Article by Michael Ellenberger
Garmin Venu X1 ($800)
Pros and Cons
Pros
Stunning AMOLED screen that rivals the Apple Watch
Responsive touchscreen that works even in rain and sweat
Flashlight is genuinely useful for night runs and daily life
Large screen makes data easy to see when running, or pushing a stroller
Premium materials with sapphire glass and titanium case
Strong GPS and sensor performance
Cons
Watch case is bulky, especially on smaller wrists
Included velcro band runs large and doesn’t fit snugly enough
Battery life drops quickly with Always-On Display enabled
Charging cable is less convenient than Apple’s magnetic system
Price is high given the battery compromises
Introduction
I’ve been wearing the Garmin Venu X1 for a little bit now, and I’ve been putting it through the use that matters most to me: running. I fully appreciate that Garmin designed this watch to be a premium lifestyle and fitness hybrid (in line with the Venu lineage) - but besides running (and sleeping), I don’t personally feel a strong need to get more from my Garmin. I want it to be accurate, and I want it to be runner-friendly (including, of course, comfortable!).
There is a lot to like here, with a massive 2” diagonal screen, a really (shockingly, even) very thin 7.9mm thick build, superlight weight at 34g (40g with ComfortFit band), and a lot of thoughtful features.
The trade-offs are real, but so are the benefits, and I’ve found myself in a love-it, question-it cycle that I think says a lot about where the Venu X1 sits in Garmin’s lineup. I can say this - it’s way better, and more usable, than I expected, but I’m not quite ready to give it a full recommendation. Read on.
Design & Screen
The very first thing I noticed about the Venu X1 was the size. On paper, it’s thinner and lighter than some of Garmin’s rugged multisport watches, but on my wrist the profile (2’’ width) still feels big.
I have a narrower wrist, and this is one of those watches where the case and screen really dominate the wrist presence. It doesn’t look bad, but it’s something I notice constantly. The included velcro band also doesn’t help matters much. Even when I wrap it nearly all the way up to the top of the adjustment slots, it remains just a hair looser than I’d like. For me, that small amount of looseness translates to a less secure feel than I want from a daily training watch.
That said - the thickness (or perhaps thinness) absolve a lot of these issues. It’s crazy thin. I have the Apple Watch Series 10 - whose entire selling point over previous iterations was the thin profile - and the X1 knocks it out of the park being almost 2mm thinner yet. Again, it is still slightly too big for me to suggest to smaller-wristed folks (including, I imagine, many of our female readers) but I don’t think you should dismiss it out of hand just because of the size.
The AMOLED screen, though, is the real star. It’s gorgeous. Honestly, I don’t say this often about Garmin watches, but the display quality here is right there with the Apple Watch.
That’s not something I said for the Forerunner 570, and especially not for the Forerunner 265, both of which felt a step behind when it came to brightness and color saturation (the Forerunner 265, in my book, had pretty poor outdoor visibility, even “always on.” The 570 and especially the X1 have fixed that).
The Venu X1’s screen with its 448 x 486 pixels resolution is crisp, sharp, and vibrant. It makes everything from workout screens to maps to simple notifications feel premium.
Even better, it holds up under real conditions. I’ve used it in the rain, I’ve had it dripping with sweat, and the touchscreen never gave me issues. Every swipe and tap registered quickly and cleanly, which isn’t always a given with touchscreen watches. Garmin also paired the screen with premium build materials, including sapphire glass and titanium, and those details reinforce the impression that this is meant to be their flagship fitness smartwatch. I love a sapphire lens - no concerns when just wearing it around all day, and no need for a screen protector - and that feature is worth real dollars to me.
When pushing a stroller on the run, the large screen was a huge help. I don’t want to say “buy the X1 if you stroller run regularly” (see: the price), but it’s hard to beat a screen that large and that readable when your wrist is planted at an odd angle. (And, see our review of the Thule Urban Glide 3 running stroller - a piece of gear I received for review and absolutely adore!).
Features & Usability
I came into this watch expecting to lean on the touchscreen almost exclusively, because that’s what I’m used to from daily Apple Watch use. What surprised me was that the Venu’s 2 buttons, though fewer than on their dedicated training watches, are actually useful and complement the screen nicely.
I still think Apple’s crown and side button are more intuitive when it comes to smartwatch usage, but I found the Venu X1’s setup workable, and over time I stopped thinking about it much - and, it may go without saying, having a dedicated start/stop and lap button when in an activity is unbeatable. The combination of touch and buttons means the watch never feels like it’s missing input options.
One of my favorite features ended up being the flashlight. At first, I thought it might be a gimmick, but in real use it has been incredibly handy. On night runs, it gives just enough light to see obstacles or be seen by others (it prompts you when you first run in the dark, including early in the morning, to have the light flash).
The large screen also shows its value when running. I didn’t expect to care much about the extra real estate, but when I’m on the move, especially when I’ve got a stroller in front of me, I really appreciate being able to glance down and instantly see my pace or heart rate in big, legible numbers.
At night, it’s even better because I’m not straining to read data fields or swiping to the right screen. In practice, that visibility makes a big difference, and it’s where the Venu X1 starts to feel like a runner’s watch disguised as a smartwatch.
Performance & Battery
Battery life on the Venu X1 is good, but not great. Garmin rates it for about eight days in smartwatch mode, which is achievable if you keep the always-on display turned off. But the truth is that (in my opinion) always-on should be enabled, because it’s a watch and you want to be able to see the time at a glance.
With AOD turned on, the numbers drop significantly, and in my use I was often thinking about charging after just two days, assuming you use GPS both days. That’s not terrible, and I’m used to frequent charging from the Apple Watch, but I can’t help feeling like a watch at this price should squeeze out more endurance.
Of course, here’s where I get to state my “controversial” opinion - I don’t really care about frequent battery charging (to a point). I work at a desk, and it’s simply not a problem to plug in a device for 20-45 minutes while I’m working on a project, and picking it up when I next stand up.
I know not everyone has the same work setup I do - and for those who may be away from an outlet the whole day, this battery may be a dealbreaker - but for white collar folks, it’s not really a concern (at least in my mind).
That said, when it comes to charging, Garmin’s proprietary cable does the job, but it’s not as seamless as Apple’s magnetic puck. With the Apple Watch, I could more or less toss it onto the charger and it would align itself instantly. With the Garmin cable, there’s a bit more fuss to making sure it’s clicked into place. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it does make charging feel less effortless, which matters when you’re doing it often.
GPS Performance
This is a running-specific review, so I will address GPS performance, but I’ll also give my caveat that this category is slightly overblown. As far as I know, there are no wrist–based GPS watches, even with dual band network capabilities, that can go to downtown Chicago and get a clean track. Buildings, bridges, water… Those things make GPS finicky, if not downright useless. So assuming you’re not running in a true urban landscape, the incremental gains from generation to generation are relatively minimal.
The X1 doesn’t have dual frequency GPS - a lot of other watches at this price point (and well below) do although it does use all major networks. Even so, I had no issues. GPS locked quickly and stayed accurate even on tricky routes. It accurately tracked what side of the street I was on, whether I was on a road or a sidewalk, and caught even really quick turnarounds or windy turns. Is it accurate to the 0.001 on every run? I don’t know. But it was as accurate as my 570 and more accurate - at least in terms of reproducing a high-fidelity track of where I ran - than the Apple Watch Series 10. Even as a competitive runner, that’s good enough for me.
Other sensors were reliable (including HR, which worked well despite the large device, which was nice to see), syncing with the app was fast, and the overall day-to-day experience felt stable. This is a watch you can trust to track your training, no question (as we’ve come to expect from Garmin).
Comparison to Other Watches
When I compare the Venu X1 to my Apple Watch, the similarities are striking. The screen is every bit as good, and sometimes even more legible outdoors (which again, is not a sentiment I’ve had for other AMOLED smart watches - the Apple Watch has always been my gold standard, and I’ve tried many!).
The battery is better than the Apple Watch if you leave it always-on off, but when you turn it on, the two start to feel more similar in how often they demand charging. Apple’s magnetic charging system is clearly superior, but Garmin balances things out with stronger fitness metrics and better GPS reliability. I can see why you’d be interested in cross-shopping these, even though anything Garmin gets admittedly written into the fitness category and “real” runners often scoff at the Apple Watch without real consideration. But I digress.
Against Garmin’s own Forerunners, the Venu X1 is a clear display upgrade. It makes the Forerunner 265 feel dated the moment you switch between them, and is a slight upgrade, to my eye, over even the modern Forerunner 570 (the successor to the 265). But - those Forerunners are heavier but also more compact, and for smaller wrists they remain a better fit. They also stretch the battery a bit further if you’re the kind of runner who doesn’t care about having the massive display. I admit I didn’t consider the Venu X1 when I purchased the FR570 and while (as this review suggests!) I am duly impressed with the X1, I still think the size of the 570 (or the smaller Apple Watch Series 10, 42mm) wear so much better on my wrist that I could never fully use the X1 without some adjustment. Larger wrist folks may see/wear things differently.
Conclusions
In the end, the Garmin Venu X1 is a watch that I genuinely really like (much, much more than I expected), but one that comes with trade-offs I can’t ignore.
The oversized case is too much for my wrist, and the included strap doesn’t help matters. If you have a big wrist, then none of this part matters, and you should give the X1 a serious look. If you’re like me, then you need to consider the matrix of other considerations.
Battery life is only average if you use the watch as it’s meant to be used, with the screen always on. Charging is serviceable, but not as easy as Apple’s system. You can’t respond to texts on iOS (Apple’s doing, not Garmin’s) and there’s no LTE/5G option (which is available on a $400 Apple Watch).
That said, the strengths of the X1 are undeniable. The screen is stunning, easily Garmin’s best yet that I have tested, and genuinely competitive with Apple. The touchscreen is fast and reliable even in wet or sweaty conditions, a huge (and pleasant) surprise. The flashlight is unexpectedly useful, and the large screen provides clear benefits for runners who want data legible at a glance. If you can accept a bit more charging and a larger profile on your wrist, this is one of the best all-around smart watches Garmin has ever made.
For me, the Venu X1 is a great choice for someone who wants Garmin’s fitness credibility in a package that feels closer to a true smartwatch. It’s not perfect, but it’s compelling, and for many people it’s going to be exactly the balance they’ve been waiting for.
Tester Profile
Michael is a patent attorney and graduate of Northwestern University Law School. Prior to law school, he competed collegiately at Washington University in St. Louis (10,000m PR of 30:21). Michael’s PRs include a 66:46 half-marathon and a 2:20:41 marathon PR at the 2025 Houston Marathon. Michael continues to race on the roads, and is chasing a sub-2:20 marathon and potential OTQ in the future.
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