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Is the 'ultrathin' Garmin Venu X1 the best smartwatch yet? We have thoughts

Siena Hocking

Updated September 12, 2025 - 2.36am

"It looks like the Apple Watch and a Garmin had a baby," my friend said as I flashed her my new wrist candy – I think that's the point. Earlier this year, Garmin released the Venu X1. With its 2-inch square AMOLED screen and titanium body, it seems like a shot at the Apple Watch Series 10 or even Ultra 2.

My wearable journey started years ago with an Apple Watch Series 5. At the time, I thought the Apple products were more aesthetically pleasing than Garmin's. As I began taking my health and fitness journey more seriously (and because everyone else had one, yes, I'm easily influenced), I switched sides to the Garmin Forerunner 255.

At first, I was confused by the Garmin Venu X1. Based purely on looks, I thought it was trying too hard to be a pretty Apple product as well as a sporty Garmin product, and simultaneously failing at both. Truthfully, I thought it was ugly. But you know what they say, never judge a book by its cover.

So, I strapped it on and tested it out – now I won't take it off. What changed my mind? Let's get into it.

NOTE: Prices are accurate at time of publishing.

$1,499 | Garmin

Garmin Venu X1 at a glance...

Price: $1,499
Colourways: Black with slate titanium caseback and Moss with titanium caseback
Display: 2-inch AMOLED with a scratch-resistant sapphire lens
Weight: 40g with ComfortFit band
Battery life: Up to 8 days in smartwatch mode and 16 hours in GPS mode
Sensors: Elevate V5 heart rate sensor with HRV status, Pulse Ox
Health and wellness: Advanced sleep monitoring, Body Battery energy monitoring
Fitness: Over 100 sports apps, Garmin Coach plans, and features like training readiness and endurance scores
Connectivity and utilities: Built-in speaker and microphone for calls and voice commands. Includes a bright LED flashlight and offline TopoActive maps
Navigation: Onboard TopoActive maps for trail, city, and course navigation.
Storage: 32GB internal storage
Water Rating: 5 ATM

What's new?

The screen is a first for Garmin. It's larger than the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and surprisingly bright. Compared to my other Garmin, which is relatively low-light, having such clear visibility improves its usability.
The watch boasts an 8mm-thick case, a lightweight design with a titanium back, and a comfortable ComfortFit nylon band.
There are only two buttons on the Venu X1, but unlike other Garmin watches, you navigate the watch using the vast and responsive touchscreen.
The Venu X1 also offers offline maps, a feature Garmin has previously reserved for its sportier watches like the Forerunner 970 and Fenix 8. A very cool feature for any runner.
It has a shorter battery life than most Garmin devices. It lasts two days with an always-on screen, but can last up to eight days by using the screen in raise-to-wake mode.
The Venu X1 integrates features previously found on higher-end models, including Hill Score, Training Readiness, Training Status, and ClimbPro. It even has a jet lag advisor.
A built-in speaker and microphone allow users to make and take calls from their wrist and use voice commands.

Standout features

Firstly, I much prefer having the touchscreen feature as it makes navigating the watch less fiddly. Even during a particularly sweaty session, it's easy to tap the screen to pause or end workouts.

I wasn't initially sold on the new ComfortFit nylon band. I'd become accustomed to the silicone band, but the addition of the Velcro means that it's easier to move the watch around if needed. Paired with the slender nature of the watch and curved stainless-steel backing, the watch hugs the wrist nicely and is super comfortable. The only annoying thing is that the band will have to be washed.

What's also a win is that, when working out with my old Forerunner, sometimes flexing my wrist could pause or divert away from my workout interface. Though not a major problem, it was mildly irritating. I've found that with the Venu X1, this doesn't happen during a run, a HIIT class or CrossFit.

At the end of each workout, there's also a multitude of information on workout performance and strain spanning: heart rate over time, HR zones, training effect (aerobic, anaerobic and load) and workout benefit – with prompts like, "Nice work! Regular workouts like this can improve your cardiovascular fitness and ability to handle fatigue." I love the validation.

If you swipe down on your home screen, you'll be met with a list of widgets (or 'glances' in Garmin speak), which have received an Apple Watch-style facelift. Though perhaps not as pretty as its Apple rival, I love being able to access all sorts of features – weather, sunrise, health, cycle tracking, stress, steps, the list goes on – with such ease.

Is the Garmin Venu X1 worth it?

It certainly strikes the ideal balance between smartwatch-style and fitness watch smarts, and taps into the market of fitness enthusiasts looking for exactly that; I doubt I'll be taking mine off any time soon.

If you're keen on a variety of workouts, enjoy performance and health stats and want to have a premium-looking watch, this is a top-tier option – if your budget can stretch to the price tag.