Garmin Vivosmart

usability, size, reliability, design

price

75% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.

usability, design, size, price, portability

reliability, image quality

73% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

One of the few fitness bands that also acts as a smartwatch ; Long battery life ; Adjusts your daily step goal based on recent activity ; The "move bar" is an effective reminder to get up and walk around

Garmin Connect fitness app still doesn't offer much in the way of motivation ; Can be uncomfortable to wear after long periods of use ; Scratches easily ; Limited smartphone compatibility

Going into this review, I already knew that Garmin is better at making sports watches than fitness trackers. When I tested the Forerunner 15, a running watch with step-counting thrown in, I came away with the same conclusion as I did here: that the app...

Comfortable, discreet design ; Solid tracking and motivational qualities ; useful additional features, including phone notifications

More expensive than many rivals ; pointless sleep tracking ; screen can be annoyingly unresponsive

We slightly question the usefulness of this type of fitness tracker, and there are an awful lot of them coming out now. However, if you're in the market for one, this is definitely one you should consider

Discreet design. Contains remote controls for music. Vibration alarms and "move" alerts available. Supports push notifications. Measures miles, steps, calories burned, active time, and sleep. Informative, touch-capacitive display. Comfortable. Waterproof.

Fixed form factor. Can't interact with notifications (e.g., can't reply to incoming text messages from the bracelet). Steps and mileage seemed slightly inflated in tests.

The Road TestIn trying the Garmin Vivosmart for about two weeks, I have to admit that I liked its signature features—smart notifications from iOS and Android devices—more than I thought I would. I liked feeling a discreet little buzz on my wrist when a...

Slim, simple form factor doesn’t get in the way of life. Excellent battery. Good motivator for adding more activity into your daily routine. Straightforward onscreen navigation

Tap to wake mechanism can require some finesse. No GPS. Vibration alerts can be distracting. Battery life is so good, you may forget to charge it

The Vivosmart can accurately track your daily activities and display notifications from your smartphone. It can connect with third-party apps like MyFitnessPal and wireless heart-rate monitors. It's also waterproof and has personalized activity goals

Notifications can be difficult to read and aren't interactive. Sleep tracking isn't automatic, Garmin's mobile app is dated, and the touchscreen is sometimes unresponsive. Select smart features aren't available for iOS users

While it won't appeal to everyone, the Vivosmart is a solid activity tracker for those individuals who are also interested in receiving basic notifications on their wrist.

The Vivosmart can accurately track your daily activities and display notifications from your smartphone. It can connect with third-party apps like MyFitnessPal and wireless heart-rate monitors. It's also waterproof and has personalized activity goals.

Notifications can be difficult to read and aren't interactive. Sleep tracking isn't automatic, Garmin's mobile app is dated, and the touchscreen is sometimes unresponsive. Select smart features aren't available for iOS users.

While it won't appeal to everyone, the Vivosmart is a solid activity tracker for those individuals who are also interested in receiving basic notifications on their wrist.

Comfortable design ; Super long battery life ; Well implemented activity tracking and notifications

Companion app doesn't provide much value ; Text orientation makes longer notifications awkward to read

With April rapidly approaching, what's a fitness enthusiast with a geek streak to do? Ultimately, it comes down to which proclivity is stronger and what your budget will handle. The Vivosmart is not a smartwatch, nor does it try to be—which is, well,...