The Pixel Watch 2 is one of the best watches released in 2023, and so also is the Venu 3 – an impressive smartwatch with a remarkable battery life. While the Pixel Watch 2 succeeds the Pixel Watch and comes in a 41mm case size, the Venu 3 is a sequel to Venu 2, and it’s available in 41 and 45mm sizes. These two watches share many features in common which makes it quite difficult to decide which is a better bargain.
The interesting thing here is that both watches have AMOLED displays and onboard music storage. Each of these two also has a speaker and microphone that allows the watch to make and receive calls when connected to your phone (though there is an LTE model of the Pixel Watch 2 that can make and receive calls without a phone). Both watches also feature voice assistants and share many health-tracking features in common.
The main difference between the Pixel Watch 2 and Venu 3 obviously lies in the available sizes, price, storage capacity, battery life and operating system. While the Pixel Watch 2 is available in only 41mm size, the Venu 3 is available in 41 and 45mm sizes. Moreover, while the Pixel Watch 2 has 32GB storage, it’s 8GB on the Venu 3. The Pixel Watch 2 also runs on a richer Wear OS platform that gives you access to more apps while the Venu 3 runs on Garmin’s proprietary platform. Meanwhile, while the Pixel Watch 2 can only muster up to 24 hours of battery life, the Venu 3 will keep you going for up to 10 days.
And looking at the prices, despite running on a richer ecosystem and having bigger storage, the Pixel Watch 2 retails at $350 while the Venu 3 retails at $450.
Personally, as per appearance, I will go with the Venu 3 but when it comes to features, it’s the Pixel Watch 2. In all honestly, in my personal opinion, overall, I think the Pixel Watch 2 is a better watch than the Venu 3. But then, appearance and battery life are major deciding factors for me, and on that note, I will go with the Venu 3. Moreover, the option of size is also a leverage.
Pixel Watch 2 vs Venu 3 Full Specifications Comparison
| Product Info |
 Google Pixel Watch 2 - Full Smartwatch Specifications, Features and Price |
 Garmin Venu 3 Full Smartwatch Specifications, Features and Price |
 Garmin Venu 3s Full Smartwatch Specifications, Features and Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $349.99 | $449.99 | $449.99 |
| ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE |
| Device name | Pixel Watch 2 (WiFi) | Garmin Venu 3 | Garmin Venu 3s |
| Device type | Fitness/Sport smartwatch | Fitness/Classic smartwatch | Fitness/Classic smartwatch |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex | Unisex, Women |
| Release date | October, 2023 | August, 2023 | August, 2023 |
| Predecessor | Pixel Watch | Garmin Venu 2 | Garmin Venu 2 |
| Successor | — | — | — |
| Versions | LTE & WiFi | — | — |
| BODY | BODY | BODY | BODY |
| Dimension | 41 x 41 x 12.3 mm | 45 x 45 x 12 mm | 41 x 41 x 12 mm |
| Weight | 31g (excluding straps) | (excluding straps), 30g | (excluding straps), 27 grams |
| Shape | Circular | Circular | Circular |
| Case material | Aluminum | Fiber-reinforced polymer | Fiber-reinforced polymer |
| Strap material | Fluoroelastomer | Silicone | Silicone |
| Bezel material | Aluminum | Stainless steel | Stainless steel |
| Strap size | 130-175 mm (small), 165-210 mm (big) | 22 mm | 18 mm |
| Interchangeable strap | Yes | 22 mm, Yes | 18mm, Yes |
| Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Water resistance | Yes, 5ATM | Yes, 5ATM | Yes, 5ATM |
| Durability test | — | — | — |
| Swim-proof | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended |
| Color | Champagne-gold case/Hazel band, Matte-black case/Obsidian band, Polished-silver case/Chalk band, Polished-silver case/Charcoal band | Black, Whitestone | Ivory, Dust rose, French gray, Pebble gray, Sage gray |
| DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY |
| Display size | 1.2 inches | 1.4 inches | 1.2 inches |
| Display type | 1000nit, AMOLED | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Display resolution | 450 x 450 | 454 x 454 pixels | 390 x 390 px |
| Pixel density | 320 PPI | 326 ppi | 326 ppi |
| Always on | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Custom watch face | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Input type | 1 Haptic rotating crown, 1 Physical button, Touchscreen | 3 Physical buttons, Touchscreen | 3 Physical buttons, Touchscreen |
| CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth v5.0 | ANT+, Bluetooth | ANT+, Bluetooth |
| Bluetooth calling | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| GPS | BEIDOU, Galileo, GLONASS, GPS, QZSS | Galileo, GLONASS, GPS | Galileo, GLONASS, GPS |
| NFC | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY |
| RAM | 2GB RAM | — | — |
| ROM | 32GB | 8GB | 8GB |
| Memory card slot | No | No | No |
| CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY |
| Technology | None | None | None |
| SIM type | None | None | None |
| Band | — | — | — |
| NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS |
| SMS alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Calls alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Email alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Event reminder | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Third-party apps alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reply to Notifications | - | Android only, Yes (preset replies) | Android only, Yes (preset replies) |
| MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA |
| Audio | mp3 | mp3 | mp3 |
| Bluetooth music | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | No | No | No |
| Radio | No | No | No |
| SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS |
| Sensor(s) | Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometer, Compass, Electrical sensor (EDA), Gyroscope, Magnetometer, Multipurpose electrical sensors, Skin temperature sensor, Spo2 sensor | Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometric altimeter, Compass, Garmin Elevate v4 HR sensor, Spo2 sensor, Thermometer | Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometric altimeter, Compass, Garmin Elevate v4 HR sensor, Spo2 sensor, Thermometer |
| ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING |
| Blood oxygen | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Blood Pressure | No | No | No |
| Calories | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ECG tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Heart rate monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Steps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Floors climbed | - | Yes | Yes |
| Stress | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fall detection | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Menstrual cycle | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VO2 Max | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Swim-tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Underwater heart rate tracking | — | Yes | Yes |
| On-screen workout | — | Yes | Yes |
| Sport modes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY |
| Battery type | Non-removable Li-ion battery | non-removable Lithium-polymer | non-removable Lithium-polymer |
| Battery capacity | 306mAh | — | — |
| Battery life | Up to 24hrs | Smartwatch mode: up to 14 days, Battery saver mode: Up to 26 days | Smartwatch mode: Up to 10 days, Battery saver mode: Up to 20 days |
| Charging type | USB-C magnetic charger | Charging dock | Charging dock |
| Charging time | 2-3hrs | 30min-1hr | 30min-1hr |
| Solar charging | No | No | No |
| PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 5100 | — | — |
| CPU | Quad-core Arm Cortex A53 1.7 GHz | — | — |
| GPU | Adreno 702 GPU @ 1Ghz | — | — |
| Operating system | Wear OS 4 | Proprietary OS | Proprietary OS |
| MISC | MISC | MISC | MISC |
| Companion app | Google Pixel Watch app | Garmin Connect | Garmin Connect |
| Compatibility | Android OS 8.0+ | Android 7.0+, iOS 15.0+ | Android 7.0+, iOS 15.0+ |
| Payment system | Google Pay | Garmin Pay | Garmin Pay |
| Voice command | Google Assistant | Google Assistant, Bixby, Siri | Google Assistant, Bixby, Siri |
| Find my phone | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Box content | Charger, Manual, Small & large straps, Google Pixel Watch 2 | Charger, Manual, Straps, Garmin Venu 3 | Charger, Manual, Straps, Garmin Venu 3 |
Pixel Watch 2 vs Venu 3 Features Review
Prices
The Pixel Watch 2 comes in only 41mm size but comes in two models; LTE and Bluetooth models. While the LTE retails for $399, the Bluetooth model retails for $349. Meanwhile, both the 41 and 45mm sizes of the Venu 3 retails at the same $450.
Design
To start with, let’s take a look at the designs of both watches. You have a Pixel Watch 2 which unlike its predecessor with a stainless steel build has an aluminum frame. On the other hand, the Venu 3 like other Garmin watches has a case made of fiber-polymer with its stainless steel bezel slightly raised above the glass which I think makes it more attractive.
Looking at the glasses, the Pixel Watch 2 has a domed-shaped screen made of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. In contrast, the Venu 3, has a 2D Corning Gorilla Glass 3 which I also think looks more attractive. However, the Corning Gorilla Glass 5 being a higher version offers better drop protection.
Clearly, both watches are durably built. These two are swim-proof, thanks to their 5ATM rating. And when you talk of comfort, each of these is compact and lightweight. However, I personally think the Venu 3 is a finer and more attractive watch.
Display
Both the Pixel Watch 2 and Venu 3 have AMOLED-powered displays, so each of these two offers a very colorful display that’s easy to read. Interaction is also easy on both watches. These two offer touch-sensitive screens, though while Venu 3 has two physical buttons, the Pixel Watch 2 has a rotating button.
The 41mm unit of the Venu 3 has the same 1.2 inches display as the Pixel Watch 2 while the 45mm unit has a 1.4 inches display. Again, the option of size gives the Venu 3 an advantage over the Pixel Watch 2.
Health Tracking
In the health tracking department, both watches are well-equipped to track your daily activities. Each of these two will track your heart rate, calories, stress, blood oxygen and skin temperature. Both watches also feature ECG measurement and have inbuilt GPS that allows for outdoor route tracking.
As per accuracy, lots of publications have verged for Garmin, the same can also be said of Fitbit which powers the activity tracking features of Pixel Watches.
So in terms of health tracking features, I think there is no winner.
Music Storage
Onboard music storage is possible with both watches, though while the Pixel Watch 2 is equipped with 32GB, the Venu 3 has a meagre 8GB. Both watches will allow you to add your personal music to the watch, and the available music streaming services on the Venu 3 include Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music. Meanwhile, you will find Spotify, YouTube Music and Deezer apps as some of the best music streaming apps on Playstore.
Making and Receiving Calls
Garmin first introduced the ability to make and receive calls to the Venu 2 Plus, and that’s also possible with the Venu 3. Like the Pixel Watch 2, when connected to your phone, the Venu 3 can make and receive calls. Though the Pixel Watch 2 LTE model can make and receive calls without connecting to your phone.
As a result of the presence of a microphone, both watches feature voice assistants. You get Google Assistant on the Pixel Watch 2 while Venu 3 features Siri, Bixby and Alexa voice assistants.
Battery Life
Battery life is a major deciding factor for smartwatch lovers, and this is one area where the Pixel Watch 2 falls short. While the 41mm unit of the Venu 3 boasts up to 10 days of battery life, it’s up to 14 days with the 45mm unit. On the other hand, you will need to charge the Pixel Watch 2 daily as it only boasts up to 24 hours of battery life.
Conclusion
From all indications, both the Pixel Watch 2 and Venu 3 stand out in their respective ways. Each of these two boasts a sturdy design, awesome display and loads of health tracking features. However, the Pixel Watch 2 is $100 cheaper has a bigger storage and runs on a richer Wear OS platform. On the other hand, the Venu 3 boasts a far longer battery life and it gives you the option to choose your preferred size.
In all, it boils down to what interests you more.
