Garmin presents the Vivosmart 5 activity bracelet

Vivosmart 5 is Garmin’s first fitness tracker in more than three years. Larger and more capable in all areas, it comes with many new features over previous models, although with a higher price.

Garmin dominates the heart rate monitor sales (with permission from Polar) and has an impressive offering with diverse series for anyone looking for a competent activity tracker for sports tracking and health care. If in watch format you have everything you can look for, with a bracelet design the offer is more discreet compared to rivals such as Fitbit.

In fact, more than three years have passed since the launch of its latest model Vivosmart 4. The fifth generation is here and although it has taken a while, it arrives perfectly updated for the occasion.

Vivosmart 5: much better, somewhat more expensive

Garmin has kept the general design of the series, but you will immediately notice that it is very different. The screen is much bigger, with rounded edges and without metal edges. The size increase of 66% is overwhelming and it is also brighter to improve its use outdoors and the size of the texts have also increased.

The screen is also more responsive thanks to its new digitizer for touch control and additionally has a built-in physical button that facilitates controls and navigation. In this way, Garmin addresses the most controversial issues of the previous model.

Vivosmart 5 debuts a new heart rate sensor that constantly monitors the HR at rest, in sports activity and alerts of levels that are too high or low. It also provides your body’s “energy levels” throughout the day so you can find the best times for activity and rest, while the Pulse Ox sensor checks your blood oxygen saturation at any time of the day or at night while you sleep.

There are plenty of health and activity tracking features, from the sleep score to the monitoring of stress depending on whether you have a calm, balanced or stressful day, through hydration levels, monitoring of the menstrual cycle or pregnancy in women or monitoring of breathing. Also activity profiles for running, cycling or swimming (5 ATM rating for water resistance), walking, yoga, Pilates, cardio, mindful breathing, strength training and more.

The new smart bracelet can pair with Android and iOS smartphones via Bluetooth to get GPS functions, receive emails, texts and alerts directly on the band and can even reply to text messages (Android). It also supports the Garmin Connect platform, where you can connect, compete and share with other users.

Garmin has abandoned the unibody design and offers interchangeable bands to replace the included silicone one and promises up to 7 days of battery life in smartwatch mode. No doubt. Vivosmart 5 is bigger, better and more capable, but as expected it raises the price level compared to the previous ones since it costs $149 and is now available in select regions in white, black and mint color finishes.