Garmin Vivosmart 5 : General Features And Improvements
It has been a little over two years since Garmin released the Vivosmart 4. The much anticipated Vivosmart 5 has finally been released, and it comes packed with new features! This fitness tracker is designed to help you live a healthier life, and it offers a lot of improvements over its predecessor. In this article, we will take a look at the general features of the Vivosmart 5. Keep reading for more information!
Things Have Changed Since 2018 When It Comes To Fitness Trackers
1 year is a long time in the fitness tracker world. As for the Vivosmart 5, Garmin had some catching up to do to compete with the likes of Fitbit and Apple. The Vivosmart series has always been a popular choice for those looking for a fitness tracker, but it had fallen behind in recent years.
The minimalistic fitness trackers are trending at this moment. Garmin’s Vivosmart 5 is up against some stiff competition in the likes of Fitbit Luxe and Xiaomi Mi Watch Lite. All these fitness trackers have a similar feature set, but the Vivosmart has always been a reliable choice and it is good to see Garmin finally catch up with the competition.
The Vivosmart series has always been known for its slim designs and discreet looks. The new Vivosmart is no different, and it is one of the sleekest fitness trackers on the market.
First Change : Screen Size Increased by 66%
In comparison to it’s predecessor the screen size is increased by 66%. The device is still slim and easy to wear, but the larger screen size makes it much easier to see your stats at a glance.
With a increase in screen size Garmin have kept it’s sleek and discreet design. The device is still comfortable to wear all day, and it’s perfect for those who don’t want a large fitness tracker on their wrist.
One disappointment is no colour screen. It’s direct competitor Fitbit Luxe and Fitbit Charge 5 have a AMOLED screen colour screen. Whereas the Vivosmart 5 still has the old monochrome screen.
The screen is still clear and easy to read, but it would have been nice to see a colour screen on the Vivosmart.
One other disappointment is no ambient sensor. With a ambient sensor you can view your fitness tracker in bright environments. This is a must with any modern fitness tracker or smart watch when you want to see your progress.
Second Change : Watch Case Material Has Changed From Aluminium to Polycarbonate
The main housing of the new Vivosmart 5 has changed from aluminium to polycarbonate. This makes the device lighter and more comfortable to wear, but it does feel a little cheaper.
In my opinion I think this change is a good one. When you have a aluminium housing it can easily dent and scratch. Whereas with polycarbonate it is more durable and can take a few bumps.
If you are a person who likes to be active outdoors this would be ideal for you. You dont have to worry about damaging your fitness tracker. You can just focus on the activity at hand. Any impact against the main housing wont bend the shape of the device.
Third Change : Screen Material Has Changed From Acrylic to Polycarbonate
The new Vivosmart 5 has a polycarbonate screen, which is different from the previous version that had an acrylic screen. In reality both are a form of plastic.
Polycarbonate is a more durable material, and it can take more bumps than acrylic. This change is especially important if you are active outdoors, as your fitness tracker is less likely to get damaged .
The downside of polycarbonate screen is that it’s quite easy to scratch. So you will need to be careful when handling the device. Compared to gorilla glass that is used on smart watch’s, the polycarbonate screen will scratch much easier.
The Vivosmart competitors use gorilla glass for their screens, but it is a lot more expensive. Garmin have chosen to use polycarbonate to keep the cost down, and I think it is a good choice, but it has it’s downside.
There is no point in applying a screen protector on the Vivosmart 5. The thin film can heal itself but the polycarbonate screen cannot. The only way is to replace the screen when it gets too scratched. The sad thing about this you cannot replace the screen.
Forth Change : Display Revolution has Increased 2 fold
The screen resolution has increased from 48 X 128 pixels to 88 X 154 pixels . This is a huge increase, and it makes the screen much sharper and easier to read.
The new Vivosmart has a PPI (pixels per inch) of 282, which is double that of the previous version. This makes the device one of the sharpest fitness trackers on the market.
It’s great to see that Garmin have increased the screen resolution, as it was one of the main criticisms of the previous version. With the new Vivosmart you wont have any problems reading your stats on the screen.
Only downside of this is the screen material. Polycarbonate material can be scratched easily, and there is no way to replace the screen. So you will need to be careful when handling the device.
Fifth Change : Wrist Dimensions Increased
The new Vivosmart is 15% larger than the previous version. This might not sound like much, but it does make a difference when you are wearing the device.
The increase is due to the size of wrist the device can now accommodate. The new Vivosmart can fit a wrist size of up to 228mm, which is an increase of 15mm from the previous version.
This is good news for people with larger wrists, as they will now be able to wear the device comfortably. However, people with smaller wrists might find the device too large.
Final Conclusion
The new Garmin Vivosmart is a great fitness tracker, and it has some improvements over the previous version. The main housing is made from polycarbonate, which makes the device lighter and more comfortable to wear.
The screen material has also changed from acrylic to polycarbonate, which is more durable but can be scratched easily. The screen resolution has increased, making the device one of the sharpest fitness trackers on the market.
Finally, the size of wrist the device can accommodate has been increased, making it more comfortable for people with larger wrists.
Overall, the new Vivosmart is a great fitness tracker and I would be cautious before purchasing the new Vivosmart 5. Especially the screen’s ability to resist scratch’s. Compared to it’s competitors like the Fitbit Luxe, it doesn’t quite compare.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this article. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. Thanks!
