Garmin launches Venu 2 Plus and Vivomove Sport smartwatches

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TL;DR

• Garmin Venu 2 Plus offers myriad fitness features - and now lets you make phone calls and chat with voice assistants.
• Garmin Vivomove Sport is a combination analog watch and fitness smartwatch for those who like it discreet.
• Both watches are available now: the Garmin Venu 2 Plus from $449.99, the Vivomove Sport from $179.99.

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Personally, I admit to being a fan of Garmin's Venu series. The smartwatches are smaller and lighter than the bulky Fenix models, but offer almost the same range of functions. While the Venu 2 Plus has received a rather minor update over the Venu 2 with a microphone and speaker, it does make it quite a bit smarter. You can now make phone calls with the watch and use your favorite voice assistant - from Siri to Bixby. The recommended retail price is 450 dollars:

Garmin Venu 2 Plus

Size-wise, the Venu 2 Plus is right in between the Venu 2 (45mm) and Venu 2S (40mm) with a 43mm case. On board is the usual sensor equipment for pulse, sleep, SpO2 & Co. - and of course support for Garmin's wide accessory portfolio of chest straps, cadence sensors and so on. You can install numerous apps on the watch via the proprietary app store and access a wide range of training plans from Garmin.

With the Vivomove Sport, Garmin's series of hybrid smartwatches gets a new, more affordable model. In contrast to its big sisters Vivomove Luxe (around 500 USD*) or Vivomove Style (from 245 dollars*), the Vivomove Sport is comparatively cheap with an MSRP of $180. The biggest difference: The touchscreen only covers the lower half of the watch, and instead of a leather or milanaise strap, there's silicone.

 

Otherwise, the Vivomove Sport also tracks the wearer's sleep, heart rate, blood oxygen saturation and workouts, and supports Garmin's Body Battery feature, which assesses daily fitness. For GPS, the Vivomove Sport relies on the connected smartphone, and the battery life is five days, according to the manufacturer.

What do you think about the two new smartwatches from Garmin? Hopefully, you will read more details in a detailed review on NextPit soon.