Garmin has introduced the Venu 4, its newest smartwatch with notable advancements in both hardware and software. Starting at $549, the Venu 4 comes in two sizes and features a battery life of 10–12 days. Major hardware upgrades consist of a more vibrant display, an LED flashlight, dual-band GPS, and a combination of stainless steel and polymer in its case. The watch also unveils an updated “Garmin Fitness Coach,” which provides tailored workouts for 25 different activity types, going beyond just running and cycling.
The Venu 4’s “Health Status” function tracks indicators such as heart rate variability (HRV), skin temperature, and respiration, notifying users if these indicators stray from their normal levels due to reasons like illness or physical activity. Furthermore, Garmin has launched “Lifestyle Logging,” enabling users to monitor habits like alcohol or caffeine intake, which can affect health metrics.
Enhanced sleep tracking is offered, which includes “sleep alignment” information to evaluate circadian rhythm synchronization and “sleep consistency” from the past week. These functionalities aim to deliver a holistic view of the user’s health and how lifestyle choices impact it.
Fitness aficionados will find value in the daily recommended workouts and the revamped Garmin Fitness Coach, which accommodates a broad array of indoor and outdoor activities. The “mixed session activity profile” feature permits users to document various activity types in a single session, catering to varied workout routines.
The Venu 4 also carries features from other Garmin devices, such as the ability to follow downloaded GPX routes and monitor training load and effect. However, premium features like mapping are reserved for the Venu X1.
Released on September 22, the Garmin Venu 4 is available in 41mm and 45mm sizes, with a luxurious leather band option at $599. Despite a $100 price increase compared to the Venu 3, the new features of the Venu 4 may warrant the expense for those looking for enhanced health and fitness tracking. Alongside the Venu 4, Garmin has also unveiled the Instinct Crossover AMOLED and Bounce 2 kids watch.
