The Venu 2 Plus is perhaps one of the most discussed smartwatches in recent days. This is obviously because it is the first smartwatch from Garmin to be equipped with a microphone and loudspeaker. These features enable Bluetooth calls allowing you to make and receive calls directly from the watch just like you would with a Galaxy Watch 4. Moreover, the Venu 2 Plus also features three voice assistants; Google Assistant, Siri and Bixby. Beyond these additions and slight alterations in design, it has a lot of similarities to the Venu 2. In this guide, you will learn the differences between the Venu 2S, Venu 2, and Venu 2 Plus to help you decide which model is right for you.

Recall that the Venu debuted 2 years ago with an AMOLED display which was the main difference between it and the Vivoactive 4. It was followed up with the Venu 2S and Venu 2 which both have more Health tracking features than their predecessor.

Garmin Venu 2S vs Venu 2 vs Venu 2 Plus: Specifications Compared

Garmin Venu vs Venu 2S vs Venu 2 Features Compared

Design – Venu 2 Plus is a more stylish and durable

Based on mere appearance, you’ll hardly spot the difference between the Venu 2 Plus and Venu 2. However, taking a closer look, you will notice that the Venu 2 Plus has a slimmer bezel and three physical buttons compared to the two buttons on Venu 2. It also has a more durable stainless steel rear cover unlike fiber-polymer used all through on Venu 2 and Venu 2s. In other words, while both watches are durably built, the Venu 2 Plus is a more attractive smartwatch. It’s also a more durable device and as well slightly more compact than Venu 2. It comes in at 43 inches compared to 45 inches of Venu 2. The Venu 2S remains the most compact of the three as it comes in a 40mm case size.

All three models are rated 5ATM which represents 50 meters waterproof. You can wear any of these models to the shower, swimming pool or under the rain. The colors also differ, the Venu 2 Plus is available in black, light-gold, and gray colors, the Venu 2 is available in granite blue and black, while the Venu 2s is available in graphite, mist gray, while and light sand colors.

Display – No difference, same AMOLED

All three models have AMOLED powered display which is very colorful and bright. However, while the Venu 2 Plus is slightly more compact than Venu 2, both have the same display sizes of 1.3 inches. The Venu 2S has the smallest display size of 1.1 inches. The displays are touch-sensitive which alongside the physical buttons makes navigation very easy.

With three physical buttons on the Venu 2 Plus, it’s easier to navigate. While the too button is the power button, the lower button lets you go back to the previous menu. Meanwhile, the new middle button functions as a shortcut button when long-pressed or short-pressed. You can assign a shortcut for voice assistant or any other feature of your choice.

Health Tracking Feature – No difference

There is no difference in the available fitness tracking features. All three models offer the same fitness and health tracking features. Each of these three comes with a heart rate sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, thermometer, barometric altimeter and a Spo2 sensor.

Available health tracking features include 24/7 heart rate tracking, complete sleep monitoring and score, spot blood oxygen measurement, stress measurement and menstrual cycle tracking for women. You get access to loads of preset sports modes as well as 27 preloaded sports apps.

Other health tracking features include respiration tracking, mindful breathing, and hydration tracking. Onscreen animated workout modes that offer preset workout modes that you can follow and the onscreen muscle map that shows what muscle is worked are also available in all three models.

Also available in all three models is the health snapshot feature that lets you record key stats, including heart rate, heart rate variability, Pulse Ox, respiration, and stress. Then generate a report with those stats in the Garmin Connect app.

Incidental fall detection is also available in all three models. This feature lets you call a preset emergency contact when the watch detects a fall. Although, while Venu 2 and 2S will start a call on your phone, the Venu 2 Plus allows you to make this call directly from your watch. Moreover, you can also talk from the watch. Note that your phone must be nearby in all cases for calls to happen as all three models lack LTE capability.

All three models have inbuilt GPS that enables tracking for outdoor activity tracking and there are a handful of outdoor profiles available to choose from. So, as far as health tracking is concerned, all three models have the same features, and they are well loaded with lots of fitness tracking features.

Media Storage, Bluetooth Calls and Voice Assistants

Garmin didn’t indicate the actual storage capacity of any of these models, but only indicated that each of these three has the capacity to store up to 650 tracks. You can download music from your Spotify, Deezer, and Amazon Music playlists. Note that some of these services will require a premium account to be able to add music to watch just like in the case of Galaxy Watch 4.

The Venu 2 Plus has a microphone and loudspeaker which enables the ability to make and receive calls from the watch when your phone is nearby. According to Ray maker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaRII0DgO6A&t=1216s, the call quality is at best awesome for a tiny device like this. It is worthwhile to know that the Venu 2 Plus features a keypad that lets you dial the number you wish to call. It also syncs your phone contact list just like the Galaxy Watch 4 which lets you find a contact to call directly from the watch. You can assign the phone app to the middle button to make it easy to make calls. The Venu 2 and 2S can’t make calls. Note that some phone models are not fully compatible with the Bluetooth call functionality of the Venu 2 Plus.

The Venu 2 Plus also features three voice assistants, Google Assistant, Bixby and Siri which are not available on Venu 2 and 2S. You can activate voice assistant by long-pressing the middle button. The voice assistant that is activated depends on your phone. Siri is activated if you use an iPhone, Bixby if you use a Samsung phone, and Google Assistant if you use a non-Samsung phone.

Managing Notifications

All three models have the ability to alert you when you receive a notification on your phone. You can reply to messages with preset texts (only android). Moreover, as a result of the presence of a microphone and loudspeaker on the Venu 2 Plus, you can use the voice assistant features to reply to messages. Garmin Pay which lets you make non-contactless payments is also available in all three models.

Battery Life – Venu 2 has the longest battery life

The battery life of the different models also differs. Although, each of these three has a good battery life that lets you go long from a single charge.

The Venu 2 has the longest battery life of up to 11 days and up to 12 days with battery saver mode enabled. Its followed by the Venu 2S which has a battery life of up to 10 days, while Venu 2S has the shortest of up to 9 days in mixed usage and up to 10 days with battery saver mode enabled. This is far longer than the Galaxy Watch 4 which barely lasts up to 2 days and the Fitbit Sense which has up to 6 days battery life.

Which Model is Right For You?

The price difference between the Venu 2 Plus and Venu 2/2S is only $50. For this additional price markup, you will be able to make and receive calls when your phone is nearby. You also get voice assistants that let you use your voice to do simple tasks. Moreover, you can choose to play music from the loudspeaker and it also has a more durable design with a stainless steel rear cover and a good battery life. If these additions are worth the extra cost for you, it’s worth choosing the Venu 2 Plus.

On the flip side, the Venu 2S offers a smaller display, but is very compact and lightweight with decently long battery life. While the Venu 2 offers the longest battery life alongside an awesome design.