Both the Venu 3 and 3S will retail for $449.99 and will also be the first Garmin smartwatches with a wheelchair mode.
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Garmin is launching the Venu 3 and 3S today, and there’s good news for nap lovers. The company is debuting a new Sleep Coach feature that includes both personalized coaching and automatic nap detection.
Nap tracking is a timely addition. Sleep is increasingly a popular focus among wearables companies. Samsung, for example, has been working hard the last two years to build out its native sleep tracking offerings, and Google also added Fitbit’s Sleep Profile feature to the Pixel Watch. So it’s been admittedly odd that Garmin devices haven’t been able to automatically detect naps. (You’ll also be able to manually log naps as well.) This is especially true since sleep — and therefore naps — is a factor when calculating recovery and readiness metrics. At a press briefing, Garmin noted that Sleep Coach and nap detection will eventually roll out to other Garmin devices but declined to specify which ones.
The Venu 3 series will be the first Garmin watches to include a wheelchair mode. The mode will replace steps with pushes and movement reminders with weight shift reminders. Garmin says there will also be wheelchair-specific sports apps and workouts. Existing algorithms in this mode will also be adapted to be more useful to wheelchair users.
According to Garmin, the new mode was developed and beta tested with wheelchair users. At the briefing, it also clarified that, for now, this will remain exclusive to Venu 3 watches. As for why, the company said it’s to get extra feedback on what works before extending it to other models.
Rounding out the new features are bigger font sizes for those of us with terrible eyesight and audio-based guided meditation sessions. For meditations, users will be able to follow voice prompts, set intentions, and listen to white noise like ocean sounds. You’ll be able to choose from preset sessions or customize your own.
The Venu 3 is also getting some features that are typically seen on Garmin’s higher-end multisport watches. That includes Morning Report and metrics like recovery time, workout benefits (i.e., how training impacts your body), and perceived rate of exertion. Users will also be able to create interval workouts straight from the wrist. Body Battery — a Garmin metric that visualizes your energy levels — will also give more detailed insights with regard to restful and stressful moments in your day.
While it’s nice to see Garmin debut new software, the hardware itself is onlya minor improvement from its predecessor. The Venu 3 gets a slight bump in battery life at an estimated 14 days (five days if you enable the always-on display) compared to the Venu 2’s 11 days. The 3S’s battery life remains the same at 10 days (five with AOD). Both smartwatches also get the new optical heart rate sensor that Garmin debuted on the Epix Pro and Fenix 7 Pro.
Otherwise, design and size are similar to the Venu 2, at 45mm for the regular Venu 3 and 41mm for the 3S. Since these are also meant to be lifestyle watches, they’re not quite as heavy or rugged as other Garmin devices. The Venu 3 weighs in at 46g, while the 3S is 40g. The watches also sport OLED displays, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 lenses, and 5ATM of water resistance.
The Garmin Venu 3 series is available starting today. Both watches will retail for $449.99. The Venu 3 comes in black and white, while the 3S will come in black, french gray, sage, pink, and ivory.
