Any links to online stores should be assumed to be affiliates. The company or PR agency provides all or most review samples. They have no control over my content, and I provide my honest opinion.
Today, Garmin launched its latest watch, the Venu SQ. Unlike the Forerunner 745, this is a more affordable mainstream consumer-focussed watch.
Functionality-wise it is just a cut-down Venu, so there is not that much to compare really.
Garmin Venu SQ Overview
- A new square 1.3” 240 x 240 pixel LCD display
- Corning Gorilla Glass touchscreen display
- 6 days battery with smartwatch mode and 14 hours with GPS
- Optical HR sensor with PulseOx (SpO2 tracking)
- GPS with GLONASS & Galileo
- Downloadable structured workout support / Garmin Coach
- Music storage and streaming with Spotify/Deezer (music edition only) with 3.4GB of usable storage
- Contactless Payments with Garmin Pay
- Respiration rate, 24×7 HR, stress tracking, body battery
- Sleep tracking, step/activity tracking, hydration tracking
- VO2 Max, Physio trueup,
- Female menstrual cycle tracking
- Mindful breathing
- Connecting to ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart sensors (Footpod, speed, cadence, chest strap)
- LiveTrack for workouts & safety alerts for day to day usage
What changed and been removed
- The round AMOLED display is now a square LCD and lower resolution
- Venu SQ is 37.6 g vs 46.3 g
- Longer battery (5 days/6 hours GPS on the Venu)
- No barometric altimeter
- No tracking that requires the altimeter, so floors and stairs, as well as ascent/descent tracking in workouts
- No gyro sensors
- No workouts animations
- No live watch faces
- I have not seen the SQ in real life, but the overall build and aesthetics don’t look as good (but this is justified due to the price)
Price and Availability
There has been a massive price drop which will make this quite attractive to a lot of users.
The watch is available now from Garmin for 179.99
The Garmin Venu has and RRP of £329.99 however it is under £300 on many sites including Amazon
Compared to the Garmin Forerunner 45
The cheapest comparatively price Garmin is the Forerunner 45 at £150 (RRP £169.99) which is very similar in features with the exception that it lacks onboard music. It has a smaller round display with lower resolution looking a bit more like a traditional sports watch. At passing glance, there is little reason to go for the Forerunner 45 vs the Venu Sq.
Alternative Options
The new Fitbit Versa 3 is very similar offering many of the same features including built-in GPS, NFC payment, onboard music, and all the health tracking features Fitbit are famous for. The Fitbit has the advantage of an altimeter, microphone, speaker. The Versa 3 costs a little more at £179.
For Apple users, there is the Apple Watch Series 3 which is now just £195.00, battery life is poor, but it is vastly superior as far as smartwatch features go.
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
Last update on 2024-11-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API