Which Garmin Vivoactive is the best pick? Here's what we recommend.
With the arrival of the Garmin Vivoactive 6, it’s only natural to wonder how much better, smarter, and more useful it is compared to the Vivoactive 5.
The 2023 Vivoactive 5 effectively marked the line’s relaunch after a four-year hiatus. Garmin then swiftly upgraded it in early 2025 with slicker software, improved coaching plans, and a slightly tweaked design.
It’s a minimal update—not one we think is worth upgrading to if you’re already the owner of a Vivoactive 5. However, for people choosing directly between these two smartwatches, there’s plenty to consider.
Luckily, that’s what this guide is here for. After testing the Vivoactive 6 and Vivoactive 5, we’ve compiled a complete comparison of the designs, features, battery life, and pricing to help you decide. Let’s get into it.
Price and versions
The Vivoactive 5’s launch price was $299/£279—a price that has now been stripped back in some countries (like the UK, at £199) with the arrival of its successor. Meanwhile, the Vivoactive 6 sits at $299/£279.99, which is a little step up in price for some regions (but not the US).
There’s only one version for both watches, so no LTE models here, and unlike other Garmin lines, there’s just the one case size.
The sub-$300 price of both these models places them firmly in line with the outgoing generation of popular entry-to-mid-level smartwatches: the Apple Watch SE 2 (from $219-$249), Google Pixel Watch 3 ($299), and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 ($239).
Inside Garmin’s collection, both Vivoactive devices are cheaper than the Garmin Venu 3 ($399).
Specs comparison:
| Product name | Vivoactive 5 | Vivoactive 6 |
| Price | From £199/$299 | £279/$299 |
| Display | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Case size | 42mm | 42mm |
| Waterproof rating | Up to 50 metres | Up to 50 metres |
| Screen size | 1.2-inch, 390×390 | 1.2-inch, 390×390 |
| Battery life | Up to 11 days | Up to 11 days |
| Heart rate sensor | Optical | Optical |
| GPS | Multi-GNSS | Multi-GNSS |
Design, display and build
If you’re looking for major design differences between these two versions of the Vivoactive, there simply aren’t that many. Both feature 42mm cases made from polymer with an aluminum bezel surrounding the same 1.2-inch, 390 x 390 resolution AMOLED touchscreen display. You also get two physical buttons on the right side of the case.
They both use Garmin’s 20mm Quick Release straps, which come with a silicone band as standard and are waterproof up to 50 meters deep when purchased as a package.
The Vivoactive 6 is slightly thinner of the two, measuring 10.9mm compared to 11.1mm, and it is also a bit lighter. In reality, those differences don’t significantly alter the experience of living with and wearing these watches. They are small, compact, and nicely weighted, featuring vibrant AMOLED touchscreens that respond well to taps and swipes.
Winner: Draw
Smart features and OS
The Vivoactive was Garmin’s original smartwatch until the Venu emerged. With this line being cheaper than the Venu, you can expect some but not all of Garmin’s smartwatch features.
What you will find is Garmin’s own operating system that works seamlessly with Android and iOS, providing access to the brand’s Connect+ subscription platform as well as its Connect IQ app store.
In terms of feature sets, these watches provide on-watch access to the Connect IQ store, allow you to view notifications and images, and enable responses to some messages (for Android users). They also offer music controls and playback capabilities. The Vivoactive 6, in particular, provides more storage, boasting 8GB compared to the 4GB available on the Vivoactive 5.
If you appreciate the idea of a smart alarm that wakes you at the optimal time based on your sleep, that’s a feature you’ll find exclusively on the Vivoactive 6. A significant advantage of the 6 over the 5 lies in the user interface improvements Garmin has implemented, making the newer Vivoactive 6 a much more intuitive and less cumbersome smartwatch for daily use.
Winner: Garmin Vivoactive 6
Battery life
Garmin promises the exact same battery life across these two devices. That’s up to 12 days in daily use or 5 days with the screen on 24/7. You also get up to 21 days in the more restrictive battery saver mode. When you’re using GPS, maximum battery is 21 hours in the GPS only accuracy mode, 17 hours in best accuracy mode and up to 8 hours when streaming music.
We can’t say we’ve seen any sort of major difference in the performance of the two watches. Both managed to get through roughly a week with a mixture of fitness and smartwatch features in use. When you keep the AMOLED display on and use features like the GPS on a regular basis, you’re going to struggle to get up to that promised 5 days.
Winner: Draw
Tracking performance
In typical Garmin fashion, both Vivoactives throw plenty at you in terms of what they’re able to track. At they’re core, they’ve got the same core sports modes with the 6 giving you a touch more of those niche sports profiles to pick from.
Sensors-wise, they use the same Gen 4 version of Garmin’s Elevate sensor to cover monitoring of elements including heart rate, stress and blood oxygen saturation. That means you don’t get the latest Gen 5 setup that additionally has support for ECG readings.
You’re getting built-in GPS, but not the latest Multi-Band GNSS support you will find on pricier Garmins. Instead, it’s an older multi-GNSS setup with the Vivoactive 6 offering an upgraded setup that supports two additional satellite systems. In addition to that improved satellite coverage, the Vivoactive 6 does include some basic route following support, which you won’t find available on the Vivoactive 5.
We found that the two performed generally well on the outdoor tracking front with both not quite as reliable as Garmin’s Multi-Band, flagship watches. Heart rate tracking both daily and during exercise was good for both, particularly for continuous monitoring, while the ability to pair external heart rate sensors is the way to go to improve data accuracy for high intensity workouts.
The key differences:
You will begin to notice differences in offerings when exploring the training and analysis features of the watches. For instance, the Vivoactive 6 provides Training Effect metrics that are typically associated with Garmin’s performance-focused watches. Additionally, it includes helpful features for runners, such as Garmin’s PacePro pacing strategies and race predictor.
The Vivoactive 6 also gives you access to more of Garmin’s Coach features. These include running, cycling, and now strength-focused training plans, animations to follow for select workouts, and suggested workouts that are focused on getting you to walk more each day.
Winner: Garmin Vivoactive 6
Verdict: Which is best?
That’s a breakdown of our experiences testing the Vivoactive 6 and the Vivoactive 5.
There’s no doubt that the Vivoactive 6 is the better smartwatch. However, the reduced price of the Vivoactive 5 may be a better fit for some budgets.
Here’s what we recommend:
- Choose the Vivoactive 6 if you want a slimmer Garmin smartwatch with the brand’s latest software and rich training and coaching features
- Choose the Vivoactive 5 if you want a value-for-money Garmin smartwatch that looks like the newer one and offers most of the same core features and performance for less money
Also consider the Garmin Forerunner 165. This running-focused device is cheaper than both watches, offers an AMOLED screen, and includes an altimeter and many more training and navigation features.
