Keeping track of their fitness goals has never been easier with people investing ever more into their health than in pre-covid life. And GPS technology giant Garmin recently launched two new smartwatches: the Venu 2 Plus active lifestyle GPS smartwatch and the vívomove Sport hybrid smartwatch. We decided to take a closer look at the former.

At a glance:

Venu 2 Plus

  • Phone calls from your wrist: you can make and take calls when paired with your smartphone
  • Voice assistant: you can use your smartphone’s voice assistant to send text messages, ask questions as well as control smart home devices
  • Sleep tracking: keep an eye on your sleep score

Venu 2 Plus
You can literally say ‘hello’ to the new voice functionality of this smartwatch. Successor to the Garmin Venu 2, the Garmin Venu 2 Plus has all the same features with the addition of a microphone allowing users to receive calls from their wrist as well as use the phone’s voice assistant without digging into your pocket or bag for the phone. What’s more, it’s compatible with Siri, Google Assistant and Bixby.

This technology can also be used to send texts, ask questions, control compatible smart home devices and more. Unlike many other smartwatches, the Venu 2 Plus can be used with either Android or Apple® smartphones.

The Garmin Venu 2 Plus is almost identical in design to the Venu 2, but it’s a wee bit bigger at 43mm, whereas the original came in at 40mm and 45mm. It’s large enough for the new watch’s extra components but not too big if you have small wrists.

The microphone component
The smartwatch’s new microphone is positioned on the case’s left-hand side. The right-hand button acts as a shortcut to your phone’s voice assistant. This new addition allows users to take calls and use their compatible smartphone’s voice assistant to send texts and ask questions.

These capabilities are in addition to being able to access the health and fitness arena, including sleep tracking and insights, stress tracking, and women’s health features. The Venu 2 Plus is like a go-to place for 360 degrees well-being. And those who like to listen to music on the go can access tunes on the wrist with built-in music.

You can download up to 650 songs, including playlists, from sites such as Spotify and Amazon Music. The Venu 2 Plus has remarkable battery life. Using a USB cable, the device can give users up to nine days of charge. The smartwatch is water-resistant, making it suitable for showering and swimming. Having said that, it’s not ideal for deep-sea diving.

Customised fitness
We’ve all become health conscious since the onset of Covid, and the Venu 2 Plus is equipped with impressive fitness features. It includes over 25 built-in indoors and GPS sports apps. Take your pick from walking, cycling, HIIT, swimming, etc. Preset workouts can be accessed after downloading the Garmin Connect app on your smartphone. Users can also create their own customised workouts by choosing from over 1,400 exercises.

If, like me, you enjoy yoga and Pilates, you’ll be pleased to know the high-res display will show guided workout animations as part of its muscle map graphics. So, it’s great for those who want to enhance their existing workouts with strength and flexibility training, all the while ensuring you have proper form and technique.

Safety and tracking
The Venu 2 Plus also includes Garmin’s safety and tracking features like automatic incident detection during outdoor walks, jogs or rides and manually triggered assistance alerts, both of which send a message with the user’s location to their emergency contacts. LiveTrack lets friends and family track the user’s outdoor activity.

For extra safety, users can assign a designated emergency contact that the Venu 2 Plus can call, such as local emergency services. And you don’t have to be working out to wear this device either.

It looks good and will keep track of everything else while you busy with your day. It comes in one size, has a stainless-steel case with a bright display and can be worn with pretty much any outfit without looking too ‘sporty’.

Our verdict
The Venu 2 Plus is ideal for gym rats who are serious about their fitness and are committed to keeping up a routine. The impressive microphone makes it more than just a fitness tracker, and if you are always on the go, it will allow you to use your phone to make and take calls, send messages and ask questions without diving into your phone. However, if you are just starting out in the fitness game and are on a budget, this smartwatch may be too advanced for you. At a recommended £399 price tag, you can get a cheaper model.

Garmin Venu 2 Plus – Where and How?

The Venu 2 Plus comes in three colours (cream-gold stainless steel with an ivory band, slate stainless steel with a black band, and silver stainless steel with a powder grey band). It has a recommended price tag of £399.99 and is available now on Garmin.com.

Read more sports and wellness reviews and features here.