Garmin’s Vívoactive HR GPS Smart Watch was intended for hardcore athletes and fitness enthusiasts. This is quite clear in its design and its sports-centered features. The smart watch does boast a lot of other features that may make it perfect for people who are not so active. Those who are looking for a product for their daily connectivity needs will also find a lot of things to like.

Design

The Garmin Vívoactive HR looks and feels sporty and its design also exudes ruggedness. The watch also features easily removable bands, which is easily changeable. The watch’s design leans more towards being a rugged sports watch more than anything else. This means that it might not be the right watch to wear during more casual or formal situations. The design also looks quite familiar, almost resembling the Fit Bit Surge and the Vivo Smart HR. Having a similar design is of course not necessarily a bad thing. While some of the components are plastic, the Vívoactive HR is quite durable and waterproof up to 5 ATM. The watch can handle any type of outdoor activity. This includes activities such as running, swimming, biking, and other extreme sports. The watch’s ruggedness and full packed features make it one of the best smart watches for men and women in the mid-range wearable category.

Hardware Specs and Features

Garmin has equipped its new smart watch with its very own Chroma color touch screen display. The display boasts a resolution of 205 by 148 pixels. The display is bright with deep contrasts, which makes it easy to read even in direct sunlight. The device itself is also packed with a multitude of onboard sensors. The sensors include a GPS sensor, a barometric altimeter, an accelerometer, thermometer, ambient light sensors, and Garmin’s own Elevate wrist heart rate monitor. The heart rate monitor is one of the device’s main features and is well praised by other Garmin Vivoactive HR reviews. The sensor can keep track of the wearer’s heart rate all day while in use. This feature is unfortunately disabled when used underwater. The Garmin Vivoactive HR GPS smart watch can provide users with important data about their workout through the use of the different sensors. This includes calories burned and the workout’s intensity. The device is also able to keep track of a user’s steps and even the number of stairs climbed. This information is then used to determine the calories burned throughout the day.

The Garmin Vívoactive HR can function as a traditional smart watch outside of fitness activities . The device is able to pair with both Android and iOS smartphones. The device can display important notifications from a smartphone. This includes texts, calls, emails, weather information, and social media alerts. Users can also customize the device’s watch face with thousands of unique designs. Different apps and widgets are also available for those who want to customize their device. All the device’s functions are accessible through the device’s companion app, called the Garmin Connect. The app works for both iOS and Android. With its GPS disabled, users can enjoy all the device’s features for up to 8 days before recharging. But, turning on the GPS feature will only make it last up to 13 hours of constant use. The device’s battery capacity is still quite commendable when compared to its competitors.

Conclusion

With a price that is very competitive in the mid-range smart watch category, the Garmin Vívoactive HR is a hard product to ignore. Given its advanced features, GPS capability, built-in heart rate monitor, pre-installed sports apps, and its spectacular battery life, this sporty smart watch still remains to be one of the best men’s watches available in the market to date.