Vivosmart 4 showing triangle. I get a great watch with accurate heartbeat monitoring (confirmed by my own Pulse Ox And chest strap), Multiple free watch faces, a.
When buying a fitness tracker, many things will be on your mind, such as compatibility, app variety, and fitness tracking. Both the Garmin Vivosmart 4 and Fitbit Charge 3 have quite the capabilities in these areas, making the competition tough.
- I did some analysis and research on how the watch-face is affecting the battery draining of the brand new Garmin Vivoactive 4 watch, brand new out of the box. I've tested several popular Watch-faces, which had a good rating and a high download rate.
- The only difference being the extra live watch faces on Venu (and of course, it’s a much prettier display that you pay for in battery life). But this post is about the Vivoactive 4, not Venu. The VA4 takes the Vivoactive 3 of yesteryear and advanced it forward with a pile of new features, as well as including music as the baseline.
- I did some analysis and research on how the watch-face is affecting the battery draining of the brand new Garmin Vivoactive 4 watch, brand new out of the box. I've tested several popular Watch-faces, which had a good rating and a high download rate.
Since both of these watches have almost identical features, nitpicking the minutest differences is a must to understand which one will be the best for you. Generally speaking, the Fitbit brand has been leading the fitness tracking arena for a great while now. However, Garmin’s Vivosmart 4 strikes a good bargain.
So, should you choose the Garmin Vivosmart 4 or Fitbit Charge 3? Let’s find out.
Garmin Vivosmart 4 vs. Fitbit Charge 3: Which Is Better?
Simply put, this depends on your exact needs. The Garmin Vivosmart 4 has a compact, sleek design. In fact, that’s what makes it so special compared to other smartwatches. So, if you’re looking for a light and small fitness tracker that you can almost forget that you’re wearing, you should go for the Garmin Vivosmart 4.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for better readability for notifications, a bigger screen, and better navigation, you should pick the Fitbit Charge 3.
Design
This is the one definitive feature for both trackers. Vivosmart 4 has a sleek design so light that you would often forget you’re wearing it. This is precisely why a lot of people opt for this fitness tracker. Nonetheless, if small displays can be eye-straining for you, then you should steer clear from this one.
In contrast, the Fitbit Charge 3 is bulkier and even chunkier. However, you’ll be able to read notifications more easily than you would on Vivosmart 4. The square screen adjusts the texts to be easily read instead of Fitbit Charge 3’s small rectangular screen.
All in all, the Vivosmart 4’s design is made to fit in and be discreet, while the Fitbit Charge 3 stands out.
Winner: Tie. It depends on your preferences.
Read also: Suunto vs Garmin
Battery Life
At first glance, you’ll find that both fitness trackers promise a 7-day battery life. However, this duration can and will fluctuate depending on your usage.
For instance, the Vivosmart 4’s battery life drops to around 4 days when using one of the unique features like the OX pulse. The same goes for Fitbit Charge 3, though it drops only to 5 days after constant usage.
However, when you think about it, the Garmin Vivosmart 4 sports one of the largest and most durable batteries considering its incredibly compact size. In fact, it contains a lot of unique features, and it all fits perfectly into this small watch, which is regarded as a feat compared to Fitbit Charge 3.
Winner: Fitbit Charge 3.
Fitness Tracking
Overall, both watches track your steps, stairs climbed, calories burned, movement, and heart rate, as inaccurate as that might be in some cases. They also track a host of other activities, though you might find that the Fitbit Charge 3 tracks more activities than Vivosmart 4.
Although both watches can track an array of fitness exercises and activities, they’re not highly accurate when it comes to their heart rate sensors, especially the Garmin Vivosmart 4.
Despite that, the Vivosmart can accurately measure the blood oxygen saturation thanks to its Pulse Ox sensor. However, it might be a bit inaccurate when it comes to run-tracking.
Winner: Fitbit Charge 3.
Read also: Garmin Fenix 5x Vs 5x Plus
Connectivity
The Vivosmart 4 can practically be paired with any device without worrying about it not syncing to the device. But make sure that you’ve downloaded the latest version of the Garmin Connect app, as not all the watch’s features will work on your phone if you don’t.
Vivosmart 4 Watch Faces Chart
Although navigating the app might be a bit tricky, it’ll give you more control over your watch and even provide you with some useful customization options, like sleep times, watch faces, and more.
As for the Fitbit Charge 3, syncing it with your smartphone is much easier. All you have to do is turn on your Bluetooth; however, you might face some connectivity issues. In fact, your watch might not sync with your phone sometimes, which is why you’ll have to download the compatible Fitbit app with your device.
Vivosmart 4 Watch Faces For Sale
Winner: Tie.
Water Resistance
If you often dip your hands in water or forget to take off your watch while showering, there’s no need to worry because both Vivosmart 4 and Charge 3 have a high degree of water resistance!
Actually, Garmin has been doing a pretty good job of keeping all their devices water-resistant. The Vivosmart 4 is no different, as it has a water resistance rating of 100 meters, which means that you can wear your watch while doing a variety of activities, including swimming. It can also provide you with valuable metrics while swimming.
On the other hand, the Fitbit Charge 3 is water-resistant up to 50 meters. While this rating can still give you readings on your performance while swimming, it doesn’t beat Vivosmart 4’s 100-meter rating.
Winner: Vivosmart 4.
GPS
Unfortunately, the Vivosmart 4 doesn’t have a built-in GPS, but it uses your smartphone’s GPS to track your outdoor activities and give you accurate readings of your health, which you can access through the watch’s app. Of course, this feature doesn’t substitute a built-in GPS, but it’s still useful in a way.
Likewise, the Fitbit Charge 3 doesn’t contain a built-in GPS as well, and it can track your outdoor activity, similar to how Vivosmart 4 does. So, make sure that you turn on the GPS on your phone every time you go exercise outside.
Winner: Tie.
Female Health Tracking
One of the best features that Fitbit Charge 3 has over the Vivosmart 4 is female health-tracking, something that’ll appeal to our female audience.
This feature basically tracks your menstrual cycle and incorporates that into your fitness data so you have a better understanding of which exercises should suit you best.
It’ll also help you set goals, connect with your friends, and help you better understand your health and body overall.
Winner: Fitbit Charge 3.
Garmin Vivosmart 4 – Pros & Cons:
Fitbit Charge 3 – Pros & Cons:
Garmin Vivosmart 4 vs. Fitbit Charge 3: Which One Wins?
Both of these fitness trackers are great; they have a lot of similarities, but they can also be different in various aspects, just as we’ve highlighted in this review. To sum it up, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly compact smartwatch with various features, the Garmin Vivosmart 4 is your best bet.
If you’re looking for a useful smartwatch with an excellent display and better navigability, the Fitbit Charge 3 is a great option for that purpose!