Updated 31 Oct 2026
Is the Garmin Venu 4 worth it?
Yes — the best smartwatch for fitness fans who hate charging.
It looks smart enough for the office, with a stainless steel case and a brighter screen, but tracks runs, rides and health as well as a Garmin sports watch, with dual-band GPS, a new flashlight and Garmin's health status and lifestyle logging. The 45mm model lasts up to 12 days (about four with the screen always on), and it works with iPhone and Android. It costs more than the Venu 3 did, has no full-colour maps or LTE, and its smart features still trail an Apple or Samsung watch.
95%of 166 owners give it 4 or 5 stars
- Up to 12 days of battery
- Metal case and flashlight
- Garmin's full health tracking
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What owners say
Owners love the battery life, the health data and the look, and several have switched from an Apple Watch. Complaints are rare.
Good to know
- No full-colour maps or LTE.
- Heavy enough to be uncomfortable in bed.
- Slow to charge, on Garmin's own cable.
- Smart features and voice assistant lag Apple and Samsung.
From 166 buyer ratings at Currys, Otto (Germany), Costco (Canada), Harvey Norman (NZ, Australia), Boulanger (France), Takealot (South Africa) and Expert (Netherlands), every complaint read by us, November 2026. How we do this
What they love
- Detailed health and fitness trackingMentioned a lot
- Battery lasts a week or moreMentioned a lot
- Looks good and feels well madeMentioned often
- Light and comfortableAlso mentioned
- Bright, clear screenAlso mentioned
What they complain about
- Keeps losing the phone connectionVery rare
Get it if…
- You want a smart-looking watch with Garmin's fitness tracking.
- You want over a week between charges, with any phone.
Skip it if…
- You want apps, calls and payments to rival an Apple Watch: the Series 12 is smarter.
- You want maps for hikes: the Venu X1 has them.
More on the Garmin Venu 4
How we reached this verdict
TechRadar (4.5/5) calls it the best balance yet of dressy smartwatch and fitness tool, with accurate metrics, a better body and brighter screen, held back only by no maps or LTE. Android Central (4.5/5) calls it the ideal fitness watch for most people but notes the heavy build, slow charging and $100 premium over the Venu 3. T3 (4/5) praises the design, battery and flashlight, but finds smart features behind Apple and Samsung.
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: TechRadar, Android Central, T3, Garmin, Tom's Guide, TechRadar, TechRadar, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, Tom's Guide, Android Central, manufacturer specifications.
Updated 31 Oct 2026How we decide