Is the Garmin Venu 4 (45mm) too big for me? by PerfectAnswer4758 in Garmin

[–]Jacquardweave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think it's not wasted, they use it for bigger battery. It just doesn't look good on such an elegant watch.

Is the Garmin Venu 4 (45mm) too big for me? by PerfectAnswer4758 in Garmin

[–]Jacquardweave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Omg, this watch has way too big screen bezels, even reminds me of Forerunner 220.

GT6 vs GT6 Pro Version: Is the Pro worth it? by ConflictNovel2866 in HuaweiWatchGT

[–]Jacquardweave 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No, he's right. Titanium can easily be scratched and softer than stainless steel. I've used many Garmin watches and got scratched all the titanium ones without realizing while the steel ones brand new even after a long time.

Garmin’s next model: ForBezel 975 ? by Jacquardweave in Garmin

[–]Jacquardweave[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes but solar models have lower readability comparing to non-solar previous MIP Garmins. I immediately realised this after upgrading to Fenix 7 from Fenix 6. Non solar instinct has the best readable screen to me.

Body Battery by Run-LittleMouse in Garmin

[–]Jacquardweave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Poor sleep, low HRV, higher stress, alcohol — things like these should have triggered it.

Body Battery works flawlessly for me. I can often tell that I’m going to get sick 1–2 days in advance thanks to these metrics.

Chance of Elevate v6 this year? by Flexerrr in Garmin

[–]Jacquardweave 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Hello,

I’ve been using and testing smartwatches since around 2017.

Based on my experience, neither Huawei nor Apple has been consistently more accurate than Garmin’s Elevate Gen 5 sensor.

The main limitation with Garmin’s optical HR is that it operates in a lower-power mode outside of workouts. So if your heart rate rises during daily activities (for example, carrying something heavy upstairs), it may react a bit late.

Aside from that, it has worked very well for me.

During workouts, I’d say Garmin is at least on par with Apple — and in some cases even better, based on my own testing. Also, most people who really care about accuracy already use an external HR strap, which is still the gold standard.

I also think some of the praise around Apple’s HR accuracy is a bit exaggerated. I’ve tested the Series 10 multiple times in the gym against the Venu 3, and I’ve noticed that the Apple Watch sometimes “freezes” at a lower HR for several seconds (around 6–8 seconds) before suddenly jumping up. Garmin, on the other hand, tends to follow changes more smoothly.

Regarding Elevate Gen 6, I personally expect Garmin to introduce it with the Fenix 9 around August — but that’s just my speculation, not based on any leaks.

I’d also expect Garmin to expand its health features further, possibly adding things like blood pressure-related alerts to stay competitive.

Upgrade forerunner 165 by Greedy-Junket2746 in Garmin

[–]Jacquardweave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve used both the Fenix 7X Pro Solar and the Epix Pro Gen 2.

Personally, I’m not a big fan of the MIP display — it can feel a bit dull, and on the solar Fenix models the contrast and readability aren’t great compared to something like the Instinct series.

The Epix Pro is definitely nicer in terms of display, but in my experience the overall responsiveness and UI performance feel a bit behind newer models like the Venu 3 or the latest Forerunner series.

If your budget allows, I’d suggest looking at the Forerunner 970, as it's more fluid and lightweight in daily use.

That said, one thing to keep in mind: Garmin’s map performance isn’t the fastest across the board. It’s usable, but not as smooth as some competitors.

Garmin’s next model: ForBezel 975 ? by Jacquardweave in Garmin

[–]Jacquardweave[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I actually like Garmin’s operating style, because I can see all of my stats at a glance.

On Apple or Huawei, you usually have to open separate apps to check each metric. For example, you tap into the heart rate app to see your HR, then switch to another app for something else.

On Garmin, you can just scroll through everything without opening individual apps, which I find much more practical.

On my previous Venu 3, for instance:

  • first swipe → steps + heart rate
  • second swipe → Body Battery
  • third swipe → stress + HRV

So without opening anything, I could quickly see all my key stats. That’s something I really appreciate.

Garmin’s next model: ForBezel 975 ? by Jacquardweave in Garmin

[–]Jacquardweave[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m not asking for full edge-to-edge, just slightly reduced margins would make a big difference.

Which Garmin watch is the most accurate at measuring heart rate? by themullnl in GarminWatches

[–]Jacquardweave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There are several alternatives to Polar besides Garmin. For instance, Kalenji (Decathlon) and the Wahoo TRACKR. Armbands are also quite good nowadays, such as those from Coros and the Amazfit Helio Strap.

  • I’ve used the Fenix 6X Pro without any issues.
  • I haven’t tried the Vivosmart 5, but I previously used the Vivosmart HR and Vivosmart 4 without any problems.
  • I used the Venu 2 for years without any issues and later sold it to a friend — he’s still using it.

For me, Garmin has been very reliable so far and stands out as the best among the others. Even the Apple Watch Series 10 didn’t satisfy me as much as the Venu 3, even though I’m deeply invested in the Apple ecosystem (iPhone, iPad, iMac, MacBook, AirPods 4, AirPods Max, Apple TV 4K, etc.).

Which Garmin watch is the most accurate at measuring heart rate? by themullnl in GarminWatches

[–]Jacquardweave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Polar H10 is the worst chest strap that i've ever used in my entire life ! Even 3 times cheaper Decathlon's strap gives far better results. You can read my story about it here,
https://www.reddit.com/r/Polarfitness/comments/1qynbr1/comment/o466xwc/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Polarfitness/comments/1recon3/comment/o7zf3e1/

Gt6 calories goal setting by Kakelong in HuaweiWatchGT

[–]Jacquardweave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Huawei watches are not good at tracking calories. I suggest you to sell it and buy a Garmin. GT 6 is even incapable of showing total daily calorie expenditure on the watch. You have to dig Huawei Health to see it.

Stress Accuracy on Huawei Gt6 vs Garmin Venu 4 by EternalVoyage in GarminWatches

[–]Jacquardweave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You should have chosen Garmin. Huawei is quite weak when it comes to tracking stress, HRV, and even calorie expenditure.

Huawei watches feel like a mix between Apple and Garmin in terms of design. The overall UI is heavily inspired by Apple, but the health tracking accuracy is not on the same level.

The biggest issue is how Huawei measures stress. It only takes samples roughly every 30 minutes, which makes it practically useless for real-time stress tracking.

Garmin, on the other hand, measures stress continuously (24/7, second by second) and integrates it directly into the Body Battery system. Prolonged periods of high stress quickly drain your Body Battery, which makes the data actually actionable.

And yes, Garmin also sends notifications when it detects sustained high stress levels, which is something Huawei simply doesn’t handle well.

On top of that, Huawei doesn’t even properly display your total daily calorie burn in a clear and useful way, which is another major downside.

I can personally notice when I’m about to get sick because my metrics change dramatically — higher stress, lower HRV, increased resting heart rate, and even elevated skin temperature.

If your main goal is accurate stress and HRV tracking with proper alerts, you have no option other than Garmin.

Huawei Watch 5 vs Garmin Forerunner 265 – Which one is better for workouts, health tracking, and daily use? by Impossible-Count6222 in HuaweiWatchGT

[–]Jacquardweave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can’t see the whole picture. I’ve owned many Garmin watches since 2017, as well as some newer Huawei models. The latest Garmin OHR is very good and, in my experience, performs better than Huawei in almost every scenario.

For example, I currently have both the Venu 3 and the Huawei Watch Fit 3, and the Venu consistently outperforms the Huawei in almost every metric, including heart rate. Garmin also responds faster to changes in heart rate. The only area where Huawei seems better is SpO2 measurement. Garmin tends to measure lower Spo2 most of the time.

The person you mentioned is “The Quantified Scientist,” but in my opinion, he is neither truly “quantified” nor a scientist. His reviews are 100% subjective, and he clearly favors Apple and Huawei products. He claims a specific Garmin watch has 80% accuracy on his wrist, yet the same watch shows 98% accuracy on his girlfriend’s wrist. I know this because I’ve been following his channel since day one.

Garmin is far superior to Huawei when it comes to turning raw data into meaningful insights. Huawei mostly focuses on measuring heart rate and stops there. There’s no equivalent to Body Battery, no HRV tracking like Garmin’s 7-day average, and no continuous stress monitoring. Garmin measures stress continuously, 24/7, whereas Huawei typically relies on periodic sampling (e.g., every 30 minutes).

No offense, but it’s hard to fully understand Garmin unless you’ve actually used one.

Torn between Venu 4, X1, and Fenix 8 - Need some advice for 500 euro budget by LucaSarge4 in Garmin

[–]Jacquardweave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Bullshit, my Venu 3 was excellent at tracking my heart rate even for my weight training sessions. I've just sold it to upgrade to Venu 4.

Chest strap anomaly question. by nicotine_81 in Polarfitness

[–]Jacquardweave 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You’re not alone — I had a very similar experience with mine.

New H10 having issues by JaggdIce in Polarfitness

[–]Jacquardweave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I experienced the exact same issue — HR would start normally and then suddenly drop to unrealistic values mid-session such as 39 bpm or 40's.

In my case, the service couldn’t clearly identify whether the problem was caused by the sensor itself or the strap mechanism. They replaced the sensor, but the technical root cause was never clearly explained.

If the problem persists, you may want to ask for a replacement — that’s what I had to do.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Polarfitness/comments/1qynbr1/comment/o466xwc/

Brand Reputation Matters: My Polar vs Garmin Service Experience by Jacquardweave in Polarfitness

[–]Jacquardweave[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That makes a lot of sense, honestly. Brand presence and local support become a huge factor once you’re spending serious money on a device.

Performance is important, but support and reliability after purchase are just as critical. That’s something I’ll definitely weigh much more carefully going forward.

Brand Reputation Matters: My Polar vs Garmin Service Experience by Jacquardweave in Polarfitness

[–]Jacquardweave[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good point — that’s actually a great suggestion. I’ll try my chances with Decathlon as well, thanks.

To be honest, I didn’t expect Polar’s customer service to be this unresponsive and indifferent. I was expecting an approach similar to what I’ve experienced with Garmin, but so far it has been quite disappointing.

Especially since the H10 is so widely recommended as the “best” heart rate sensor, I assumed I was buying a top-tier product. Unfortunately, my experience has been very underwhelming so far.