The now four-year-old Garmin Vivoactive 4 has finally received a successor. The new Vivoactive 5 actually borrows more from the Venu 3 family than it does its predecessor. Is the newest Vivoactive worth picking up? That’s what we aim to answer in this Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Vivoactive 5 comparison.
Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Vivoactive 5: Specs
| Garmin Vivoactive 4 | Garmin Vivoactive 4S | Garmin Vivoactive 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 1.3-inch MIP, 260 x 260 resolution
Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
1.1-inch MIP, 218 x 218 resolution
Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
1.2 inch AMOLED, optional always-on 390 x 390 resolution
Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Dimensions and weight | 45.1 x 45.1 x 12.8 mm 22mm band 50.5g |
40.0 x 40.0 x 12.7 mm 22mm band 40g |
42.2 x 42.2 x 11.1mm 20mm band 36g |
| Build materials | Stainless steel bezel bezel Fiber-reinforced polymer rear cover Silicone band |
Stainless steel bezel bezel Fiber-reinforced polymer rear cover Silicone band |
Anodized aluminum bezel Fiber-reinforced polymer case Silicone band |
| Battery | Up to 8 days in smartwatch mode Up to 6 hours with GPS + music |
Up to 7 days in smartwatch mode Up to 5 hours with GPS + Music |
Up to 11 days in smartwatch mode (5 days with always-on display enabled) Up to 21 days in Battery Saver Smartwatch mode Up to 7 hours in all-Systems GNSS mode + music |
| IP rating | 5 ATM | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Sensors | Garmin Elevate heart rate sensor GPS GLONASS Galileo Compass Accelerometer Theremometer Pulse Ox blood oxygen saturation monitor |
Garmin Elevate heart rate sensor GPS GLONASS Galileo Compass Accelerometer Theremometer Pulse Ox blood oxygen saturation monitor |
Garmin Elevate heart rate sensor GPS GLONASS Galileo Compass Accelerometer Thermometer Ambient light sensor Pulse ox blood oxygen saturation monitor |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth ANT+ Wi-Fi |
Bluetooth ANT+ Wi-Fi |
Bluetooth ANT+ Wi-Fi |
| Compatibility | Android, iOS | Android, iOS | Android, iOS |
| Garmin Pay | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Smartwatch features | Connect IQ-compatible Smartphone notifications Text response/reject phone call with text (Android only) Controls smartphone music Plays and controls smartwatch music Find my phone/find my watch Incident Detection LiveTrack |
Connect IQ-compatible Smartphone notifications Text response/reject phone call with text (Android only) Controls smartphone music Plays and controls smartwatch music Find my phone/find my watch Incident Detection LiveTrack |
Connect IQ-compatible Smartphone notifications Text response/reject phone call with text (Android only) Controls smartphone music Plays and controls smartwatch music Find my phone/find my watch Incident Detection LiveTrack |
| Colors | Silver Stainless Steel bezel with Shadow Gray case | Light Gold bezel with Dust Rose case, Rose Gold bezel with White case, Silver bezel with Powder Gray case | Metallic Orchid, Slate, Cream Gold with Ivory case, Metallic Navy with Navy case |
Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Vivoactive 5: Design
The Vivoactive 5 looks a lot like a cross between its predecessor and the Venu 3 series. It borrows the two-side button layout of the Vivoactive 4, but its actual chassis has more in common with the Venu. In terms of size, the Vivoactive 5 fits right in between the Vivoactive 4 and 4S with its 20mm band and a body size of 42.2 x 42.2 x 11.1mm. For those wondering, there is no Vivoactive 5S; Garmin has opted for just a one-size-fits-all approach for its.