Garmin recently expanded their Vivoactive lineup with the introduction of the Vivoactive 5 Smartwatch, boasting some fresh features that have caught the attention of many.

Meanwhile, the Amazfit GTR 4 has been on the market for about a year, steadily gaining its own fan base.

The big question on everyone’s mind is: how do these two smartwatches stack up against each other?

It’s worth noting that the Garmin Vivoactive 5 comes with a price tag that’s $100 heftier. With this in mind, we’re diving deep into the nuances of each to help you decide which one deserves a spot on your wrist.

Let’s get started.

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Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Amazfit GTR 4: Price & Availability

When it comes to smartwatches, price plays a significant role in the decision-making process. 

Garmin has made an interesting move with the Vivoactive 5, slashing its price from the previous generation. The Vivoactive 5 is priced at $299.99, which is surprisingly lower than its predecessor, the Vivoactive 4, which costs $349.99. This makes it more appealing to a broader audience. This is a smart move, considering the competition in the market.

On the other side of the ring, the Amazfit Gtr 4 maintains a competitive edge with its price tag. Retailing at $199 or £199, it’s certainly one of the more affordable, yet feature-rich options out there. If you’re on the hunt for the best deals on this round-faced smartwatch, there are always ongoing promotions to consider.

While there’s a $100 difference between the two, each offers a unique set of features and capabilities. Now, let’s dive into what each of these smartwatches brings to the table.

Where to Buy?

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Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Amazfit GTR 4: Specs Comparison

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Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Amazfit GTR 4: Design, Build Quality & Display

When you’re investing in a smartwatch, design and build quality undoubtedly play a huge role. 

Both the Garmin Vivoactive 5 and the Amazfit GTR 4 shine in their own unique ways. 

While the Vivoactive 5 offers versatility and a modern touch, the GTR 4 leans more towards understated elegance.

The Vivoactive 5 prides itself on its sleek and contemporary design. It’s framed with a lightweight aluminum bezel, complemented by a comfortable silicone band, ensuring both durability and wearability. 

Consumers have the flexibility to choose from an array of color combinations: black/slate, ivory/cream gold, navy/metallic navy, and orchid/metallic orchid. 

Size-wise, the watch measures 42.2 x 42.2 x 11.1 mm, aptly fitting wrist circumferences ranging from 125-190 mm.

While earlier GTR models were decent in their design, the GTR 4 has elevated the game. 

Most people have an inclination towards a circular design when it comes to smartwatches, and the GTR 4 doesn’t disappoint. But beyond its shape, there’s more depth to its design nuances.

The GTR 4’s slender appearance is a standout, with its official depth being 10.6mm. While these measurements might not be groundbreaking, the aluminum casing gives it a perceived thinness. 

And in practice? It’s a joy to wear. The aluminum alloy construction not only offers durability but also brings a premium touch. 

In terms of display, the Vivoactive packs a 1.2-inch AMOLED display, with a resolution of 390 x 390 pixels, which offers users a clear and vibrant visual experience.

On the other hand, the GTR 4 boasts a 1.43-inch AMOLED display with a 466 x 466 pixels resolution, shielded by tempered glass.

Both displays are great and crystal clear and support always-on mode.

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Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Amazfit GTR 4: Health, Fitness & Activity Tracking

The Vivoactive 5 offers a holistic approach to health and wellness tracking, but the Amazfit GTR 4 focuses more on fitness data.

Both watches, while catering to slightly different audiences, offer robust features that make them worthwhile contenders in the smartwatch arena.

Garmin’s Vivoactive 5 showcases a plethora of features aimed at enhancing one’s health and fitness journey. One of the standout features is the “Body Battery” energy monitoring, which provides insights into your energy levels throughout the day. This is complemented by a sleep score and coaching to enhance your sleep quality. Every morning, users get a ‘Morning Report’ that consolidates details of their sleep, daily calendar, and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) status.

The Vivoactive 5 doesn’t fall short on fitness tracking either. It boasts over 30 sports apps, offering personalized workout suggestions and coaching from Garmin. Recognizing the diverse needs of its users, Garmin also includes a wheelchair mode, offering specific tracking for wheelchair users, such as push counts and tailored workouts.

Amazfit’s GTR 4 takes a slightly different approach but is no less impressive. The array of workout categories available on the GTR 4 is nothing short of astonishing. Activating a workout is simple, requiring just a tap of the watch’s side button. Users can set specific goals based on time, and calories burned, and even delve into the specifics of anaerobic and aerobic training effects.

One commendable feature of the GTR 4 is its compatibility with the Zepp app. The integration offers a detailed breakdown of workouts, providing metrics that range from heart rate graphs to breakdowns by heart rate zones. The information is robust and detailed, comparable even to devices like the Apple Watch Series 6.

The Zepp app does more than just workout breakdowns. It provides an overall snapshot of your health and fitness metrics, including sleep statistics, PAI (Physiological Activity Indicator), stress levels, blood oxygen, and active calorie counts. While the GTR 4 can be overwhelming with the sheer amount of data it offers, fitness enthusiasts might find this detail-oriented approach beneficial. However, a minor drawback is its inability to auto-detect specific workout types, requiring manual input from the user.

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Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Amazfit GTR 4: Other Features

Let’s explore the smart capabilities of the Garmin Vivoactive 5 and Amazfit GTR 4.

Garmin Vivoactive 5:

The Vivoactive 5 is brimming with features designed to cater to a myriad of user needs. Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Garmin Pay: Simplifying transactions, this feature lets you make payments at certain checkout points and transit systems.
• Wheelchair Mode: Tailored for wheelchair users, this mode tracks pushes, alerts on weight shifts, and offers wheelchair-specific exercises.
• Incident Detection: Enhancing safety, this feature shares your live location with predefined emergency contacts if you encounter an issue or feel threatened.
• Smart Notifications: Stay connected without reaching for your phone. Receive texts, emails, and alerts right on your wrist. Android users get the bonus of replying to messages and viewing photos directly on the watch.
• Connectivity: Ensuring you’re always connected, it supports Bluetooth, ANT+, and Wi-Fi.
• Music: Control tunes on your smartphone or store music on the watch for those phone-free workouts.
• Garmin Golf App: Golf enthusiasts can benefit from features like yardage measurements, digital scorecards, and stat tracking.

Amazfit GTR 4:

The GTR 4 is like a Swiss Army knife of features, but sometimes it feels like too much in one go.

• Overwhelming Options: With 30 features in the main menu and a tedious scroll-through process, the GTR 4 feels excessive at times. From a whopping 154 workout options (including one for board games like Checkers!), it often feels like overkill.
• Built-in Mic & Speaker: GTR 4 has a built-in mic & speaker which is missing on Vivoactive 5.
• Operating System: Operating on the Zepp OS 2.0, it echoes Android vibes but isn’t Android. Without Google integrations, users are limited to the Amazfit app store, which, while diverse, can be confusing and lacks key apps.
• Alexa Integration: The watch’s digital assistant is Alexa. While the concept is great, the execution falls short. There’s a noticeable delay when summoning Alexa, and the voice quality is underwhelming. Moreover, full Alexa capabilities require a connected smartphone with an internet connection.
• Watch Faces: Most available faces are dense with information. While some might appreciate the data-heavy complications, others may yearn for a simpler display.

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Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Amazfit GTR 4: Battery Life

Battery life is a significant consideration when it comes to smartwatches, given that they’re devices we use continuously. 

Let’s pit the Garmin Vivoactive 5 against the Amazfit GTR 4 to see how they compare in this vital department.

Garmin Vivoactive 5: Extended Life with Modes

The Garmin Vivoactive 5’s battery life is undoubtedly commendable. In its standard smartwatch mode, users can enjoy up to 11 days of uninterrupted use. 

If you’re a fitness enthusiast using GPS features, expect up to 7 hours of battery life with music and a whopping 20 hours without. 

What’s more, Garmin offers a battery-saver mode, enabling users to prolong the battery’s longevity by turning off specific features. 

This is particularly handy for those who don’t want to be tethered to a charger frequently.

Amazfit GTR 4: Impressively Long-Lasting

The GTR 4’s battery prowess is nothing short of remarkable. After five intense days of testing, including constant wear, full notification engagement, sensor activation, and two extensive workouts, the battery level remained around a sturdy 75%. 

However, it’s worth noting that this was with the default settings where the screen lights up upon wrist movement. Switching to the always-on display mode led to a slightly faster battery consumption.

Both the Vivoactive 5 and the GTR 4 offer robust battery life, each catering to different user needs. While the Vivoactive 5 provides a balanced approach with adjustable settings for prolonged use, the GTR 4 stands out for its sheer endurance, especially under heavy use. 

Depending on your usage habits and preference, either could serve as a reliable companion.

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Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Amazfit GTR 4: How to Choose?

Here’s a breakdown to help guide your decision:

Buy Garmin Vivoactive 5 if…

• Price isn’t a major constraint: With its initial pricing set at $349, now reduced to $299, it’s positioned in the mid-to-high price segment.
• You value a sleek, modern design: It offers a blend of aluminum and silicone, with multiple color choices to suit your style.
• Health and fitness tracking is crucial: With features such as Body Battery, sleep score, and over 30 sports apps, it provides a holistic approach to health.
• You’re a golf enthusiast: With the Garmin Golf App, this might just be the watch for you.
• Safety features matter: Incident detection adds an extra layer of security.
• Payment on-the-go appeals to you: With Garmin Pay, you can easily make transactions at select venues.

Buy Amazfit GTR 4 if…

• Budget is a consideration: At $199 or £199, it’s competitively priced without skimping on features.
• You prefer a classic round watch face: Its circular design is both trendy and timeless.
• You want a built-in mic & speaker: You want to use your smartwatch as a phone.
• You’re a power user who loves customization: With its plethora of settings, it’s built for those who love diving deep into options, albeit it can be overwhelming for some.
• Alexa integration is a plus: If you’re already in the Amazon ecosystem, having Alexa on your wrist could be convenient.
• Battery life is paramount: With the potential of lasting up to two weeks in conservative settings, it’s perfect for those who despise frequent charging.
• You’re okay with a non-Google OS: Its custom Zepp OS 2.0 might feel familiar but lacks Google’s integrations.

Both watches are solid. As already mentioned, there’s a $100 gap between them. It’s worth it for Garmin’s better health and fitness accuracy.

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