True life: I’m addicted to trying new fitness trackers. It’s true; there’s something about strapping a new wearable to my wrist that just appeals to me and makes me want to continue on my fitness journey. Over the last few months, I’ve gotten into running much more, and I like to see all the data associated with my runs, whether I know what it all means or not. I’ve been afan of Garminfor a long time, and when the new Vivoactive 5 came out, I knew I had to get my hands on it to see what the company could pack into its latest $300 wearable.
Between the software enhancements, the upgrade to an AMOLED display, and the new color options, there are a lot of things on paper that really made the Vivoactive 5 stand out from the others, but as I tested, it became less clear where in the lineup it was meant to fall and exactly who would best benefit from having this watch.
Garmin Vivoactive 5
With nearly all the features that the most expensive Garmin models offers at a fraction of the price, the Vivoactive 5 is an option that will appeal to a lot of people. Priced at $300, this may be your next fitness tracker.
Design and fit
I’m a bigger guy and tend to wear bigger watches, so the Vivoactive 5 was a bit of an adjustment when I put it on. It’s 42mm, which is sizably smaller than the51mm Garmin Epix Gen 2 that I was testingbefore this. However, that’s not a bad thing because not everyone wants or can use those huge watches. The Vivoactive 5 has a different overall look than other Garmin models, as it only has two buttons on the watch’s right side. Normally, Garmin models offer five buttons, three of which are on the left and two of which are on the right. It took me a minute to get used to the change in layout, and if you’re looking to upgrade from a previous Garmin with the five-button layout, it may be the same for you.
The watch wears super comfortably, and the band is made of a nice soft-touch material. It comes with Garmin’s QuickFit 20mm band, which you can swap out if needed, but I’ve found it to be a great option for every situation I’ve worn the watch in so far.
Features and fitness tracking
One of the great things about the Garmin lineup is that whether you’re getting one of the entry-level trackers or the most advanced ones, they are packed full of features and offer some of the best fitness tracking. The Vivoactive 5 has over 30 built-in sports apps to track activities from walking to running, swimming, HIIT, and more. It also can track your heart rate, sleep stages, steps taken, and so much more. I’ve found over the years that Garmin watches offer the most reliable and accurate fitness tracking, and when going the same route day after day, I can predict within a step or two when the watch will notify me that my first mile has passed.
I spent some time comparing the results from the Garmin Vivoactive 5 to that of the much more expensive Epix Gen 2, and they were right on pace with each other, which is a big relief. You’re not sacrificing quality or accuracy by opting for the cheaper wearable, in this case, which is important as you move through your fitness journey.
Battery life
Garmin estimates that the Vivoactive 5 should offer up to 5 days of battery life with the always-on display enabled or up to 11 days in smartwatch mode without the always-on display. I found this to be relatively accurate in my testing, including tracking a 45-60-minute workout daily.
I opted to leave the always-on display enabled because charging the watch didn’t take too long, and having the information available at a glance was more valuable than the extra battery life. There’s no solar charging option for the Vivoactive 5 lineup, and it does use Garmin’s proprietary charger, which may be a disadvantage for some.
Should you buy it?
Honestly, this one isn’t super clear-cut for me. I somewhat struggle to see why the Vivoactive sticks around and what the key selling point for this one in Garmin’s vast lineup is. Sure, it has a price advantage with a starting price of just $300, but for most, I think saving up a little more money and going with something like the Venu or even a Forerunner is just a better value proposition. If price is one of your biggest factors, the Vivoactive 5 brings a lot to the table, especially if youfind it on a deal, and the AMOLED display is a great upgrade for this year’s model. It comes in a few different color options, so you can find one that best fits your style, and thanks to the standard 20mm band used by Garmin, you can swap it out with ease as well.
The Vivoactive 5 wouldn’t be the watch I would personally pick out of Garmin’s lineup, especially the 2023 lineup. Still, if you’re looking for a simple fitness tracker that gives you access to loads of data and does it well, this is a great option to consider.
