Garmin vivosmart 3 Review
Garmin is pushing its activity tracking kit to a new level of measuring abilities in its Vivosmart 3. The Vivosmart 3 now has VO2 max, fitness and strength training, with rep counting too. A big task indeed to cram all that into such a small package.
Garmin has also managed to keep the price of the Vivosmart 3 at the lower end with a $139.99, £129.99, AU$200 tag. So are these new tracking metrics going to make the Garmin Vivosmart 3 a must-have activity tracker?
Thanks to the slim silicone strap this 21g activity tracker can be worn day and night without you noticing it’s there. And the colour options of black, purple and blue are all dark, allowing them to blend in with any background. There’s a nice amount of stretch to that strap and multiple buckle lock lengths, so you can wear the Vivosmart 3 comfortably loose without it affecting heart rate tracking. It’s also waterproof, so you can swim, shower and bathe without taking it off, which lets you genuinely forget it’s there - ideal at night for sleep tracking then. The silicone casing is also tough, so you don’t need to worry about giving it a knock or two, which is handy if you’re planning on swinging your arms about in a gym workout. The rugged screen also performs well.
That OLED display seamlessly fits into the strap and offers plenty of brightness even in a well-lit gym. The touchscreen also works surprisingly well. Double taps start and pause a workout while swipes zip between options. The resolution is fine for the job at 64 x 128 pixels although WhatsApp messages can take a fair bit of swiping to get through if they’re long. The only complaint with the screen is that I seem to touch the back button unintentionally while trying to swipe. Garmin also added a rise to wake feature as well as a double tap to wake.
When it comes to tracking, the Vivosmart 3 is right up there with the best activity trackers around. Garmin has also included other features like steps counting, sleep tracking, calories burned and distance travelled. But you also get more advanced measures like VO2 max, strength reps counting, floors climbed, and even a stress score. Disappointingly, the Vivosmart 3 doesn’t connect to the GPS on your phone. That said, The Vivosmart 3 uses a guess at stride length which you can edit to get a more accurate reading but it still will not be as accurate as GPS. Garmin isn’t really made for run tracking distance, it’s the gym where it excels. If a running watch is what you're after, consider something like the Garmin Vivosmart HR+ which I also reviewed and the link to video will be in the description below. Unlike a lot of the competition out there the Vivosmart 3 actually offers rep counting for weight training. You’ve probably been there before, sweating and panting mid-workout, only to realize you’ve lost count of your reps. The rep counting on the Vivosmart 3 does work surprisingly well but you will need to do a least 5 reps before it will start counting onwards. Garmin also added an edit option if it has gotten your amount of reps incorrect.
The Vivosmart 3 has a stress measurement and if you have high stress level you can opt to try a guided breathing exercise to calm you - that actually does work. For that ultimate relaxation time, which is sleep, the Vivosmart 3 is there too, still tracking away. Thanks to the auto-tracking this means both for sports and sleeping you can just start and you’ll be tracked. Sleep timing is accurate thanks to those movement sensors, and the watch also measures your deep and light sleep. When using Bluetooth on your phone, the notifications work well for your messages, with WhatsApps appearing so you can read them right there on the wrist. You can also control your music with simple screen taps and even check the weather. Nice touches on what feels like a device that should be too small to offer so many options.
The charger is not magnetic but is just a clip. The clip attaches easily, plus the device clearly shows on screen when it’s charging. Battery life 5 to 6 days, Garmin reckons you will get five days of use out of the Vivosmart 3. In reality you can manage to squeeze out about six days, depending on how much exercise and notification reading you do.
The Garmin app it self is not the greatest as it is very dark and confusing to navigate through. I have the try the fitbit app and I enjoy using it way more.
So should you buy it? If you don’t yet have an activity tracker or smartwatch but want to reach a healthier you, then this is for you. However, if you’re a runner, cyclist, swimmer or any outdoor activity that need GPS there are better options out there, like the Garmin Forerunner 935. If you only want step counting, then there are far cheaper options out there too. But if you want that rare gym-based rep counting then this is also an ideal option for you.
Garmin Vivosmart 3 Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2fcdAOU
Garmin Vivosmart 3 Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2hkfsG5
Garmin Forerunner 935 Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2xSe9ZA
Garmin Forerunner 935 Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2wHZRFU
UNBOXING VIDEO ⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊
VIDEO REVIEW ⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊⇊