Garmin has just announced the newest addition to its Venu range, with the Venu X1.
A fitness smartwatch with Garmin’s largest display, health and exercise tracking and over a week’s worth of battery, you might be wondering how the Venu X1 measures up to the 4.5-star Apple Watch Ultra 2. To help you choose between the two, we’ve compared the specs of both mighty smartwatches and highlighted the key differences below.
Not convinced by either? Our best smartwatch list features our top-rated wearables across different budgets.
Price and Availability
The recently announced Garmin Venu X1 will be available to order from 18th June 2025 and has an RRP of £679.99. At the time of writing, it is not possible to pre-order the watch.
Apple’s premium Watch Ultra 2 launched back in 2023 and is readily available worldwide with a starting RRP of £799/$799. However, it’s worth noting that although deals aren’t constant, it is possible to nab the wearable with a price cut.
Garmin Venu X1 is compatible with both iPhone and Android
Unfortunately, if you’re sporting one of the best Android phones then you won’t be able to pair it with any Apple Watch iteration, including the Watch Ultra 2. Instead, the Watch Ultra 2 can only pair with a compatible iPhone.
The Venu X1, on the other hand, is more flexible and can be paired with either an iPhone or Android smartphone. While you can receive emails, texts and alerts on your Venu X1 when paired with any smartphone, Android users will benefit from a few additional features.
For example, if someone sends you a photo then you can view it directly on your watch’s screen. You can also use the keyboard to send quick text responses, although this is also possible if you use the Garmin Messenger app.
Garmin Venu X1 offers a longer battery life
One area where Garmin smartwatches tend to excel in is with their battery life. Although some boast a Solar display, which harnesses the sun’s energy to keep the smartwatch’s charge topped up, the Venu X1 simply boasts a large battery capacity.
In fact, its lithium ion battery promises up to eight days of life in Smartwatch mode and up to a whopping 11 days in Battery Saver Smartwatch mode too. Although the Apple Watch Ultra 2 also has a lithium ion battery, its battery promise is much smaller with up to 36 hours in normal use or up to 72 in low power mode.
Garmin Venu X1 has a larger display
With a two-inch display, the Venu X1 boasts not only the largest screen ever found on a Garmin wearable, but also the thinnest watch case too. Together, this should result in a more easy-to-read experience, which is lighter and more comfortable to wear too. Plus, the always-on display is also fitted with a sapphire crystal covering which prevents scratches and boasts 448 x 484 pixels for a clear resolution.
Although slightly smaller at just under two-inches, the Watch Ultra 2 also sports an always-on display. Its pixels are slightly less than the Venu X1, at 326 per inch, however it’s worth noting that we praised the quality of the screen in our review.
Garmin Venu X1 (Credit: Garmin)
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Garmin Venu X1 has a built-in torch
Both the Garmin Venu X1 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 are fitted with numerous safety features, including incident detection (Garmin), crash and fall detection (Apple) which determines when you’re in an accident and puts you in touch with the emergency services.
In addition, the Venu X1 also includes a built-in LED flashlight which provides “convenient illumination” when needed. The Watch Ultra 2 also sports a siren which plays a continuous sound that can be heard up to 180 metres away.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 has a 10ATM rating
The Watch Ultra 2 is a great device if swimming, scuba diving, snorkelling or water sports are your preferred exercise method. While the Venu X1 is fitted with a 5 ATM water rating, which means it can withstand submerging in up to 50m of water, the Watch Ultra 2 boasts a 10 ATM rating instead.
Not only does this mean the Watch Ultra 2 is resistant in up to 100m of water, but thanks to an EN13319 rating, you can enjoy recreational scuba diving up to 40m. The Watch Ultra 2 can also be paired with the Oceanic Plus app which turns the watch into a “fully capable dive computer” or benefit from the Tides app which tells you when the best time to go outdoor swimming is.
Early Verdict
Although we haven’t reviewed the Garmin Venu X1 yet, it promises to be an impressive smartwatch for fitness enthusiasts. If you’re an Android user, want a device with a long battery life and a larger display, then the Venu X1 is undoubtedly a great choice. However, if scuba diving is your sport of choice, then the Ultra 2 will suit you better.
We’ll be sure to update this versus once we’ve got our hands on the Venu X1.
