Review Garmin Vivoactive HR and Vivoactive 3

Garmin specializes in the production of various sports devices. There are watches, fitness trackers, bracelets. Below is an overview of the Garmin Vivoactive HR and Vivoactive 3. Both models are quite interesting representatives of the family of smart watches produced by the brand.

Garmin Vivoactive HR

This model at first glance does not seem unusual. Standard daily activity recording, pulse meter, built-in GPS, can work with new devices on Android and iOS. It would seem that nothing new, but the company is always trying to come up with something interesting, and Garmin Vivoactive did not become an exception in this regard.

Appearance

The device package is fairly straightforward - a watch, a charger (cable for synchronizing with a PC), and an instruction manual. Simplicity is what guided the creators of this device. The model is completely made of black plastic with a matte finish. It is quite durable and does not leave fingerprints.

The strap has a convenient mount so that you can easily make a replacement. They Available in two sizes. Perhaps the calculation was on men and women, but the facts suggest that the female half does not like the device visually. The surface of the belt is smooth from the inside. Reverse side grooved. While wearing and playing sports, no discomfort arises. In general, the device is very convenient.

The case of the model is rather thick, has a rectangular shape. On the reverse side there is a convex heart rate sensor and power contacts. The control buttons are located below the display. They are two, they are quite tight. The left one turns on the backlight, the right one opens the menu of sports applications.

Display type TFT, diagonal - 0.86 inches, the number of points - 148 * 205. The screen has an oleophobic coating and is a sensor. The main control is carried out by touches and tapas.

Important! Automatic backlight is turned on by default if the user moves his hand or turns his wrist. But it can be turned off to save battery, in this case, use the button to turn on the backlight.

The model is not afraid of water, it will withstand 50 meters of immersion without problems. Built-in sensors - altimeter and heart rate. Sync - Bluetooth, ANT +. Model weight 47.6 grams, thickness 11.4 mm.

Interface

In standby The device displays the time and scale of user activity. The buttons can turn on the backlight or switch the training mode, they are very large selection. If you wish, you can assign a special icon to ten of them to make it easier to distinguish visually. Swipe up and down can be switched modes with different programs. By default, the energy spent per day is displayed, steps, active load per day, the last training mode, weather forecast, phone notifications, heart rate. Customize the order or the windows themselves can be in the application on your smartphone.

Garmin connect

This application is necessary to set the clock, get information on your smartphone. Also available PC version. The latter is used to more fully process information and create training modes. In the mobile application you need to carry out the initial setting - enter the gender, age, weight. Here you can also configure which notifications will be sent to the watch, and which will not.

During the initial setup, the user can set the pace, for example, 15 thousand, the device will notify by vibration about the implementation. Over time, the device gets used to the user and, analyzing information, increases or decreases this threshold.

Important! An interesting feature of the application is the "Achivok" mode, in which the device awards users with icons and fixes its records. You can also share your data on social networks and see the results of other users, this is a great motivator.

Functions

The smart watch Garmin Vivoactive series has a new function Move IQ - a smart application that captures user data around the clock and at the same time separates all activities. The device reminds of the need to move, and if the person is not sleeping, but does not move, after an hour begins to vibrate.

Another interesting point - "time of increased activity". Doctors have calculated that for people who are not involved in sports, you need 150 minutes of exercise per week to stay in minimal physical shape. The device will suggest its owner to devote time to this recommendation.Trained users can increase this figure to fit their needs, since 150 hours of loadings per week is not a serious figure for them.

The accelerometer helps to count the steps, and the altimeter will understand when the user is climbing the stairs, which is also a load and is taken into account for hours. The device collects information about the heartbeat, which allows you to make sleep cycles and wake the user with vibration at the optimum time. However, the alarm can be set separately via a smartphone.

Heartbeat sensor Vivoactive watch is new, it is called Elevate. Reviews and comparisons show that the sensor is slightly different from the chest option and gives not such accurate data, but, nevertheless, it is not worth refusing: if the training is not of a professional nature, then its values ​​will be fine.

Important! The model does not know how to calculate VO2 MAX, that is, it is not able to calculate how long it will take to recover. Again, this function is more relevant for professional athletes than ordinary users.

The device has built-in GPS receiverwhich requires initial setup. It takes 10-15 minutes.With it, you can build routes, it is interesting to ride a snowboard or ski, as the calculated speed, the best route and other interesting data. Watch Vivoactive version of HR will be useful even when playing golf. They will calculate the force and trajectory of the strike, as well as help to fix the score.

Work with a smartphone

In all reviews of Garmin Vivoactive, it is emphasized that the device interacts well with the smartphone. It is convenient to receive and view notifications, there is a function of the remote to use the player in the phone, also there are no problems with the display of text on the display. It is inconvenient to read it due to the small screen size, but in principle it is real. Smileys are not displayed, instead they are simply shown characters.

Autonomy

Vivoactive watch capable work up to 8 days without recharging. It should be understood that such autonomy is possible when GPS is turned off and without synchronization with a smartphone. Otherwise, the battery will last for 13 hours. Nevertheless, the facts indicate that, under load, the watch will withstand 4-5 hours, after which they will have to be charged. Charging takes 80 minutes.

Advantages and disadvantages

In general, the device turned out to be quite interesting and functional.The only drawback is not the most interesting design. Pros - a good display, a wide range of functions, built-in heart rate monitor with accurate data fixation, high-quality GPS.

Vivoactive 3

At the end of 2017, Garmin talked about their new model in the Vivoactive lineup. It received a name, or rather number 3. The name is not accidental, because it is the third device in the line. Above was considered version 2, the third has differences, but mainly in terms of design.

Design

Vivoactive 3 differ in body shape. now this classic round watch. Body - a combination of polymer fibers and steel. The belt is made of plastic. The device has a small size and very light weight. If you compare them with devices from the Fenix ​​line, you will feel as if there is absolutely nothing on your hand.

Important! The glass in this device is slightly higher than the case, which is not very practical, as shocks and falls can be unpleasant for the device. However, it’s not worth worrying about this, as now it is Gorilla Glass 3, that is, scratching or breaking it is quite difficult.

The display remains touch, but it feels more responsive and fast, although the previous version did not differ in its slowness.Resolution - 240 * 240 with a display size of 1.2 inches.

Instead of two buttons, as in the HR version, here is one located on the right. It performs several functions at once, the difference will be in the duration of pressing.

Another interesting navigation solution - Garmin Side Swipe. The side of the case has the ability to scroll through the applications on the display. It is enough to hold your finger up or down.

The heart rate sensor is located on the back of the case; it comes from the Fenix ​​series, that is, it is thinner and not so noticeable. In addition, it has become more accurate in comparison with the previous version. The belt attachment system is now two struts in the case. There used to be two bolts. There are several straps available; there are two colors of leather and seven variants of plastic.

Functions

Significant differences in functions the device has not received. By and large, it is difficult to find differences from the previous version. Even the battery life remained the same - 13 hours during training, 7 hours in standby mode.

The unpleasant fact was that these watches do not support some chest heart rate monitors and external accessories from their own brand.. You should not be surprised at this, since the model came out simultaneously with Fenix ​​5, which are several times more expensive and have similar functionality, but a more interesting design. Obviously, with the same set of possibilities, selling 5 phoenixes would be very bad. For this reason, the set of supported sensors has been trimmed in Vivoactive 3. However, you should not get upset, you can buy Garmin HRM Premium, which is an excellent option for use in training in the gym.

Virtually unsupported sensors will be needed by far not every user, since only a few users will be dissatisfied with this manufacturer’s decision, for example, professional runners. Now when using the watch, they will receive the following information:

• height;
• pace;
• pulse;
• frequency of steps.

If it were possible to connect special sensors for running, the data would be as follows:

• step length;
• sports condition;
• contact time of the foot and the ground;
• body position vertically.

You can see that the inaccessible data is not needed by most users. Swimmers will have a similar situation.

Important! In the third version of the clock appeared the measurement of oxygen level, that is, VO2 MAX.This makes it possible to correctly calculate the time it takes to recover an athlete after classes.

Another interesting innovation - Garmin pay, now with the help of hours you can make purchases. This has long been implemented in devices from Apple and Samsung, so the company did not lag behind competitors. To do this, the clock was embedded standard NFC.

Conclusion

In comparison with the previous model, the device has become more interesting in appearance, now the watch can be easily carried to the office. The size and design are quite suitable for wearing watches by girls and teenagers. Functional did not become worse, and to some extent even been improved.

It can be said that Vivoactive 3 is Fenix ​​5, only a few trimmed, but also significantly cheaper. Now the device has a price of 25 thousand rubles. Fenix ​​5 will cost about 50 thousand rubles. Vivoactive HR - 18 thousand rubles.