Garmin Venu Sq review: A solid fitness tracker without the frills

Lexy Savvides/CNET
The $200 (£179, AU$300) Garmin Venu Sq has almost every fitness- and health-tracking feature you could want in a smartwatch for less than competitors like the Apple Watch ($399 at Apple) and Fitbit Versa 3. It has a bright LCD touchscreen, built-in GPS, SpO2 (blood oxygen) tracking and up to six days of battery life, which makes it a compelling buy, especially if you want a watch that’s compatible with both Android and iOS.
It’s not the most premium-looking smartwatch out there and it misses out on features like a voice assistant and altimeter, but it makes up for it in health and fitness features that elevate it from the rest.
Like
- Excellent fitness tracking
- Continuous blood oxygen monitoring
- Up to six-day battery life
- Strong sleep tracking
Don’t Like
- GPS signal is slow to lock
- Vibration motor is weak
- Music version costs $50 more