Though Fitbit and Apple are two of the most prominent players when it comes to fitness trackers and smartwatches, Garmin, which has been around since 1989 and makes a host of high-end activity trackers, is still in the game. I took a look at its latest active lifestyle fitness tracker/smartwatch, the Venu 2 Plus, to see how it stacks up as a workout buddy.
I’ll confess, I’m generally on #TeamApple when it comes to personal tech. I’ve bought into the ecosystem 100%. But I thought it was time to find out what life was like outside the infinite loop of the Appleverse, so the Venu 2 Plus was the first stop on that journey.
If you’re not tied to a specific phone ecosystem and want a tracker that will record almost anything you do that burns calories, the $449 Venu 2 Plus has a lot to offer. But given its overly complex interface and smartwatch functionality, most people are better off with an Apple Watch, Galaxy Watch or Fitbit.
Chris Allbritton
The Venu 2 Plus, Garmin’s upscale offering, looks good. It successfully combines the style of a smartwatch with the toughness and long battery life of a sports tracker. I tested a stainless steel black model with a fantastic OLED display with deep blacks and vibrant colors, which especially helped me see it clearly on a bright, sunny day.
The Venu 2 Plus is 43.6mm in diameter with a 33mm screen and stainless steel back cover. It weighs 51 grams, making it quite a bit heavier than the aluminum Apple Watch 7 (38.8 grams). While in smartwatch mode, which means not using GPS to track workouts, Garmin says the Venu 2 Plus will last up to nine days on a full battery. I found this to be pretty accurate.
Overall, the watch is sleek and sexy, and if it weren’t for the silicone strap, you could wear this in a formal setting. (In fairness, you can change the bands. I’d recommend the Ritche Quick Release Leather Watch Band or a Ldfas steel link band if you want to get fancy.)
In addition to the touchscreen, the 2 Plus has three buttons. The top button starts and stops activities, and holding it for three seconds brings up a screen of customized shortcuts. Hold it for more than that and it will try to initiate an emergency call to first responders and any emergency contacts you set up. The bottom button takes you back to the previous screen but can double as a lap counter. Long-pressing it gets you into settings. (More on that below.)
Chris Allbritton
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Source: https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/reviews/garmin-venu-2-plus