Garmin Venu 3 vs Oppo Watch S

Garmin Venu 3

1.4-inch AMOLED on the Venu 3, 1.2-inch on the Venu 3S. Bright, vibrant, sharp. Always-on display supported. Gorilla Glass 3 protection.

• 1.4-inch AMOLED (Venu 3) — bright, vibrant, sharp. The smaller Venu 3S uses a 1.2-inch panel.
• Always-on display supported — informative without raising the wrist, with manageable battery cost.
• AMOLED is a highlight of the Venu line — vibrant colors set it apart from Garmin's transflective-display models.
• Gorilla Glass 3 protection — standard scratch resistance for the price tier.
• Readable in daylight — adequate brightness for outdoor workouts, though not the 3,000-nit level of Apple/Samsung flagships.

Oppo Watch S

A 1.46-inch round AMOLED at 464 x 464 (317 ppi). It can hit a brilliant 3,000-nit peak — but only automatically, in Oppo's workout modes under strong sunlight. In everyday use it's capped at 600 nits, with a 1,500-nit high-brightness mode.

• 1.46-inch round AMOLED, 464 x 464 at 317 ppi — sharp and vibrant, with Splash Touch that keeps the screen usable when wet.
• The 3,000-nit peak is genuinely bright — but it only activates automatically in Oppo's workout modes when the watch detects strong sunlight.
• Everyday brightness is capped at 600 nits, with a 1,500-nit high-brightness mode — OPTechWithAskar notes that at the typical 600 nits 'this is just a normal good display.'
• In bright outdoor workouts the screen is excellent — you can read pace and heart rate without the wrist-tilt dance.

Garmin Venu 3

Elevate Gen 4 optical HR, SpO2, ECG, HRV Status, skin temperature, Body Battery, Sleep Coach, nap detection. The Venu 3's wellness suite is the deepest in any Garmin — a genuine Oura/Whoop alternative.

• Trusted Reviews: 'the best interpretation of wellness data I've seen on a Garmin so far, and a great alternative to Oura and Whoop.'
• ECG app — available on the Venu 3 (set up via the Garmin Connect app); a clinical-grade health feature.
• Sleep Coach + nap detection — Garmin's most advanced sleep features; nap detection was new to the Venu 3.
• Body Battery + HRV Status + skin temperature — Garmin's full wellness + recovery analytics suite.
• Elevate Gen 4 optical HR — reliable for steady-state; like all wrist optical HR, less accurate than a chest strap for intervals.

Oppo Watch S

For a budget watch the Oppo Watch S carries a serious sensor array — an 8-channel optical heart-rate sensor, a 16-channel SpO2 sensor, ECG electrodes and a skin-temperature sensor — anchored by a 60-second check that reads around 14 health indicators at once. ECG availability depends on regional certification.

• A serious sensor array — an 8-channel optical heart-rate sensor, a 16-channel optical SpO2 sensor, ECG electrodes and a wrist-temperature sensor.
• A 60-second health check measures around 14 indicators — heart rate, ECG, SpO2, vascular elasticity and more — in a single reading.
• On-demand ECG via a side-button electrode takes about 30 seconds — Oppo's ECG is certified as a class 2 medical device in China and in around 30 countries.
• ECG availability is region-dependent — it may be disabled depending on local certification where you buy the watch.
• Day-to-day it does continuous heart-rate monitoring with high/low alerts, all-day SpO2 and wrist-temperature trends, plus sleep stages and a sleep score.

Garmin Venu 3

80+ sport profiles + Garmin's training analytics + Morning Report + meditation/breathwork. Capable for everyday fitness; serious athletes still want the Forerunner/Fenix depth and maps.

• 80+ sport profiles — DC Rainmaker confirms 'roughly 80 sport profiles' shared across Garmin's sub-$1,000 lineup.
• New wheelchair mode — accessibility-focused activity tracking; counts pushes instead of steps.
• Morning Report + daily suggested workouts — Garmin's coaching guidance, tuned toward everyday fitness rather than hardcore performance.
• Meditation + breathwork activities — wellness-focused features that fit the Venu 3's everyday-health positioning.
• 5 ATM water resistance — pool + open-water swim tracking supported.

Oppo Watch S

The Oppo Watch S covers 100+ workout modes with built-in GPS and an AI sports coach that gauges readiness from HRV and recent training load. It's a capable everyday fitness tracker — though there's little independent accuracy testing to confirm how it stacks up.

• 100+ workout modes with built-in GPS, plus swim tracking thanks to the 5 ATM water rating.
• Oppo bills it as featuring an AI sports coach that analyzes readiness from HRV during sleep and your last 7 days of workouts.
• In workout modes the display ramps to its 3,000-nit peak — a real advantage for reading stats outdoors mid-exercise.
• Independent accuracy testing is limited — there is far less hands-on GPS and heart-rate validation than for flagship rivals.

Garmin Venu 3

Up to 14 days smartwatch mode on the Venu 3 (~10 days on the smaller 3S). Garmin's signature multi-week battery — Trusted Reviews calls it 'set-and-forget.'

• Up to 14 days smartwatch mode (Venu 3) — Trusted Reviews: 'a true set-and-forget smartwatch that can go the distance.'
• ~10 days on the smaller Venu 3S — still multi-week-class for a compact watch.
• The Verge notes Garmin watches 'last weeks on a single charge' — a core advantage over Apple/Samsung.
• Proprietary Garmin USB-C charging cable — no Qi wireless charging.
• AOD on reduces battery noticeably — but even with always-on enabled, multi-day life is comfortably retained.

Oppo Watch S

The Oppo Watch S's strongest card. Oppo rates the 330mAh battery at up to 10 days maximum, 7 days typical and about 4 days with the always-on display on — and fast charging adds a full day in 10 minutes, with a complete charge in roughly 75-90 minutes.

• Oppo rates the battery at up to 10 days maximum, 7 days typical, and about 4 days with the always-on display enabled.
• The Tech Shed confirms about 7 days for an active user doing regular GPS workouts, with the headline 10-day figure reserved for lighter use.
• With the always-on display on, real-world life drops to around 4 days — still competitive with most smartwatch rivals.
• Fast charging is excellent — a 10-minute top-up returns a full day of use.
• A full 0-100% charge takes roughly 75-90 minutes via the magnetic pin charger.

Garmin Venu 3

Garmin OS + Garmin Connect + Connect IQ store. Built-in speaker + microphone for voice calls and a voice assistant. Garmin Pay. Works with iOS + Android.

• Built-in speaker + microphone — on-watch voice calls (via a connected phone) and a voice assistant; a notable Venu 3 addition.
• Garmin OS + Connect IQ store — apps, watch faces, data fields.
• Android Authority notes Garmin's app catalog is thinner than Wear OS — 'Garmin makes the best smartwatches that I can't wear every day,' partly an app-ecosystem critique.
• Garmin Pay — contactless payments via NFC.
• Works with both iOS and Android — cross-platform, unlike Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch.

Oppo Watch S

The Oppo Watch S runs ColorOS Watch 7.1 on a power-efficient BES2800BP chip with 4GB of storage — not Wear OS. That choice is the reason the battery lasts a week, but it also means no Google Play app store and a simpler, more limited software experience.

• It runs ColorOS Watch 7.1 — a power-efficient platform that is the direct reason the battery lasts a week, not Wear OS.
• The trade-off is a simpler experience — there's no Google Play app store, so third-party app support is far more limited than on Wear OS.
• A power-efficient BES2800BP processor with 4GB of eMMC storage keeps the lightweight OS running smoothly.
• The companion health app works with both Android and iPhone — you don't need to own an Oppo phone to use the watch.

Garmin Venu 3

5 ATM (50m) water resistance. Gorilla Glass 3 + metal bezel. Fiber-reinforced polymer case. Durable for everyday wear and swim tracking — not adventure-rated like the Fenix.

• 5 ATM (50m static) water resistance — pool + open-water swim rated.
• Gorilla Glass 3 + metal bezel — standard durability for the price tier.
• Fiber-reinforced polymer case — lightweight and durable for everyday and overnight wear.
• Not adventure-rated like the Fenix — no MIL-STD certification; this is a wellness watch, not an expedition tool.

Oppo Watch S

The Oppo Watch S is rated 5 ATM plus IP68 (and IP69), with Splash Touch that keeps the screen usable when wet. It's fine for swimming and everyday water — but Oppo specifically warns against hot showers, saunas and diving.

• 5 ATM water resistance plus IP68 and IP69 dust and water ratings — rated for swimming and everyday water exposure.
• Splash Touch keeps the touchscreen usable even when the watch is wet — handy after a swim or in the rain.
• Oppo specifically warns it's not meant for hot showers, saunas, hot springs or diving — and notes water resistance can reduce over time.

Garmin Venu 3

Single-frequency GPS, NFC for Garmin Pay, Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi. No LTE, no on-watch maps. Phone required for connectivity and the voice features.

• Single-frequency GPS — accurate for everyday tracking; not the multi-band precision of the Forerunner/Fenix tiers.
• No on-watch maps — the Venu line has never had mapping; for navigation, step up to a Forerunner or Fenix.
• ANT+ + Bluetooth — pair chest straps, footpods, and cycling sensors.
• NFC for Garmin Pay + Wi-Fi for sync.
• No LTE — phone required for connectivity; voice calls route through the connected phone.

Oppo Watch S

Built-in GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and NFC cover the everyday essentials. There's no cellular model, so the Oppo Watch S relies on a paired phone for connectivity.

• Built-in GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and NFC — the standard everyday connectivity set.
• There's no cellular model — the Oppo Watch S relies on a paired phone for connectivity and can't go fully standalone.
• NFC supports contactless payments where the service is available.

Garmin Venu 3

$449.99 launch, now widely discounted (Trusted Reviews documented £299). Competes with the Apple Watch, Galaxy Watch, Pixel Watch, and Oura/Whoop for wellness tracking.

• $449.99 launch price — now widely discounted; Trusted Reviews documented a £299 price.
• Trusted Reviews: 'one of the few smartwatches that we can genuinely recommend to everyone.'
• vs Oura / Whoop: the Venu 3 is a one-time purchase with no subscription — Trusted Reviews calls it 'a great alternative to Oura and Whoop.'
• vs Apple Watch / Galaxy Watch / Pixel Watch: Garmin wins on battery (14 days vs 1-2 days) + wellness depth; the others win on app ecosystem + LTE + smartwatch polish.
• Best for: anyone who wants Garmin's best wellness + sleep tracking with multi-week battery, voice calls, and an AMOLED screen — and doesn't need maps or hardcore training analytics.

Oppo Watch S

The Oppo Watch S launched at around $399 NZD (roughly $230 USD) and is not officially sold in the US. For the price it's a strong value — week-long battery, ECG, a premium-feeling build — as long as you accept the simpler ColorOS platform.

• The Tech Shed's verdict: 'the Oppo Watch S is one of the best value smartwatches I've ever tested.'
• It launched at around $399 NZD — roughly $230 USD — undercutting flagship smartwatches significantly.
• It's a niche device — Oppo doesn't officially sell wearables in the US, so availability and support are limited there.
• FutureFive frames it well — it focuses on design, health tracking and battery life rather than software complexity.
• Best for: anyone who wants a featherweight, week-lasting health smartwatch at a budget price and doesn't need a deep app ecosystem.