means you can use your Venu 3 to take and make phone calls or use your phone's voice assistant without having to take out your phone.
#5 Battery Life
Garmin Venu 3
The battery life of the Garmin Vivoactive 5 and Venu 3 is another important factor to consider. Vivoactive 5 can last up to 11 days in smartwatch mode and up to 21 days in battery-saver mode, while the Venu 3 can last up to 14 days in smartwatch mode and up to 26 days in battery-saver mode. Both are impressive numbers, but the Venu 3 is a better option for those who prioritize battery life.
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Venu 3
Final Thoughts
Garmin Vivoactive 5
At a significantly higher price, the Venu 3 offers a higher resolution display, a built-in speaker and microphone, longer battery life, and more health and fitness features like on-screen workout animations and Jet Lag Adviser.
However, if you're more budget-sensitive and don't need the extra features, the Vivoactive 5 is still a great option, offering most of the same features at a more affordable price.
If you like to read more on Garmin smartwatches, check out our other relevant guides here:
Best Garmin Smartwatches in Singapore
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Vivoactive 4
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Venu 2
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Venu Sq 2
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Forerunner 265
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Forerunner 965
Garmin Venu 3 vs Venu 2
Garmin Venu 3 vs Forerunner 265
Garmin Venu 3 vs Forerunner 965
Garmin Venu 3 vs Forerunner 955
Garmin Venu 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
Garmin Venu 3 vs Apple Watch Series 8
Garmin Venu 3 vs Fenix 7
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