Garmin has taken the running watch market by storm by announcing the Venu SQ, even though the release of the Forerunner 745 was widely anticipated. It is released just one year after the first one and is essentially the same thing but at a lower price.
This is another piece of timekeeping equipment that was recently brought into the light. The Garmin Venu SQ, which has a square design, is highly similar in appearance to the Fitbit Versa 3. It improves the functionality of the most well-liked smartwatch the firm offers by enlarging the display and adding a GPS receiver that is integrated.
However, the two wearables share more than just a similar appearance in common. Both target people who are likely to be part of the same audience. These are fitness watches that monitor your activity around the clock and also have some rudimentary forms of intelligent functionality.
Here is a comprehensive look at the differences and similarities between the Garmin Venu SQ and the Fitbit Versa 3 fitness trackers.
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Garmin Venu SQ vs. Fitbit Versa 3 On The Basis of Overall Appearance and Build
The popularity of the square or almost square shape can likely be attributed to the Apple Watch. However, despite the fact that it might not be as appealing as a circular watch, it is significantly more practical. As a result, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that many different companies have started making watches with the same basic form.
Garmin was one of the few companies deviating from the norm. But all of this has altered now that Venu SQ has been introduced. To refresh your memory, the first Venu, like the Forerunner watches and the Fenix line, has a round form factor.
Instead of a complete OLED display, Garmin has opted to integrate a 1.3-inch touch-screen LCD panel in order to keep the price as low as possible. Because of this, the resolution is just 240 by 240 pixels. However, an always-on mode can be turned on if you want it to.
The display on the Fitbit Versa 3 is substantially more significant than the display on its predecessor. It is now 1.58 inches in size and utilizes an always-on color AMOLED display that has a resolution of 336 by 336 pixels. Therefore, in terms of both quality and resolution, it is superior to the screen that can be found on the Venu SQ.
There is not much of a difference between each of them in terms of their actual dimensions. The Venu SQ is the one that’s marginally smaller, thinner, and lighter than the other, but the change is so negligible that most people won’t even notice it.
The touch displays on both watches can be used to navigate the respective Smartwatch. On the Venu SQ, this feature is coupled with two physical buttons of a standard size; however, on the Venu Versa, this feature is combined with one scarcely detectable recessed physical button.
Both of these devices are equipped with a full complement of fitness tracking sensors in their internal workings. As was noted, the fact that the pair is primarily developed with activity tracking in mind is not surprising at all. Both Fitbit and Garmin are famous for this feature of their products.
The accelerometer, optical heart rate sensor, and SpO2 sensor of each watch are shared between them. In addition, the Venu SQ comes equipped with a compass, whereas the Versa comes with a barometric altimeter, a temperature sensor, and a gyroscope as its additional features.
In addition, the wearables come equipped with GPS and NFC for making contactless payments. Just like the Versa 3, the Venu SQ Music model comes with built-in storage for digital music but comes at a somewhat higher price point.
Regarding the battery life, each of these two gadgets will provide you with roughly a week’s worth, which is not an alarming amount at all. However, with continuous GPS on, the Versa 3 will continue to run for twice as long when it reaches 12 hours.
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Activity monitoring and intelligent features compared between the Garmin Venu SQ and the Fitbit Versa 3
If you are in the market for a fitness watch, you might consider purchasing either the Versa 3 or the Venu SQ. They will monitor a broad selection of sports around the clock and provide coverage for all of your needs.
This is combined with superior environments for software development. It’s possible that Garmin’s is more detailed, but Fitbit’s is easier to understand and use. Despite the fact that both watches were released relatively recently, they are not gadgets from the first generation and so built on previously proven technology.
So, without further ado, let’s get right into the differences.
If you disregard the specifics, there aren’t that many, as both watches can provide readings for the most critical metrics, such as pulse oxygen levels. Everything other than a floor count is included on Venu SQ. This is a result of the absence of a barometric altimeter within it.
The duo also includes a built-in GPS that allows for thorough outdoor exercise tracking even when a smartphone is not being used. Reading the screen while moving about is made much simpler by the fact that the display on the Versa 3 is both larger and of higher quality.
You should be aware that Fitbit provides the option of purchasing a premium subscription. Garmin does not. Therefore you get precisely what you pay for with their products. Although both watches provide readings for the user’s respiration rate, in order to use this feature, you will need a Fitbit premium subscription. This is also where you may get raw data on the variability of your heart rate, as well as statistics on the variability of temperature. If you are ready to pay the price, all of these things are highly useful.
The device manufactured by Garmin may go a step further when it comes to monitoring athletic performance. It provides superior healing metrics and can even monitor stress levels.
With regard to the intelligent capabilities of the watches, they display notifications from the user’s smartphone and come equipped with NFC for contactless payments. Venu SQ is the best option to choose if you want offline storage for your music collection. This is not available in Versa 3, but there is a workaround for the problem. You are able to submit your own MP3s to the Deezer platform, which gives you access to those files when you use the service. Pandora Plus and Pandora Premium both include this feature, but a fee is associated with each of these premium accounts monthly.
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Garmin Venu SQ vs. Fitbit Versa 3: Verdict
When comparing these two watches, there is not a significant difference between them. They have a comparable pricing point, an almost identical appearance, and a significant amount of the same technology hidden within the hood.
The price of the Versa 3 is a little bit higher, and this is most likely owing to the fact that it has a somewhat more quality design. In place of the LCD that is seen on the Garmin, it has an OLED display with a more excellent resolution. Additionally, it has some additional data compared to its competitors, such as overnight temperature readings and raw heart rate variability. Additionally, there is no offline music storage available. However, to access this feature, you will require a premium subscription.
Those searching for a sports tracking watch that is both fashionable and within their price range can consider purchasing the Venu SQ. Despite this, many people have shown a preference for the Versa lineup since the first generation was introduced in 2018.
