Which premium, square-shaped smartwatch is best, the Apple Watch 11 or the Garmin Venu X1? When it comes to fitness tracking performance, I tested the two head-to-head to find out.
Both of these devices are new for 2025 and sport generously-sized and easy-to-read displays, advanced health tracking and fitness training tools, sleek and stylish cases, useful safety tools, and hefty price tags.
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Apple Watch 11 vs Garmin Venu X1: Key differences
(Image credit: Future)
While the Apple Series Watch 11 and Garmin Venu X1 look similar enough — large, sleek, square-shaped devices with minimal bezels, a pair of physical controls, and numerous holistic sensors underneath — these are the five key differences between them.
1. Garmin Venu X1 is Android-friendly
Only the Garmin Venu X1 plays nicely with both Android and iOS devices. However, on the flip side, only the Apple Watch Series 11 comes in a cellular-capable variant.
2. Apple Watch 11 is more wallet-friendly
The Apple Watch Series 11 starts at $399 for the smaller 42mm model (non-cellular) and increases to $429 for the larger 46mm option.
The Garmin Venu X1 only comes in 46mm and costs $799, the same cost as the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
(Image credit: Future)3. Garmin Venu X1 has a slimmer case
The Apple Watch 11, at 9.7mm thick, is an easy-wearing smartwatch. However, the Garmin Venu X1 is even thinner at just 7.9mm, making it my preferred choice for comfort.
4. Apple Watch 11 has way more smart features
For a Garmin smartwatch, the Venu X1 is stacked with smart features, including an onboard microphone and speaker to take phone calls from a paired smartphone, NFC for mobile payments via Garmin Pay, onboard storage for saving music for offline listening, and more.
Still, the Venu X1 doesn’t come close to matching the Apple Watch 11’s smart features. Not only does the latest flagship Apple Watch have access to the world’s largest app store, but genuinely useful native smart features and apps are plentiful. Some of my favorites include on-wrist translations, global tide tracking, and access to Apple’s nifty Notes app.
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5. Garmin Venu X1 has better battery life
(Image credit: Future)
Apple bumped up battery life to 24 hours of usage per day, or roughly 8 hours of use when tracking an outdoor activity with GPS.
By comparison, the Garmin Venu X1 is rated to last for up to eight days in smartwatch mode (two days when using the always-on display) or up to 16 hours with GPS.
With the key differences between the Garmin Venu X1 and Apple Watch 11 covered, it’s time to jump into fitness tracking accuracy.
Apple Watch 11 vs Garmin Venu X1: Walk test
To assess which is the better device, I wore one smartwatch on either wrist and tracked my daily midday walk around Seattle, Washington. As a primary control, I counted my steps for the duration of the walk, using a manual tally-counter to note every 100 steps taken.
As a secondary control for distance, climb, and pace, I ran ol’ reliable, Strava, on my iPhone 12 mini. Find the results for the Apple Watch 11 vs. Garmin Venu X1 below.
Swipe to scroll horizontallyApple Watch 11 vs. Garmin Venu X1 walk test resultsHeader Cell – Column 0
Apple Watch 11
Garmin Venu X1
Control
Step count
4,918 steps
5,012 steps
5,000 steps (manual count)
Distance
2.63 miles
2.64 miles
2.74 miles
Elevation gain
220 feet
210 feet
182 feet
Average moving pace
17 mins 45 secs per mile
16 mins 43 secs per mile
16 mins 10 secs per mile
Average heart rate
116 bpm
133 bpm
n/a
Max heart rate
132 bpm
163 bpm
n/a
Total calories burned
312 calories
320 calories
n/a
Device battery usage
16%
8%
n/a
Both the Garmin Venu X1 and Apple Watch Series 11 were within 100 steps of my actual step count total, an impressive outcome for sure. However, the Garmin is just 12 steps off compared to 82 steps for the Apple Watch. Strava, meanwhile, noted 5,038 steps counted.
The Apple Watch and Garmin both measured roughly the same distance covered, which is only a tenth of a mile off from Strava’s tally or well within a reasonable margin for error.
Elevation data is a bit more scattered. The smartwatches clocked a more uphill intensive walk compared to Strava, with nearly 40 feet separating Apple’s calculation from Strava’s. I suspect my actual total elevation gain is closer to an average of the three, or 204 feet. If that’s true, the Venu X1 is right on the money.
(Image credit: Dan Bracaglia/Tom’s Guide)
While both Garmin and Strava provide an average moving pace and an average elapsed pace figure for outdoor workouts, Apple only offers one metric for pace and doesn’t specify which it is (though I highly suspect it’s elapsed).
For what it’s worth, while Garmin’s average moving pace is 33 secs off from Strava’s, the Venu X1’s elapsed pace of 17 mins, 52 secs is a near match with Apple’s.
Heart rate data is also a bit inconclusive, with the Garmin Venu X1 (worn on my right wrist), seemingly over-calculating my cardiovascular efforts. (This was by no means a high-intensity walk.)
Could the fact that the Garmin was worn on my right wrist be the reason for the hiccup? Maybe. When I tested the Venu X1 vs Apple Watch Ultra 2, Garmin’s heart rate data was a near-match with Apple’s….but the Venu X1 was on my left wrist then.
Moving on, both the Apple Watch Series 11 and Garmin Venu X1 noted roughly the same amount of calories burned, while the Apple Watch used about twice as much battery tracking my 45-minute workout compared to Garmin.
Apple Watch 11 vs Garmin Venu X1: Winner
(Image credit: Future)
Even though both the Apple Watch 11 and Garmin Venu X1 delivered impressively accurate step count and distance data, the Venu X1 was ultimately closer to the control in both instances, making it our official winner. It also seemingly produced the most accurate elevation gain metric while using significantly less battery power overall.
Which smartwatch models should I test head-to-head next? Let me know in the comments below.
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