Fully unlocked cellular potential
Garmin Venu 2 Plus
$450 at Amazon $450 at Best Buy $450 at Walmart
advantage
- Supports Google Assistant, Siri and Bixby commands
- phone on watch
- There is a third button for both shortcuts
- Best battery life in GPS mode
shortcoming
- Daily battery life is slightly shorter
- More expensive
If you want to take calls or ask questions of your favorite voice assistant without taking out your phone, the slightly higher cost of the new Venu 2 Plus is justified. Otherwise, it has the same software and sensors as other Venu 2 watches, but only in one 43mm configuration.
Cut costs, increase size and color
Garmin Venu 2 and 2S
$350 at Amazon $400 at Best Buy
advantage
- Low prices, often discounted
- 2S offers lighter, more colorful designs
- 2 additional days of daily battery life
shortcoming
- No microphone for calls or voice assistants
- only two navigation buttons
- Less GPS tracking time
Given the Venu 2 watch’s high entry cost, you can ditch the cellular option and get the same display (plus a longer lifespan) for a lower price. The Venu 2 offers a similar design, while the 2S gives you a smaller configuration that some people prefer.
If you’re weighing which Venu 2 lineup to buy, rest assured that there are more similarities than differences. Each model has a pixel-rich AMOLED display, a plastic case with a steel bezel, water resistance, the same sensors and other similar features. Sure, you’re going to pay a hefty bill no matter which option you choose, but is the new Venu 2 Plus worth the extra bucks? It depends on whether you want a lifestyle watch or a watch separate from your phone.
Garmin Venu 2 and Venu 2 Plus: A few key differences
Venu 2 Plus summons the voice assistant.
The newer Garmin Venu 2 Plus features three specific upgrades over the Garmin Venu 2 and 2S: the addition of a microphone, speaker, and a third navigation button on the side of the watch.
With the help of the microphone and speaker, the Venu 2 Plus can answer calls forwarded from a nearby smartphone. Alternatively, you can summon your favorite voice assistant to ask a question or start a workout.
These additions make your watch more usable and slightly reduce overall battery life. For example, the Venu 2 lasts 11 days or 8 hours of GPS time in smartwatch mode, while the Venu 2 Plus only lasts 9 days — but also withstands 24-hour GPS tracking, which is several hours longer than other Venu 2 watches.
All three watches have touchscreen navigation, but the Venu 2 and Venu 2S only have two buttons, while the Venu 2 Plus adds a third. Everyone can start a workout or go back to the previous screen with a quick press, but only the Plus gives you two shortcuts for a short or long press on the middle button. You can configure them to summon Garmin Pay, your voice assistant, your smartwatch, or any other feature you need to access frequently and quickly.
Otherwise, you basically get the same specs. The 2 and 2 Plus are fairly heavy compared to most fitness trackers, while the Garmin Venu 2S offers a more relaxed experience if you can live with the smaller display. You can rest assured that you’ll get the same software, metrics, sport modes and longer battery life than any other lifestyle watch.
Garmin Venus 2 | Garmin Venu 2S | Garmin Venu 2 Plus | |
---|---|---|---|
operating system | Garmin operating system Available for Android and iOS |
Garmin operating system Available for Android and iOS |
Garmin operating system Available for Android and iOS |
exhibit | 1.3″/33mm Corning Gorilla Glass 3 Color AMOLED touch screen |
1.1″/29mm Corning Gorilla Glass 3 Color AMOLED touch screen |
1.3″/33mm Corning Gorilla Glass 3 Color AMOLED touch screen |
solve | 416×416 | 360×360 | 416×416 |
Case and Bezel | Fiber Reinforced Polymers (Plastics) Stainless steel |
Fiber Reinforced Polymers (Plastics) Stainless steel |
Fiber Reinforced Polymers (Plastics) Stainless steel |
band | 22mm | 18mm | 20mm |
sensor | GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO human resource Management barometric altimeter compass Gyro Accelerometer thermometer Ambient light sensor blood oxygen saturation |
GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO human resource Management barometric altimeter compass Gyro Accelerometer thermometer Ambient light sensor blood oxygen saturation |
GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO human resource Management barometric altimeter compass Gyro Accelerometer thermometer Ambient light sensor blood oxygen saturation |
music storage | Up to 650 songs Partnered with Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music |
Up to 650 songs Partnered with Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music |
Up to 650 songs Partnered with Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music |
NFC payment | Garmin payment | Garmin payment | Garmin payment |
telephone | 🚫 | 🚫 | ✔️ |
voice assistant | 🚫 | 🚫 | Bixby, Google Assistant, Siri |
LTE | 🚫 | 🚫 | 🚫 |
connectivity | Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi | Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi | Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi |
Battery | 11 days (12 with battery saver) 8 hours GPS mode with music 22 hours GPS mode without music Proprietary Charger |
10 days (11 with battery saver) 7 hours GPS mode with music 19 hours GPS mode without music Proprietary Charger |
9 days (10W/power saving mode) 8 hours GPS mode with music 24 hours GPS mode without music Proprietary Charger |
Wireless charging | 🚫 | 🚫 | 🚫 |
water proof | 5 ATMs | 5 ATMs | 5 ATMs |
aspect | 45.4 x 45.4 x 12.2 mm | 40.4 x 40.4 x 12.1 mm | 43.6 x 43.6 x 12.6 mm |
weight | 49 grams | 38 grams | 51 grams |
color | slate, silver | slate, silver, Light gold, rose gold | slate, silver, Light gold |
This Garmin Venu 2 and 2S offer a fair compromise
When we first reviewed the Garmin Venu 2, we praised it as a great device, but it was too expensive for what it offered. If it could cost $100 less, it might rank among the best Android smartwatches to date. But over the next few months, we often saw it priced well below its $400 list price.
The new Venu 2 Plus will likely cost $450 for a while, and if you can spot a sale on a Venu 2 or 2S, you might want to snap it up when it’s on sale. Venu 2 has built-in GPS and music storage so you can easily exercise without a smartphone. If you like to leave your phone behind during your workouts, you probably don’t need the Plus’ cellular upgrade.
Also, for those with thinner wrists, you might prefer the Venu 2S due to its lighter weight and smaller display size. Plus, it has a unique and stylish rose gold style that you might love.
This Garmin Venu 2 Plus justify the extra cost
If you can afford the extra cost, the Venu 2 Plus is our recommended future-proof option. Assuming you’ll be doing some sustained workouts, the actual workout tracking lasts longer than others, which may help reduce the battery life of the microphone and speakers.
Its smart assistant connectivity helps make the Venu 2 Plus a proper “lifestyle” watch and fitness watch. We love the third button to access your favorite tools like NFC payments without scrolling through menus. If you’re planning to spend a lot of money on a smartwatch, go for a plus size; it’s one of the best fitness smartwatches we’ve tested.
Fully unlocked cellular potential
Garmin Venu 2 Plus
Track your workouts the longest
$450 at Amazon $450 at Best Buy $450 at Walmart
The Venu 2 Plus is the true ultimate form of this watch line, offering everything you need for fitness and everyday use. You won’t regret choosing to take calls on your wrist.
Cut costs, increase size and color
Garmin Venu 2 and 2S
Go (rose) gold and save money
$350 at Amazon $400 at Best Buy
If you don’t mind missing out on the mic and speakers, the Garmin Venu 2 and 2S offer gorgeous AMOLED displays and comprehensive fitness metrics to help you reach your fitness goals.
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