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Head-to-head · Best Smartwatches

Amazfit Balance 2 vs Garmin Venu 4

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Garmin Venu 4 comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.1 vs 4.6). The gap is mostly about Serious fitness enthusiasts wanting detailed insights — read the strengths below before deciding.

Amazfit Balance 2
Ranked #9 in Best Smartwatches
Amazfit Balance 2
6 sources2 derived$299.99as of Aug 22

The Amazfit Balance 2 delivers solid performance in fitness tracking, particularly excelling in heart rate monitoring and GPS accuracy. Reviewers noted its strong sleep tracking capabilities and value proposition for budget-conscious users. However, some reviewers found the smart features lacking compared to higher-end models, and the device's screen quality and user interface received mixed feedback. This tracker is best suited for users prioritizing fitness metrics over smartwatch functionality.

Strengths
  • — Strong heart rate tracking performance with high correlation to reference device
  • — Good GPS tracking accuracy for outdoor activities
  • — Solid sleep stage tracking capabilities
Watch-outs
  • — Limited smart features compared to premium competitors
  • — Screen quality and user interface criticized by some reviewers
$299.99 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Garmin Venu 4
Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Smartwatches
Garmin Venu 4
7 sources$499.99as of Aug 22

The Garmin Venu 4 represents Garmin's strongest attempt to bridge the gap between traditional smartwatches and dedicated sports watches. It offers a polished circular design with advanced fitness and recovery metrics that help users understand how their training metrics impact performance. While it provides comprehensive health tracking including Body Battery and Training Readiness, reviewers noted that the software can feel sluggish and the UI lacks intuitiveness compared to competitors. The watch supports multi-band GPS for accurate tracking and offers week-long battery life in smartwatch mode, making it suitable for serious fitness enthusiasts who want detailed training insights.

Strengths
  • — Polished circular design
  • — Advanced fitness and recovery metrics including Body Battery and Training Readiness
  • — Multi-band GPS for accurate location tracking
Watch-outs
  • — Software can feel sluggish
  • — UI is not as intuitive as other smartwatches
$499.99 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

Amazfit Balance 2

The Amazfit Balance 2 excels in heart rate tracking and GPS accuracy, which the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 11 don't match, but it lacks the smart features and advanced health metrics found in the Garmin Venu 4 and OnePlus Watch 3. While it's more affordable than the Apple Watch SE 3 and Google Pixel Watch 4, it doesn't offer the same level of smartwatch functionality. The Xiaomi Watch 5 provides better smart features but lacks the advanced fitness tracking capabilities of the Balance 2.

Garmin Venu 4

The Garmin Venu 4 provides advanced fitness metrics like Body Battery and Training Readiness, which the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 11 don't match, but it lacks the battery life of the OnePlus Watch 3 and Xiaomi Watch 5. While it offers more comprehensive health tracking than the Amazfit Balance 2, it's less user-friendly in terms of UI compared to the Google Pixel Watch 4 and lacks the smart features of the OnePlus Watch 3. The Apple Watch SE 3 offers better value with its updated design and speaker capabilities.

Specs side-by-side

SpecAmazfit Balance 2Garmin Venu 4
Battery658 mAhup to 12 days battery life
Display TypeAMOLEDAMOLED
ConnectivityWi-Fi 2.4GHz, Bluetooth 5.2, BLEBluetooth
Water Resistance10ATM5 ATM
OSZepp OSGarmin's newest in-house OS
MaterialAluminium alloy case and sapphire glassSteel case and bezel
CompatibilityiOS and AndroidiPhone and Android smartphones
Dimensions—45 mm case with metal design
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