Between the vívoactive 5 and Venu 3, the vívoactive 5 comes out ahead in weight, while the Venu 3 wins on battery life and display size. Overall, the vívoactive 5 scores 53.3 and the Venu 3 scores 62 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Venu 3 is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 8.7 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the vívoactive 5 if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight.
Pick the Venu 3 if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. Its strongest claims are battery life, display size, ecg.
Both ship with comparable cellular, spo2, water resistance, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Venu 3 is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Garmin - vívoactive 5 wins
- ▲Weight — 21.00 g less. 26 vs 47.
Why Garmin - Venu 3 wins
- ▲Battery life — 27.27% more. 336 h vs 264 h.
- ▲Display size — 16.67% more. 1.4 " vs 1.2 ".
- ▲Has ECG.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Garmin - vívoactive 5 | Garmin - Venu 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Case size | 42 mm | 45 mmlead |
| Weight | 26 glead | 47 g |
| Case material | polymer | stainless steel |
| Water resistanceⓘ | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
Display
| Spec | Garmin - vívoactive 5 | Garmin - Venu 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Display size | 1.2 " | 1.4 "lead |
| Always-on display | true | true |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 1000 nits | 1000 nits |
Health & Fitness
| Spec | Garmin - vívoactive 5 | Garmin - Venu 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ECG | false | truelead |
| SpO2 | true | true |
| Temperature sensor | false | truelead |
| Sleep tracking | true | true |
| Blood pressure | false | false |
Battery & Connectivity
| Spec | Garmin - vívoactive 5 | Garmin - Venu 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 264 h | 336 hlead |
| GPS | true | true |
| Cellular | false | false |
| NFC | true | true |
| OS | Garmin OS | Garmin OS |
Frequently asked
Which has longer battery life, vívoactive 5 or Venu 3?+
Venu 3 lasts 336h vs 264h.
Do vívoactive 5 or Venu 3 support ECG?+
Venu 3 supports ECG; vívoactive 5 does not.
Which has cellular, vívoactive 5 or Venu 3?+
Neither offers cellular.
Spec-level deep dives
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