I Tested The Garmin Venu 3 And OnePlus Watch 3, And The Winner Isn’t What I Expected
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
Garmin has long been my go-to smartwatch for fitness tracking, especially the Garmin Venu 3, which offers stellar workout tracking and amazing battery life. But this year, the OnePlus Watch 3 caught my attention. With even better battery performance and an updated tool kit, it’s the first Wear OS smartwatch to tempt me away from Garmin. So, I set out to test both of these unlikely competitors to see which one was a better overall fitness watch, and the results surprised me a bit.
A look at the basics
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Starting with their standout specs, both the Venu 3 and OnePlus Watch 3 deliver fantastic battery life. The Garmin Venu 3 offers up to 14 days of use between charges and a handy 26-day battery-saver mode for longer stretches. In my testing, the watch lasted about 4 days with heavy use (including daily GPS workouts) — the kind of stat that has separated Garmin from the fray for some time.
The OnePlus Watch 3 offers up to 16 days in power-saving mode and about 5 days in smart mode, which is remarkable for a Wear OS device. During my review, I was able to eke out about 3 days of heavy use before needing to charge up. OnePlus achieves this impressive feat with a dual-chip architecture that optimizes power consumption. While the Venu 3 still edges out the Wear OS device, the latter gives me a nearly comparable battery experience while also running powerful smartwatch apps.
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Though a minor detail, both watches use proprietary chargers and neither supports wireless charging for a more convenient experience. I am eager for the day when all my wearables can power up on the same charging pad.
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When it comes to fitness tracking, the Garmin watch is, admittedly, a powerhouse. Garmin’s training tools and analysis are unmatched. Yet, while the OnePlus Watch 3 is not quite as feature-packed, it offers sufficient fitness tracking for most users. It even supports more than 110 workout types. Like the Venu 3, it boasts ECG support and other holistic health monitoring tools like Wellness score.
In short, the gap between these two devices is shrinking. Thanks to its lasting power and updated wellness tools, the latest OnePlus watch offers a very similar core experience to the Venu 3 for casual users.
Rounding out each wearable
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The OnePlus Watch 3 truly shines with its Wear OS platform, offering a more comprehensive smartwatch experience than the Garmin Venu 3. I like that the Google Play Store provides a much broader selection of apps compared to Garmin’s limited offerings, and you also get the full suite of integrated Google apps. I personally use the Audible app on my smartwatch on a daily basis. When the doorbell rings mid-book, I use Google Home to check my cameras and see if I need to pause my walking treadmill to go answer the door. On more than one occasion, this is followed by voice texting a message to my partner and asking him to bring in the package just delivered.
In other words, I get a lot done from the wrist with my smartwatch. By contrast, Garmin’s software is very fitness-focused. It introduces some smart features, but it’s not on par with the versatility or variety that Wear OS delivers.
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While the OnePlus Watch 3 excels in its broader functionality, Garmin remains king when it comes to advanced fitness tools. Though technically a smartwatch, the Venu 3 offers everything athletes need, including top-tier heart rate sensors and GPS tracking.
Each proved highly reliable during my review period. The heart rate graph above represents one of the few times the Venu 3 struggled to keep up with my dedicated chest strap and yet, even still, the data is within 5 beats. The OnePlus Watch 3, on the other hand, consistently struggles to record accurate heart rate, especially during interval work as shown in the graph above. You can see where the watch is significantly off compared to my chest strap when I ramp up my workout. For me, the OnePlus is solid enough for casual tracking, but not for detailed training analysis.
The Garmin Connect app also offers an exceptionally detailed experience, giving me all the data I need to track my performance and recovery. The OnePlus Watch 3 has certainly improved its tracking capabilities, but it still can’t compete with Garmin’s depth or accuracy. Most importantly, I can’t personalize the onscreen data fields to the extent I do on my Garmin watch. This customization helps me keep tabs on the stats I care about most mid-workouts, instead of waiting until after to dissect what I can from a limited app experience.
As far as broad picture analysis goes, Garmin’s training analysis tools like Body Battery do a lot of the work for me. OnePlus is making moves in this direction, but it still doesn’t boast the same detailed nature of training analysis as Garmin. In short, for serious athletes, the Venu 3 remains the better choice, thanks to its extensive fitness features. Garmin’s advanced tools like Body Battery, Recovery Time, and Garmin Coach set it apart.
Aesthetically, the OnePlus Watch 3 feels like a premium device, thanks to its traditional design and now-functional rotating crown. Though I’m not particularly fond of the case shape, its overall elegance is undeniable. I also appreciate the oversized 1.5-inch display, which makes it a joy to interact with apps and read messages. On the other hand, the Venu 3 leans sportier, though it still manages to be upscale. It also comes in two case sizes for a better fit on a wider range of wrists. Personally, I found the Venu 3S unobtrusive and comfortable, especially during workouts.
Garmin Venu 3 vs OnePlus Watch 3: The verdict
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In short, battery life is no longer a deciding factor between these two watches. Both devices offer excellent performance. For those who prioritize detailed fitness tracking and need a robust health companion, the Garmin Venu 3 remains the better choice. However, the OnePlus Watch 3, with its well-rounded mix of fitness and smart features plus outstanding battery life, is a very attractive alternative for the average user, and I surprisingly find myself gravitating more towards it in my personal use and my recommendations to regular fitness enthusiasts.
