Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Vivoactive 4: Cheaper but Better
By Naila Syifa
Updated October 2023
Garmin Vivoactive 5 has recently been released as an improvement over its predecessor Vivoactive 4. One interesting thing is that the Vivoactive 5 is actually cheaper than the Vivoactive 4, but it comes with more features.
What are some aspects that make the Vivoactive 5 a better choice? Let's examine some of the key differences between the two models.
| Specs | Garmin Vivoactive 5 | Garmin Vivoactive 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon | |
| Price | $299.99 | $349.99 |
| Dimensions | 42.2 x 42.2 x 11.1 mm | 45.1 x 45.1 x 12.8 mm |
| Weight | 36 g | 50.5 g |
| Screen Resolution | 390 x 390 pixels | 260 x 260 pixels |
| Runtime | Up to 11 days | Up to 8 days |
| Memory | 4 GB | 200 hours of activity data |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Speaker and Microphone | No | No |
| Built-in Maps | No | No |
| Body Battery | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced Sleep Monitoring | Yes, with Nap Detection | Yes |
| Built-in Sports App | 30+ | 20+ |
| Meditation | Yes | No |
| Wheelchair Mode | Yes | No |
| On-Screen Workout Animations | No | Yes |
| On-Screen Muscle Maps | Yes | No |
Key Takeaways
Vivoactive 5 is better than Vivoactive 4 with new features like Nap Detection, wheelchair workouts, Morning Report, and muscle maps. However, it's missing an on-screen workout animation feature previously available in Vivoactive 4. Vivoactive 5 also has longer 11-day battery life, while Vivoactive 4 has an 8-day battery life.
Garmin Vivoactive 5
Upgraded Features
GPS smartwatch for daily fitness and health monitoring with new wheelchair support and more sleep features.
Garmin Vivoactive 4
All Essential Features
GPS smartwatch offering great value for health and fitness smart features.
#1 Price
Garmin Vivoactive 4
Interestingly, the newer Vivoactive 5 is priced cheaper at $299.99, compared to the older Vivoactive 4 which is retailed at $349.99. However, as with many older models, you may find the Vivoactive 4 at a discounted price in some stores.
#2 Design & Display
Garmin Vivoactive 5
Vivoactive 4 is slightly larger with dimensions of 45.1 x 45.1 x 12.8 mm and a display size of 1.3". It features a sunlight-readable Garmin Chroma Display housed under the durable Corning Gorilla Glass 3 lens. It comes in a gray-colored silicone band with a textured design, offering a sporty look.
Vivoactive 5 is smaller at 42.2 x 42.2 x 11.1 mm and with a display size of 1.2". However, it has a higher display resolution of 390 x 390 pixels and is lighter at only 36 g. The display is also now AMOLED, which offers more vibrant colors and better contrast. The silicone band is sleek for a more stylish look, and there are several color options you can choose from to suit your style: orchid, black, ivory, and navy.
#3 Health & Fitness Features
Garmin Vivoactive 4
Both smartwatches allow you to track your fitness activities, including running, cycling, swimming, golfing, skiing, rowing, and many more. One difference is that the Vivoactive 5 has 30+ built-in sports apps while the Vivoactive 4 only has 20+, meaning that the newer model supports a wider range of sports activities unavailable in the Vivoactive 4, such as tennis, open water swimming, handcycling, eBiking, and some others.
Vivoactive 5 also has built-in workouts for wheelchair users and can track pushes other than typical activity trackers available in the Vivoactive 4, such as step counter, calories burned, and distance traveled. This is a great feature that provides greater accessibility and inclusivity for people with disabilities.
Garmin Vivoactive 5
Both models share some other features in common, including Garmin Coach running training plans, Body Battery energy monitoring, wrist-based heart rate tracking, Pulse Ox blood oxygen monitoring, advanced sleep monitoring, hydration tracking, respiration tracking, women's health tracking, and even stress tracking.
One difference is that the Vivoactive 5 offers on-screen workout muscle maps, allowing you to see which muscle groups you are working on during your workout. Vivoactive 4 doesn't have such a feature, but it offers on-screen workout animations, allowing you to see and follow movements more easily during cardio, strength, yoga, or pilates sessions. It comes down to your personal needs and whether you prefer muscle maps or workout animations.
However, it is worth noting that the Vivoactive 5 comes with more comprehensive sleep-tracking features. Unlike the Vivoactive 4 which only tracks sleep stages and health metrics during sleep, the Vivoactive 5 generates sleep score and offers personalized sleep coaching to help you improve your sleep quality. It even comes with a Nap Detection feature, which automatically detects and tracks naps during the day so you can monitor your overall sleep patterns more accurately.
#4 Smartwatch Features
Garmin Vivoactive 4
Both Vivoactive 5 and Vivoactive 4 offer a range of smart features to make working out more convenient, such as receiving smart notifications like texts, emails, and alerts directly on your watch. You can also check calendar or weather forecasts, download songs and control your music, use Garmin Pay for contactless payments, and access Connect IQ store to download apps, widgets, and watch faces.
One difference is that the Vivoactive 5 also offers a Morning Report, an overview of your day that you can customize to show your sleep report, daily calendar, weather forecast, health stats, and more as soon as you wake up. If you have an Android phone, the Vivoactive also allows you to view images sent to you directly from your watch’s screen, a feature unavailable in the Vivoactive 4.
#5 Battery Life
Garmin Vivoactive 5
When it comes to battery life, the newer Vivoactive 5 is a better option. It can last for up to 11 days in smartwatch mode, or you can extend it to up to 21 days with the battery-saver mode.
Vivoactive 4, on the other hand, only lasts for up to 8 days on a single charge. If it's on the GPS mode with music turned on, it will last only for up to 6 hours. The Vivoactive 4 also doesn't come with battery saver mode, so you have to recharge it more often than the Vivoactive 5.
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Vivoactive 4
Final Thoughts
Garmin Vivoactive 5
Compared to the Vivoactive 4, the Vivoactive 5 comes with some significant improvements, including a higher display resolution, more built-in sports apps, new support for wheelchair users, more sleep features with Nap Detection, and a longer battery life. It lacks the on-screen workout animation feature previously available in the Vivoactive 4, but it offers on-screen workout muscle maps instead.
We personally recommend the Vivoactive 5 as a better option, but the choice ultimately depends on your personal needs and preferences.
If you like to read more on Garmin smartwatches, check out our other relevant guides here:
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