Garmin used to be the smartwatch brand you graduated to when you got serious about fitness. Now it’s also the one you wear when you get serious about everything else. Given the price tag of the Venu X1, that should be “very serious”. While it is the new big brother to the feature-rich Venu range, it raises the bar by showing that high-end performance and refined aesthetics belong on the same wrist.
At the centre sits a massive 2-inch AMOLED display, vibrant and responsive under a sapphire crystal lens. Encased in stainless steel and fibre-reinforced polymer, the watch combines durability with comfort. An always-on option keeps the interface available, with the large, square face provides the real estate for extensive data at a glance. It also gives it an Apple Watch look and feel, but without its limitations.
Navigation through Garmin’s updated interface feels intuitive. Touch gestures and tactile buttons complement each other, allowing rapid access to health metrics, notifications and workout stats.
Garmin’s reputation for rugged capability now meets a design philosophy that embraces sophistication, offering a smartwatch that covers both the athlete’s ambitions and the executive’s expectations. However, it sacrifices the health enthusiast’s quest for measuring vital statistics, and does not include ECG measurement.
Despite that gap, Garmin has packed its full suite of wellness tools into the Venu X1. Body Battery remains a standout. This is a live energy score based on heart rate variability, sleep quality and daily exertion. Rather than acting as a passive step counter and sleep measurement device, the watch interprets physical and mental readiness, offering insights that support smarter decisions. The display of this information makes it accessible rather than overwhelming, with data visualisation that guides the user in fitness choices.
Sleep tracking benefits from advanced tools. Nap detection recognises short rest periods and integrates them into overall recovery data. The sleep coach, in turn, delivers guidance tailored to actual patterns, treating recovery as an ongoing process rather than a single overnight number.
An Elevate V5 optical heart rate sensor enhances both workout precision and daily monitoring. Pulse oximetry support enables blood oxygen tracking during sleep or altitude exposure, extending its relevance beyond athletes. Built-in respiration tracking and heart rate variability data round out a health profile that suits both casual users and performance-focused individuals.
Fitness tracking receives the same high-end treatment. More than 30 sport modes come standard, alongside animated strength, cardio and flexibility workouts. Multi-GNSS positioning provides fast, accurate location data, and preloaded maps offer clarity on routes and trails. The mapping interface performs reliably, even during dense urban runs.
Talking of which, the choice of running styles is both impressive and limited: in setting up my profile after charging the watch for the first time, I had options like “Treadmill run”, “trail run” and “virtual run”, but nothing for my street runs through the suburbs. I guess tar roads qualify as trail runs, especially given the potholes of Johannesburg streets, but this is a clear gap.
Photo courtesy Garmin.
That said, the Venu X1 does more than track movement. With onboard storage and compatibility with Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music, it becomes a self-contained music player. Bluetooth headphone pairing completes the setup for phone-free workouts or travel. However, if you want to make or receive calls, the watch needs Bluetooth access to your phone. At this price point, I would have expected eSIM capability for true liberation from the phone.
In paired mode, communication tools like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities bring smartwatch functionality into everyday use. Voice calls work directly from the wrist, and messaging features cater to Android users with on-watch replies.
Battery performance is average. Garmin promises up to 8 days days in “smartwatch mode”, but that falls dramatically, to two days, when the always-on display is enabled. However, a short 10-minute charge supplies a full day’s worth of power, via a proprietary charging cable. Smartwatch makers, across brands, appear not to have discovered USB-C charging.
From a tactile perspective, the watch wears light and secure. A quick-release nylon strap offers easy swaps, and the silicone band included in the box provides comfort across extended wear. The ukltra-thin and light case supports long hours without fatigue, and the layout of controls remains efficient in active settings.
My personal favourite function is Body Battery, which assesses heart rate variability, sleep quality, and physical activity, to assigns a real-time energy score. At a glance, I was able to gauge whether I was pushing too hard or ready to take on more. More significantly Garmin contextualises the information so it feels useful rather than academic.
How much does it cost?
The Garmin Venu X1 is priced at R18,999, available from Garmin’s South African store and retail partners, including Cape Union Mart, Sportsmans Warehouse and Takealot.
Why does it matter?
The Venu X1 brings Garmin’s elite health-tracking platform into a high-end smartwatch that matches its technical excellence with refined design, raising the bar for premium wearable technology.
What are the biggest negatives?
- Proprietary charging cable limits compatibility with standard USB-C accessories.
- No ECG or eSIM capability.
- Premium price reflects materials and branding more than added functionality.
What are the biggest positives?
- Rich wellness tracking ecosystem includes sleep coaching, nap detection and heart health tools.
- Extensive data accessible on the main screen, and can be customised.
- Sophisticated styling with an exceptionally thin watch case positions Garmin in the luxury smartwatch category.
* Arthur Goldstuck is CEO of World Wide Worx, editor-in-Chief of Gadget.co.za and author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to AI.