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Garmin Vivoactive 5 Review

Light, comfortable, and capable with an accessible price and loads of data make this tracker a winner for most
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Garmin Vivoactive 5 Review
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Price:  $300 List
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Manufacturer:   Garmin
79
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#3 of 14
  • Fitness Impact - 30% 8.0
  • Health Impact - 30% 8.0
  • Ease of Use - 20% 7.6
  • Battery - 10% 8.0
  • Fit - 10% 7.3

Our Verdict

The Vivosmart 5 offers the same robust design and function that users have come to associate with the Garmin brand, but it does so with a more svelte design and a lower price tag than the top-tier models. After extensive side-by-side tests with other trackers, the Vivoactive 5 stood out as the best value in a fitness tracker for athletes. It might not have the most accurate heart rate monitoring capability, and there isn't a function for calorie input or diet monitoring, but the associated app provides ample resources for diving deep into health and fitness data. We truly appreciate how much fitness insight this little unit provides and feel that it is an excellent choice for a lot of people, particularly those who are serious runners, cyclists, or gym rats. More specifically, the Vivoactive 5 would be a good choice for someone who is training for their first 10K or marathon--the device will effectively record the necessary data, it won't get in the way, it won't break the bank, and when you are ready for the next athletic challenge, it will be there for you!
REASONS TO BUY
No subscription needed
Lightweight and comfortable band
Reliable heart rate and distance tracking
Highly capable and well-built for the price
REASONS TO AVOID
No elevation tracking
Limited usage for diet tracking
Need to use the app for viewing old workout data (limited storage on the band)
Editor's Note: We previously tested and reviewed the Garmin Vivoactive 4 in 2022, so we were excited to test the Vivoactive 5, which has an upgraded heart rate sensor and display and includes several new software features. Our testing was conducted during the summer months and completed in October 2024.

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garmin vivoactive 5
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Best Value for Athletes
Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Fitness Tracker
Top Pick Award
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Best Buy Award
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Price $300 List
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Overall Score Sort Icon
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Bottom Line An excellent fitness tracker for athletes at an affordable priceAn excellent fitness tracker for multi-sport athletes and Apple aficionados, this device provides a ton of function beyond just recording biometrics and serving as a workout partner. The only drawback is a short battery lifeA great fitness tracker from a brand that is synonomous with fitness tracking, this device offers function at a good priceAn innovative device that integrates fitness tracking and lifestyle tracking while also being low-profileThe device offers a lot of function and value, although it has some limitations related to heart rate monitoring and health tracking
Rating Categories Garmin Vivoactive 5 Apple Watch 9 Fitbit Charge 6 Whoop 4.0 Amazfit Band 7
Fitness Impact (30%)
8.0
8.8
6.9
6.6
6.9
Health Impact (30%)
8.0
8.8
7.3
7.8
6.2
Ease of Use (20%)
7.6
8.7
7.7
6.3
6.1
Battery (10%)
8.0
3.5
7.0
6.0
10.0
Fit (10%)
7.3
7.9
7.8
9.3
6.0
Specs Garmin Vivoactive 5 Apple Watch 9 Fitbit Charge 6 Whoop 4.0 Amazfit Band 7
Measured Weight 1.26 oz 1.69 oz 1 oz 1.03 oz 1 oz
Measured Display Diameter 38.0 mm 34.0 mm 19.4 mm 28.0 mm 21.9 mm
Heart Rate Average Beats Per Second Off 4.4 1.6 15.4 11.2 15.9
Manufacturer Stated Battery Life Up to 11 days

5 days display always-on
Up to 18 hours

Up to 36 hours in
Low Power Mode
7 days 4-5 days dependent on usage Heavy Usage: 12 Days
Typical Usage: 18 Days
Battery Saver Mode: 28 Days
Built-In GPS Tracking Yes Yes Yes No No
Screen Type AMOLED OLED
Up to 2000 nits
AMOLED na AMOLED
Measured Charge Time 1.70 Hours 1.20 Hours 1.60 Hours 2.5 Hours 1.75 Hours
Heart Rate Monitor Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Sleep Tracking Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Altimeter (Elevation Tracking) No Yes No No No
Did a single charge survive a 3 day weekend? Yes No Yes - highly depends on usage Yes Yes
Sensors GPS, Glonass, Garmin Elevate Wrist Heart Rate Monitor, Pulse Ox Blood Oxygen Saturation Monitor, Compass, Accelerometer, Thermometer, Ambient Light Sensor Electrical heart sensor and ECG app, Third-generation optical heart sensor, High and low heart rate notifications, Irregular rhythm notifications, Sleep stages, Temperature sensing, Compass with Waypoints and Backtrack, Always-on altimeter, High-g accelerometer, Ambient light sensor Heart rate monitor and tracking, built-in GPS, SPO2 monitoring, 3-axis accelerometer, temperature skin, blood glucose tracking and NFC 5 LEDs and 4 photodiodes BioTracker™ 3.0 PPG biometric sensor
(supports blood-oxygen, 1PD + 2LED), 3-Axis acceleration sensor, geomagnetic sensor
Memory 4 GB 32 GB 4 GB Up to 14 days (without syncing to phone) Not mentioned
Connectivity Bluetooth®, ANT+®, Wi-Fi® Available cellular connectivity

Works with Apple Watch For Your Kids (GPS + Cellular models)
Apple iOS 15 and higher
Android 10 or higher
Apple iOS 16 or higher
iPhone 6s or higher
Android OS 10.0 or higher
Android 7.0 and above, iOS 12.0 and above
Water Resistance 5 ATM (50m) 5 ATM (50m) 5 ATM (50m) -10m for up to 2 hours (band)

-1m for up to 2 hours (with battery pack)
5 ATM (50m)
Notifications Text, call, push notifications Text, call, push notifications including ability to call/text from watch Text, call, push notifications Can function as an alarm but does not give notifications Text, call, push notifications
Alarm Clock Function Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Music Control Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Color Options? -4 colors -Aluminum (5 colors) or Stainless Steel (3 colors)

-an absolute plethora of bands available
-3 colors -28 standard colors plus the option to create your own custom band (how fun!)

-can add a custom engraving to any band option (add $25 to price)
-5 colors

Our Analysis and Test Results

Garmin is a well-known and respected brand in the fitness, outdoor, marine, automotive, and aviation industries. Their GPS watches and satellite communication devices have been at the forefront of innovation for several years. The Vivoactive 5 is one of the more approachable devices in their lineup and is built with similar technology as their upper-tier devices, such as the Forerunner and Fenix series smartwatches.

Performance Comparison



Throughout our extensive fitness tracker trials, the Vivosmart demonstrated consistency and capability. What's more, it earned endorsements from our testing team, who appreciated its reliability.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Fitness Impact


The Vivoactive 5 delivers a lot of function for its accurate GPS tracking, distance precision, step tracking, the ability to autodetect walks and runs, cycling tracking, and general workout tracking, but the elevation tracking leaves something to be desired.


GPS


The Vivoactive 5 includes a GPS sensor and also works with GLONASS (Russian) and Galileo (European) satellite navigation systems. Some other fitness trackers use the GPS antenna in a connected smartphone (or cell tower triangulation) for geolocation, but the Vivoactive 5 is self-contained and can provide distance, pace, and speed without a tethered smartphone.

Elevation


The Vivoactive determines elevation gain and loss by overlaying your route on a digital map. It works, but it isn't as accurate as direct measurement with a barometric altimeter. For some reason, the Vivoactive doesn't show elevation data on the screen.

The Vivosmart shines as a versatile companion, whether you're a dedicated fitness enthusiast or a professional tracking activity between meetings. For those who balance an active lifestyle with office work, it's an ideal match.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Distance and Step Accuracy


The Vivoactive 5 had a 7% error rate when we tested it for measuring distances of walks and runs on a treadmill. For some reason, it was more accurate at measuring running distance than walking distance. It is also highly accurate at tracking steps with a 1% error rate.

garmin vivoactive 5 - there are other devices in our lineup that are even more accurate...
There are other devices in our lineup that are even more accurate, but the Vivosmart still performs well above average in tracking steps.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Autodetect for Walks/Runs


With an ability to customize the autodetection to runs and walks, we were impressed with the Vivoactive 5's ability in this area. “It never failed to recognize and start tracking one of those activities,” commented our lead tester. It occasionally needed input to start tracking a mountain bike ride, but 90% of the time, it didn't need any prompting at all.

With a bright display and clear data readouts, the Vivoactive is a great choice for cyclists.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Cycling Tracking


With the cycling function engaged, the Vivoactive displays distance, speed, heart rate, heart rate zone, elapsed time, lap distance, and lap time. We wish it included elevation data (the Vivoactive 4 did), but we like that we can view a range of data by simply switching through the different screens.

garmin vivoactive 5 - the vivoactive will not only record your workouts, it will also lead...
The Vivoactive will not only record your workouts, it will also lead you through them.
Credit: Genaveve Bradshaw

Workout Tracking


Overall, we loved the workout tracking of the Vivoactive. When on a run, ride, or in the gym, heart rate data was easy to read. We especially liked the screen that showed our heart rate zone. There are a variety of prebuilt workouts in the tracker, such as run, bike, strength, cardio, and HIIT, with the option to customize intervals, rounds, and rest periods. In fact, the Vivoactive functions a lot like a little workout buddy, communicating via vibrations and sound. Cues for laps, pace, and so forth can be toggled as well. Our only gripe was that you need to use the app to dig into your stats; on the Vivoactive you just get a summary.

garmin vivoactive 5 - the vivoactive performs beautifully without needing a tethered...
The Vivoactive performs beautifully without needing a tethered smartphone, but the app does provide more detail of health data and allows you to scroll through records from previous weeks or months.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Trackable Activities Available


There are fifty-eight specific activities available on the Vivoactive, but you can also rename and create custom activities to add more to your list. There isn't a huge variety of lifestyle activities for tracking, but the range of sports is suitable for most people.

Community


We liked the ability to connect with a community of like-minded individuals or groups through the Garmin Connect app. You can view the profile and data of selected friends, share Live Track information (for real-time location sharing while running, hiking or cycling), view a news feed of friends, and compare metrics with other users. In addition, there is an option for participating in a variety of interesting challenges, such as the Mont Blanc Expedition (climbing 15,774 ft), the Therabody Sleep Challenge, or various cycling challenges.

garmin vivoactive 5 - the sensors are contained within a small dome on the bottom of the...
The sensors are contained within a small dome on the bottom of the device.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Health Impact


We evaluated the health impact of the Vivoactive 5 by testing the heart rate sensor, diet tracking function, additional health indicators (such as EKG and blood oxygen), lifestyle tracking function, and sleep tracking. For the most part, the Vivoactive is a top performer in this broad metric. It is limited, however, in terms of its usefulness in diet tracking.


With the Garmin Health Snapshot, you can record a variety of health-rated metrics in a two-minute test and then compare those readings over time.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Heart Rate


In our testing, we compared the Vivoactive 5's heart rate monitoring against a Polar heart rate monitor (considered the industry standard for accuracy). The Vivoactive 5 demonstrated excellent overall accuracy, with one specific limitation: During recovery periods after intense intervals, when heart rate was decreasing, the Vivoactive 5 had a slight lag in detecting these changes. While it did catch up to the actual heart rate within a few seconds, this brief delay was consistently noticeable when compared to the Polar monitor's readings.

Diet


The Garmin system doesn't appear to prioritize diet tracking, at least not with the Vivoactive 5 or the other Garmin in our lineup (the Forerunner 965). You can log water intake, but the options are minimal, and this tracker wouldn't be a good fit for someone who wants rich functionality in this sub-metric.

garmin vivoactive 5 - the vivoactive provides excellent insight into overall fitness and...
The Vivoactive provides excellent insight into overall fitness and health trends.
Credit: Genaveve Bradshaw

Additional Health Indicators


Garmin provides a variety of health indicators that can be measured and tracked in addition to heart rate. There are monitors for inactivity, blood oxygen, EKG, skin temperature, mental stress, menstrual tracking, VO2 max, activity progress, and training load/recovery. The Vivoactive 5 also pairs with Garmin scales, provides a health snapshot (based upon average and max heart rate, stress, and heart rate variability), measures respiration, and offers a sleep coach that recommends how many hours you need.

Sleep data can be easily accessed with the Vivosmart. Also, note how easy it is to scroll through the menus and select items.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Sleep Tracking


According to our lead tester, Garmin “provides you a ton of data but breaks it down in a way that most people can understand.” We also appreciate that the Vivoactive 5 makes it possible to easily track sleep (including restless moments, resting heart rate, average sleeping heart rate, respiration rates, and sleep stages).

garmin vivoactive 5 - overall, garmin "crushes the game with their sleep score,"...
Overall, Garmin “crushes the game with their Sleep Score,” emphasized our lead tester.
Credit: Genaveve Bradshaw

We loved seeing all of this data and we gained a lot of insight into our sleep habits. We did find, however, that even though the Vivoactive 5 accurately captured when we went to bed and when we got up in the morning, it didn't always capture moments of wakefulness during the night.

Ease of Use


A fitness tracker is designed to be a 24/7 companion, so it has to be easy to use. We evaluated this by scrutinizing how difficult it was to get set up the tracker (and the app), what it was like to wear the tracker, the function of the display, connectivity with our smartphone and other apps, subscriptions (if required), and water resistance. The Vivoactive 5 is above average in these areas, but the tracker interface and screen quality aren't at the same level as the top performers in our line-up.


Getting Started


Overall, it is quick and easy to get the Vivoactive 5 set up for use along with the Garmin Connect app. It requires a few different activities and recovery scores over a couple of days to generate certain metrics, but it gets to know the user quite quickly.

Every swipe through the app's menus reveals new insights, from detailed analytics to personalized health trends.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Phone App


We like the Garmin Connect app, which contains graphs for every tracked metric. We have read of some users who dislike it, but it works well in our opinion, and we feel that it is easy to access our data and gain insight into our fitness level.

Strapping the Vivosmart to your wrist takes a moment, but once on, it is comfortable and relatively low-profile.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Wearability


The Vivoactive 5 is fairly comfortable, and we only occasionally snagged it on clothing with tight sleeves. We didn't have any issues, however, with it getting caught on backpack straps. The watch band is comparable to most other bands and otherwise offers lots of adjustability.

garmin vivoactive 5 - fitness data is presented in a simple and clear format via the...
Fitness data is presented in a simple and clear format via the bright AMOLED display.
Credit: Genaveve Bradshaw

Display


Our lead tester shared, “I really appreciate how Garmin makes data accessible during workouts. Your info is presented in a way that helps inform you of where you're at while exercising rather than requiring you to stop what you are doing to check in” with an app. Selections are made using two buttons on the bezel and standard touchscreen motions. We never accidentally toggled anything we didn't want to, and the screen is reliable when wet or dry, which is to say that it is responsive to quick taps and swipes. The screen is also easy to read and the colors are vibrant.

Connectivity


You can receive and respond to texts, control music, and access a mobile wallet with the Vivoactive. We noted that we could view photos in a text message when paired with an Android phone, but with iPhones the image isn't viewable. There is an option for “Quick Reply” to a text, or you can customize replies through the Connect app. It also seamlessly connects to apps like Strava, so you don't need to take any additional steps to upload or share workouts.

Subscriptions


We love the fact that the Vivoactive 5 offers a ton of functions and excellent data analysis without a subscription! There are options to personalize your Garmin through Garmin Connect IQ (another free app) and some of those options require an additional cost since they involve third-party developers.

The Vivoactive is not shy about anything involving water and is otherwise game for any activity or adventure.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Water Resistance


We had no issues with the Vivoactive 5 while swimming, showering, or washing hands. It is rated to five atmospheres and can be submerged in water with no issues. We liked that the watch never accidentally toggled something or stopped tracking due to contact with water (which is an issue with some fitness trackers).

garmin vivoactive 5 - charging is via a magnetic connection with a four-pin port on the...
Charging is via a magnetic connection with a four-pin port on the bottom of the tracker.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Battery


Our extensive testing trials of the Vivoactive battery revealed excellent performance. Although the battery didn't last 11 days for us, as Garmin claimed, we acknowledge that we were tracking a handful of activities each day. It would most likely last that long with normal use. As much as we appreciate the battery life of the Vivoactive, we aren't huge fans of the charging connection, which can be knocked loose by slight jarring motions. If everything stayed connected, however, the battery boosted fairly quickly (required 1.7 hours to go from 0% to 100%).



garmin vivoactive 5 - the screen is easily viewable while running or riding a bike, but it...
The screen is easily viewable while running or riding a bike, but it isn't so big that it catches on clothing or looks any bigger than most smartwatches or moderately-sized fitness trackers.
Credit: Genaveve Bradshaw

Fit


It doesn't take long to get used to its presence,” commented our lead tester, “I can usually forget I am wearing it throughout the day.” Garmin seems to have found a wonderful middle-ground with the Vivoactive 5: it is big enough to actually read while running and working out, but it isn't so big that it causes discomfort. It also has a great fit on the wrist, according to our testers, who also called it “light and airy.” In addition, it doesn't produce painful pressure points with the sensors. The watch comes in one size with four color options.


garmin vivoactive 5 - the vivosmart strikes a balance between fit, overall weight, and...
The Vivosmart strikes a balance between fit, overall weight, and rich features in a fitness tracker.
Credit: Genaveve Bradshaw


Athletes who want a fitness tracker that can match their performance but not break the bank will appreciate the Vivoactive 5.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Should You Buy the Garmin Vivoactive 5?


The Vivoactive 5 is an excellent option for someone who wants an accurate GPS fitness tracker that can help them achieve athletic goals but is mindful of the high cost of top-tier trackers or those that require a subscription for fitness data analysis. If you are training for your first marathon, 10K or trail running race, we think the Vivoactive 5 is a great choice. It will be a reliable training companion and will serve you well into the future.

What Other Fitness Trackers Should You Consider?


If you are more interested in lifestyle tracking or need a tracker that is more minimal, we recommend taking a close look at the Whoop 4.0 or the Fitbit Charge 6. Both are unobtrusive and offer a number of lifestyle tracking features that can help you gain insight into your general fitness and health habits. If money is not an object and you want the best device for athletes, then you'll be interested in the rich functionality of the Garmin Forerunner 965.

Genaveve Bradshaw, Jessica Riconscente, Brian Pidduck