Garmin’s Venu line has long represented the perfect marriage of a lifestyle smartwatch and serious fitness tracking. With the launch of the Venu 4 and the new, premium Venu X1, the choice for consumers has become more nuanced than ever. These two devices, while sharing the Venu name, cater to subtly different user profiles—one targeting refined, all-around wellness, and the other, an uncompromised, premium sport-smartwatch experience.
Here is a breakdown of how the $549.99 Venu 4 stacks up against the $799.99 Venu X1.
1. Design & Display: Round vs. Rectangular Royalty
The most immediate difference is the form factor, which speaks volumes about their design philosophies.
- Venu 4 (Starting at $549.99): The Venu 4 maintains the classic, circular look of its predecessors, offered in two sizes (41mm and 45mm). It features a new, refined metal design with a full stainless steel bezel. The display is a bright, high-resolution AMOLED, with the 45mm version offering a 1.4-inch display. Crucially, the Venu 4 maintains a respectable balance, offering up to 14 days of battery life in smartwatch mode (for the larger size). It also adds a highly requested feature from the Fenix line: a built-in LED flashlight for convenience.
- Venu X1 (Starting at $799.99): Positioned as an “Apple Watch Ultra 2 competitor,” the Venu X1 is a true premium powerhouse. It is significantly thinner (7.9mm) and lighter than the Venu 4, despite its premium materials. Its design is rectangular with rounded corners and features Garmin’s largest-ever display: a 2.0-inch AMOLED screen protected by a Sapphire Crystal lens. The caseback is titanium. This sleek design comes at the expense of raw battery life, with a maximum claim of up to 8 days in smartwatch mode.
| Feature | Garmin Venu 4 | Garmin Venu X1 |
| Price (Starting) | $549.99 | $799.99 |
| Form Factor | Circular (41mm & 45mm) | Rectangular (one size: 41 x 46 mm) |
| Thickness | Approx. 12.5 mm | 7.9 mm (Ultrathin) |
| Max Battery (Smartwatch) | Up to 14 Days | Up to 8 Days |
| Display Size | 1.2″ or 1.4″ AMOLED | 2.0″ AMOLED (Garmin’s Largest) |
| Lens Material | Corning Gorilla Glass (likely) | Sapphire Crystal |
2. The Athlete’s Edge: Mapping and GPS Accuracy
This is where the Venu X1 firmly plants its flag as the higher-end model, borrowing features directly from Garmin’s Fenix and Forerunner giants.
- Venu 4: The Venu 4 is a strong upgrade from its predecessor by including Multi-Band GPS for superior accuracy in challenging environments. It also brings over advanced training metrics like Training Readiness and Unified Training Status.
- Venu X1: The Venu X1 doesn’t include the top-tier Multi-Band GPS but compensates with a huge navigation feature: Full-Color Built-In Mapping. This is a game-changer for a Venu-series watch, allowing for on-watch route creation and navigation without a phone, a feature previously reserved for the more rugged lines. It also includes an expanded suite of over 100+ sports modes and an even deeper dive into running dynamics.
For the serious endurance athlete or trail runner, the Venu X1’s built-in maps offer a powerful edge, while the Venu 4 counters with the added accuracy of Multi-Band GPS.
3. Smartwatch & Wellness Features: The Little Differences
Both watches are excellent smartwatches with health-first features, including the new Elevate V5 heart rate sensor, the ability to make phone calls from the wrist, and advanced sleep coaching. However, each watch has a unique software focus:
- Venu 4: Wellness Pioneer – The Venu 4 is specifically designed as Garmin’s “wellness-first” device. It introduces features like Lifestyle Logging and a Health Status snapshot to help users understand how daily choices affect their body. It also features a new ECG app for on-demand electrocardiograms, a feature the Venu X1 currently lacks. Its accessibility features, like a Spoken Watch Face and Color Filter for color blindness, also give it a unique focus.
- Venu X1: Storage and Premium Smarts: The Venu X1 offers 32GB of internal storage, four times that of the Venu 4 (8GB), which is a significant bonus for music lovers. While both have a built-in flashlight, the Venu X1’s is noted to support both white and red light modes.
Conclusion: Who Should Buy Which Watch?
Choosing between the Venu 4 and Venu X1 is a decision between two excellent devices at different price points, each excelling in a specific area.
