Garmin Venu 3S Black/Gray

I have been using this watch for a month now. Previously had the Venu 2S for 2.5 years, which made the transition smooth. Some things in the menu work slightly differently, but otherwise similar.

The battery life is up to a week, during which I record 2x strength training and 1-2 walks with the dog per day. Relative to of the 2S it is slightly less long. The charging cable stays in place much better in the 3S and I think it also charges faster.

The fitness measurement with automatic sets and repetition gives a good picture of which muscles you have trained. Only he doesn't do the leg exercises, so I only register half a workout in terms of time. I also find the vibrations from set and rest annoying, so I prefer to turn it off. And then it does not measure which muscle groups you have trained.

What I think is a shame is that you cannot set the font size smaller than normal. On the 2S the font was smaller than the 3S. Here I find it annoying, because it is really big so people can read along when you get a message. With the 2S, the message indicated when you had received a WhatsApp message in a group. You then saw who sent it and in which group. Now you only get the name of someone who sends something. I personally find that annoying and I hope they will come up with an update in which this is possible again.

Heart rate monitor seems better than the 2S, but it is still inconsistent. No problem for me, because I use a heart rate monitor strap on my racing bike. They are always more accurate.

Sleep is measured just as (in)accurately as the 2S. The overview in the morning is nice, but I usually scroll through it quickly.

The screen is nice and clear and responds quickly. You can send a message via your watch, but you cannot reply to an incoming message. Maybe they can do something about that too.

I still doubt whether it is really an improvement over the 2S. Especially since you still can't see photos with the iPhone. And probably because I don't consciously use 75% of the functions ;-) Calling is useful, but not a must for me. It is easy to quickly send a message in the car (without CarPlay). But I don't know if that's worth the extra cost.

I upgraded from the Vivoactive 4s and haven't regretted it so far. The battery life is very good and not inferior to the values in the specification. The screen is nice and sharp and with the many available faces you can clearly display all your desired data. The sleep tracking has also been greatly improved compared to the Vivoactive 4s. It is no longer the case that sleep is detected when you just sit quietly on the couch and it now tracks the sleep phases a lot better in my opinion and also automatically registers naps during the day. Body battery remains an interesting function that can be especially confrontational after a few drinks. There are many preset activities and workouts and GPS and heart rate tracking also works very accurately for activities. There is also more information about HRV and recovery times, but I need to dig into this a little more to form an opinion. Price is a bit high, but I don't regret my purchase at all.

Absolutely top watch! I previously had a Fitbit (which died) and this is the first Garmin. Despite the fairly high price, absolutely no regrets. Heart rate monitor is accurate, I also think it is suitable for cycling, provided it is worn on the wrist and a little further on the forearm. Sleep score corresponds to how I experienced the night itself, but I will have to wait and see whether this is as accurate as the Fitbit. The Body Battery is a useful function and often corresponds to my energy level, which I experience myself. The Garmin Venu 3s is ruthless (and confrontational) in the figures and facts it shows you when you take less care of yourself, start training too quickly or are stressed. The tips and coaching you receive are very useful! All in all, this helps and motivates me to monitor and improve my health, sleep, training and recovery time. Very happy with it! Recommended for those who want to get fit through exercise and take better care of themselves!