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Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Vivoactive 5: Which should you buy?


The aging Garmin Vivoactive 4 finally received a successor in September of 2023, though it’s a fairly different watch this time around. The Vivoactive 5 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.

Editor’s note: This review was originally published on September 28, 2023. Since then it has been updated to reflect price changes, more hands-on review details, and more. The last update was on August 26, 2024.

Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Vivoactive 5: Specs

Garmin Vivoactive 4 Garmin Vivoactive 4S Garmin Vivoactive 5

Display

Garmin Vivoactive 4

1.3-inch MIP, 260 x 260 resolution

Corning Gorilla Glass 3

Garmin Vivoactive 4S

1.1-inch MIP, 218 x 218 resolution

Corning Gorilla Glass 3

Garmin Vivoactive 5

1.2 inch AMOLED, optional always-on 390 x 390 resolution

Corning Gorilla Glass 3

Dimensions and weight

Garmin Vivoactive 4

45.1 x 45.1 x 12.8 mm
22mm band
50.5g

Garmin Vivoactive 4S

40.0 x 40.0 x 12.7 mm
22mm band
40g

Garmin Vivoactive 5

42.2 x 42.2 x 11.1mm
20mm band
36g

Build materials

Garmin Vivoactive 4

Stainless steel bezel bezel
Fiber-reinforced polymer rear cover
Silicone band

Garmin Vivoactive 4S

Stainless steel bezel bezel
Fiber-reinforced polymer rear cover
Silicone band

Garmin Vivoactive 5

Anodized aluminum bezel
Fiber-reinforced polymer case
Silicone band

Battery

Garmin Vivoactive 4

Up to 8 days in smartwatch mode
Up to 6 hours with GPS + music

Garmin Vivoactive 4S

Up to 7 days in smartwatch mode
Up to 5 hours with GPS + Music

Garmin Vivoactive 5

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

Garmin Vivoactive 4

5 ATM

Garmin Vivoactive 4S

5 ATM

Garmin Vivoactive 5

5 ATM

Sensors

Garmin Vivoactive 4

Garmin Elevate heart rate sensor
GPS
GLONASS
Galileo
Compass
Accelerometer
Theremometer
Pulse Ox blood oxygen saturation monitor
Garmin Vivoactive 4S

Garmin Elevate heart rate sensor
GPS
GLONASS
Galileo
Compass
Accelerometer
Theremometer
Pulse Ox blood oxygen saturation monitor

Garmin Vivoactive 5

Garmin Elevate heart rate sensor
GPS
GLONASS
Galileo
Compass
Accelerometer
Thermometer
Ambient light sensor
Pulse ox blood oxygen saturation monitor

Connectivity

Garmin Vivoactive 4

Bluetooth
ANT+
Wi-Fi

Garmin Vivoactive 4S

Bluetooth
ANT+
Wi-Fi

Garmin Vivoactive 5

Bluetooth
ANT+
Wi-Fi

Compatibility

Garmin Vivoactive 4

Android, iOS

Garmin Vivoactive 4S

Android, iOS

Garmin Vivoactive 5

Android, iOS

Garmin Pay

Garmin Vivoactive 4

Yes

Garmin Vivoactive 4S

Yes

Garmin Vivoactive 5

Yes

Smartwatch features

Garmin Vivoactive 4

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

Garmin Vivoactive 4S

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

Garmin Vivoactive 5

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

Garmin Vivoactive 4

Silver Stainless Steel bezel with Shadow Gray case

Garmin Vivoactive 4S

Light Gold bezel with Dust Rose case, Rose Gold bezel with White case, Silver bezel with Powder Gray case

Garmin Vivoactive 5

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.

One thing you’ll notice right away is the Vivoactive 5 is considerably lighter than previous Garmin watches in the series at just 36g. The Vivoactive 4S weighed 40g despite being smaller, and the Vivoactive 4 was a much weightier 50.5g.

There are also a lot of new features found inside the newest Vivoactive. This is most apparent when looking at the display. Gone is the memory-in-pixel (MIP) screen, replaced by a gorgeous AMOLED that we feel is much more vibrant and easier to see in all lighting conditions, as noted in our review.

The Vivoactive 4 series does have one advantage over the latest model: the stainless steel front. The Vivoactive 5 opts for a cheaper and lighter aluminum bezel and polymer casing. This material change makes it feel a little less premium, but it’s also going to be much more comfortable on your wrist. We also have to say that it still looks great and its smaller footprint, improved display, and design tweaks give it a much more modern look overall.

Stainless steel may hold up a bit better to dings and scratches, but at least the Vivoactive 5 retains the same 5ATM water resistance and Gorilla Glass 3 on the front of its display.

Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Vivoactive 5: Features

A four year gap is a long time in the smartwatch world, so it’s no surprise the Vivoactive 5 has improved sensors. While the Vivoactive 4 has a lot of the same features on paper, newer sensors and improved software make the Vivoactive 5 a much better experience.

You’ll still get Pulse Ox readings, a heart rate monitor, and all the other goodies like sleep tracking on the Vivoactive 4. They’re just a lot better on the Vivoactive 5. There are several improvements to the Sleep Coach, Body Battery, fitness tracking, and workout tracking. Of course, some features like stress and menstrual tracking aren’t all that different.

For those who care about heart rate tracking, be aware the Gen 4 Elevate heart rate sensor is a jump forward from the Gen 3 sensor on the older watches. You’ll notice a major improvement in accuracy as a result, though the Gen 5 sensor in the Venu 3 family is even better if this is a feature that really matters to you.

The rest of the core features are all pretty similar including notification support, Find My Phone, weather, music controls, and Garmin Pay. Android users do have one perk that isn’t available on the Vivoactive 4 family. You can now send responses to messages directly from your watch’s keyboard without having to bring out your smartphone.

While this isn’t so much a feature, it’s important to note that the Vivoactive 5 has an improved processor and therefore is much faster when navigating menus and performing other tasks.

Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Vivoactive 5: Price and colors

  • Garmin Vivoactive 4: $349.99
  • Garmin Vivoactive 4S: $349.99
  • Garmin Vivoactive 5: $299.99

The Garmin Vivoactive 4 originally arrived for $349.99 and while it was initially still sold at the Vivoactive 5’s launch, the watch has since been discontinued. Of course, it’s still possible to find it new online. For example, Amazon offers it for around $250. The Vivoactive 4S ($349 at Amazon) can also be purchased online for the same price.

The new Vivoactive 5 is actually $50 cheaper than the Vivoactive 4 series retailed at, largely due to its cheaper construction materials we’d wager. There are several different color choices to pick from. There’s a model that comes with a Slate bezel with a Black case, a Metallic Orchid bezel and case, a Cream Gold bezel with an Ivory case, or a model with a Metallic Navy case and bezel.

See price at Amazon

Garmin Vivoactive 5

Garmin Vivoactive 5

Vibrant, AMOLED display
Accurate heart rate and GPS sensors
Automatic nap detection and sleep coaching

See price at Amazon

Garmin Vivoactive 4

28%off

Garmin Vivoactive 4

Long-life battery
Large display
Now features yoga and Pilates

Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Vivoactive 5: Which should you buy?

A user reviews their heart rate variability on their Garmin Vivoactive 5.

Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority

You can certainly still buy a Vivoactive 4, but should you? Honestly, unless you absolutely are attached to stainless steel, no. Even then, we’d argue you’d be better off spending a bit more to get the Venu 3 ($449.99 at Amazon) instead. It features a similar construction but expands on the Vivoactive 5’s feature set, adding key training tools like HRV status, Recovery, and automatic nap detection. The Vivoactive 5 is a major upgrade in every way other than build materials. If you’re a fan of the Vivoactive series we’d absolutely get the latest model, and if you’ve been holding off to upgrade, now is a great time.


Frequently Asked Questions

Both the Garmin Vivoactive 4 and Vivoactive 5 will get notifications but there isn’t a mic or speaker on either watch so you’ll have to answer calls on your smartphone.

Yes, the Garmin Vivoactive 4 and Vivoactive 5 have GPS but the Vivoactive 5 has a newer sensor onboard.

Yes, both the Garmin Vivoactive 4 and Vivoactive 5 are solid sleep trackers. Just be aware the Vivoactive 5 has improved features that aren’t offered on the older watch.

Yes, the Garmin Vivoactive 4 and Vivoactive 5 work on Android phones and iPhone.



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