Garmin Venu 3 Vs Vivoactive 5 – Check Which One Is Best & Why?

Smart Watch

Garmin Venu 3 & Vivoactive 5 share many similarities, but there are also important differences, such as quality, performance, features & design. If you want the best one between them, I Would recommend the Garmin Venu 3  rather than the Garmin Vivoactive 5.

Why Do I Recommend The Garmin Venu 3

  • The Garmin Venu 3 has a 1.4” Larger Display, which allows for easier navigation in detailed maps, animated workouts, and settings compared to the Vivoactive 5’s smaller 1.2-inch display.
  • It has a faster custom-designed processor, which navigates through menus, loads apps, and uses advanced features quickly and smoothly. The Vivoactive 5s processor is slower.
  • The Venu 3 has more advanced health tracking features like Health Snapshot and Sleep Coach that help improve overall fitness routines, which are absent in the Vivoactive 5.
  • It comes with advanced Body Battery monitoring, which offers a more detailed breakdown of energy levels and recovery throughout the day. The Vivoactive 5 has basic Body Battery features.
  • The Garmin Venu 3 has both a speaker and a microphone to receive phone calls directly from the watch and interact with voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant. In contrast, the Vivoactive 5 lacks a speaker.
  • It has Wheelchair Mode, which tracks wheelchair pushes as part of the activity metrics. This feature is absent in the Vivoactive 5.
  • The Venu 3 includes animated on-screen workouts, which guide visually through exercises like yoga, strength training, and cardio, while the Vivoactive 5 does not include animated workout guidance.
  • Garmin Venu 3 offers up to 14 days of battery life in smartwatch mode for longer intervals between charges, whereas the Vivoactive 5 provides up to 11 days.
  • Additionally, The Garmin Venu 3 provides 8 GB of storage, allowing for more music, apps, and data storage, whereas the Vivoactive 5 offers 4 GB of memory.

Maybe the Garmin Venu 3 price can make you comfortable because it’s a little bit cheaper than the Garmin Vivoactive 5. But you have to compromise all the above-mentioned features. Now the Decision is Yours. I hope it was helpful to choose the right one.

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Side By Side Comparison

Feature Garmin Venu 3 Garmin Vivoactive 5
Display Size 1.4 inches  1.2 inches
Display Type AMOLED with always-on option AMOLED with always-on option
Resolution 454 x 454 pixels  390 x 390 pixels
Battery Life Up to 14 days  Up to 11 days
Battery Saver Mode Yes (extends up to 20 days) Yes (extends up to 14 days)
Weight 46.6 g (Venu 3)  37.5 g
Dimensions 45.6 x 45.6 x 12.0 mm  42 x 42 x 11 mm
Case Material Fiber-reinforced polymer with stainless steel bezel Aluminum bezel with fiber-reinforced polymer
Strap Type Silicone (quick release 22 mm ) Silicone (quick release 20 mm)
Health Snapshot Yes, 2-minute summary of key health stats No
Sleep Tracking Features Advanced with Sleep Coach and nap detection Basic sleep tracking, no Sleep Coach
Heart Rate Sensor Garmin Elevate™ wrist heart rate monitor (latest version) Garmin Elevate™ wrist heart rate monitor
Pulse Ox Sensor Yes (with advanced monitoring during sleep) Yes (with basic monitoring)
Body Battery Monitoring Advanced with more detailed breakdown Basic body battery feature
Wheelchair Mode Yes (tracks wheelchair pushes as part of activity metrics) No
Speaker Yes (for calls, alarms, voice assistance) No speaker
Microphone Yes (for voice assistant and calls) Yes (but only for voice assistant, no calls)
Preloaded Sports Apps Over 30 sports apps 25+ sports apps
Onboard Music Storage Yes, supports up to 650 songs Yes, supports up to 500 songs
Animated Workouts Yes, with step-by-step animated guidance No
Memory 8 GB 4 GB
Price Check Venu 3 Price Check Vivoactive 5 Price

What Common Both Can Do?

  • AMOLED Display with Always-On Option: Both the Garmin Venu 3 and the Vivoactive 5 feature vibrant AMOLED displays that offer crisp visuals, with an always-on display mode available for users who prefer to have the watch face visible at all times. The AMOLED technology provides rich colors and high contrast, making it easy to read in various lighting conditions.
  • Touchscreen Interface: Both models come equipped with a touchscreen, enabling intuitive navigation through menus, settings, and apps. The interface is user-friendly, allowing you to interact directly with the watch using simple swipes and taps.
  • GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo: Both watches support multi-GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems), including GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo, for accurate positioning during outdoor activities like running, cycling, and hiking. This allows for precise tracking of your location and routes in a variety of terrains and environments.
  • Garmin Elevate™ Wrist Heart Rate Monitor: Both devices are equipped with Garmin’s Elevate™ wrist heart rate sensor, which continuously monitors your heart rate during various activities and throughout the day. This feature helps track your fitness levels, optimize training, and monitor stress levels.
  • Pulse Ox Sensor: Both the Venu 3 and Vivoactive 5 come with a Pulse Ox sensor, which measures your blood oxygen saturation levels. This feature is useful for sleep tracking, altitude acclimation, and monitoring how well your body is absorbing oxygen, especially during intense workouts or in higher altitudes.
  • Respiration and Stress Tracking: Both watches provide respiration tracking, which monitors your breathing rate throughout the day and during sleep. They also feature stress monitoring, helping users manage their stress levels by using heart rate variability data to estimate current stress levels and offer guided breathing exercises.
  • VO2 Max Estimation: Both the Venu 3 and Vivoactive 5 provide VO2 Max estimates, a critical metric for understanding cardiovascular fitness. It measures the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during exercise, helping track improvements in endurance and fitness.
  • Preloaded Sports Apps: Both smartwatches come with a wide range of preloaded sports apps, covering activities like running, swimming, yoga, cycling, and more. This makes both devices ideal for multi-sport athletes or individuals with a diverse fitness routine.
  • Garmin Pay: Both devices support Garmin Pay, allowing users to make contactless payments via NFC directly from their wrist. This is especially convenient for users who don’t want to carry their phone or wallet during workouts or while on the go.
  • Music Storage and Controls: Both the Venu 3 and Vivoactive 5 support music storage, allowing users to save songs directly on the watch for phone-free listening during workouts. They can store playlists from services like Spotify, Deezer, or Amazon Music, and also control music playback.
  • Smart Notifications: Both models offer smart notifications, which allow you to receive calls, texts, emails, and app notifications on your watch. You can customize which notifications come through based on your preferences.
  • Safety & Tracking Features: Both devices feature Incident Detection and Assistance. In case of an emergency, the watch can automatically detect incidents (like a fall during a run or bike ride) and send your location to emergency contacts, providing an extra layer of safety during outdoor activities.
  • Water Resistance (5 ATM): Both the Venu 3 and Vivoactive 5 are water-resistant up to 5 ATM, meaning they can be worn while swimming or showering, and are safe in water up to 50 meters deep. This makes them suitable for tracking swimming activities as well.
  • Battery Saver Mode: Both watches have a battery saver mode, which helps extend battery life by reducing certain features when not needed. This allows users to maximize the time between charges, especially during extended trips or heavy usage.
  • Customizable Watch Faces: Users can customize the watch faces on both models by choosing from a wide range of designs available on Garmin Connect or even creating their own. This adds a layer of personalization to the watch’s interface.
  • Compatibility with iOS and Android: Both smartwatches are compatible with iOS and Android smartphones, enabling seamless syncing of health and activity data, notifications, and other smartwatch functions regardless of the operating system of your phone.
  • Garmin Connect™ Integration: Both the Venu 3 and Vivoactive 5 sync with Garmin Connect, Garmin’s health and fitness platform, where users can track their workouts, sleep, and wellness metrics. Garmin Connect also offers challenges, insights, and the ability to share progress with friends or groups.
  • Health and Fitness Insights: Both watches provide in-depth health and fitness insights, including workout suggestions based on your fitness goals, recovery times, and overall wellness metrics. This helps users maintain a balanced fitness regime and improve their performance over time.
  • Multi-GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo): Both watches support multi-GNSS tracking for highly accurate location data, whether you’re running through a city or hiking in remote areas. Using multiple satellite systems ensures precise positioning even in challenging environments.
  • Barometric Altimeter, Accelerometer, and Gyroscope: Both the Venu 3 and Vivoactive 5 include sensors like a barometric altimeter for tracking elevation changes, an accelerometer for detecting movement, and a gyroscope for motion detection during activities like swimming and cycling.

Common Features

Feature Garmin Venu 3 Garmin Vivoactive 5
Display Type AMOLED with always-on option AMOLED with always-on option
Touchscreen Yes Yes
GPS, GLONASS, Galileo Yes Yes
Heart Rate Sensor Garmin Elevate™ wrist heart rate monitor Garmin Elevate™ wrist heart rate monitor
Pulse Ox Sensor Yes Yes
Respiration Tracking Yes Yes
Stress Monitoring Yes Yes
Sleep Tracking Yes Yes
Body Battery Monitoring Yes Yes
VO2 Max Estimation Yes Yes
Preloaded Sports Apps Yes Yes
Garmin Pay Yes Yes
Music Storage Yes Yes
Smart Notifications Yes Yes
Safety & Tracking Features Yes (Incident Detection, Assistance) Yes (Incident Detection, Assistance)
Water Resistance 5 ATM 5 ATM
Battery Saver Mode Yes Yes
Customizable Watch Faces Yes Yes
Compatibility iOS and Android iOS and Android
Garmin Connect™ Integration Yes Yes
Health and Fitness Insights Yes Yes
Multi-GNSS Yes Yes
Barometric Altimeter Yes Yes
Accelerometer Yes Yes
Gyroscope Yes Yes
Price Check Venu 3 Price Check Vivoactive 5 Price

FAQ

Q: Do both watches have an AMOLED display?
A: Yes, both the Garmin Venu 3 and Garmin Vivoactive 5 feature an AMOLED display with vibrant colors and high contrast. Both displays also offer an always-on option, making it easier for users to see the screen at a glance without having to activate the display.Q: Are the Garmin Venu 3 and Vivoactive 5 waterproof?
A: Yes, both the Garmin Venu 3 and Vivoactive 5 are water-resistant up to 5 ATM, meaning they can be submerged up to 50 meters. This makes both watches suitable for swimming, showering, and other water-based activities.Q: Do both the Venu 3 and Vivoactive 5 have GPS?
A: Yes, both watches come with GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo support. This allows for accurate location tracking during outdoor activities like running, cycling, and hiking, ensuring precise route data.

Q: Can I make phone calls with both Garmin Venu 3 and Vivoactive 5?
A: You can make phone calls directly from the Garmin Venu 3 as it has both a speaker and microphone. The Vivoactive 5, however, only has a microphone, which can be used for voice commands, but it lacks a speaker, so phone calls cannot be made from the watch.

Q: Do both watches support music storage?
A: Yes, both the Garmin Venu 3 and Vivoactive 5 support music storage. The Venu 3 allows you to store up to 650 songs, while the Vivoactive 5 supports up to 500 songs. You can sync playlists from services like Spotify, Amazon Music, or Deezer.

Q: Are the health tracking features the same on both watches?
A: While both watches offer core health tracking features such as heart rate monitoring, Pulse Ox, sleep tracking, and respiration tracking, the Garmin Venu 3 offers additional advanced features like Health Snapshot, Sleep Coach, and more detailed Body Battery monitoring. These advanced features are not available on the Vivoactive 5.

Q: Can I use Garmin Pay on both the Venu 3 and Vivoactive 5?
A: Yes, both the Garmin Venu 3 and Vivoactive 5 support Garmin Pay, allowing you to make contactless payments from your wrist without needing to carry your wallet or phone.

Q: Which watch is better for detailed sleep tracking?
A: The Garmin Venu 3 is better for detailed sleep tracking. It offers advanced sleep insights, including Sleep Coach and nap detection, providing more comprehensive information about your sleep patterns and recovery. The Vivoactive 5 offers basic sleep tracking without these advanced features.

Q: Are both watches compatible with iOS and Android?
A: Yes, both the Garmin Venu 3 and Vivoactive 5 are compatible with both iOS and Android devices. This allows for seamless syncing of notifications, health data, and more across a wide range of smartphones.

Q: Do both watches have preloaded sports apps?
A: Yes, both the Venu 3 and Vivoactive 5 come with preloaded sports apps. The Venu 3 has over 30 sports apps, while the Vivoactive 5 comes with more than 25 sports apps, covering a wide variety of activities such as running, swimming, and cycling.

Q: Which watch is lighter and more comfortable for daily wear?
A: The Garmin Vivoactive 5 is lighter at 37.5 grams compared to the Venu 3, which weighs 46.6 grams (Venu 3) or 42 grams (Venu 3S). If weight is a key factor for comfort during daily wear, the Vivoactive 5 may feel more comfortable due to its lighter build.

Q: Can I customize the watch faces on both models?
A: Yes, both the Garmin Venu 3 and Vivoactive 5 allow users to customize their watch faces. You can choose from a wide range of designs on Garmin Connect or create your own custom faces to personalize your watch.

Q: Are there any safety features on both watches?
A: Yes, both watches feature safety and tracking features, including Incident Detection and Assistance. These features allow the watch to send your location to emergency contacts if an incident (such as a fall or accident) is detected during an activity.

 

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