Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Vivoactive 5: What's new and which should you buy?

The aging Garmin Vivoactive 4 finally received a successor in September of 2023, though it’s a fairly different watch this time around. The Vivoactive 5 borrows more from the Venu 3 family than it does its predecessor. Is the newest Vivoactive worth picking up? That’s what we aim to answer in this Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Vivoactive 5 comparison.

Editor’s note: This review was originally published on September 28, 2023. Since then it has been updated to reflect price changes, more hands-on review details, and more. The last update was on August 26, 2024.

Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Vivoactive 5: Specs

Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Vivoactive 5: Design

The Vivoactive 5 looks a lot like a cross between its predecessor and the Venu 3 series. It borrows the two-side button layout of the Vivoactive 4, but its actual chassis has more in common with the Venu. In terms of size, the Vivoactive 5 fits right in between the Vivoactive 4 and 4S with its 20mm band and a body size of 42.2 x 42.2 x 11.1mm. For those wondering, there is no Vivoactive 5S; Garmin has opted for just a one-size-fits-all approach for its.

One thing you’ll notice right away is the Vivoactive 5 is considerably lighter than previous Garmin watches in the series at just 36g. The Vivoactive 4S weighed 40g despite being smaller, and the Vivoactive 4 was a much weightier 50.5g.

There are also a lot of new features found inside the newest Vivoactive. This is most apparent when looking at the display. Gone is the memory-in-pixel (MIP) screen, replaced by a gorgeous AMOLED that we feel is much more vibrant and easier to see in all lighting conditions, as noted in our review.

The Vivoactive 4 series does have one advantage over the latest model: the stainless steel front. The Vivoactive 5 opts for a cheaper and lighter aluminum bezel and polymer casing. This material change makes it feel a little less premium, but it’s also going to be much more comfortable on your wrist. We also have to say that it still looks great and its smaller footprint, improved display, and design tweaks give it a much more modern look overall.

Stainless steel may hold up a bit better to dings and scratches, but at least the Vivoactive 5 retains the same 5ATM water resistance and Gorilla Glass 3 on the front of its display.

Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Vivoactive 5: Features

A four year gap is a long time in the smartwatch world, so it’s no surprise the Vivoactive 5 has improved sensors. While the Vivoactive 4 has a lot of the same features on paper, newer sensors and improved software make the Vivoactive 5 a much better experience.

You’ll still get Pulse Ox readings, a heart rate monitor, and all the other goodies like sleep tracking on the Vivoactive 4. They’re just a lot better on the Vivoactive 5. There are several improvements to the Sleep Coach, Body Battery, fitness tracking, and workout tracking. Of course, some features like stress and menstrual tracking aren’t all that different.

For those who care about heart rate tracking, be aware the Gen 4 Elevate heart rate sensor is a jump forward from the Gen 3 sensor on the older watches. You’ll notice a major improvement in accuracy as a result, though the Gen 5 sensor in the Venu 3 family is even better if this is a feature that really matters to you.

The rest of the core features are all pretty similar including notification support, Find My Phone, weather, music controls, and Garmin Pay. Android users do have one perk that isn’t available on the Vivoactive 4 family. You can now send responses to messages directly from your watch’s keyboard without having to bring out your smartphone.

While this isn’t so much a feature, it’s important to note that the Vivoactive 5 has an improved processor and therefore is much faster when navigating menus and performing other tasks.

Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Vivoactive 5: Price and colors

The Garmin Vivoactive 4 originally arrived for $349.99 and while it was initially still sold at the Vivoactive 5’s launch, the watch has since been discontinued. Of course, it’s still possible to find it new online. For example, Amazon offers it for around $250. The Vivoactive 4S ($349 at Amazon) can also be purchased online for the same price.

The new Vivoactive 5 is actually $50 cheaper than the Vivoactive 4 series retailed at, largely due to its cheaper construction materials we’d wager. There are several different color choices to pick from. There’s a model that comes with a Slate bezel with a Black case, a Metallic Orchid bezel and case, a Cream Gold bezel with an Ivory case, or a model with a Metallic Navy case and bezel.

Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Vivoactive 5: Which should you buy?

You can certainly still buy a Vivoactive 4, but should you? Honestly, unless you absolutely are attached to stainless steel, no. Even then, we’d argue you’d be better off spending a bit more to get the Venu 3 ($449.99 at Amazon) instead. It features a similar construction but expands on the Vivoactive 5’s feature set, adding key training tools like HRV status, Recovery, and automatic nap detection. The Vivoactive 5 is a major upgrade in every way other than build materials. If you’re a fan of the Vivoactive series we’d absolutely get the latest model, and if you’ve been holding off to upgrade, now is a great time.

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