Garmin Venu 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

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.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

Super AMOLED with Sapphire Crystal, 3,000 nits peak brightness — the brightest Galaxy Watch display. Always-on, with a red Night Mode for low-light readability.

• 3,000 nits peak brightness — the brightest Galaxy Watch display; excellent outdoor visibility.
• Sapphire Crystal display protection — premium scratch resistance suited to adventure use.
• Red Night Mode — turns watch faces red and black for night-vision-friendly readability.
• Always-on display supported — the large 590mAh battery absorbs the cost comfortably.
• Super AMOLED panel — vibrant and sharp; among the best smartwatch displays.

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.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

BioActive sensor — optical HR, ECG, BIA body composition, skin temperature, AGEs Index. DC Rainmaker found GPS very accurate; flagged Samsung HRV as out of alignment with other wearables.

• BioActive sensor — optical HR, ECG, BIA body composition, skin temperature, and the AGEs Index biological-age metric.
• DC Rainmaker's review title: 'Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: finally accurate' — HR and GPS accuracy markedly improved over earlier Galaxy Watches.
• DC Rainmaker flagged Samsung's HRV metrics as 'far out of alignment' with other wearables on most nights — a remaining sensor caveat.
• ECG + AGEs Index — clinical heart-rhythm checks plus biological-age estimation (both need a Samsung phone).
• Sleep tracking with sleep coaching — Samsung's detailed sleep-stage analysis and multi-week coaching program.

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.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

100+ workout modes, dual-frequency GPS, multisport mode, Energy Score, Race feature. Strong for an Android smartwatch; serious athletes still lean Garmin for training depth.

• Dual-frequency GPS — DC Rainmaker confirms 'very good GPS accuracy,' a real strength of the Watch Ultra.
• 100+ workout modes + multisport mode — broad activity coverage through Samsung Health.
• Energy Score + Galaxy AI Wellness Tips — Samsung Health's AI-powered daily readiness and guidance.
• Training analytics aren't as deep as Garmin's — DC Rainmaker still rates Garmin higher for serious endurance athletes.
• 10 ATM water resistance — pool, open-water, and high-pressure water activities supported.

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.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

590mAh battery — the largest in any Galaxy Watch. Up to ~60 hours typical use, ~100 hours in power-saving mode. Wireless fast charging. DC Rainmaker says it beats Apple's real-world battery.

• 590mAh battery — the largest in any Galaxy Watch; powers the Ultra's multi-day endurance.
• Up to ~100 hours in power-saving mode — DC Rainmaker calls the Ultra the best Wear OS watch 'if you need longer battery life.'
• DC Rainmaker: the Watch Ultra 'beats Apple's battery life in real-world usage, both in daily smartwatch mode and workout modes.'
• Wireless fast charging — a quick top-up before bed enables overnight sleep tracking.
• Still trails Garmin's multi-week endurance — but the Watch Ultra is the longest-lasting Wear OS option.

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.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

Wear OS 5 + One UI 6 Watch + Galaxy AI. Full Wear OS app access, Samsung Health, Samsung Pay + Google Wallet. Best inside the Samsung phone ecosystem. Android-only.

• Wear OS 5 + One UI 6 Watch — DC Rainmaker highlights 'full access to the Wear OS platform' as a Watch Ultra strength.
• 3nm Exynos W1000 chip — fast, fluid performance; the same chip as the Galaxy Watch 7.
• Galaxy AI features — Energy Score, AI Wellness Tips, plus the full Google Play Store.
• Best inside the Samsung ecosystem — AGEs Index and ECG need a Samsung phone.
• Android-only — no iOS compatibility; best on a Samsung Galaxy phone.

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.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

Titanium case + Sapphire Crystal + 10 ATM water resistance + IP68 + MIL-STD-810H. Built for genuine adventure and underwater use.

• Titanium case — Samsung's most durable smartwatch material; built for adventure.
• 10 ATM water resistance + IP68 + MIL-STD-810H — the full rugged-adventure rating set.
• Sapphire Crystal display protection — highly scratch-resistant.
• Built for genuine adventure — the Watch Ultra is Samsung's answer to the rugged Apple Watch Ultra.

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.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

Dual-frequency GPS, LTE built in, NFC for Samsung Pay + Google Wallet, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi. Emergency siren for safety.

• Dual-frequency GPS — DC Rainmaker confirms 'very good GPS accuracy.'
• LTE built in — standalone calls, texts, and music streaming without the phone.
• Emergency siren — a loud audible alarm for emergency signaling, an Ultra-tier safety feature.
• NFC for Samsung Pay + Google Wallet — both contactless options.
• Bluetooth + Wi-Fi — full Wear OS connectivity stack.

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.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

$649 launch. Samsung's rugged flagship — competes with the Apple Watch Ultra (different platform) and Garmin. The longest-lasting, most durable Wear OS watch.

• $649 launch price — significantly more than a standard Galaxy Watch, justified by titanium, the bigger battery, and adventure features.
• DC Rainmaker: 'definitely the best Wear OS watch on the market today, if you need longer battery life, very good GPS accuracy, and full access to the Wear OS platform.'
• vs Apple Watch Ultra: different platforms — the Galaxy Watch Ultra is the Android adventure flagship, with the unavoidable visual resemblance.
• vs Garmin: Samsung wins on Wear OS apps + smart features; Garmin wins on training depth and even longer battery.
• Best for: Samsung phone owners who want the most durable, longest-lasting Wear OS watch with genuine adventure and dive features — and can look past the Apple resemblance.