I’ve tested and reviewed most Garmin watches released over the last few years, from the Fenix 8 and Forerunner 970 to the Instinct 3 and Venu 3. Despite my hoard of options, I’ve ended up sticking with Garmin’s most unique watch of the year, the Venu X1, for hundreds of miles of marathon training.
Long-time Garmin fans looked askance at the eight-day battery life and squircle design, but I found myself instantly accustomed to its feathery, comfortable fit and the ultra-bright 2-inch display for seeing data more clearly at a glance during workouts. The only thing that truly made it hard to recommend was the high price tag.
Now that Garmin has discounted the Venu X1 by $100 for its birthday sale, it’s a more reasonable upgrade to the new $549 Venu 4, and anyone sick of Garmin watches’ bulky aesthetic should give it serious consideration.
✅Recommended if: You already know the Garmin ecosystem well enough to drop serious cash on any premium model; you’re a self-guided athlete who wants Garmin’s best training insights; and you care about comfort and eye strain as much as battery life.
❌Skip this deal if: You can’t responsibly spend this much on any smartwatch; you need a Fenix or Instinct that’ll last for a 100-mile race or multi-day hike; or you don’t work out enough to take full advantage of Garmin’s tools.
Out of all the best Garmin watches, you’ll rarely find one this light; those that are, like the Vivoactive 6, have tiny displays and much more limited features. Because the Venu X1 display doesn’t cut off its corners for a traditional rounded look, you get much more topographical detail on maps, with more room for buttons and menus that don’t block your view. And otherwise, your watch faces and widgets are much larger, fitting more details on the screen.
That said, the Venu X1 isn’t perfect, and you may end up deciding that you’d rather buy the Venu 4 at full price for about $150 less.
The Venu 4 may not have maps, sapphire crystal protection, or premium running and cycling tools like running tolerance or Hill/ Endurance scores. But it does beat the Venu X1 with dual-band GPS and ECG readings, along with an extra 2–4 days of battery life. And it offers the same mic & speaker, flashlight, and training load data.
The problem, of course, is that the Venu 4 45mm weighs about half an ounce more while showing less data. It’s still lighter than your typical smartwatch, and everyday Garmin fans probably won’t mind. It’s just missing that special something that makes the X1 stand out for me.
Only you know whether the Venu X1 is the right metaphorical fit for your daily workouts. All I can tell you is that the physical fit is fantastic and you can’t pry the Garmin Venu X1 off my wrist.
