Garmin has always been known for their very premium smartwatches. Some do not even consider their stuff ‘smartwatches’. They argue that the Garmin watches are more fitness trackers than anything. Whichever camp you come from though, we still like the brand and the devices they make.

As smartwatches and fitness trackers go, you cannot go wrong with a Garmin watch. Whichever your choice is, you are getting a smartwatch cum fitness tracker that will last you days at a time, while being reliable and durable enough to be in the harshest of weathers. There is an issue however; they are not exactly affordable. Garmin has an answer to that.

Welcome to the Garmin Venu SQ, SQ for ‘Square’. Garmin launched the Venu smartwatch last year and it became one of our favourite smartwatches very quickly. Its pretty interface and good looks are big contributors to our preference, of course. But round is not the only format people want in their smartwatch. Some people still prefer going for a square watch face on their smartwatch thanks to the larger perceived display real estate. That is the Garmin Venu SQ, for the ones that wants a square-faced smartwatch from Garmin.

The Garmin Venu SQ’s square-ish display measures at 1.3-inch and is protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 layer. The square LCD display pushes 240 by 240 pixels , which is not Full HD per se, but is still quite a pretty looking crystal display. You can use always-on mode on the Garmin Venu SQ as well, if you want to. Of course, always-on display will consume a little bit more battery life.

To be fair, not much else is known about the Garmin Venu SQ’s internals. We do know that the Venu SQ is just as capable as its more premium round-faced sibling though. It is also made with the same durable fiber-reinforced polymer material that the rounded Garmin Venu is built with. Inside is also all the same sensors that makes the Garmin Venu SQ as capable as any of its siblings.

You still have GPS capability within the watch with compass capabilities so that you can never get lost with the Garmin Venu SQ, in your adventures. In your adventures as well, you would appreciate the 5 ATM water resistant rating, just in case you need to get a little wet. A battery life that would last you up to 6 days at a time could also prove essential when you need it (14 hours on GPS mode without music). As a bonus, you do not need to keep it charged daily.

Of course, the Garmin Venu SQ still has all the right sensors at the back of the watch as well. The sensors can monitor your heart rate, your blood oxygen levels, and more. It can even detect your swim stroke types, and even understand your sleep cycles.

The Venu SQ is now available in Malaysia in two variants. You can get a regular Venu SQ and a Venu SQ Music with Spotify and music storing capabilities built-into the device. The Venu SQ starts at MYR 999 and is available in Shadow Gray/Slate, White/Light Gold, and Orchid/Metallic Orchid colour options. The Venu SQ Music Edition will go for MYR 1,250 and is available in Black/Slate, Light Sand/Rose Gold, Navy/Light Gold, and Moss/Slate colour combinations.