Not everyone wants to spend $500 on an Apple Watch, especially if the primary use is tracking and improving sporting performance. For those for whom fitness data takes precedence over high-end brands, Garmin is the global market leader in sport-focused smartwatches.
The Garmin Vivoactive 5, available today on Amazon for as low as $199—which is a 33% discount from its original price of $299—is a classic case of how Garmin bundles high-performance capabilities at a very reasonable price. The Garmin smartwatch is made for sports enthusiasts, amateur athletes and anyone looking for a reliable partner for health.
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The Vivoactive 5 is equipped with stunning 1.2-inch AMOLED screen that has 390 x 390 pixels of resolution and exhibits rich colors as well as crystal-clear images. The screen has significantly improved over its predecessor (the Vivoactive 4) and it will be a lot easier to read data even in direct sun or during severe exercise. Despite its premium display, the watch boasts a great battery life of up to 11 days when in smartwatch mode so you won’t be left having to be perpetually plugged into a charger. Even with heavy GPS use and activity tracking, you can expect eight days of use—a major improvement over many in this category.
Garmin has packed the Vivoactive 5 full of a full suite of health and fitness tracking features: It includes a heart rate monitor, pulse oximeter for blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), sleep tracking with personalized coaching, stress monitoring, respiration tracking, and even menstrual cycle tracking. The Body Battery energy monitoring feature is particularly useful and provides insights into your energy levels based on factors like sleep quality, stress, and activity levels.
For sportspeople, the watch comes with over 30 preloaded activity profiles ranging from running and cycling to yoga and strength training. It even includes such niche ones as apps for active wheelchair use. While it lacks some of the high-end functions of Garmin’s flagship watches (which easily cost $800 or more), it still gives all the metrics required for most exercises. The GPS technology is GLONASS and Galileo satellite network compatible for accurate tracking during outdoor activities like running or cycling.
If you like music, you will appreciate the ease of downloading music directly onto the watch from providers like Spotify, Amazon Music, or Deezer. This means you won’t have to carry your phone around for exercise but still enjoy listening to your favorite playlists. What’s more, Garmin Pay enables you to pay contactless directly from your wrist—a convenient feature when making spontaneous buys on the fly.
The Vivoactive 5 is also designed to work seamlessly with your smartphone: It includes notification support for both iOS and Android but only Android has direct replying on the watch. It is simple to install: simply pair the watch with Garmin Connect app via Bluetooth and follow the instructions to customize your experience. Features like LiveTrack, which allow you to share your live location with family or friends during activities, give an extra sense of security.
This smartwatch is ideal for health enthusiasts who value long battery life, detailed health information, and robust activity tracking features over smartwatch frills like speakers or voice assistants. Certainly, it doesn’t have the bells and whistles of more expensive models like Apple Watch Ultra or Garmin Venu/Fenix, but it’s a huge value for its price.
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