5 reasons why the Garmin Venu X1 could be my new favorite Apple Watch Ultra 2 alternative
Garmin has officially declared war on Apple with the launch of the Garmin Venu X1, a square-shaped wellness-tracking powerhouse with an enormous AMOLED screen, slender titanium case and several high-end smartwatch bells and whistles. In short, it looks a whole lot like an Apple Watch Ultra 2 with a similarly heady price tag to match: $799.
Full disclosure: I've yet to get the Venu X1 on my wrist — my colleague Nick has — but based on specs and initial impressions alone, Garmin's new sporty smartwatch seems to have a lot going for it. Will it be enough to lure away prospective Apple Watch Ultra 2 customers? It could be!
As someone who reviews smartwatches for a living, I field a lot of questions from folks considering ditching their Apple Watch for something new.
While their biggest Apple Watch complaint is regarding battery life… or lack thereof, a deficiency of advanced fitness tracking and training tools is another criticism I hear a lot. That, and a shortage of support for nuanced workout types.
While Garmin watches don't have nearly as many third-party apps and smart features found on the best Apple Watch models, they generally excel when it comes to battery longevity, holistic tracking reliability and high-end exercise features. The brand also supports well over a hundred workout types, including everything from disc golf to boxing.
Prior to the X1, Garmin already had solid alternatives for the Apple Watch Series 10 with the Garmin Venu 3, and the Apple Watch SE (2022) with the Garmin Vivoactive series. Now, the Kansas-based brand has a potentially worthy model to take on Cupertino's premier flagship.
With that in mind, here are the five biggest things the Garmin Venu X1 has going for it, along with three things that could potentially hold it back from competing with the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
Not only is this Garmin's first high-end smartwatch with a square face, but the screen, which stretches from bezel edge to bezel edge, is the brand's largest ever. In fact, it's slightly bigger than even the Apple Watch Ultra 2's display.
Garmin doesn't provide max brightness figures for devices, but 2,000 nits is a likely bet. That's not quite as bright as the Ultra 2's 3,000 nit max brightness figure, but it's still impressive and means that the X1 will be visible even in very bright light.
At just 7.9mm, this is also Garmin's thinnest smartwatch case to date. Compare that to the Apple Watch Ultra 2's 14.4mm case depth, and suddenly it feels downright clunky.
Fortunately, despite the thin case, my colleague Nick reports that it feels anything but flimsy on the wrist. On a similar note, the sapphire crystal offers peace of mind when it comes to screen protection.
By the way, at 9.7mm in thickness, even the latest Apple Watch Series 10 isn't as thin as the Venu X1.
For its price, the Garmin Venu X1 ought to sport Garmin's latest and greatest holistic sensor tech. Thankfully, it does, which means you're getting equally as reliable (if not more) heart rate data from the X1.
Garmin's sleep tracking insights are also the best in the biz, and more detailed and actionable, IMHO, than Apple's. Plus, Garmin's workout training and recovery tools blow Cupertino's out of the water. And that's not an opinion. That's a fact.
Like the Garmin Instinct 3, the sporty, new Venu X1 has a built-in LED flashlight, something you won't find on any Apple Watch. Tucked into the top of the case, the nifty onboard 'torch' has an adjustable output and can be set to white or red light.
Perfect for late-night dog walks and finding items in a darkened bedroom without waking a sleeping partner, this is a feature I truly wish Apple (and Google and Samsung, etc.) would rip off and add to their own devices.
The best Garmin watches aren't exactly known for their smart features. While most higher-end Garmins offer the basics, like onboard music storage, NFC payments and mirrored smartphone notifications, that tends to be where the list ends.
The Venu X1 offers a bit more. It isn't Garmin's first smartwatch with an onboard microphone and speaker, but it's a nice addition for folks who want to take phone calls from the wrist, as you would with an Apple Watch Ultra 2.
Of course, Garmin doesn't offer cellular connectivity on any of the brand's smartwatches, so you'll need to have a paired phone nearby to make the most of the mic and speaker.
While the Garmin Venu X1 has a lot going for it against the Apple Watch Ultra 2, battery life is one area it doesn't impress. Sure, in smartwatch mode, you can get up to eight days of usage, but that drops to just two days when using the always-on screen mode.
And when using GPS to track an activity, battery life is just 14 hours. By comparison, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is good for roughly 36 hours in smartwatch mode (or 72 hours in low-power mode) with the always-on display and 12 hours when using GPS to track an activity.
Another downside to the Venu X1 compared to the Ultra 2 is that the former doesn't have multiband GPS; the latter does. The advantage of multiband is better tracking reliability, particularly in areas where the sky may be obstructed.
Finally, the Garmin Veny X1 has just 50 meters of water resistance. That's enough for brief periods of surface-level swimming but nothing more. The Ultra 2, meanwhile, offers 100 meters of water resistance and is suitable for scuba diving.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Tom's Guide
27 minutes ago
- Tom's Guide
Apple is reportedly considering buying Perplexity AI in iPhone maker's biggest-ever acquisition
Apple is reportedly considering its most ambitious acquisition yet: AI startup Perplexity, whose AI-driven search engine and chatbot are among the leading ChatGPT alternatives with around 15 million users. According to a new Bloomberg report this week, Apple's head of mergers and acquisitions, Adrian Perica, has been in talks with services SVP Eddy Cue and the company's top executives about a potential offer. Discussions are still in a very early stage, and Apple has yet to make a bid, but executives have met with Perplexity several times over the past few months, Bloomberg reports. Another possibility is a team-up with Perplexity, rather than an acquisition. The ultimate goal would be to integrate Perplexity's tech into an AI-based search engine or use it to make Siri smarter now that Apple's planned AI revamp for its assistant has been pushed into 2026. Similar to ChatGPT Search, Perplexity is a cross between a traditional search engine and an AI assistant. It uses large language models to comb the web to answer user queries in a conversational way, similar to interacting with a knowledgable assistant. It's also built with cross-platform accessibility in mind, so users can access its AI-powered search and assistant features on a wide range of devices. Acquiring Perplexity could be a strategic fallback for Apple if regulators force the company to end its partnership with Google. With Perplexity under its belt, Apple could accelerate the development of its own AI-powered search engine across the best iPhones, helping it close the gap with competitors like Google and Meta in the AI race. It couldn't come at a better time too. Bloomberg reported on Friday that Meta tried to scoop up Perplexity first earlier this year before moving ahead with Scale AI. At WWDC 2025, Apple was cagey about a concrete timeline for the full rollout of Apple Intelligence upgrades for Siri. It's quickly becoming clear that Apple need some outside help bringing its intended AI features to market, and Perplexity could fill that role. If a deal is reached, it'd be the largest in Apple's history. Perplexity is valued at around $14 billion, a figure that dwarfs Apple's most significant deal to date: buying Beats for $3 billion back in 2014. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Apple iPhone 16 Pro: Save Up To $400 In These New Deals
If you're looking to buy the iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro from Apple, you have to pay full price. There's no price cut and no refurbished option at all. However, Amazon's Renewed Premium offers are an alternative, and some have just dropped in price. Apple iPhone 16 Pro in desert titanium finish The deals highlighted in this post were independently selected by the Contributor and do not contain affiliate links. Renewed Premium is the top tier of refurbished models on Amazon, and 'The inspection and testing process typically include a full diagnostic test, replacement of any defective parts, and a thorough cleaning process carried out by the qualified supplier, or by Amazon,' the company says. What's more, the renewed products in premium condition are deemed to have a screen with no scratches and a body where 'no signs of cosmetic damage (scratches, dents, and more) are visible when the holding the product 30 centimeters away,' Amazon says. In terms of functionality, they are fully functional and with battery at least 90% of original battery life. This is the link to the iPhone 16 Pro Renewed Premium listings, including the prices for unlocked phones, which is what I'll focus on. The 128GB storage model, which costs $999 new, has dropped in price recently on Amazon. It was previously seen for $864, but it's now $850 in black titanium, a savings of $149 over the new price. Desert titanium costs $854.87, natural titanium and white titanium are $874.33. Move up to the 256GB storage option, priced at $1,099 new, and prices are as follows: $936.55 for black titanium or white titanium, both of which are just over $162 off the price new. It's even better for desert titanium at $935 and $940 for natural titanium. If you crave more storage, the 512GB models have these prices for Renewed Premium unlocked. Natural titanium costs $1,016.43, a savings of $282.57 over the new price of $1,299. Black titanium costs $1,102.99, desert titanium is a little less at $1,041.99, just over $257 cheaper than the price new. Finally, white titanium is $1,074.48. Want the biggest storage of all? The 1TB model offers the biggest savings compared to the new price. Black titanium is the best-priced: at $1,099 it's a full $400 less than the price new. Natural titanium costs $1,150, a savings of $349 over the new price of $1,299, white titanium is $1,179.99 and desert titanium is the most expensive at $1,239.97. All offer noticeable discounts compared to the price of buying the iPhone 16 Pro new.
Bloomberg
an hour ago
- Bloomberg
Apple Seals Movie Deal With Media Mogul Peter Chernin
Apple Inc. has signed a deal to release new movies from North Road, the entertainment studio led by media mogul Peter Chernin, indicating the technology giant's growing ambitions in Hollywood.
