If you’re shopping for a fitness tracker, you might be wondering about the differences with the Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs 4s.
GPS Smartwatch Built for the Active Lifestyle. Keep an eye on your health 24/7 with the broadest available range of all-day health monitoring features. Record all the ways to move with more than 20 preloaded GPS and indoor sports apps. Battery life: Up to 8 days of battery keeps you connected to your life, not your charger. As per the changelog, Vivoactive 4 & Vivoactive 4S will see a bump in battery life after the current firmware. It fixes the issues with Connect IQ watch faces & Connect IQ data field that increases the battery life. It will be too soon to post the judgment, so you can tell it after you use the newer software. I have downloaded a couple of watch faces but they don't install on the watch. On my Vivoactive 3 with iPhone7. Hope Garmin can fix it soon. To version 4.1.7. Some of the Garmin smartwatches that support custom watch faces include Fenix 6, Forerunner 235, Vivoactive 3, Forerunner 45, Forerunner 245 and Forerunner 945. If you’d like to check whether or not your device is supported you can visit Garmin’s ConnectIQ storefront. Like much of Garmin’s downloadable content, the watch faces are created. Announcement: Face-It: A Custom Watch Face App for Connect IQ Devices. August 18, 2016. Today, Garmin announced Face-It, a watch face app that lets Connect IQ compatible wearable users customize their watch face with any photo from their mobile device. Users simply download the free app from either the App Store or on Google Play, then select.
Garmin offers several lines in their smartwatch collection, and the Vivoactive line is designed for general fitness tracking. The Garmin Vivoactive 4 and the Garmin Vivoactive 4s are the latest models in this line, released in late 2019.
To help you make a choice, you should first think about what you need from your fitness tracker.
What Are You Looking For in a Fitness Tracker?
There are a couple of categories of things that might help you choose the right fitness tracker.
The first, and most obvious, is its fitness tracking capabilities. Does it track steps, measure heart rate, and map your GPS location?
Another feature that you’ll be looking for is different kinds of activity tracking. Can it differentiate between walking, running, and hiking? What about other activities, like yoga or weight lifting?
For the data nerds out there (like me), you might be looking for advanced analytics. Some smartwatches will track your sleep, measure your pulse ox, and estimate your recovery time. You might find these things useful, or you might never look at them.
The cost is of course something to consider. Garmins run the gamut from $100 to almost $1,000. So you should consider your budget and let that inform your choice.
Finally, does fashion matter to you? Some Garmin watches are designed with form and elegance in mind. Others are designed purely for functionality.
So What’s the Difference Between the Vivoactive 4 and 4s?
Here’s the good news. The Garmin Vivoactive 4 and the Garmin Vivoactive 4s are the same in most of those categories.
They have the same functionality in terms of fitness tracking and analytics. Each will track your runs, measure your heartbeat, and give you access to the Body Battery feature.
They’re also the same price – $350 MSRP. You can find them on Amazon for about $250.
The only real difference between the two watches is their form. The Vivoactive 4 is slightly larger and the Vivoactive 4s is slightly smaller.
Comparing the watch faces, the Vivoactive 4 is 45mm in diameter, and the 4s is 40mm in diameter. The Vivoactive 4 sports a slightly larger watch face (1.3″ to 1.1″) and display resolution (260x260px to 218x218px).
The watchbands are also slightly different sizes. On the Vivoactive 4s, the watch bands are 18mm wide and they fit a wist that is 110-175mm in circumference. Compare that to the 22mm wide watchband and the 135-200mm circumference on the Vivoactive 4.
The color options are different on the two watches, as well. The smaller Vivoactive 4s comes in rose gold, silver, and slate, while the larger 4 only comes in slate and silver.
The size also causes one functional difference in the two watches – battery life. There’s a slightly smaller battery in the Vivoactive 4s. It’s rated for 7 days of general use, compared to 8 days for the Vivoactive 4.
Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs 4s: Making the Choice
The only significant functional difference between the two watches is the battery life, and that difference is marginal at best. Unless you’re using it in GPS and music mode on a long hike, you’ll probably never notice.
That essentially leaves fashion and form as the deciding factor. Do you want a larger watch with a larger wristband? Get the Garmin Vivoactive 4.
Do you want a smaller watch with a smaller wristband? Or do you like the rose gold? Go with the Garmin Vivoactive 4s.
If you’re looking for something similar, but slightly cheaper, you may want to consider the Garmin Vivoactive 3. It’s very similar to the 4/4s, except without the ability to store and play music.
Vivoactive 4 Golf App
And if you’re looking for something that’s made just for runners – as opposed to general fitness – check out the Garmin Forerunner series.
Do you have a Garmin Vivoactive 4 or 4s? I’m curious which one you chose, and why. Leave a comment below.