Garmin has launched three new watches at the start of 2022; Garmin Instinct 2 and Venu 2 Plus are among them. Everyone is excited to know what the unique features of these smartwatches are.
At the same time, some individuals are also confused between Garmin Instinct 2 VS Garmin Venu 2, as both are the best Garmin outdoor watches with new improvements. But there are many big differences between both.
Venu 2 has a touch AMOLED display, whereas Instinct 2 has transflective memory-in-pixel. Garmin Instinct 2 looks more rugged as compared to Venu 2 plus. There are also a few differences between their fitness and sports features.
So let’s see which Garmin flagship watch is best and which one you should buy.
So let’s get started!
Garmin Instinct 2 VS Garmin Venu 2 Plus: Comparison Table
| Features | Garmin Instinct 2 | Garmin Venu 2 Plus |
| LENS MATERIAL | Power Glass | Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 |
| Weight | 52 g | 51 g |
| Display size | 0.9” x 0.9” (23 x 23 mm) | 1.3″ (33.0 mm) diameter |
| Touch Screen | No | Yes |
| Display Resolution | 176 x 176 pixels | 416 x 416 pixels |
| BATTERY LIFE | 28 days | 9 Days |
| Water Rating | 10 ATM | 5 ATM |
| PULSE OX Sensor | Yes | Yes |
| BODY Battery Energy Monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Animated Workouts | No | Yes |
| Voice Assistant | No | Yes |
| Can Answer Calls | No | Yes |
| ABC Sensors | Yes | Yes |
| Incident Detection | Yes | Yes |
| Animated Workouts | No | Yes |
| GPS | Yes (Multi-GNSS) | Yes |
| Advance Strength Training | No | Yes |
Garmin Instinct 2 VS Garmin Venu 2 Plus: Display & Design
Garmin watches are considered to be the most robust watches in the market. Garmin Instinct 2 and Venu 2 Plus both follow the design of their predecessors. But there is an extensive design and display difference between Instinct 2 and Venu 2 Plus.
Garmin Instinct 2:
The Instinct series is considered one of the robust Garmin watch series. That’s why people choose these watches for harsh environments. The new Garmin Instinct 2 follow the same design as its predecessor.
The button frame on the right side is curved, whereas Instinct 1 has a flat button frame. Other design specs are approximately the same as the previous model.
Instinct 2 comes with fibre-reinforced polymer bezel material and case. This time Garmin has added a new Power Glass in this flagship that increases its durability.
Overall, Garmin Instinct 2 is much more durable than Venu 2 Plus. With its highly durable material, it can withstand every environment. Also, it’s not heavier than Fenix series watches; with 52 g of weight, you can easily carry this watch on your wrist.
The 10 ATM water-resistant design makes it a perfect watch for swimmers; you can track your water activities without any fear of damage.
When it comes to displaying, Instinct 2 has a 0.9″ x 0.9″ (23 x 23 mm) transflective memory display, which is similar to its predecessor.
Although we have expected a color display in this flagship, Garmin focuses more on its battery life as the color display drains more battery. But overall, the display looks more readable, and you easily read the dial under direct sunlight without any issue.
Garmin Venu 2 Plus:
Garmin Venu 2 Plus looks more stylish and sporty; if you want a multi-sports watch for outdoor and indoor use, Venu 2 Plus is the best option.
The bezels are made of stainless steel, and the case is made with a fibre-reinforced polymer that makes the watch durable. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which is more robust and scratch-resistant.
Although Garmin Venu 2 Plus is best for outdoor use, it’s not as durable as Garmin Instinct 2. But this one is a lightweight watch that you can wear all day without feeling a burden on your wrist.
The 5 ATM water-resistant body is suitable to wear while swimming, but it’s not as water-resistant as the Garmin Venu 2 Plus.
In the case of the display, Venu 2 gives its best performance, and you will get a 1.3″ AMOLED display which looks more vibrant and bright.
Although AMOLED is best compared to transflective memory-in-pixel display, it drains more battery life. Thanks to its 416 x 416 pixels high resolution that gives a more premium looking display.
Main Difference:
Garmin Instinct 2 looks more durable than Venu 2 Plus. As there is an AMOLED display in Venu 2 Plus, that’s why it doesn’t look more durable.
Whereas in the case of Instinct 2, you will get a transflective memory-in-pixel display that is totally scratch resistant.
If you are an outdoor enthusiast, then Garmin Instinct 2 is the best option for you. And if you want a stylish looking watch for indoor and outdoor use, then Venu 2 Plus should be your priority.
Garmin Instinct 2 VS Garmin Venu 2 Plus: Battery Life
When it comes to Garmin watches, you can expect longer battery timings. And luckily both Garmin Instinct 2 and Venu 2 Plus offer longer battery life than any other competing brand.
Garmin Instinct series is specifically designed for outdoor enthusiasts. That’s why in this family, you will get watches with much longer batteries.
Garmin Instinct 2 offers 28 days of battery life in smartwatch mode and 65 days of battery in its battery-saving mode, which is double its predecessor.
In the case of Garmin Venu 2 Plus, you will get 9 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, which is also good. There is a big difference between Garmin Instinct 2 and Venu 2 Plus in the battery life department. So if you are planning to buy a watch specifically for outdoors, then Instinct 2 is the best option.
Garmin Instinct 2 VS Garmin Venu 2 Plus: Price
Both Garmin Venu 2 Plus and Instinct 2 fall into the mid-range watch category. But as compared to predecessors, there is a big uptrend in price tags.
Garmin Instinct is available for $189, but the new flagship Garmin Instinct 2 costs $349 for its standard version, whereas its solar version is available for $449.
In the case of Venu 2 Plus, you will get it for $449, which is similar to the Garmin Instinct 2 solar version. So there is not a big difference in price tags.
Garmin Instinct 2 VS Garmin Venu 2 Plus: Fitness & Sports Features
This time, Garmin has added some new fitness features in Garmin Instinct 2 and Venu 2 Plus that allow you to monitor your performance deeply.
Venu 2 Plus became a more robust fitness tracker with new premium features. So let’s have a look at what both watches offer for fitness and outdoor lovers.
Garmin Instinct 2:
The previous Garmin Instinct watch had very rare fitness tracking features, but this time Garmin felt that many things were missing in the Instinct watch. Still, now it adds more premium fitness features making Garmin Instinct 2 a worth buying watch.
First of all, you will get VO2 max which is the primary health feature, and it measures how your body is absorbing oxygen. Garmin has also added recovery time that lets you know when you will be ready for another workout.
MTB dynamics is a pretty helpful feature for mountain bikers, giving detailed insights into your biking. The watch also included HIIT workouts like AMRAP, EMON, Tabata, etc.
Further, you will get stress tracking, wrist-based heart rate, sleep monitoring, Pulse OX sensor, and body battery energy.
The most exclusive feature that I have sported on Instinct 2 is Fitness age; this feature gathers data from all your activities and estimate if your body is younger or older than you are.
Garmin has also added an intensity minutes feature in Instinct 2, which tells you how much you put effort into your workouts and how many minutes you have earned daily. Further, there are also tons of preloaded sports profiles for outdoor lovers.
Garmin Instinct 2 becomes a more robust fitness watch with all these different fitness and health features.
Garmin Venu 2 Plus:
Garmin Venu 2 Plus, on the other hand, also offers premium fitness and health tracking features that help you keep an eye on your daily fitness routine.
First of all, you will get a Pulse OX sensor that monitors your blood oxygen saturation level, and it is the core feature that tells you about your overall wellness.
Venu 2 Plus comes with a new feature “Health Snapshot”, that records your key stats and generates reports of those stats; you can also share this pdf file with your doctor for better consultancy.
The rest of the fitness features include stress tracking, hydration tracking, body battery energy, sleep tracking, fitness age etc. All these features are similar to Garmin Instinct 2.
But the twist comes here, Garmin Venu 2 Plus also offers a variety of features for training and workouts, making it the best watch for the gym and HIIT workouts.
It offers animated on-screen workouts that help you to perform your exercises effectively. The new advanced strength training feature is specifically designed for gym lovers to tell you what muscle groups you worked.
You can also create your workout from more than 1,600 exercises which is a big plus point. Overall, Garmin Venu 2 Plus is the best watch for indoor and outdoor activities tracking.
Difference:
There is not a big difference between Garmin Instinct 2 and Venu 2 Plus when it comes to fitness tracking. Just Venu 2 Plus offers more advanced indoor sports tacking like animated workouts, strength training, and preload exercises.
Another good thing in Venu 2 Plus is the more refined UI, and the enhanced interface makes it easy to understand insights more effectively.
Garmin Instinct 2 VS Garmin Venu 2 Plus: Other Features
Both Garmin watches offer a variety of smartwatch features, but Venu 2 Plus comes with some new features. Like you can make calls directly from your wrist and reply to text which is a big plus in this Garmin watch. On the other hand, Instinct 2 only shows you notifications, and you can’t answer calls or reply to texts.
Similarly, there is a GPS in both Garmin watches, but Instinct 2 has a more advanced GPS with multi-GNSS support. There are ABC sensors in both watches that give you geographical information.
You will get safety tracking and incident detection in both watches. Further, both watches have Garmin pay, accelerometer, thermometer, ambient light etc.
Garmin Venu 2 Plus also contains built-in storage to store up to 650 songs. At the same time, there is no such storage in Garmin Instinct 2.
Final Words
After reading the above comparison guide, I hope you can now decide which Garmin watch is best among Garmin Instinct 2 and Venu 2 Plus. If you need a more rugged watch with long battery life, you should go for Garmin Instinct.
Otherwise, Garmin Venu 2 would be a better option with an AMOLED display with more training features that allow you to do your workouts effectively.
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