Garmin is doubling down on its most aggressive Apple Watch Ultra challenger with a new soft-gold makeover that shifts the Venu X1 from rugged tool to lifestyle statement. The redesign keeps the square, Ultra-style silhouette but wraps it in a warmer finish and a lower price, signaling that Garmin wants this watch on more wrists, not just those of hardcore endurance athletes.
The move also shows how quickly the smartwatch arms race is evolving, as brands now compete as much on aesthetics and value as on raw specs. By refreshing its top Ultra rival with a softer colorway and a more accessible sticker, Garmin is trying to pull style-conscious buyers away from Apple without sacrificing the performance that made the Venu X1 a serious contender in the first place.
The Venu X1’s Ultra-sized ambitions
The Garmin Venu X1 arrived as a surprise pivot for a company better known for round, data-dense sports watches. With its square face, prominent bezel and chunky proportions, the Venu X1 was clearly built to appeal to people who like the aesthetic of the Apple Watch Ultra but want Garmin’s training tools instead. Reviewers noted that the shape and proportions of the Venu X1 made it look like a deliberate play for that crowd, positioning it at the top of the Venu family rather than as a niche experiment.
That ambition is not just about looks. The Garmin Venu is described as an all-new watch that came out of nowhere to sit at the top of the Venu range of smartwatches and act as a direct rival to the likes of the Apple Watch Ultra, with a focus on runners and outdoor users who want serious tracking in a more mainstream design. Early hands-on impressions of The Garmin Venu framed it as a device that tries to bridge the gap between lifestyle smartwatch and performance tool, rather than forcing buyers to choose one or the other.
Hardware built to challenge Apple Watch Ultra
Under the hood, the Venu X1 was specced to go toe to toe with Apple’s most capable wearable. The Venu X1 will come in two colorways, black and moss, and have a built-in LED flashlight, speaker and mic, a combination that mirrors the Apple Watch Ultra’s focus on visibility and on-wrist communication. Pricing was pitched in the $300 to $400 range, which undercuts Apple’s premium tier while still signaling that this is a flagship-level device rather than an entry-level tracker.
Garmin also layered in materials and display tech that push the Venu X1 beyond a simple square remake of its existing watches. Reports highlighted that it has Garmin’s LED flashlight onboard, a titanium back and scratch-proof Sapphire Glass coating the display, all wrapped around what was described as Garmin’s biggest display yet. That hardware package, combined with Garmin’s 24mm ComfortFit nylon band, positions the Venu X1 as a watch that can handle trail abuse one day and office wear the next, a versatility that helps justify its premium positioning as a true Apple Watch Ultra rival.
Soft Gold: a new look and a lower price
The latest twist is a fresh Soft Gold finish that softens the Venu X1’s tool-watch vibe and nudges it closer to jewelry. The Soft Gold color features a warm, champagne-like tone that wraps the case and hardware, creating a more fashion-forward option for people who found the original black and moss versions too aggressive. By leaning into a softer metallic shade, Garmin is clearly targeting buyers who want something that can pass as a dress watch while still offering Ultra-grade capability.
The color change arrives alongside a notable price shift. Arriving for $100 less than its original MSRP, the new model adopts a Soft Gold finish to distinguish itself from Garmi’s earlier launch and to make the Venu X1 more competitive against midrange wearables. That discount, paired with the new look, effectively relaunches the Venu X1 as a more accessible flagship, rather than a niche halo product. The combination of a lower entry point and a more versatile aesthetic gives Garmin a stronger answer to Apple’s premium watch for shoppers who care as much about style as they do about specs, a strategy underlined by the Soft Gold relaunch.
Design language: from rugged square to everyday wearable
What makes the Soft Gold version interesting is how it reframes the Venu X1’s design language. Earlier coverage pointed out that, with its shape and proportions, the Venu X1 looked like a clear attempt to appeal to users who like the aesthetic of the Apple Watch Ultra, right down to the squared-off case and prominent crown. In black or moss, that resemblance leaned heavily into the rugged, expedition-ready persona that Apple has cultivated for its own Ultra line, which can be polarizing for buyers who want something subtler.
Soft Gold shifts that balance. The warmer tone softens the edges of the square case and makes the watch feel less like a piece of gear and more like a piece of jewelry, especially when paired with slimmer straps. It is a move that mirrors how traditional watchmakers use gold-tone variants to broaden appeal beyond enthusiasts. By offering a colorway that looks at home with office attire or evening wear, Garmin is signaling that the Venu X1 is not just for trail runners and triathletes but also for people who might otherwise gravitate to a stainless steel Apple Watch or a fashion-first hybrid. That repositioning is reinforced by coverage that framed the new finish as a way to court users drawn to Apple’s design language, a point underscored in reports on the Venu X1 Soft.
Where Garmin’s Ultra rival now stands
With the Soft Gold refresh, Garmin’s closest Apple Watch Ultra rival is getting more than a cosmetic tweak. The Garmin Venu is now available in a finish that directly targets style-conscious buyers while keeping the same square case, big display and outdoor-friendly hardware that made it a credible alternative to Apple’s top watch. Framing the Venu X1 as Garmin’s closest Apple Watch Ultra rival, coverage of the new Soft Gold option makes clear that this is a strategic play to expand the watch’s audience rather than a limited-edition experiment.
In practical terms, the Venu X1 now sits in a stronger position for anyone weighing it against Apple’s lineup. It offers a square, Ultra-inspired design, a built-in LED flashlight, a titanium back and Sapphire Glass, along with a new Soft Gold finish that broadens its appeal, all while arriving for $100 less than its original MSRP. For buyers who want Garmin’s training ecosystem in a watch that looks at home in both the gym and the boardroom, the Soft Gold Venu X1 is the clearest sign yet that Garmin is serious about competing with the Apple Watch Ultra on every front, a strategy captured in reports that describe it as Garmin’s closest answer to Apple’s flagship wearable.
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