Nowadays, smartwatches are designed with a bigger focus in health monitoring in order to allow their users to stay more connected to our health than ever before. That ultimately allows people to monitor their health metrics and fitness capabilities on a 24/7 basis. In fact, many wearable devices such as smartwatches now integrate multiple wellness-tracking functionalities, including monitoring a user’s heart rate and breathing patterns regularly, monitoring the quality of a user’s sleep, and also tracking a user’s overall physical activity. In addition, newer higher-end smartwatches are now designed to also integrate other important wellness-tracking capabilities such as measuring a user’s blood oxygen levels or even detecting atrial fibrillation through a more accurate tracking of a user’s heart rate. This brings us to the Garmin Venu 2 Plus, a health-focused smartwatch that not only is capable of offering you all of that, but also much, much more.
The Garmin Venu 2 Plus is a health and fitness smartwatch that features advanced health-monitoring and fitness-tracking functionalities, as well as built-in GPS, both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Connectivity, Voice Assistant Support, and up to 9~10 hours of battery life.
Thanks to its many advanced health-monitoring and fitness-tracking functionalities, you can better understand your body. This includes tracking your Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability, Blood Oxygen Saturation, Respiration, Stress, Energy Levels, Sleep Quality, and more.
Not only that, but this smartwatch can also offers its users multiple fitness-focused capabilities, including Animated On-Screen Workouts, HIIT Workouts, over 1,600 Customized Workouts, Advanced Strength Training, and many, many more. Additionally, the Garmin Venu 2 Plus also comes programmed with more than 25 Pre-Loaded GPS and Indoors Sports Apps, including walking, running, cycling, pool swimming, golf and more.
On top of all of that, this health and fitness smartwatch also boasts multiple lifestyle functionalities that ensure you can stay fully-connected to the rest of the world at all times, such as allowing users to make and take phone calls directly from their wrist.
Now, let’s have a more detailed look at it and check out everything that the Garmin Venu 2 Plus has to offer you.
DESIGN & SPECS
Starting with the smartwatch’s size, the Venu 2 Plus comes at a reasonably compact size, measuring just 1.71 inches in diameter by 0.49 inches tall / thick (43.6 x 12.6 mm), meaning that it can fit any wrists with a circumference between 4.92 inches and 7.4 inches (125-190 mm). In addition, this smartwatch is also fairly lightweight, weighing just 1.79 oz. (51 g).
This health and fitness smartwatch features a simple and stylish design, coming equipped with a sleek 20mm Quick Release Silicone Wristband that’s quite comfortable to wear.
Moreover, it also features an extremely durable construction, as the watch’s front-cover is made of a Fiber-Reinforced Polymer, while its rear-cover is mainly made of Stainless Steel. The watch’s front-cover also integrates a gorgeous and ultra-durable Stainless Steel Bezel.
In addition to its ultra-durable construction, the Venu 2 Plus also features a 5 ATM Water-Resistance Rating, which basically qualifies the smartwatch to be water-resistant underwater up to 164 ft. (50 m) depth for a maximum of 10 minutes of time. That ultimately means that you can wear this smartwatch during a swim, a shower or even during a full spa day without ever having to worry about it becoming water-damaged.
Moving on to the watch’s main components. Integrated within its Stainless Steel Bezel, we have a 1.3″ (33 mm) AMOLED Full-Color Touchscreen Display that’s greatly protected by a highly-durable Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which basically makes this watch ready for any adventure.
The watch’s AMOLED Touchscreen Display features a Display Resolution of 416 by 416 pixels with vivid colors, and always provides a bright and crystal-clear visualization of what’s going on within its Display Screen, even when you’re looking at it under bright sunlight.
It’s also worth mentioning that the Venu 2 Plus also boasts an Always-on Mode, which uses can enable to keep the watch’s Touchscreen Display visible at all times.
Last but not least, it’s also worth mentioning that this health and fitness smartwatch also comes equipped with an internal memory for onboard-storage, which can save up to 200 hours of Activity Data (meaning for the watch’s Health- and Fitness-Tracking functionalities).
INTERFACE / CONTROLS & BUILT-IN SENSORS
Then, when it comes to the smartwatch’s interface, the Garmin Venu 2 Plus comes equipped with a simplified Control Panel that makes it super-easy to use.
There are three Control Buttons integrated at the right side, which allows users to control the smartwatch’s multiple health and fitness functionalities, and along those, there’s just the watch’s Touchscreen Display, and that’s pretty much it.
By performing a short press on the watch’s Top Button, users can begin a workout.
Going further down, we have its Middle Button, which is designed to serve serve two different functions. Performing a long press on the watch’s Middle Button allows you to use the watch’s Voice Assistant function. Alternatively, performing a short press on the Middle Button allows users to access the watch’s other functions, including its Alarms, Stopwatch, Timer, Brightness, Volume Levels, Music Controls, Contacts / Dial Pad / Phone Calling, Save Location, Voice Assistant Selection, and Smart Wallet.
The Bottom Button serves as the smartwatch’s Backwards Function, allowing you to go back one level in each Menu when pressed.
Last but not least, at the back-side of the smartwatch’s body, we also have a couple of built-in sensors, including Garmin’s proprietary Elevate Wrist Heart Rate Monitor (which is basically an Optical Heart Rate Monitor designed by the company), along with a Barometric Altimeter, a Compass, a Gyroscope, an Accelerometer, a Thermometer, an Ambient Light Sensor, and a Pulse Ox Blood Oxygen Saturation Monitor (meaning an Optical Pulse Oximeter).
CONNECTIVITY
For the watch’s connectivity, the Garmin Venu 2 Plusfeatures Bluetooth Connectivity, as well as Wi-Fi Connectivity, and also ANT+ Connectivity, for which the latter is used to allow the smartwatch to monitor the Health Data collected by its health-related sensors (either in real-time or within certain time intervals) as well as to allow the smartwatch to connect itself with other Smart Fitness Devices wirelessly (such as a smart trainer for example).
In addition, this health and fitness smartwatch also boasts connectivity with a few Navigation Systems, which allows it to to talk to some major satellite systems, including GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo, all at the same time.
BATTERY & BATTERY LIFE
For its power-source, the Venu 2 Plus comes equipped with a built-in optimized Lithium-Ion Battery that makes it capable of offering you up to 9 days of battery life when used in its standard Smartwatch Mode, or up to 10 days of battery life when users enable its Battery Saver Mode, which for the latter, allows you to its maximize battery life in order to get even more use-time out of the smartwatch.
In addition, you can also enable the smartwatch’s GPS Mode, for which its battery will then offer you up to 24 hours of battery life, or ultimately, up to 8 hours of battery life when using the watch for playing music while simultaneously having its GPS Mode enabled.
Whenever the watch’s battery is running low on power, all you have to do is connect the device to its dedicated USB Charging & Data Cable.
On that note, it’s also worth mentioning that the Venu 2 Plus also supports USB Rapid Charging, for which just 10 minutes of charging can add up to 1 day of battery life (for the watch’s standard Smartwatch Mode) or around 1 hour of battery life for playing music with its GPS Mode enabled.
THE SMARTPHONE COMPANION APP – The Garmin Connect App
Last of all, to access all of the smartwatch’s advanced health-monitoring and fitness-tracking functionalities, users just have to install its dedicated Companion App on their Smartphones, which is called the Garmin Connect App, and is available to download for free for both iOS and Android devices.
Via the Garmin Connect App, users will be able to access all of the smartwatch’s collected Health Data and Fitness Data, no matter if you’re simply looking to ensure that you stay healthy, curious about tracking your daily step count, or even practicing for an upcoming sports events (such as a race / marathon, or anything else).
We’ll now discuss all of the Health-Tracking and Wellness-Tracking features that the Garmin Venu 2 Plus has to offer you, which you can ultimately check regularly to have a better understanding of what’s going on inside your body.
HEALTH TRACKING FUNCTIONALITIES
Wrist-Based Heart Rate Tracking
The Venu 2 Plus is programmed to constantly track your heart rate, for which the smartwatch will immediately alert you if it detects that your heart rate stays too high or too low while you’re at rest.
Moreover, it also helps to determine how hard you work during activities such as running, cycling, or even swimming.
Pulse OX Sensor (Blood Oxygen Saturation Tracking)
The smartwatch’s built-in Pulse Ox3 Sensor accurately tracks your blood oxygen saturation levels at all times – including while you sleep – in order to show you how well your body is absorbing oxygen.
Respiration Tracking
This health and fitness smartwatch also boasts Respiration Tracking capabilities, which allows you to see how you’re breathing throughout the day, during sleep, during breathwork and yoga activities, during heavier / more demanding workouts, or even during a Health Snapshot session.
Stress Tracking
The Venu 2 Plus also features a Stress Tracking functionality that allows you to find out if you’re having a calm, balanced or stressful day.
Along with that, you’ll also get Relaxation Reminders that recommend you to take a short breathing activity whenever the smartwatch detects that you’re feeling stressed.
Health-Snapshot Functionality (All-Round Health-Data Tracking)
Users can also recur to the smartwatch’s Health-Snapshot functionality, which works as an all-round Health-Data Tracking function that triggers the watch to log a 2-minute session that will record key health metrics such as heart rate and heart rate variability, Pulse Ox3 (blood oxygen saturation levels), respiration and stress.
After that 2-minutes tracking period is over, the smartwatch will thoroughly generate an accurate report with all of those stats that can be visualized in full via the Garmin Connect App.
Body Battery Energy Monitoring (Energy-Level Tracking)
The smartwatch can also track your body’s energy levels throughout the day, which is quite a useful function to have if you’re looking to find out what are the best times for engaging on physical activity as well as the best times for resting.
Advanced Sleep Monitoring w/ Accurate Sleep Scores
This health and fitness smartwatch also boasts an Advanced Sleep Monitoring functionality that will display an accurate Sleep Score when used, thus letting you know about your sleep quality as well as giving you insights on how you can sleep better during future nights.
Moreover, the smartwatch’s Advanced Sleep Monitoring function can also keep track of the different sleep stages, as well as accurately track a user’s heart rate, stress, Pulse Ox3 and respiration during sleep time.
Hydration Tracking
The smartwatch can also log your daily water intake, for which this function will basically work as a reminder for you to stay hydrated. Furthermore, users are also provided with an Auto-Goal for their hydration levels, which automatically adjusts itself based on how much each user sweats during any physical activity.
Women’s Health Tracking
Via the Garmin Connect App, female users are able to track accurately track health data related to their menstrual cycle and with their pregnancy, for which they’ll be able to see these details at any given moment.
Ultimately, the watch’s Women’s Health Tracking function allows ladies to log different body symptoms, and also get exercise and nutrition insights, and much, much more.
Mindful Breathing (Accurate Breathing Tracking)
In addition, for times when you’re looking to relax or focus, you can also configure the smartwatch to start a Breathwork Activity, for which the watch will then track your respiration and stress-levels to ultimately help you get a better understanding of how you’re breathing.
Fitness Age Measuring
Last but not least, the Venu 2 Plus can also display your exact Chronological Age, which is based on how regular your weekly activity is, on your resting heart rate, and on your BMI (Body Mass Index) / Body Fat Percentage to estimate if your body is younger or older than you are.
This functionality also offers users multiple health tips to lower their fitness age.
FITNESS TRACKING FUNCTIONALITIES
25 Pre-Loaded GPS & Indoors Sports Apps
As said before, this smartwatch also comes with 25 Pre-Loaded GPS and Indoors Sports Apps that allow you to track all the different ways you can move and workout. This includes walking, running, cycling, pool swimming, golf and more.
Animated On-Screen Workouts
Users are also offered Animated On-Screen Workouts that are fairly easy to follow, including animated cardio, strength, yoga, Pilates and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts, which all come pre-loaded on the watch. On top of that, you can also download additional Animated Workouts from the Garmin Connect App.
HIIT Workouts
Speaking of the watch’s HIIT Workouts, users can use this new Activity Profile (meaning new in the Venu 2 Plus, which is the company’s latest-generation of this smartwatch model) with different timers to track all of their HIIT workouts, including AMRAP, EMOM, Tabata and custom. Users can also set the number of rounds, workout- and rest-intervals, and more.
Advanced Strength Training
The smartwatch also boasts an Advanced Strength Training function, for which this detailed Activity Profile puts scaling and strength PRs right at your wrist, along with graphics that show you what muscle groups you’ve worked during heavy-weight workouts.
Create Custom Workouts
With more than 1,600 exercises to choose from via the Garmin Connect App, users can create their own custom workouts by downloading any of those directly to the smartwatch’s on-board storage.
Garmin Coach
The smartwatch’s fitness capabilities also include Garmin’s very-own Smart Coach. The Garmin Coach works as a personal running coach on your wrist, which can help you train for your next 5K, 10K or half-marathon.
Intensity Minutes
With the Venu 2 Plus being the latest-generation smartwatch for this Garmin Smartwatch model, the smartwatch also comes with a newly updated Intensity Minutes feature that give you a better idea of when during the day you earned them and during what activity.
The metrics for these “Intensity Minutes” can also be viewed as a data field during timed workouts / physical activities.
OTHER NOTABLE FUNCTIONALITIES
Safety & Tracking Features
And just like any modern GPS-enabled Smartwatch, the Venu 2 Plus also boasts Safety & Tracking Features, which you can rely on if you’re ever in need of assistance.
In sum, the smartwatch allows you to easily share a message with your live location that’s immediately sent to pre-configured / pre-selected contacts, and you can even assign a designated emergency contact that your watch can call, for which that contact can even be your local emergency services, if you’d like.
Smart Notifications
Moreover, this smartwatch also features Smart Notifications, which allow you to receive emails, texts and alerts right on your wrist as soon as they come to your Smartphone.
In addition to its Smart Notification, this smartwatch also allows you to send quick pre-written text replies (note that this only works with Android phones) or alternatively, you could also reply with your voice.
On-Wrist Phone Calls
Moreover, the smartwatch also allows you to perform phone calls directly from your wrist, which means that you’ll never again have to dig into your pockets or fumble through your purse just to find your Smartphone when looking to make a phone call.
Voice Assistant Support
And speaking of replying with your voice, it’s also worth noting that this Smartphone also features Voice Assistant Support for Siri, for the Google Assistant, and also for Bixby.
Thanks to that, you can use any of those Digital Voice Assistants to compose and respond to text messages, ask questions and even control your compatible smart home devices, all directly from the Venu 2 Plus.
On-Board Music Storage
This feature-packed health and fitness smartwatch also allows you to store music directly into its on-board storage for a phone-free listening experience with your wireless headphones, and those songs can even be downloaded directly from your Spotify, Deezer or Amazon Music accounts.
Garming Pay Integration for Contactless Payments
Best of all, since this smartwatch also comes integrated with Garmin Pay, you’re also offered a contactless payment solution (through any services that support this), which basically allows you to easily select between different transit systems and ultimately beeeze through checkout lines.
Connect IQ Store
To customize the smartwatch’s User-Interface, users can also use the Connect IQ Store App, which allows them to add new watch faces to their Venu 2 Plus, as well as customize the watch’s different health-data and fitness-data fields.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
Inside each package users will find: their Garmin Venu 2 Plus Smartwatch, along with the device’s dedicated USB Charging & Data Cable, as well as some Documentation (including a Quick-Start Guide, a User Manual, and a Warranty-Sheet).
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Garmin Venu 2 Plus is a health and fitness smartwatch that features advanced health-monitoring and fitness-tracking functionalities, as well as built-in GPS, both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Connectivity, Voice Assistant Support, and up to 9~10 hours of battery life.
Featuring many advanced health-monitoring and fitness-tracking functionalities such as Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability, Blood Oxygen Saturation, Respiration, Stress, Energy Levels, Sleep Quality, and more, this health and fitness smartwatch allows you to better understand your body day-in and day-out.
Moreover, its multiple fitness-focused capabilities and its 25 Pre-Loaded GPS and Indoors Sports Apps help you to stay active in many different ways.
Best of all, the Venu 2 Plus also integrates multiple Smart Functions that are focused on a more connected lifestyle for a better quality of life in this modern world.
All in all, this smartwatch is a perfect choice for those who want to live a healthier, more active and more connected lifestyle.
If you’re interested in buying it, each unit is currently priced at $449.99. You can order yours online right now, directly from Garmin’s official shopping page.
