Garmin makes a lot of watches, and the model names do not tell you much. This page compares seven Garmin models checked on Amazon Australia: the Venu 3S, Forerunner 165 Music, vivoactive 5, vivoactive 6, Instinct 3, Lily 2 Active and Venu 4. Each pick says what the model is for, what its listing describes and where it falls short.
One thing to know about the numbers: ratings on Garmin listings pool colours and sizes, so every rating count below is a family count for the model line on that listing, not a count for one case size or one colour. Everything about a watch comes from its listing wording. This is a comparison of listings, not a hands on test.
Best Garmin watch overall: Garmin Venu 3S
Best Garmin watch overall: the Garmin Venu 3S, because it pairs a bright, colourful display with Body Battery, sleep coaching and more than 30 built in sports apps.
The Venu 3S is the pick that covers the most ground. The listing describes a bright, colourful display, Body Battery energy monitoring with insights based on sleep, naps, stress levels and workouts, a sleep score with personalised sleep coaching, and HRV status. It names more than 30 built in indoor and GPS sports apps, including walking, running, cycling, HIIT, swimming and golf, plus a wheelchair mode that tracks pushes rather than steps. It holds 4.5 stars from 6,750 ratings, a family count pooled across the listing.
It suits someone who wants health tracking and sport in one watch with a colourful screen. The honest catch: the 3S is the smaller case size in the Venu 3 range and the listing does not give the size in millimetres. The listing also gives two battery figures, up to 10 days in the title and up to 14 days in the feature list, so do not count on the higher one, and it costs more than the vivoactive 5, which shares most of its health wording.
Best Garmin for running: Garmin Forerunner 165 Music
Best Garmin for running: the Garmin Forerunner 165 Music, because the listing gives an AMOLED touch display of about 3 cm, up to 11 days of battery in smartwatch mode and music downloads from Spotify, Deezer or Amazon Music.
The listing calls it a running smartwatch. The display is AMOLED touch of about 3 cm, with a 20 mm quick change strap. It tracks speed, distance and heart rate during training sessions, shows a training effect, and pre installs over 25 other sports profiles beyond running, such as cycling, treadmill, elliptical trainer, Pilates and swimming. The listing adds water resistance to 5 ATM, Garmin Pay, smart notifications and music downloads for use with wireless headphones without a phone. It holds 4.6 stars from 2,415 ratings, the highest rating of the picks that have more than 2,000.
It suits runners who want music on the wrist and a long battery claim. The honest catch: it is built around running, so its listing says over 25 other sports profiles while the Venu 3S listing says more than 30 sports apps, and it describes energy reserves rather than naming Body Battery.
Best value Garmin smartwatch: Garmin vivoactive 5
Best value Garmin smartwatch: the Garmin vivoactive 5, because it is the most rated Garmin watch here and gives a bright AMOLED display, Body Battery and sleep coaching for the lowest price of the picks.
The vivoactive 5 listing describes a bright, colourful AMOLED display and up to 11 days of battery in smartwatch mode. It lists Body Battery energy monitoring, a sleep score with personalised sleep coaching, HRV status, more than 30 built in indoor and GPS sports apps and a wheelchair mode with preloaded workouts. It holds 4.3 stars from 12,398 ratings, the biggest family count on this page.
It suits first time Garmin buyers who want most of the Venu 3S feature list for less. The honest catch: 4.3 stars is the lowest rating of the picks, and the vivoactive 6 is the newer number in the line.
Best for animated workouts and daily recovery overview: Garmin vivoactive 6
Best for animated workouts and daily recovery overview: the Garmin vivoactive 6, because the listing offers downloadable animated workouts and a morning overview of sleep, recovery and HRV status.
The listing describes a bright AMOLED display, up to 11 days of battery and downloadable animated workouts from Garmin Connect for HIIT, cardio, strength, mobility, yoga and Pilates. As soon as you wake up it gives an overview of sleep, recovery, daily calendar and HRV status. For runners it names running power, running dynamics such as stride length and vertical ratio, and PacePro pace guidance. It holds 4.5 stars from 3,836 ratings.
It suits people who follow guided home workouts and like a morning summary. The honest catch: it costs more than the vivoactive 5 for the same battery claim, and its feature list does not mention Body Battery or the 30 sports apps count the vivoactive 5 lists.
Best rugged Garmin watch: Garmin Instinct 3
Best rugged Garmin watch: the Garmin Instinct 3, because the listing describes bolted construction, a metal reinforced bezel, a scratch resistant lens, a compass and a barometric altimeter.
This is the 45mm Solar version in black. The listing says its bolted construction, metal reinforced bezel and scratch resistant lens let it take on your toughest adventures. It adds a built in 3 axis compass, a barometric altimeter and multi band GPS with SatIQ technology, which the listing says delivers superior positioning while optimising battery life. Its 24/7 health and wellness features include heart rate tracking, advanced sleep monitoring and Pulse Ox. It holds 4.6 stars from 1,344 ratings.
It suits people planning adventures who want a compass and altimeter on the wrist. The honest catch: it costs well above the vivoactive and Forerunner picks, and its listing does not describe an AMOLED display or give a battery figure, so the Venu and vivoactive picks are the ones with listing words for a colourful screen.
Best slim, style first Garmin: Garmin Lily 2 Active
Best slim, style first Garmin: the Garmin Lily 2 Active, because it adds built in GPS, preloaded workouts and sleep scoring to a metal watch case with a patterned lens.
The listing describes built in GPS for tracking outdoor walks and runs without compromising style, a metal watch case, two buttons and a patterned lens. On the watch it offers preloaded workouts for strength, HIIT and yoga, and it tracks steps, calories burned and intensity minutes, with a score for sleep quality and insights on how to do better. It holds 4.5 stars from 1,169 ratings.
It suits someone who wants a style first watch that still tracks workouts. The honest catch: the listing names two buttons and gives no battery figure, and it costs more than the vivoactive 5, which lists Body Battery and more than 30 sports apps.
Best premium Garmin smartwatch: Garmin Venu 4
Best premium Garmin smartwatch: the Garmin Venu 4, because the listing gives a stainless steel design, a bright colourful display, a built in flashlight and up to 12 days of battery.
This is the 45mm Venu 4. The listing describes wrist based heart rate, Body Battery, fitness age, stress tracking and meditation, plus a sleep score with coaching that uses circadian rhythm. A health status feature looks for changes in data such as heart rate, HRV and skin temperature. It lists more than 80 built in indoor and GPS sports apps, daily suggested workouts, Garmin Coach training plans, phone calls from your wrist and an ECG app that can record your heart rhythm and check for signs of atrial fibrillation. It holds 4.5 stars from 1,796 ratings.
It suits buyers who want the longest feature list on this page and a stainless steel design. The honest catch: it is the dearest pick here and its rating matches the Venu 3S at 4.5 stars, so you are paying for features, not a better score.
How to choose a Garmin watch
The Garmin model line up at a glance
| Model | What it is for | From the listing |
|---|
| Venu 3S | Everyday health and sport | AMOLED display, Body Battery, 30+ sports apps |
| Forerunner 165 Music | Running with music | AMOLED touch about 3 cm, up to 11 days, music downloads |
| vivoactive 5 | Lowest priced pick | AMOLED, up to 11 days, Body Battery, 30+ sports apps |
| vivoactive 6 | Guided workouts, morning overview | Animated workouts, up to 11 days, PacePro |
| Instinct 3 | Rugged outdoor use | Bolted build, compass, barometric altimeter |
| Lily 2 Active | Style first | Metal case, built in GPS, two buttons |
| Venu 4 | Longest feature list | Stainless steel, flashlight, up to 12 days, 80+ sports apps |
How to read Garmin model names
The names group watches by purpose, and the listings word it this way. Forerunner is the running line: the 165 Music listing calls it a running smartwatch. Venu is the line with a bright, colourful display and advanced health and fitness features. The vivoactive listings describe health and fitness GPS smartwatches. Instinct is the rugged line, with the listing talking about bolted construction, a compass and an altimeter. Lily is the style first line. Numbers like 3, 5, 6 and 4 separate versions, an S after the number marks the smaller case size, and 45mm in a name is the case size the listing gives. Music in the Forerunner name means music downloads.
Match the watch to your main activity
Choose by what you do most. Runners get the most from the Forerunner 165 Music, with the vivoactive 6 close behind on running power and PacePro. Gym and home workout people suit the vivoactive 6 animated workouts or the Lily 2 Active preloaded workouts. Anyone planning adventures should look at the Instinct 3, whose listing describes the tough build. If you do a bit of everything, the Venu 3S and vivoactive 5 list more than 30 sports apps each.
Battery and screen
Every battery figure is an up to claim, so read it as a ceiling. Up to 11 days is the claim for the Forerunner 165 Music, vivoactive 5 and vivoactive 6, up to 12 days for the Venu 4. The Venu 3S listing gives both 10 and 14 days. The Venu, vivoactive and Forerunner listings describe AMOLED or bright colourful displays, which is the main look difference from the Instinct 3 and Lily 2 Active listings.
Health features, as the listings word them
Body Battery, sleep score, sleep coaching and HRV status appear on the Venu 3S and vivoactive 5, and the Venu 4 adds a health status feature, stress tracking and an ECG app. The vivoactive 5 listing says its data is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked. Read the listing wording for each feature before you buy, because the models differ.
Style, fit and bands
The listings do not give wrist sizes, so rely on the case size in the name, such as 45mm, and the band described in the title. The Lily 2 Active has a metal watch case and a patterned lens per its listing, and the Venu 4 has the stainless steel design. Only the Forerunner 165 Music listing describes a quick change strap size, 20 mm.
Reading the ratings, and looking beyond Garmin
Ratings on these listings pool colours and sizes, so they describe the model line, not one watch. They are also close: most picks sit between 4.5 and 4.6 stars, so the better question is which features you will use. If you are open to other brands, our smartwatch guide compares them. For simpler activity tracking see the fitness tracker guide, and for the music on the Forerunner 165 Music, the wireless earbuds guide.
Frequently asked questions
Which Garmin watch is worth buying for most people?
The Garmin Venu 3S is the one to buy for most people. Its listing describes a bright, colourful display, Body Battery energy monitoring, a sleep score with personalised sleep coaching and more than 30 built in indoor and GPS sports apps. If you want most of the same features for less, the vivoactive 5 is the cheaper step.
What is the best Garmin watch for the money?
The Garmin vivoactive 5 is the lowest priced pick here and has the most ratings of any model on this page. Its listing describes a bright AMOLED display, Body Battery, sleep coaching and up to 11 days of battery in smartwatch mode. Prices move, so check the listing on the day you buy.
Is a Garmin watch really worth it, and is it better than other smartwatches?
Yes, if sport and battery matter more than phone apps. The Garmin picks here lead with sports tracking, battery life and health metrics, for example the Venu 3S sports apps and the vivoactive 5 battery claim of up to 11 days. If you mainly want phone apps, our smartwatch guide covers other brands.
Which Garmin watch is best for running?
The Garmin Forerunner 165 Music is the running pick. Its listing describes an AMOLED touch display of about 3 cm, speed, distance and heart rate tracking, over 25 other sports profiles and music downloads from Spotify, Deezer or Amazon Music. The vivoactive 6 listing also names running power and PacePro pace guidance.
Which Garmin watch is best for women?
None of the listings here is labelled for women or men, so choose by style and features. The Lily 2 Active is the style first pick, with a metal watch case, two buttons and a patterned lens per its listing. The Venu 3S and vivoactive 5 add Body Battery and more than 30 sports apps.
Does a Garmin watch track golf?
The Venu 3S and vivoactive 5 listings both name golf among their more than 30 built in indoor and GPS sports apps, alongside walking, running, cycling, HIIT and swimming. The Venu 4 listing names more than 80 built in sports apps but does not spell out golf, so check before buying.
Where is the Garmin Fenix on this list?
The Fenix range is not among the seven models checked for this page. The nearest pick for tough outdoor use is the Instinct 3, whose listing describes bolted construction, a metal reinforced bezel, a scratch resistant lens, a 3 axis compass and a barometric altimeter. For running, see the Forerunner 165 Music.
How long does a Garmin watch battery last?
The listings give up to 11 days for the Forerunner 165 Music, vivoactive 5 and vivoactive 6, and up to 12 days for the Venu 4. The Venu 3S title says up to 10 days while its feature list says up to 14 days in smartwatch mode. The Instinct 3 and Lily 2 Active feature lists give no day figure.
Can you change the band on a Garmin watch?
On the Forerunner 165 Music, yes: its listing describes a 20 mm quick change strap, so that model is built for swapping. Some listings describe a band, including the Lily 2 Active silicone band, and the others here do not give band sizes, so check the exact model before you buy a spare.
