Garmin Venu 2 Plus Review

Price When Reviewed

$449.99

Best Prices Today: Garmin Venu 2 Plus

$415.95

When it involves the health monitoring marketplace, Garmin is a family identify, providing one of the vital very best high quality wearables geared in opposition to well being and workout monitoring regardless of your finances – and it seems like that’s set to proceed with the most recent wearable from the corporate, the Garmin Venu 2 Plus.

Sold along the usual Venu 2 launched final yr, the Venu 2 Plus provides one large improve; a microphone. While it will no longer sound like a lot, you’re in a position not to simplest get admission to your digital assistant – together with Google Assistant, Siri and Bixby – however make and obtain calls at once throughout the watch.

Pair that with in-depth well being and health monitoring, a top rate design and an ideal show and also you’ve were given an ideal – even though no longer best – running-focused smartwatch.

Design & construct

• Similar design to plain Venu 2
• 43mm case simplest
• New customisable button

At a look, you may well be hard-pressed to note a distinction between the Garmin Venu 2 Plus and the usual Venu 2. They each recreation the similar basic feel and look with an identical color choices to be had for each – however glance nearer and there are a couple of delicate variations.

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The maximum straight away glaring, if you’ll name it that, is the case measurement. While the usual Venu 2 is available in 41- and 45mm variants, the brand new Plus fashion has a unmarried 43mm case – large enough to do the process, however no longer such a lot that it overpowers smaller wrists.

In reality, the 1.3in AMOLED show at its center is the perfect measurement for a wrist-worn wearable, with a variety of house to exhibit customized watchfaces and show reside workout metrics. It’s detailed with a good 414 x 414 answer and it’s brilliant sufficient for use in direct daylight.

There’s even an always-on show mode, even though that comes at a sacrifice to total battery lifestyles.

Smaller adjustments will also be discovered at the case itself. One of the large new options is microphone and speaker improve, enabling further capability – that I’ll element a bit later – and the power to simply get admission to your digital assistant with a brand new devoted digital assistant button.

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That new button is nestled along the 2 usual chrome steel buttons that sit down to the correct of the show, and will also be reassigned to every other serve as in case you don’t use your digital assistant all that regularly.

When it involves color choices, you’ve were given a couple of to make a choice from; silver chrome steel with a gray strap (as photographed), cream-gold chrome steel with an ivory strap or slate chrome steel with a black band.

The chrome steel is a pleasing contact, including a top rate glance to the buttons and outer bezel of the show, however the plastic frame of the watch may put some off at any such top rate value.

As with possible choices, the usual straps are produced from sweat-resistant silicone, however you’ll additionally go for one thing produced from suede, leather-based or steel in case you pay a bit further at the Garmin web page.

Smartwatch options

• Can get admission to digital assistant or make calls out of your wrist
• Basic smartwatch capability
• Most apps adapted in opposition to well being and health

As alluded to previous, one of the vital large differentiating options between the Venu 2 and Venu 2 Plus is the inclusion of a microphone and speaker, permitting you no longer simplest to get admission to your digital assistant by means of your wrist however make and obtain calls too. It may no longer sound like a lot, however it’s a transfer that brings it to new heights within the smartwatch global, with it being one in every of few non-Apple wearables to supply the capability.

Of path, and not using a LTE improve, you’ll must be in Bluetooth vary of your smartphone, however it’s a birth. The name high quality is spectacular too, and not using a genuine court cases from recipients about my microphone high quality, and the speaker embedded into the left of the case is loud sufficient for speedy chats.

There’s additionally the security side to comprehend, permitting you to make use of your smartwatch in spaces the place it’s possible you’ll no longer really feel comfy getting your phone from your pocket or bag.

You’ve additionally were given the power to set an emergency touch that you’ll name temporarily if wanted, and when working and biking, you’ve were given an Apple-style computerized incident detection that’ll stumble on while you’ve fallen. It is helping deliver peace of thoughts, no longer simplest when exercising however in day by day lifestyles.

It’s no longer only a glorified speakerphone even though; there are many good options on be offering from the Venu 2 Plus.

Expect the usual options, like elementary notification improve, customisable watchfaces and the power to seek out your phone remotely along Garmin-designed health monitoring apps.

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However, it’s for sure targeted extra on well being than basic good options with a loss of improve for well-liked third-party apps and different good options you’d go along with a conventional smartwatch.

There isn’t an app retailer at the watch itself, however you’ll obtain the Garmin Connect IQ app (a separate app from the Connect app used to arrange the watch) to obtain a variety of apps. Although there are a couple of surprises like Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music for streaming, don’t be expecting to look the similar well-liked apps you’d see at the App Store or Google Play – the majority of apps to be had are fitness-based.

If you aren’t partial to streaming song, the Venu 2 Plus comes with sufficient integrated garage to retailer as much as 350 of your favorite tunes, permitting you to circulation at once to a couple of related Bluetooth headphones with out the will for a smartphone.

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Another get advantages is improve for Garmin Pay, Garmin’s contactless fee way constructed into the Venu 2 Plus. It’s nice to look, permitting you to depart your phone at house and be capable to pay for delivery and different items, however improve amongst banks is a a long way cry from what we see with Apple Pay and Google Pay.

There are a handful of supported banks in the United Kingdom, of which I’m no longer a consumer, however there may be higher improve amongst banks in the United States.

Health and health monitoring

• Impressive HR track & GPS efficiency
• Tailored multi-week exercise plans
• New visible guides for pilates and yoga
• Workout UI will also be complicated to freshmen

Being a Garmin smartwatch, it will have to come as no marvel that the Venu 2 Plus in reality excels relating to well being and health monitoring – it’s the corporate’s bread and butter, in spite of everything.

You can birth a exercise from the watch itself, monitoring working, biking, pilates, yoga and extra, however the extra complicated capability comes by means of the Garmin Connect significant other app for iOS and Android.

From the app, you’ll arrange coaching plans for 5K, 10K and half-marathon runs and long-distance biking with a adapted multi-week exercise plan designed round your functions.

It’s a lot more in-depth and personalized than the usual sofa to 5K apps, with voiceovers from best running shoes around the globe that offer authentic perception and motivation on runs. You can tweak the plan as you cross if you want to pass over an afternoon, and crucially, it’s utterly loose to make use of.

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In reality, that’s a theme around the Garmin Venu 2 and its Connect significant other app. In an international the place increasingly firms – like Fitbit – are placing complicated options and metrics at the back of a per thirty days paywall, it’s refreshing in an effort to get admission to all of your information on every occasion you prefer with out achieving for the bank card.

When it involves monitoring exercises, the Venu 2 Plus is a particularly dependable bit of apparatus. The optical center charge sensor embedded at the backside of the case is impressively responsive all the way through exercises, a specific get advantages for HIIT and different HR zone-based exercises.

You do have the opportunity to hook up a chest strap (bought one by one) however I by no means felt the want to all the way through my time with the watch.

Lewis Painter / Foundry

The integrated GPS is correct, even if working in built-up town streets like I do, with a map-based GPS warmth map to be had post-run not to simplest display your path and total distance, however while you have been pushing your self maximum.

Though there isn’t turn-based navigation like with the high-end Garmin Fenix 5S Plus, the watch uses GPS to offer a return-to-start function that’ll information you again on your start line when exploring unfamiliar spaces.

The simplest ache level is that it’s no longer constantly transparent methods to turn on options like HR Zone-based runs from the watch forward of exercises, with the exercise UI apparently depending on prior wisdom of ways Garmin tech works – and that’s no longer constantly going to be the case.

After somewhat of swiping and tapping, you’ll get used to it as I did, however I do want it had an more uncomplicated onboarding procedure for the ones new to the Garmin circle of relatives.

Running apart, every other new addition is animated exercises for Pilates and Yoga that you’ll apply in real-time to your watch. It may sound awkward, however the massive show of the Venu 2 Plus is perfect, even though there are simplest 3 classes in each and every to on the time of writing so it’s extra adapted to novices than devoted yogis.

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Aside from devoted workout monitoring, the Venu 2 Plus will track your vitals during the day and evening, with all-day center charge monitoring, (not obligatory) blood oxygen monitoring, steps taken, power used, sleep monitoring or even the power to trace your water consumption – even though the latter would require some guide enter.

This information is to be had by way of swiping up or down from the watch face at the app, giving an ideal snapshot of your task stage on any given day, and you’ll use the Garmin Connect app to drill down into the specifics.

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All the information accumulated, from devoted exercises to basic health monitoring, will also be shared with third-party apps together with Apple Health, Strava, MyFitnessPal and extra, with computerized syncing on every occasion you open the Garmin Connect app – an enormous plus in case you depend on more than one apps to trace your well being.

Battery lifestyles & charging

• Up to every week of rate
• Expect much less in case you permit options like spO2 tracking and always-on show
• Awkward proprietary charging port at the rear

As with any smartwatch, the battery lifetime of the Garmin Venu 2 Plus varies relying on what you’re doing and the purposes you could have enabled. With its default atmosphere – i.e., with the always-on show disabled – Garmin claims you’ll stand up to every week of use, and that’s about proper in my enjoy.

I’ve discovered it drops all the way down to across the five-day mark when enabling further capability just like the always-on show and blood oxygen tracking, and it’ll additionally drain quicker the extra you utilize the complicated health monitoring capability discussed above.

For context, Garmin claims that it may well final 24 hours the usage of GPS to trace workout, which will have to be sufficient for many, even though it drops down to simply 8 hours if making a decision to play song from the integrated garage. Maybe go away the song enjoying on your smartphone…

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When it involves charging, the Venu 2 Plus utilises the similar proprietary port on its rear as the remainder of the Garmin assortment. It snaps into position simply superb and not using a fear about it falling out prior to it has completed charging, however it’s nowhere as slick because the touch charging hired by way of maximum smartwatch opponents – particularly at a top rate value level.

The just right information is that it’ll cross from flat to complete in a bit over 90 mins, so no less than you gained’t want to do all of it that regularly.

Price

The Garmin Venu 2 Plus is a top rate smartwatch that is available in at a not-insignificant $449/£399, making it one of the vital dearer smartwatches to be had in 2022. That places it up towards the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, Apple Watch Series 7 and Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro.

The just right information is that Garmin is holding each fashions of Venu 2 on sale side-by-side. That method, in case you like the speculation of the Venu 2 Plus however don’t need options like a integrated mic, you’ll save your self $50/£50.

If you’re tempted, you’ll purchase the Garmin Venu 2 Plus at once from Garmin in addition to third-party outlets like Amazon at a reduced $415/£298 on the time of writing.

For extra inspiration, check out our pick out for the most productive smartwatch and very best health tracker.

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Verdict

The Garmin Venu 2 Plus is a brilliant all-rounder in case you’re in the marketplace for a smartwatch that makes a speciality of well being and health. It’s perfect for runners and cyclists, with customized multi-week exercise plans to be had, correct HR readings and bold GPS efficiency – even in built-up town streets.

It’s no longer only for runners even though, additionally in a position to monitoring the whole lot from rowing to {golfing} and snowboarding, and the brand new animated yoga and pilates workouts are a pleasing contact.

New additions together with a microphone and speaker strengthen the smarts on be offering, with on-demand digital assistant requests and the power to take calls mid-run with out achieving on your phone. The simplest drawback is that, with out LTE, you’ll want a Bluetooth-connected smartphone within reach.

However, in case you’re no longer a lot of a health enthusiast and also you’re after one thing that’ll run your favorite apps, supply good house shortcuts and extra, you’d be taking a look in other places.

While there’s a Garmin Connect IQ app retailer, the majority of apps are fitness-focused, and at this value, it’s essential purchase a extra succesful Samsung Galaxy Watch or Apple Watch.