Verdict
Head-to-head · Best Smartwatches

Garmin Venu 4 vs Xiaomi Watch 5

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 (4.6 vs 4.1). The gap is mostly about Serious fitness enthusiasts wanting detailed insights — read the strengths below before deciding.

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
Xiaomi Watch 5
Ranked #8 in Best Smartwatches
Xiaomi Watch 5
8 sources2 derived

The Xiaomi Watch 5 stands out as one of the best Wear OS smartwatches available, thanks to its integration of Wear OS 6 and a significant battery upgrade with silicon-carbon technology that delivers up to four days of usage. Reviewers praised its 1.54-inch AMOLED display and smart features like YouTube Music and remote camera control. However, some noted the lack of wireless charging and that the build quality, while solid, doesn't quite match premium offerings. This makes it ideal for users seeking long battery life and Android smartwatch functionality, though those prioritizing premium feel may want to consider alternatives.

Strengths
  • Features Wear OS 6 integration which improves software experience
  • Includes silicon-carbon battery technology delivering up to 4 days of battery life
  • Has a 1.54-inch AMOLED display with 2.6 mm thickness
Watch-outs
  • Charger is not wireless and uses a proprietary two-pin charging port
  • The design is somewhat plain and lacks standout style.

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

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.

Xiaomi Watch 5

The Xiaomi Watch 5 offers four days of battery life and Wear OS 6 integration, which is more than the OnePlus Watch 3 and Apple Watch Series 11, but it lacks the advanced health tracking features of the Garmin Venu 4 and Apple Watch Ultra 3. While it provides smart features like YouTube Music and Spotify, it doesn't match the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2's durability or the Apple Watch SE 3's speaker capabilities. The Google Pixel Watch 4 offers more battery life but lacks the Android smartwatch functionality.

Specs side-by-side

SpecGarmin Venu 4Xiaomi Watch 5
Display TypeAMOLEDAMOLED touchscreen
ConnectivityBluetoothBluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, NFC, dual-band L1+L5 GNSS
Water Resistance5 ATM5ATM rating (50m depth)
OSGarmin's newest in-house OSWear OS 6
MaterialSteel case and bezelSapphire crystal glass, stainless steel frame (316L)
CompatibilityiPhone and Android smartphonesAndroid 6.0+
Batteryup to 12 days battery life930 mAh
Dimensions45 mm case with metal design47 x 47 x 12.3 mm
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