Customer reviews from Garmin
Garmin - Venu X1 GPS Smartwatch 51 mm Fiber-reinforced polymer - Soft Gold Titanium - (2026)
Average customer rating
4.2
(129 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 129 reviews
5 Stars
74
4 Stars
25
3 Stars
15
2 Stars
7
1 Star
8
Customer Reviews for Garmin - Venu X1 GPS Smartwatch 51 mm Fiber-reinforced polymer - Soft Gold Titanium - (2026)
Customer Rating
3
Needs More Development
on August 27, 2025
Posted by: Smartas
The watch functionality is absolutely great. The screen and features of the Venu X1 are absolutely top of the stack to the competition.
However, I returned mine for two reasons.
1-Battery life on the Venu X1 is worse than the Apple Ultra. Using the watch for a 40 minute walk dropped battery percentage by almost half. The Venu X1 is extremely thin so Garmin could add 2mm to the overall height and I'd imagine double battery life.
2-The band included with the watch is designed for kids. I am not large by any measure of reality (200lbs/5'9") but getting my hands through the band was an exercise in annoyance. Not a big deal but for the price maybe a better band should be included.
However, I returned mine for two reasons.
1-Battery life on the Venu X1 is worse than the Apple Ultra. Using the watch for a 40 minute walk dropped battery percentage by almost half. The Venu X1 is extremely thin so Garmin could add 2mm to the overall height and I'd imagine double battery life.
2-The band included with the watch is designed for kids. I am not large by any measure of reality (200lbs/5'9") but getting my hands through the band was an exercise in annoyance. Not a big deal but for the price maybe a better band should be included.
I'll stick with my Fennix 8 Amoled 51mm.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
kudos on wearing comfort and screen brightness
on August 26, 2025
Posted by: jas319
I am a fan of smartwatches. Along with my new Venu X1, I currently own and use the Garmin Fenix 8, Venu 3, Apple Watch series 10, AW Ultra 2. With all of my smartwatches, I use it with the AOD enabled. While I really wanted to use my Fenix 8 as my daily wear, its ambient light sensor would reduce my screen brightness so that it was effectively not readable in evening conditions. This was NOT the case with the latest gen of Apple Watches. It does not matter if the peak brightness of a display is 3,000 nits or higher if it is operating at 100 nits or whatever under most real-world conditions. I'm glad to report that the Venu X1's screen is MUCH brighter than the Fenix 8 (not referring to direct sunlight - but in dimmer conditions) and is just as bright or more so than AW even at the lowest brightness. It has become my daily wear watch. Also, I do not miss all the buttons on the Fenix - the operating system for Venu X1 is excellent and I find that I can get to most menu items quicker than on the Fenix. As reported, it is exceptionally comfortable. I had purchased the Garmin 24 mm silicon buckle band thinking that I would not like the supplied stock band. However, the stock band is so comfortable that I have not switched it out yet . I'm very satisfied with my purchase
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Perfect Combination
on August 23, 2025
Posted by: Cycling56
I have been wearing the Fenix 8 for a couple of years and liked it very much. When the X1 came out it looked to be the Perfect Combination between Venue 2 which I anls have and the Fenix 8. I like the bigger display which helps when your 69 and eye sight isn’t as good as it used to be.
I have smaller wrists and was concerned about the size but it fits nicely. It has everything I need in a sports activity and health watch. If you have been on the fence about getting one all I can say is get it you won’t be sorry.
I have smaller wrists and was concerned about the size but it fits nicely. It has everything I need in a sports activity and health watch. If you have been on the fence about getting one all I can say is get it you won’t be sorry.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Best Garmin watch, yet
on August 23, 2025
Posted by: Tonk Industries
Nothing but easy and simple to use. I have had three Garmin watches and this one really knocks them all out. I would had a better battery life (reality is about 5/6 days). Other than that, WOW.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Great watch
on August 21, 2025
Posted by: BigJohnG
I have upgraded Garmin smart watches four times. I’m very happy with this one. Definitely worth the money.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
2
Venu 3 is better
on August 17, 2025
Posted by: Garminlover76
Used this for 2 weeks and returned it.
Overly fidgety using it daily - not too many features, but more of a functionality thing.
Best example I can give is that you can start a timer by tapping the face, but you cannot reset or stop a timer by tapping the face.
This can be applied to MANY functions with the watch.
Additionally, Spotify will not work.
Maps never loaded.
The default face shows so much data it is unreadable most of the time.
Used other faces I have for the Venu 3 and they are nice.
FaceIt does not allow scaling of data fields to increase size, but on other fields you can.
I love the size/form factor.
Display is beautiful.
I would keep the watch 100% if it weren't for the fiddly things you have to do to get "stuff" done. This is not with things like accessing activities for example, just daily driver issues.
I am sure they will smooth out the interface and menu flow with firmware updates, but for me the added functionality and form of the watch is not worth the upgrade.
I am also sure that will all the horsepower in this watch they can greatly increase personalization options like font sizing using FaceIt for example.
The jpeg I used looked amazing on the watch face and the colors are awesome.
Basically an OLED monitor on your wrist.
The Spotify and map issues were really deal breakers as well.
Overly fidgety using it daily - not too many features, but more of a functionality thing.
Best example I can give is that you can start a timer by tapping the face, but you cannot reset or stop a timer by tapping the face.
This can be applied to MANY functions with the watch.
Additionally, Spotify will not work.
Maps never loaded.
The default face shows so much data it is unreadable most of the time.
Used other faces I have for the Venu 3 and they are nice.
FaceIt does not allow scaling of data fields to increase size, but on other fields you can.
I love the size/form factor.
Display is beautiful.
I would keep the watch 100% if it weren't for the fiddly things you have to do to get "stuff" done. This is not with things like accessing activities for example, just daily driver issues.
I am sure they will smooth out the interface and menu flow with firmware updates, but for me the added functionality and form of the watch is not worth the upgrade.
I am also sure that will all the horsepower in this watch they can greatly increase personalization options like font sizing using FaceIt for example.
The jpeg I used looked amazing on the watch face and the colors are awesome.
Basically an OLED monitor on your wrist.
The Spotify and map issues were really deal breakers as well.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
3
Nice
on August 15, 2025
Posted by: kamsah
This is a great watch with great features. This may be a bit petty, but I hate that it looks so much like an Apple watch. Also, the battery does not last. Lastly, a more friendly band exchange system would go a long way...
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
3
Expectation vs. Reality
on August 15, 2025
Posted by: Gk93
I started my Garmin venture back with the Fenix 5, but have owned and used extensively, from the Instinct to the Garmin Fenix 7S Pro. My expectation of the X1 was; “Finally a watch that can compete with the daily integrated utility of an Apple Watch, but with the Garmin metrics, tracking, and battery life that I love so much”. At the price point of this watch I would say that I expect a fair bit more out of it. Even when comparing to the Fenix 7 I would say that the Fenix is the better watch when looking at an overall feature rich watch, but with clear expectations of what you are getting vs. what you are paying. The X1 falls short on its marketing of what it can accomplish and replace which is where I give the X1 a 3 out 5 stars. However, when grading the fit, comfort, and style I would give it a 5 out of 5 stars. I feel a bit cheated in the amount of money spent on this watch as I expected a bit more from it, where as, when you are buying a, let’s say, a Fenix you truly know what you are getting and the money makes sense. My hope is that Garmin can go back and with some additional R&D make the X1 a real shining star that stands above the rest, but again at this time I feel it is lacking a fair amount to have that title currently.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin