Garmin and Samsung are two of the biggest players in the smartwatch market. The Garmin Venu 2 and Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro are both premium smartwatches packed with health, fitness and lifestyle features.
But with different strengths and weaknesses, which one is right for you? I‘ve compared these leading smartwatches across all the key categories to help you decide.
Design and Display
The Venu 2 has a round watch face with a bright and vivid AMOLED display. The smaller 40mm model is lightweight and comfortable for all-day wear. The Pro is bulkier but has an excellent AMOLED panel with a touch-sensitive bezel for easy navigation.
Both watches have two physical buttons and are 5ATM water resistant, suitable for swimming and showering. The Galaxy Watch5 Pro is the most durable with a titanium case and sapphire glass.
Winner: Tie – The Venu 2 is more compact while the Pro is built to last. Choose based on your size and durability preferences.
Health, Fitness and Sleep Tracking
As a dedicated sports watch, the Venu 2 edges out the Galaxy Watch when it comes to tracking runs, rides and workouts. It includes over 25 built-in sports apps with animated workout demos. Advanced metrics like VO2 max, training load and race predictor give serious athletes more insight.
For 24/7 health monitoring, the Watch5 Pro fights back with blood oxygen, ECG, sleep and body composition tracking. But the Venu 2 still covers the essentials like heart rate, stress, respiration and sleep monitoring.
Winner: Venu 2 – Garmin has more advanced sports tracking while keeping up with Samsung for daily health metrics.
Smartwatch Features
With Wear OS, the Galaxy Watch5 Pro offers tighter integration with Android phones. You can access apps from the Google Play Store, use Google Assistant and Samsung Pay for payments. The Venu 2 misses out on an app store, voice assistant and contactless payments.
You‘ll get notifications and basic smartwatch features on both models. But the Galaxy Watch5 Pro brings more of a smartwatch experience for Android users.
Winner: Galaxy Watch5 Pro – More apps, better connectivity and smartphone integration give it the edge.
Battery Life
The Venu 2 is a battery life champion, lasting up to 11 days between charges. In smartwatch mode, the Galaxy Watch5 Pro will get you around 3 days max. The Pro charges faster, but you‘ll be plugging it in more often.
Winner: Venu 2 – Almost triple the battery life gives it a decisive win.
Price
The Galaxy Watch5 Pro debuted at $449, substantially more than the Venu 2‘s $399 starting price. However, Samsung watches see larger discounts over time. Right now the Pro can be found $80 cheaper, closing the gap.
Either model represents a significant investment. But long term, expect the Venu 2 to hold its value better.
Winner: Venu 2 – Typically cheaper and will likely see smaller price drops in future.
As you can see, both smartwatches have distinct strengths and weaknesses that suit different users.
For fitness enthusiasts who want detailed sports tracking in a lightweight design, the Garmin Venu 2 is your best bet. Over 25 built-in sports apps, animated workouts and advanced running/cycling metrics make it a very capable fitness companion.
But for those wanting a premium smartwatch experience on Android, the Galaxy Watch5 Pro leads the way. Tighter smartphone integration, apps, payments and voice control give it the edge for productivity and convenience. Surprisingly robust health tracking also makes it versatile for both fitness and lifestyle use.
Ultimately, the choice comes down to your priorities. Dedicated athletes are better served by the Venu 2. But Android users who want a convenient all-rounder can justify paying extra for the Galaxy Watch5 Pro.
I hope this comparison has helped shed light on the key differences between these impressive smartwatches. Let me know if you have any other questions!
