Hi! Show
Today I was about to buy a Galaxy Watch 4 and realized it's not a real fitnetss watch, so did some research and found that Venu 2 does a better job on fitness tracking and doesn't have as much errors as GW4 has on GPS and heartbeat tracking. Venu 2 is expensive in my country (365 USD vs 150 for GW4) but I could get a VivoActive 4 instead, that has the same price as GW4. I wanted to know if Vivoactive 4 does a good job compared to Venu 2 and if it lacks any feature, or if you don't recommend VivoActive 4 for any reason. Thank you Garmin’s answer to the likes of Fitbit and the Apple Watch is the all-purpose Vivoactive range. Another is the Garmin Venu, a device with a more premium design and a higher price tag but largely the same specs. Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets You might be wondering what exactly is the difference between the Vivoactive 4 and Venu. The first has been around for nearly two years now, the second has just seen an updated version that comes in the form of Venu 2. Here’s our overview on similarities and differences to help you decide which is right for you. Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Venu 2: General and designLatest generations bring a choice of sizesThe fourth iteration of Vivoactive has been a popular seller since its launch at IFA 2019 in Berlin. The device has some handy upgrades over its predecessor – the most important of which is that it comes in two sizes. The large version sports a 45mm stainless steel case while the small a 40mm case. The predecessor is only available in a 43mm version. Largely considered a unisex device, the Vivoactive 4 is better as it allows those will smaller wrists to opt for something that won’t look too bulky on their wrist. The other design tweak is that there are two physical buttons on the right, whereas before there was only one. The touchscreen is a great feature but it’s almost impossible to navigate in wet or sweaty conditions. The second physical button should help with this problem.  Garmin has opted for a similar strategy with the Venu range. The latest device comes in the same choice of two sizes, its predecessor was only available in a 43mm version. Venu range has a much better displayWhile the size choices are the same, Venu watches have something that differentiate them from the others. They are the only Garmin wearable to come with an AMOLED screen.
This allows for great clarity both indoors and out. The resolution is 416 x 416 pixels on the large Venu 2, much higher than you would find on the Vivoactive 4 or Vivoactive 3. The exact specs can be seen in the table below. What is the same is the actual display size. This comes in at 1.3 inches for the large versions of Venue 2 and Vivoactive 4, and 1.1 inches for the S versions. SensorsThere is little difference between the Venu and Vivoactive range when it comes to sensors. The Vivoactive 4 and original Venu are identical on that count. Having said that, the latest Venu 2 is a generation ahead. Which means it brings additions that comes in the form of the latest heart rate tech (4th generation Elevate sensor). The other improvement is increased storage space for music. Perhaps this is a hint as to what we can expect with Vivoactive 5 when it sees the light of day. Battery lifeWhat’s really impressive about Venu 2 is its battery life. Even though it has a more power-hungry AMOLED display it can keep going for 11 days in smartwatch mode and 8 hours with GPS switched on. Vivoactive 4 is good for 8 days in smartwatch mode and 6 hours with GPS on. There is an important difference, though. The transflective memory-in-pixel display on Vivoactive is always-on. The disadvantage is that the colors are very dull. The battery life for Venu 2 that you can see above is not with the always-on option. Toggle this setting and battery comes down by more than a half. Here’s a table listing the main specs of Garmin Venu 2 and Vivoactive 4. For completeness sake, we also include the previous generations – Venu and Vivoactive 3.
Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Venu 2: FunctionalityActivity tracking featuresAny of these are great for someone looking for a smartwatch with lots of health and fitness features. They’ll all have you covered around the clock and can track a wide variety of sports. So let’s jump right to the differences.
This section is going to be fairly short, the reason being there simply aren’t too many features that are not common to all of these watches. Vivoactive 4 and Venu are exactly the same. Don’t look for any differences in functionality, as you won’t find them. But the duo comes with some extras over the predecessor Vivoactive 3 iteration. These smartwatches provide pulse oxygen readings and estimated respiration. The first is primarily done during the night, although you can take manual readings throughout the day as well. The second is done around the clock. Vivoactive 4/4s and Venu also come with the Body Battery function. This tells you when to push hard when to take it easy based on your activity level and how much rest you’ve had. The other differences are the inclusion of Yoga workouts, Pilates workouts and on-screen workout animations. Also, the heart rate sensor has been improved and can now track heart rate under water. Venu 2 comes with moreThe Venu 2 comes with some more goodies. The next generation of the heart rate sensor should ensure better accuracy. It also helps to improve sleep tracking which now uses Firstbeat algorithms. Other additions come in the form of Fitness Age (which lets you know how old your body is), along with Health Snapshot (a 2 minute test that captures info on heart rate, heart rate variability, blood oxygen, respiration and stress). There are also more sports modes and some features to target the gym crowd. Here’s a run-down of the differences when it comes to activity tracking.
The Vivoactive range is a ‘Swiss Army Knife’ of activity trackers. It’s a device that in terms of design appeals to both men and women equally. The introduction of different sizes with the fourth iteration provides more customization options. Now you get the same size choices with the Venu range. The difference between the two watches comes mainly down to the quality of design. The Vivoactives have a transflective MIP display, the Venus a much higher quality AMOLED. The sacrifice used to be battery life. However, Garmin has managed to much improve on that with Venu 2. Other additions that this generation brings are an upgraded heart rate sensor, more storage space for music and some new software-based health insights.
Price difference is an important consideration. Vivoactive 4 sells for $350, but you can often find discounts of $80-$90. Venu 2 is much pricier at $400. The other option is to opt for the first Venu which now matches Vivoactive 4 in price. If you don’t mind the lower quality screen, Vivoactive 4 is the one to go for. It’s particularly useful for outdoor activities as the screen gets brighter and more readable the sunnier it is. Venu 2 is for those that want the latest tech on offer coupled with a beautiful AMOLED – something more Apple Watch-like. Like this article? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and never miss out! Massive Black Friday Week fitness and health tech deals list. If you’ve been saving up for a fitness tracker, smartwatch or other health device, now is a great time to pick it up at a significant discount. There are savings to be had from Apple, Fitbit, Garmin, Samsung, Withings, Mobvoi and others! Some great deals added today include Apple Watch Series 8 (22% off), Fitbit Versa 4 (35% off), Garmin Fenix 7 (15% off), Whoop (20% off). Huge savings and constantly updated, check the full list here. Is the Garmin Venu 2 better than Vivoactive 4?The Garmin Venu 2 also offers a much higher battery life of 11 days in smartwatch mode and 8 hours in GPS mode with music, compared to the Garmin Vivoactive 4's 8 days and 6 hours respectively.
Is Venu or Vivoactive better?In fact, the only true difference between these two smartwatches lies in the display and size. The Garmin Vivoactive 4 offers a basic transflective display and comes in a size of 45mm. On the other hand, the Garmin Venu offers a gorgeous AMOLED display and has a size of 43mm.
Is Garmin Venu 2 worth buying?Despite all that, the Garmin Venu 2 still comes very highly recommended. It offers everything that we've loved about the Vivoactive and Venu series over the years in a package that's attractive, feature-packed and comfortable.
Is it worth buying Vivoactive 4?The Garmin Vivoactive 4 is a solid upgrade to the Vivoactive 3 and 3 Music, and will certainly please those in need of a midrange multisport watch. It's not as flashy as the new Garmin Venu, but that might be a good thing: It has a more readable display and longer battery life.
|
What is better Venu 2 or Vivoactive 4?
Copyright © 2024 SignalDuo Inc.
