Garmin Venu 3 series released: Features, price, availability, and more

Garmin Venu 3 release date, price, and availability

• Garmin Venu 3: $449.99
• Garmin Venu 3S: $449.99

Garmin released a new Venu 3 series on August 30, 2023. The upgraded device is available now from Garmin.com in 41mm and 45mm case sizes, priced at $449.99. The larger 45mm model is available in silver with a Whitestone case or slate with a black case.

In the smaller model, shoppers will find five unique colorways, including a Soft Gold bezel with an ivory, French Gray, or Dust Rose case, a silver bezel with a Sage Gray case, or a slate bezel with a Pebble Gray case.

Garmin Venu 3 features

When the Garmin Venu 2 Plus launched, we called it the best smartwatch Garmin had ever made. The newest lineup adds a ton more to users’ wrists, including some features that are less obvious at first glance.

For starters, the series adds Nap detection, which is a first for Garmin’s stable. Overnight, the device adds HRV tracking for more sleep details. The series also features sleep coaching with insights and recommendations and Daily Summary, another new Garmin tool. Daily Summary is very similar to Morning Report (also added to the Venu 3) but provides an overview each night rather than in the morning. Overall, we found the Venu 3 to be another reliable sleep monitor during our review.

By day, Garmin updated the user experience in several ways, including easier navigation between recent widgets, an expanded shortcuts feature, and more watch faces. Users can even swap font sizes for ideal readability. To power the experience about 50% longer, the 45mm Venu 3 bumps the line’s smartwatch battery life to 14 days from 9. The Venu 3S sees a smaller increase to 10 days. The larger model also adds two more hours to its GPS mode battery. On that front, the devices all add multi-GNSS support.

Improved GPS accuracy isn’t the only refinement directed at athletes interested in the Venu 3 lineup. The series also adds new tools for more advanced training, including Recovery Time, Workout Benefit, and Perceived Exertion. Users can even now create/add interval workouts to their devices in addition to the existing workouts, plus access a handful of new sport profiles. Dedicated to inclusivity, Garmin also added tracking for Wheelchair pushes and wheelchair-specific activity. Not to leave mental health behind, the Venu 3 series also adds guided meditation to its tool kit.

Finally, the line features Garmin’s top tools in terms of heart rate data. Garmin updated the new generation with its latest Elevate V5 optical heart rate sensor, already seen on top-tier devices like the Fenix 7 Pro. Post launch, the sensor was also certified to provide ECG readings, just like the Venu 2 Plus.

For smartwatch capabilities, the Venu 3 Plus still provides phone call support and voice assistant compatibility when a paired phone is nearby and onboard music storage. New to this generation, Android users can now add photos when firing off texts from the wrist. Though we didn’t see the addition of a built-in LED flashlight like on some of Garmin’s premier watches, the Venu 3 series does add an onscreen flashlight feature.

Garmin Venu 3 vs Venu 3S: What’s the difference

The only differences between the Venu 3 and Venu 3S are their sizes and battery life. The devices are otherwise identical in features and design. As mentioned, the Venu 3 offers a more significant battery life upgrade than the Venu 3S. However, both devices outperform the Venu 2 Plus.

The Venu 3 measures 45mm with a 1.4-inch AMOLED display and 454×454 pixel resolution. The Venu 3S provides an option for smaller wrists with a 41mm case size. Its 1.3-inch display features a resolution of 390×390 pixels. Both sizes feature Gorilla Glass. Given their size difference, the devices do not share compatible bands. The Venu 3 requires 22mm quick-release bands, while the Venu 3S requires 18mm options. Both devices ship with a silicone band.

Garmin Venu 3 specs

Garmin Venu 3 FAQs