In a crowded smartwatch market where companies jostle for attention with ever-larger screens or longer battery life, Garmin’s newly announced Venu X1 stakes out an interesting middle ground: its largest AMOLED display to date housed in what the company bills as its thinnest, most compact titanium case. Priced at $799, the Venu X1 is clearly aimed at those looking for a premium wearable that blends Garmin’s fitness pedigree with some of the lifestyle and smart features found in mainstream competitors—most notably Apple’s Watch Ultra 2.

Garmin’s Venu series has long been its “everyday” smartwatch line, featuring bright AMOLED displays and a suite of health/fitness tracking features in a generally round form factor. The X1 flips that script: it sports a 2-inch square AMOLED display with edge-to-edge glass, reminiscent of the Apple Watch aesthetic but with Garmin’s own twist. At just 7.9–8mm thick in a titanium body, it is Garmin’s thinnest watch yet, and it packs sapphire glass protection over the display along with a titanium caseback for durability and a premium feel. According to initial impressions, the display stretches almost to the bezel edge, maximizing usable screen real estate without bloating the case footprint too much.

This design marks a departure from Garmin’s traditional round, utilitarian watches—those often prized for long battery life and ruggedness. Garmin seems to be pivoting toward features and form factors more common in mainstream smartwatches, potentially to woo users who might otherwise choose Apple or Samsung. While Garmin’s MIP (memory-in-pixel) displays and round cases traditionally underscored ultra-long battery life and outdoor-ready durability, the Venu X1 embraces a brighter, more power-hungry AMOLED panel in a sleeker shape.

The headline here is undoubtedly the 2-inch AMOLED display, which Garmin claims is its largest yet. The increased brightness and real estate promise easier reading of maps, notifications, and custom watch faces even in bright sunlight. But brighter screens come at a cost. Garmin quotes about two days of battery life with always-on display active, or up to eight days if always-on is disabled. By comparison, Garmin’s 47mm AMOLED Fenix 8 manages roughly seven days with always-on, reflecting that the thinner design and larger display do have a measurable effect on endurance.

That two-day always-on estimate has drawn mixed reactions: some Garmin purists lament that it undercuts one of Garmin’s traditional strengths, while others see it as an acceptable compromise given the form factor and screen quality. For users migrating from an Apple Watch Ultra 2—which lasts roughly 36 hours always-on—Garmin’s two-day figure may even feel generous. However, in the context of Garmin’s own lineup, it is shorter than many high-end models. Users will need to weigh whether the extra screen space and slimmer case are worth charging more frequently.

Beyond the display, the Venu X1 is outfitted with other premium touches: scratch-resistant sapphire glass, a titanium caseback, and what Garmin describes as its thinnest-ever watch body. It includes a built-in flashlight (white and red LEDs) akin to those on Fenix and Forerunner models, plus a speaker and microphone for on-wrist calls and voice commands—“start a running activity,” “set a timer,” and similar tasks without needing to grab your phone nearby.

The inclusion of voice commands and call capabilities signals Garmin’s intent to blur the lines between dedicated fitness watches and full-fledged smartwatches. For many Garmin users, phone notifications and basic interactions have been part of the appeal for the Venu line; the X1 simply expands that with voice interaction and on-watch calling when tethered to a phone. There’s also 32GB of storage for music and maps, enabling offline tunes and on-device full-color mapping—a feature not usually found on standard Venu watches but more common on higher-end Fenix or Forerunner models.

Under the hood, the Venu X1 retains Garmin’s robust health and fitness tracking suite. Over 100 activity profiles are supported, from running and cycling to yoga and strength training. Advanced metrics—Training Status, Training Readiness, Endurance Score—and Garmin’s latest Elevate heart-rate sensor power in-depth analysis for serious athletes. The watch also includes a pulse oximeter for blood oxygen saturation, stress monitoring, sleep tracking, and other wellness insights that have become table stakes in this segment.

Importantly, some higher-end Garmin features—offline TopoActive mapping with round-trip routing and on-device course creation—make their way onto the Venu X1. This convergence of features from Garmin’s specialist multisport watches into a sleeker, lifestyle-oriented package underscores Garmin’s strategy to attract a broader audience who want both serious fitness tools and everyday smartwatch conveniences.

With slimmer dimensions and a vibrant AMOLED screen, certain capabilities are absent compared to Garmin’s flagship outdoor watches. The Venu X1 does not include ECG support or multi-band GPS, features that some competitors and select Garmin models offer for advanced health metrics or more precise location tracking under challenging conditions. Battery life, as noted, is shorter than many of Garmin’s utilitarian watches, though still competitive versus mainstream smartwatches. Users should also note the lack of solar charging—present in some Fenix/Instinct lines—which could otherwise prolong endurance.

Garmin appears to have consciously prioritized design and screen over some niche capabilities. For many users, especially those who want a stylish watch they can wear daily and on longer workouts, this is a reasonable trade. For hardcore adventurers or those needing absolute maximum GPS precision in deep canyons, Garmin’s specialized multisport offerings remain the go-to.

At $799, the Venu X1 sits firmly in premium territory, matching the Apple Watch Ultra 2’s price point. It will be offered in at least two colorways—black and dark green—with titanium case options on launch, slated for June 18th. Given Garmin’s reputation for durable hardware and reliable software updates, the price may feel justified to buyers wanting a blend of Garmin’s fitness expertise and a stylish, high-end smartwatch form.

The Venu X1 exemplifies Garmin’s shifting approach in 2025: embracing brighter AMOLED displays and sleeker designs to capture lifestyle-focused consumers while retaining core fitness tracking strengths. Industry observers note Garmin’s move away from only round, MIP-display watches with multi-week battery life toward premium, mainstream-style wearables. This may help Garmin appeal to former Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch users looking for deeper fitness analytics without sacrificing design. However, Garmin must balance not alienating its loyal base who prize battery longevity and ruggedness.

For the wider market, the Venu X1 intensifies competition at the high end, challenging Apple Watch Ultra 2 and select Samsung/Garmin crossovers. It highlights that consumers increasingly want devices that serve both as capable fitness companions and lifestyle smartwatches. Battery innovations, display tech, and hybrid features like flashlights and advanced mapping will likely become more common as brands iterate.

The Garmin Venu X1 is a bold experiment: Garmin’s largest, square AMOLED display in its smallest titanium case yet. It reflects Garmin’s recognition that users desire stylish, capable smartwatches with deep fitness features, even if that entails shorter battery life compared to older Garmin norms. Whether it will convert Apple Watch devotees or merely carve out a niche among Garmin enthusiasts remains to be seen. What is clear is that Garmin is signaling its readiness to compete head-on in the premium smartwatch arena, offering a device that can handle daily notifications, voice commands, and music playback as readily as it tracks long runs, hikes, and workouts.