Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights.
The Garmin Venu X1 is the latest watch in Garmin's most smartwatch-like family, and it is the most expensive Venu yet by some margin.
Garmin Venu watches typically introduce us to new smartwatch features lines the Forerunner and Fenix don't even have yet, like voice assistant support. But the Garmin Venu X1 starts to bring in features of those more athlete-driven series.
It's the screen you may notice first, though. The Garmin Venu X1 screen is a rounded rectangle, and the largest seen in a Garmin watch like this to date.
It has resolution of 448 by 486 pixels, is an AMOLED display, and measures two inches across. Screen bezels appear to be far smaller than in other Garmin watches too, leading to fairly petite -- for the screen size -- dimensions of 41mm by 46mm.
At first glance it looks comparable to something like a Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro, a series that was often compared to the Apple Watch in its earlier generations.
A Garmin Venu X1 is more expensive than the base model of either, though. It costs $799, and comes in either Moss green or black colors.
What can possible justify such a high cost for what isn't exactly the last word in smartwatch style?
It does have core features to match other Garmin watches in the same cost ballpark. On-watch maps is the most obvious high-end addition.
You will be able to store many countries' worth of map data on the 32GB storage, complete with roads and points of interest to let you navigate when offline. And those maps may well look better here than they do on any other Garmin watch.
After all, the original Garmin watch made famous for its maps, the Garmin Epix from 2015, had a rectangular screen.
The Garmin Venu X1 also has a high-grade build, of a style that many confuse some shoppers. This is a part titanium watch, but the metal parts are hidden. The back of the cashing is titanium, but the rest is Garmin's "fiber-reinforced polymer" plastic.
This stuff is great, and tough as anything, but does mean the most expensive-looking and expensive-feeling parts are not up front. It does keep weight low; the Garmin Venu X1 weighs just 34g, or 40g with the nylon strap. Comfort is likely to be exceptional among Garmin wearables.
What else is there to note? The Garmin Venu X1 has an ultra-hard Sapphire Crystal display surface, just moderate 5ATM water resistance, and is just 7.9mm thick -- very thin. Despite that thickness, the Venu X1 still has an LED flashlight built into its top.
As in the Venu 3, a microphone and speaker are baked-in, allowing for handsfree calls, voice commands to control the watch's features and interactions with your phone's own digital assistant.
This is the first Venu-series watch that could be a direct alternative to a Forerunner 970 or Fenix 8 for true fitness enthusiasts. But there is one catch.
The Garmin Venu X1 only claims to have eight days of battery life. And that drops to two days if you use the always-on mode. Garmin battery life typically halves in "always-on" rather than dropping to a quarter, suggesting the watch's screen is exceptionally bright, much like the Forerunner 970's.
There are a few important feature omissions to note, too. The Garmin Venu X1 does not have the company's top HR sensor hardware, meaning you will not be able to take ECG readings.
It also lacks dual-band GPS, suggesting that while Garmin has made the Venu X1 for serious exercisers, it's not really made for adventuring but for the suburbs. Dual-band GPS improves location tracking in areas with poor signal.
The Garmin Venu X1 costs $799 and will be available to order from June 18.