In this article, we’re going to compare two noteworthy Garmin models: the freshly launched Vivoactive 5 and its counterpart, the Forerunner 255, which has been on the market for two years.
At first glance, the main distinction between the two devices is clear. The Forerunner 255 is designed to be more rugged and sports-oriented, catering to athletes and fitness enthusiasts who demand durability and performance.
On the other side, the Vivoactive 5 targets the everyday user, offering a blend of lifestyle and fitness features for day-to-day wear. Despite the Forerunner’s higher price tag, occasional discounts bring it into the same price range as the Vivoactive 5, leaving some consumers puzzled over which model to choose.
To aid in your decision-making, this article will delve into a detailed comparison of the “Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Forerunner 255,” focusing on their features and what sets them apart.
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Forerunner 255: Price & Availability
When it comes to price and availability, the Garmin Forerunner 255 generally commands a higher price than the Vivoactive 5, although it’s worth noting that you can snag some great deals during sales events.
The Garmin Vivoactive 5, designed as a jack-of-all-trades smartwatch, emphasizes health and wellness tracking and is priced at approximately $300. This makes it an attractive option for those seeking a well-rounded device without breaking the bank.
On the other side, the Garmin Forerunner 255 series, which caters to a more sport-centric audience, comes with a heftier price tag. The base model of the Forerunner 255 is available for around $350. For those who can’t live without their tunes, the Forerunner 255 Music edition, equipped with extra storage for music, asks for about $400.
This price difference reflects the Forerunner 255’s additional features and its appeal to serious athletes and runners who require more specialized functionalities.
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Forerunner 255: Specs Comparison
| Category | Garmin Vivoactive 5 | Garmin Forerunner 255 / 255S |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | Fiber-reinforced polymer, Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 lens, stainless steel bezel, Silicone straps | Fiber-reinforced polymer, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 lens, Silicone straps |
| Shape | Round | Round |
| Dimension | 42.2 x 42.2 x 11.1 mm | 45.6 x 45.6 x 12.9 mm (255) 41 x 41 x 12.4 mm (255s) |
| Physical Buttons | 2 | 5 |
| Colors | Metallic orchid, Slate, Cream gold, Metallic navy | Slate Grey/Black, Dark Blue/Black (255), Black, Stone white/black (255 Music), Light Grey/Black, Dusty Pink/Black (255s), Black, Stone white/black (255s Music) |
| Display Type | AMOLED | Sunlight-visible, transflective MIP |
| Resolution | 390 x 390 pixels | 260 x 260 pixels (255) 218 x 218 pixels (255s) |
| Screen Size | 1.3 inch | 1.3 inch (255) 1.1 inch (255s) |
| Weight | 36 grams (without strap) | 49 grams (255) 39 grams (255s) (without strap) |
| Sensors | Hear Rate, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope, Pulse Ox, thermometer, ambient light sensor | Compass, barometric altimeter, accelerometer, thermometer, heart rate, Pulse OX |
| Water-Resistance | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO | Multi-band GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO |
| Built-in Speaker | No | No |
| Microphone | Yes | No |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Music Storage | Yes | Yes (up to 500 songs) |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi | Bluetooth, ANT+, WiFi |
| Battery Life | Up to 11 days smartwatch mode, 5 days always-on display, 21 days Battery Saver Mode, 21 hours GPS | Up to 14 days (255) Up to 12 days (255S), 30 hours GPS (255) 26 hours GPS (255S) |
| Operating System | Garmin OS | Garmin OS |
| Price | $300 | Standard Version: $350 Music Version: $400 |
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Forerunner 255: Design & Display
Let’s take a closer look at the design and display of the Garmin Vivoactive 5 and Forerunner 255, where their unique styles become instantly clear.
The Forerunner 255 shows off a tough and bold look that’s perfect for those who love a bit of adventure. On the other hand, the Vivoactive 5 has a sleek and more traditional round shape, making it a great fit for everyday wear with a touch of class.
Both of these watches are built to last, using a strong yet lightweight material that makes them comfortable to wear all day long. The Vivoactive 5 stands out with its shiny stainless steel edge, giving it an extra bit of durability and style.
When it comes to size, the Forerunner 255 gives you options with two different models to fit different wrist sizes. The Vivoactive 5, however, comes in one size that aims to please everyone, making it a great pick for both men and women.
The way you use these watches also differs. The Vivoactive 5 is simple, with just two buttons for easy navigation. The Forerunner 255 has five buttons, which might be handy for athletes or anyone using the watch in situations where it’s hard to use a touchscreen, like wearing gloves or in wet conditions.
Speaking of displays, the Vivoactive 5 has a bright and colorful AMOLED touchscreen, making it easy to see and use. The Forerunner 255, though, uses a different kind of screen that’s great at staying clear even in direct sunlight, but you can’t touch it to control the watch.
Color options let you choose a watch that fits your personal style. The Vivoactive 5 comes in cool colors like Metallic Orchid and Slate, offering a range from subtle to bold. The Forerunner 255 also has its own set of colors, including Slate Grey and Dark Blue, so there’s something for everyone.
Both watches are water-friendly, with a rating that means you can take them swimming or snorkeling without worry. This makes them flexible choices for all sorts of sports and activities.
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Forerunner 255: Health & Fitness Features
In this area, Vivoactive 5 overtakes Forerunner 255. The Vivoactive 5 packs in all the essential sensors you’d expect: a heart rate monitor, a blood oxygen sensor, an accelerometer for tracking movement, and a compass for direction.
Plus, it goes a bit further by including a gyroscope for more precise motion tracking, a thermometer to keep tabs on temperature, and an ambient light sensor to adjust screen brightness automatically. While the Forerunner 255 and 255s don’t have these last three sensors, they do come with a barometric altimeter, handy for tracking elevation changes during your outdoor adventures.
But the Vivoactive 5 isn’t just about the basics. It introduces special features like meditation and breathwork tracking, sleep coaching to help improve your rest, and even workout options for wheelchair users, showing Garmin’s commitment to inclusivity and mental health alongside physical fitness. Golfers will love the Vivoactive 5 too, thanks to its detailed golfing features like measuring distance to the green, tracking your score digitally, and automatically recording your shots with Garmin AutoShot.
The Forerunner 255 series, on the other hand, is a powerhouse for more intense fitness and sports tracking, with a special focus on running. It boasts SATIQ technology for top-notch GPS accuracy, ensuring you’re always on track, plus an altimeter for elevation details and floor counting. You’ll get on-screen workout animations for a bit of fun during exercise, and a suite of planning and analysis tools that are perfect for serious athletes and runners.
These include detailed insights into your training load and the effects of your workouts, guidance for navigating courses, and running dynamics stats like your stride length and how much you bounce up and down as you run, all aimed at helping you improve your performance.
The Forerunner 255 series also takes the lead over the Vivoactive 5 when it comes to activities like outdoor adventures, cycling, and swimming. It delivers more in-depth information and tracking capabilities for these specific sports, making it an ideal choice for triathletes and fans of outdoor sports. With cool tools like the race predictor, PacePro pacing strategies, and automatic climb detection for trail running, it’s especially useful for competitive athletes or anyone training for a particular event. These features are designed to give a boost to your performance, helping you plan better, train smarter, and achieve your athletic goals.
All three models are great at finding where you are, thanks to support for multiple global navigation systems like GPS, GLONASS, and GALILEO. But the Forerunner 255 models take it up a notch with multi-band GPS. This means they use two different frequencies for even more precise location tracking, making them a top choice for those who need the best GPS accuracy available.
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Forerunner 255: Other Features
Besides their fitness and health tracking prowess, both the Garmin Vivoactive 5 and the Forerunner 255 series excel in the everyday smartwatch features we’ve all come to appreciate.
They keep you connected with smart notifications, so you’re always in the loop without needing to pull out your phone. If you love having your music on the go, you’re in luck.
The Vivoactive 5 has built-in music storage, and there’s also a music edition of the Forerunner 255 that lets you store your favorite tunes right on your wrist. Plus, with NFC capabilities for contactless payments, making a purchase is as simple as a tap of your watch, blending convenience and technology seamlessly into your daily routine.
Whether you’re out for a run, at the grocery store, or just on the move, these watches are designed to keep up with your lifestyle, offering a mix of tech-savvy features that enhance your day-to-day.
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Forerunner 255: Battery Life
When we look at the battery life of the Garmin Vivoactive 5 and Forerunner 255 models, it’s clear that all three watches offer the long-lasting performance Garmin is known for.
The Vivoactive 5 is especially impressive, lasting up to 11 days on a single charge in smartwatch mode and stretching to an impressive 21 days when you switch to battery-saver mode. This makes it a great choice for those who don’t like to charge their device too often.
On the other side, the Forerunner 255 stands out with up to 14 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, and it keeps going for up to 30 hours even when using GPS. The 255s model is a bit behind, offering up to 12 days in smartwatch mode and 26 hours in GPS mode. For music lovers, both Forerunner models can play tunes for up to 6.5 hours with GPS running, a feature that’s perfect for long runs or workouts where music is a must.
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Forerunner 255: Which is Right for You?
I hope you now understand the key differences between these two Garmin watches. The first thing to consider is whether you’re looking for a sporty watch or something more suited to everyday lifestyle needs.
The Vivoactive 5 is a great match for those who want a watch that fits into both their fitness and daily life, thanks to its AMOLED touchscreen and onboard music storage. It’s an excellent choice for day-to-day wear, with special health features like meditation tracking and sleep coaching to enhance your wellbeing.
On the other hand, the Forerunner 255 is tailored for serious athletes or fitness enthusiasts who needs detailed insights into their performance. With its advanced running analytics, multi-band GPS for superior accuracy, and comprehensive training tools, it stands out for those who take their training seriously. If you’re willing to invest a bit more for these premium features, the Forerunner 255 could be the perfect fit for your athletic pursuits.
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