| Manufacturer | Garmin |
|---|---|
| Type | AMOLED GPS smartwatch with built-in speaker and microphone |
| Series | Venu |
| Released | 30 August 2023 (announced 30 August 2023) |
| Price at launch | Venu 3 and Venu 3S: GBP 449.99 / USD 449.99 / from EUR 499.99 |
| Predecessor | Venu 2 and Venu 2S |
| Successor | Venu 4 |
| Sizes | 41mm (small), 45mm (medium) |
| Variants | Venu 3S (41mm); Venu 3 (45mm) |
| Colours | Venu 3: Whitestone/Silver; Black/Slate. Venu 3S: Pebble Gray/Slate; Sage Gray/Silver; French Gray/Soft Gold; Dust Rose/Soft Gold; Ivory/Soft Gold |
Specifications as at launch. Features and activity profiles reflect the latest Garmin software.
Expert opinion | What’s new | Specifications | Battery life | Features | Activity profiles | Comparisons | Quick answers | Further reading
Expert opinion
A built-in microphone and speaker let the Venu 3 take phone calls and reach a phone’s voice assistant, on top of a sports and wellness toolkit close to the Forerunner 265. GPS recording runs to 26 hours, a long time for an AMOLED watch.
Sleep features lead the software: Sleep Coach, nap detection and nightly HRV feed the Morning Report. Bike power meter and smart trainer support bring its cycling closer to the Forerunner and Fenix.
Garmin Venu 3
AMOLED smartwatch with sleep coaching, calls from the wrist and solid sports tracking.
What’s new versus the Venu 2
Hardware
- Larger, sharper display on the 45mm: 1.4″ at 454 x 454, up from 1.3″ at 416 x 416
- Slightly smaller and lighter case: 45 x 45 x 12mm and 46g, against 45.4 x 45.4 x 12.2mm and 49g
- Longer battery life: up to 14 days smartwatch (from 11), 26 hours GPS (from 22), 11 hours GPS with music (from 8) and 5 days always-on (from 2)
- Elevate Gen 5 optical heart rate sensor, replacing Gen 4; the Garmin ECG App was enabled on it by software update (US October 2023, EU and Australia January 2025)
- Built-in speaker and microphone for phone calls and voice assistant access
- Small size grows to 41mm on the Venu 3S, from 40mm on the Venu 2S
Software
- Sleep Coach with HRV Status, nap detection and personal insights
- Jet Lag Adviser
- Customisable Morning Report and Body Battery influencing factors
- Wheelchair mode with adapted metrics and sport apps
- Large font option
- More than 30 sport apps, including eBiking, open water swimming and meditation, plus improved golf
- Muscle map for HIIT, cardio and Pilates workouts
- Workout benefit, recovery time and effort logging
- On-watch interval creation for running and cycling
- Cycling power meter support
- Notification images and free-text replies on Android
- Skin temperature, wrist-based running dynamics, running power and Red Shift mode, added by software update
Specifications
The Venu 3 (45mm) figures are shown in the table as the headline size. Differences for the Venu 3S are noted below.
Venu 3S (41mm): 41 x 41 x 12mm, display 30.4mm (1.2″) at 390 x 390, weight 40g with silicone band (case 27g), 18mm quick release band, fits wrists of 110 to 175mm. Storage, sensors and water rating are the same as the Venu 3.
| Specification | Venu 3 (45mm) |
|---|---|
| Display | |
| Display type | AMOLED, always-on option |
| Display size | 35.4mm (1.4″) |
| Resolution | 454 x 454 pixels |
| Lens | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Touchscreen | Yes |
| Large font option | Yes |
| Physical | |
| Case size | 45mm (medium) |
| Dimensions | 45 x 45 x 12mm |
| Weight | 46g with silicone band |
| Bezel material | Stainless steel |
| Case material | Fibre-reinforced polymer |
| Band | 22mm quick release, silicone |
| Wrist fit | 135 to 200mm |
| Water rating | 5 ATM (swim) |
| Speaker and microphone | Yes, for Bluetooth calls and voice assistant with a paired phone |
| © the5krunner. Link required. | |
| Sensors and positioning | |
| GNSS | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo |
| Heart rate | Garmin Elevate Gen 5 |
| ECG | Yes, Garmin ECG App enabled by software update (US October 2023, EU and Australia January 2025) |
| Pulse Ox | Yes, spot-check, all-day and during sleep |
| Skin temperature | Yes, added by software update |
| Other sensors | Barometric altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, ambient light sensor, thermometer (tempe sensor required) |
| Connectivity and storage | |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi |
| NFC (Garmin Pay) | Yes |
| Storage | 8GB |
| Music | Yes, music storage and playback on the watch |
| Navigation | Back to start |
| Charging | Garmin proprietary plug charger |
| © the5krunner. Link required. | |
Battery life
Battery figures are from Garmin’s specifications and owner’s manual.
| Mode | Venu 3 (45mm) | Venu 3S (41mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch | Up to 14 days | Up to 10 days |
| Always-on display | Up to 5 days | Up to 5 days |
| Battery saver smartwatch | Up to 26 days | Up to 20 days |
| GPS-Only GNSS | Up to 26 hours | Up to 21 hours |
| All-systems GNSS | Up to 20 hours | Up to 15 hours |
| All-systems GNSS with music | Up to 11 hours | Up to 8 hours |
| © the5krunner. Link required. | ||
Features
A full breakdown of Garmin platform features is available at Garmin features explained.
Plan
- Garmin Coach running plans with expert coaches
- Downloadable training plans
- Cardio, strength, HIIT, yoga and Pilates workouts with on-screen animations and muscle map
- Workouts for wheelchair users
- Advanced and interval workouts
- Morning Report
Prepare
- HRV Status
- Recovery Time
- Body Battery energy monitoring
- Sleep Score, Sleep Coach, nap detection and advanced sleep monitoring
- All-day stress and respiration tracking, with relaxation reminders
- Meditation and breathwork
- Pulse Ox blood oxygen saturation
- Garmin ECG App, region-dependent
- Abnormal heart rate alerts
- Skin temperature
- Health Snapshot and Jet Lag Adviser
- Fitness Age
- Women’s health and hydration tracking
Perform
- VO2 max and workout benefit
- Wrist-based running power and running dynamics
- Interval training with auto detection, HR zones and HR alerts
- Power meter, speed and cadence sensor, and Varia radar and light support
- Pool and open-water swim metrics with stroke detection and underwater wrist heart rate
- Golf with Green View, PinPointer, AutoShot and digital scorecard
- Wheelchair mode with push tracking
- Automatic rep counting
- Back to start navigation
Connect
- Bluetooth calls and voice assistant access through the built-in speaker and microphone
- Smart notifications, with text replies and notification images on Android
- Garmin Pay contactless payments
- Music storage and playback
- Incident detection and assistance during select activities
- Connect IQ Store on the watch
- Red Shift mode
- Smart trainer control
- Find My Phone and Find My Garmin
- GameOn gaming activity and Garmin Connect Challenges
Activity profiles
| Category | Profiles |
|---|---|
| Running | Running, Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running |
| Cycling | Biking, Indoor Biking, Handcycling, Indoor Handcycling, eBiking |
| Swimming | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming |
| Gym and fitness | Strength, HIIT, Cardio and Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Indoor rowing, Jump Roping, Indoor Climbing, Boxing, Mixed martial arts, Indoor Walking, Pilates, Yoga |
| Outdoor | Walking, Hiking, Bouldering, Disc Golf |
| Other | Winter sports: Skiing, Snowboarding, Snowshoeing, XC Classic Skiing | Water sports: Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing | Team sports: Basketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football/Soccer, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball | Racket sports: Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball |
Garmin Venu 3
AMOLED smartwatch with sleep coaching, calls from the wrist and solid sports tracking.
Comparisons and upgrade guides
- Garmin Venu 3 buyer’s guide, including the upgrade case from the Venu 2 and the comparison with the Forerunner 265
- Garmin Venu 4 buyer’s guide, the successor and what it adds over the Venu 3
- Garmin Vivoactive 5, with a spec table against the Venu 3
Quick answers
When was the Garmin Venu 3 released?
Garmin announced and released the Venu 3 and Venu 3S on 30 August 2023. The launch price was GBP 449.99 or USD 449.99 for both sizes.
Is the Venu 3 waterproof?
Venu 3 has a water rating of 5 ATM and is rated for swimming. It includes Pool Swimming and Open Water Swimming profiles.
Does the Venu 3 have ECG?
Yes, the Garmin ECG app was enabled on Venu 3 by software update, in the US in October 2023 and in the EU and Australia in January 2025.
Can the Venu 3 take phone calls?
Yes, Venu 3 has a built-in speaker and microphone for Bluetooth calls and voice assistant access with a paired phone.
What sizes does the Venu 3 come in?
The Venu 3 is 45mm, 12mm thick and weighs 46g with a 22mm band. The Venu 3S is 41mm, 12mm thick and weighs 40g with an 18mm band.
How long does the Venu 3 battery last?
Garmin rates the Venu 3 for up to 14 days in smartwatch mode and 26 hours in GPS-only mode. The Venu 3S lasts up to 10 days and 21 hours.
Further reading
- Garmin Venu 3 buyer’s guide
- Garmin Q4 2023 features: skin temperature and running dynamics
- Garmin ECG cleared in the EU and Australia
- Garmin battery alert apps, tested on the Venu 3S
- Garmin watch specifications
- Release Radar: upcoming Garmin watches
Related watches
Successor: Garmin Venu 4, the 2025 update to the Venu line.
Predecessor: Garmin Venu 2, the 2021 AMOLED Venu in 40mm and 45mm, without a speaker or microphone.
Also consider: Apple Watch Series 12, the 2026 touch-first smartwatch at a similar price.
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin from any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafe stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
- Speedo earplugs: Fewer ear infections and no cold-water dizziness. I use them.
- Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
- Maurten: Race fuel that stays easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Beet It Sport nitrate shots: Beetroot shots I take in the days before a race. I use them.
- Garmin charging puck: The quickest way to top up before a session. I use one.
- Injinji: Toe socks that stop rubbing, so you run more. I use them.
- Ultimate toe protectors: Stop black toenails on long runs. They work. I use them.
- Compressport R2 v2 calf sleeves: My calf sleeves of choice. I use them.
- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
- TPU tubes: Schwalbe Aerothan, Tubolito and Pirelli SmarTube. Light, tiny spares. I use all three.
- G8 insoles: Adjustable insoles that are good. I use them.
- Cycplus Cube: A 97g electric pump that gets a road tyre rideable in two minutes. I carry one. 5% off with code THE5KRUNNER.
Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.
Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
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