Modern fitness smartwatches such as the Garmin vivoactive 4 have to be real all-rounders: They shine in daily running workouts as well as in the fitness center, in the office and in their free time and stand by as a functional assistant for all activities on vacation. The sports watches are real power packages on the wrist with numerous technical refinements that support the wearer in all situations and motivate them to better physical (and now also mental) fitness. The vivoactive is just such a solid workhorse. We checked the fitness smartwatch in detail in our Garmin vivoactive 4 test. What are the specifications of the sports watch? Who is the timepiece suitable for? What are its strengths and weaknesses? All important information for you at a glance.

Many sports watch functions combined with the advantages of a modern smartwatch - the Garmin vivoactive 4 is a real jack-of-all-trades among the current fitness smartwatches. The watch has many modern features such as heart rate measurement on the wrist and the pulse oximeter, which can be used to measure the oxygen content of the blood. Compared to other models, the heart rate monitor is in the low price range without really having any noticeable losses.

However, the focus of the timepiece is clearly on the fitness area - it can still be easily made from cheap Outdoor watch and Watch for adventurers use. Anyone who is active and wants to do a workout on vacation similar to how they do at home - such as running, cycling or swimming - should be very happy with the Garmin vivoactive 4.

Video – Garmin vivoactive 4 in the test

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State-of-the-art smartwatch for a variety of purposes

The Wearable is state-of-the-art in this area and offers features of a Sports Watch such as energy level measurement, oxygen saturation measurement, stress level tracking, heart rate measurement, respiratory rate, sleep analysis and menstrual cycle tracking, which of course work just as well when traveling as at home. If you have a bit more budget, you can do it Garmin venu (test) look - it also has a particularly sharp AMOLED display, but is otherwise quite closely related to the vivoactive.

For climbing, hiking and other demanding outdoor activities, however, those interested should rather choose the Garmin fenix 6 Pro (test) watch, as it has many other functions for active and adventurers. Maritime athletes such as sailors and surfers should take a look at that Garmin quatix 6 (test) throw - it has special functions for water sports enthusiasts, especially sailors. The Garmin vivoactive 4 is a rock-solid all-rounder with many useful functions and a good choice for anyone who does sports every day. The visual appearance of the watch is timelessly elegant and makes the smartwatch definitely suitable for the office. In our Garmin vivoactive 4 test, we took a close look at the strengths and weaknesses of the wearable.

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Overview – Garmin vivoactive 4 as a fitness smartwatch for sports and travel?

• The Garmin Vivoactive 4 is a current fitness smartwatch with numerous useful functions for sports, everyday life and vacation
• According to the manufacturer, the smartwatch is intended to promote “healthy lifestyle through maximum efficiency”
• Energy level measurement, oxygen saturation measurement, stress level tracking, heart rate measurement, respiratory rate, sleep analysis and menstrual cycle tracking are standard on board
• Apps for over 20 different sports such as running, cycling and swimming are pre-installed
• The animated workouts that are shown on the display are also exciting and motivate and support the wearer to carry out the workout frequently and correctly

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First impression – Garmin vivoactive 4 in the test

If you have previously held some of the large and robust high-end sports watches - which can cost up to 1.500 euros - the Garmin vivoactive 4 seems quite small and light. The sports smartwatch is a real flyweight, the bracelet is thin and the buttons are quite manageable with two copies. But that's exactly what sets the Garmin vivoactive 4 apart:

The minimalist and lightweight design makes it the ideal sports watch for anyone who prefers not to wear a watch at all while doing sports. And even more important for athletes are the inner values ​​during training - this is where the vivoactive scores big points. Because the rather inexpensive smartwatch is surprisingly broad in terms of its range of functions. What's also pleasing is the touchscreen and the setup, which can be done within five minutes using the Garmin Connect app - on the iPhone or Android - is done quickly.

My first observation: The sports smartwatch is so compact and light that you quickly forgot that you were wearing it at all. Nevertheless, it looks good and, with its timeless design, also offers itself as a bracelet for everyday life and for the office. I took a very close look at the sports watch in my Garmin vivoactive 4 test.

Garmin vivoactive 4 test – strengths and weaknesses of the fitness smartwatch

In the Garmin vivoactive 4 test, the sports smartwatch turned out to be a versatile all-rounder that is available from many retailers for under 300 euros and has current, advanced functions such as the pulse oximeter. The big advantage is the compactness of the sports watch, which is quite small and light and yet has a pleasantly large 1,3-inch color display with touchscreen that is easy to read in sunlight.

The Garmin vivoactive 4 only has two buttons, which, together with the touchscreen, enable simple and intuitive operation. The comfortable and soft bracelets can be changed in seconds. In addition, the heart rate is measured directly on the wrist. Many other options for tracking activities such as energy level measurement, oxygen saturation measurement, stress level tracking, breathing rate, sleep analysis and menstrual cycle tracking enable the wearer to analyze training and fitness progress in detail and adjust the workout accordingly. The workout animations on the display are very motivating and encourage you to follow suit.

The numerous strengths are offset by two weaknesses: Firstly, the sports smartwatch does not have a sharp AMOLED display. On the other hand, the heart rate measurement in my test was quite inaccurate if the sports watch was not really precise on the wrist.

Power

• Small and light sports smartwatch
• Color display with touchscreen
• Easy to read display in sunlight
• Oxygen saturation measurement
• Heart rate right on the wrist
• few heads and intuitive operation
• changeable bracelets
• Many tracking options
• Long battery life up to eight days in smartwatch mode

weaknesses

• Screen: No AMOLED or Super AMOLED
• Quite imprecise heart rate measurement - sometimes 20 percent deviation - the watch has to be very tight and precise on the wrist in order to provide accurate data

Evaluation: Garmin vivoactive 4 in the test

Processing, materials and optics

Display and operation

Features

Precision of the measurement results

Versatility of application areas

Value for money

overall impression

The evaluation is purely subjective and only reflects my own views of the smartwatch.

Table: Technical data - Garmin vivoactive 4

	Technology used
Main material	fiber reinforced polymer
Cover glass material	Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3
Bezel material	Stainless Steel
Bracelet material	Silicone Sealant
Display	Color display, 1,3 inch diameter with 260 × 260 pixels
Touchscreen	Ja
Color variants of the smartwatch	Rose gold white, slate gray, slate black, silver dark gray, silver gray
Clock functions	Time, automatic summer time, alarm clock, timer, stopwatch, sunrise / sunset
Fitness tracking	Energy level measurement, oxygen saturation measurement, stress level tracking, heart rate measurement, respiratory rate, sleep analysis and menstrual cycle tracking
Activity features	Pedometer, calorie consumption, floors, distance, intensity minutes
Focus	Running, golf, cycling, skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, stand up paddling, rowing, swimming
Indoor tracking functions	Strength training, cardio training and cross-trainer training, steps, climbing stairs, rowing machine, yoga, Pilates and breathing exercises as well as training animations on the watch
Heart rate measurement on the wrist	Optical heart sensor
Pulse oximeter	Ja
water resistance	5 ATM - suitable for swimming
Battery Life	Smartwatch mode: up to eight days GPS mode with music: up to six hours
Position tracking	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO
Sensors	Optical heart rate sensor, barometric altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, pulse oximeter
SmartWatch features	Notifications, SMS reply, calendar, weather, music functions, phone search, Garmin Pay payment function
Compatibility	iPhone, Android
Connections	Bluetooth®, ANT +®, WIRELESS INTERNET ACCESS
Weight	50,5 grams

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Garmin vivoactive 4 – Who is the sports smartwatch suitable for?

As already mentioned at the beginning, the Garmin vivoactive 4 is particularly suitable for everyone who prefers to wear a light and rather inconspicuous smartwatch that neither disturbs nor distracts from the essentials. Athletes have their friends with it because of the extensive functions. On too Journeys The smartwatch cuts a fine figure on the beach and when swimming because it is waterproof. Of course, it is also suitable for various adventures and outdoor activities.

As a multisport watch, the smartwatch aims to meet many situations. However, if you are very active and adventurous and have a little more budget available, you might want to choose the Garmin fenix 6.

Garmin vivoactive 4 test - are you already using a fitness smartwatch or are you planning to buy one? Share your experiences in the comments.

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