Garmin Vivoactive 6 evaluate: Nonetheless my favourite health watch

The Garmin Vivoactive 6 is without doubt one of the most snug watches I’ve had the pleasure of testing. I put it on, and fairly merely, it disappears.

Clearly it’s nonetheless there, however ask me if I’m nonetheless carrying it and I’ll should look to verify. In my few weeks carrying it, I’ve forgotten I used to be carrying it a number of instances, together with forgetting to alert safety workers earlier than strolling via a steel detector. Protected to say, the guard was not significantly receptive to my enthusiastic evaluate of its consolation.

I got here from carrying the OnePlus Watch 3, which isn’t an uncomfortable watch to put on by any means, and scores excessive when it comes to wearability — however evaluate it to Garmin’s watch and I would as properly have tied a radiator to my wrist. Key’s the relative weights between the gadgets. At simply 36 grams with the strap hooked up, the Vivoactive 6 is beneath half the OnePlus Watch 3’s 81 gram weight. And that makes a giant distinction. Talking of the strap, the consolation extends to that too. I’ve seen the strap is simply too tight a number of instances, however not as a result of I felt it tight towards my wrist, solely as a result of I attempted to maneuver it, and realised it wouldn’t budge. If consolation is king for you, then that is your health watch.

It shares this with different Garmin watches I’ve worn, together with the Vivoactive 5 and Forerunner 165, which might be as a result of they, er, are fairly comparable. Garmin hasn’t modified up what’s an excellent design, and the Vivoactive 6 is essentially the identical because the Vivoactive 5. Among the buttons have modified form, and the proprietary charging port is alongside the underside of the gadget’s rear, to not one facet, however at a look, you’d assume they had been the identical watch.

I’m not an enormous fan of the white variant I used to be despatched, although. The colour is ok, however it positively reveals grime greater than the blue Vivoactive 5 did, and the strap is clearly bodily soiled — and check out as I would, I can’t appear to scrub it. In case you do extra along with your watch than simply put on it to the gymnasium and again, then I might take into account one other colorway or changing the strap when it will get mucky.

In case you’re searching for an announcement watch, this isn’t that. It’s additionally not the smartest-looking smartwatch. It’s comparatively small and refined, and does its work with out screaming about it.

Garmin Vivoactive 6: show and controls

The 1.2-inch AMOLED show is smaller than most different smartwatches I’ve used not too long ago, however don’t let that put you off — as with the Vivoactive 5, the show right here is beautiful. The AMOLED tech means it’s each bit the equal of choices you should purchase from Apple or Samsung, with vivid colours that pop off the display, and deep inky blacks. At night time, the watchface shifts right into a pink show, which dramatically improves the always-on show at nighttime. It’s nonetheless usable, however with out blinding you want different watches are likely to. It’s an actual bonus, and I’m shocked I haven’t seen it on different smartwatches.

Sturdiness-wise, I’m much less impressed. I’ve had the Vivoactive 6 for a few week now, and it’s picked up a number of scratches on the show. I haven’t been mountain climbing or any kind of significantly excessive sport, so it’s protected to say this has occurred throughout regular on a regular basis life. It’s a little bit of a disgrace, however on the plus facet, they’re solely actually discovered across the edges of the show, so the chunky bezels disguise them properly, and so they can solely actually be seen once you angle the watch good.

Elevate-to-wake continues to be dangerous. I’ve discovered it to be very unreliable, however that is largely only a good motive to allow the always-on show. Whereas I might usually be hesitant to maintain an always-on show on on a regular basis as a result of impression on the battery, the battery is greater than adequate to compensate — however extra on that later.

On the entire, the Vivoactive 6’s show is great. Sure, the bezels are monumental, and it’s picked up fairly a number of scratches, however it’s nonetheless sumptuously colourful, vivid, and really clear. As ever, I’m impressed with what Garmin brings to the desk.

The management system is strong. The Vivoactive 6 has a touchscreen you should use to swish via menus shortly, together with the 2 buttons organized across the edges of the case. The highest button opens the watch’s menu, and press it once more, and it’ll open a listing of workout routines. Press it as soon as extra, and it’ll choose the primary train on the listing, and you may press it one final time to begin that train. Maintain the highest button and it’ll open a fast settings panel, the place you may shortly toggle modes, or discover your cellphone. The underside button is your again button, however when you maintain it down you may arrange an app shortcut. As a management system, it’s not essentially the most intuitive, and except you’re a seasoned Garmin consumer, you’ll get misplaced a number of instances.

A part of it’s because there’s no central app drawer. As a result of an app drawer collects each operate in your watch, getting there’ll ultimately imply you get to what you need with out having to return to the house display. Right here, as a result of every operate wants you to go a particular manner, it’s very simple to get misplaced. It will get simpler over time, however I nonetheless find yourself swiping via the flawed menu pretty often.

However all the nice seems to be and luxury on this planet don’t imply a factor if this health watch doesn’t observe properly. And I’m happy to allay any of your fears on this regard, because the Vivoactive 6 is as glorious as ever.

A few of Garmin’s earlier missteps are nonetheless there — just like the dull-as-dishwater shows throughout workout routines — however there have additionally been some enhancements to Garmin’s general health monitoring.

There are nonetheless a large variety of workout routines to choose from, and you may decide and select what reveals up in your Actions display utilizing the Edit button on the backside of the listing, or through the use of the Join app in your cellphone.

New for me is the flexibility to change your train earlier than beginning it. Earlier than beginning an train, you may set your targets or intervals, browse a library of earlier exercises, observe a saved plan, and even your previous self, like a Mario Kart ghost. It’s also possible to select a map course to observe, change your settings, and even the screens that can present throughout your train, all out of your watch. It’s an enormous enhance from the earlier Vivoactive watch, and one which’s very welcome. It might be a tad overwhelming if you wish to simply run, however opening the menu is totally optionally available, so you may simply bypass it completely when you’re not .

However of all of the options Garmin has included, it’s the Physique Battery I really like essentially the most. Samsung has tried to beforehand ape this function, however solely Garmin has actually nailed it. Physique Battery is Garmin’s manner of estimating fairly how a lot power you’ve left in you for the day. It’s refilled everytime you relaxation and progressively depletes as you undertake actions, and it’s significantly helpful when you’re seeking to see whether or not you must cool off or push more durable. It’s not an absolute scale, and also you gained’t collapse when you let it run all the best way down, however it’s a enjoyable manner of seeing fairly how a lot power you’ve expended throughout the day, or how a lot you’ve recovered at night time.

With that stated, some components are nonetheless a bit disappointing. I hoped the garbage inactivity warnings from the Vivoactive 5 had been mounted, however they’re simply as inaccurate as ever, and it’s usually pinged me to inform me to begin transferring whereas I’m in the midst of an exercise. Fortunately, you may flip these off, so it’s not way more than an annoyance for the very begin.

Garmin Vivoactive 6: efficiency and good options

I used to be proud of the efficiency of the Vivoactive 5 on the time of my evaluate, however the second I moved on to the Forerunner 165, I used to be struck by how a lot smoother and sooner that watch was. Fortunately, the Vivoactive 6 takes its cues from its sportier brethren, and could be very quick and really easy throughout use. Whereas the earlier entry within the roster wasn’t sluggish, it did typically really feel as if it was lagging behind barely, and the Vivoactive 6 has prevented that altogether. Whereas efficiency isn’t as large a problem for a health watch like this, it’s actually good to have.

You even have notification mirroring, identical because the earlier watch — however now, in addition to sending canned responses to messages, you may as well use the on-screen keyboard to compose and ship replies. This function technically existed on the Vivoactive 5, however it bizarrely wanted the Garmin app open your cellphone to sort and ship, severely curbing its usefulness. That’s not the case, and it means the Vivoactive 6 is a way more succesful smartwatch-alternative. Certain, it’s no Apple Watch, however it’s not a very incapable.

Garmin Vivoactive 6: battery and charging

The Garmin Vivoactive 6 is a health watch first and a smartwatch second (extra on that later), and the health watch bit leads with regards to the battery life. With all well being monitoring options and the always-on show enabled, the Vivoactive 6 lasts for as much as 5 days. That’s an distinctive lifespan when you’re used to a conventional smartwatch, beating out even the long-lasting OnePlus Watch 3. Flip off the always-on show, and Garmin claims the Vivoactive 6 will final for 11 days. I’d solely suggest doing this when you’re joyful coping with the unreliable lift-to-wake operate.

Charging comes through a proprietary charger, and it’s a little bit sluggish. Charging the tiny battery cell from 15% to full took simply over an hour, which isn’t wherever close to as fast because it might be. Nonetheless, it’s simple to forgive when you’re solely charging a few times every week. Stick it on to cost when you bathe within the morning and also you shouldn’t have to cost at another time.

The Garmin Vivoactive 6 is a quick, long-lasting piece of tech that makes essentially the most of Garmin’s light-weight working system.

All the pieces I famous in my preliminary ideas has remained true; when you’re not going to be utilizing the teaching plans, don’t raise weights, and don’t use LiveTrack, then you definitely don’t have to hassle. The AI-fueled summaries are significantly pointless — I’ve but to see one which isn’t principally simply “you’re drained”, or “you haven’t slept very properly”. Maybe they might be completely different if I used to be coaching extra, however that simply provides extra grist to my private suggestion that you simply don’t subscribe except you’re a eager athlete. The added worth given by the subscription is there, it’s simply not for me, or for folks like me. In case you’re an informal exerciser, maybe operating or swimming a number of instances every week, you may skip Garmin Join+.

Exterior of the Join+ options, Join continues to be superb. Whereas you are able to do fairly a bit on the watch itself, it’s right here you’ll arrange coaching plans, lookup movies, join new challenges, and different comparable duties. It’s properly made and never complicated to make use of in any respect, and the information is as encompassing or simply ignored as you want. If I’ve one downside with it, it’s that Garmin continues to separate the watchface and app retailer into its personal app, Join IQ.

In equity to Garmin, Join IQ is nice. I really like the variety of watchfaces on provide, and whereas there aren’t wherever close to as many apps on it as there can be for watchOS or Put on OS, there are sufficient staples like Spotify that Garmin’s app retailer no less than justifies its existence. However I simply can’t fathom why it continues to be a very separate app.

Garmin Vivoactive 6: value and availability

The Garmin Vivoactive 6 is presently out there from the Garmin webstore and a variety of different retailers. It prices $300, and there aren’t any extra upgrades to get on high of that — no bigger sized variants, and no LTE upgrades. You get 4 colorways to choose from although: Lunar Gold with a Bone band, slate with a black band, Metallic Jasper Inexperienced with a Jasper Inexperienced band, and Metallic Pink Daybreak with Pink Daybreak band. Personally I’d purchase the Jasper Inexperienced, however you may as well customise your watch immediately from the Garmin retailer if you would like a distinct band or mixture.

What’s the Garmin Vivoactive 6?

Nicely, it’s necessary to notice that this isn’t a full-fledged smartwatch. In case you’re searching for an Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch-style gadget, then this isn’t the gadget for you. It has a number of third-party apps, however it has nowhere close to the app assist you’ll discover on Put on OS or watchOS. If a elaborate, shiny smartwatch is what you’re after, then avoid the Vivoactive 6.

However, when you’re searching for a health watch that may stretch into smartwatch territory, then this can be a nice choice. In case you’re searching for a tool with nice well being and health monitoring that you simply don’t have to cost fairly often, then this ought to be in your basket. Or, when you’re a eager athlete of any stripe, then Garmin is at all times going to be an excellent choice, whatever the particular mannequin.

The Garmin Vivoactive 6 is an especially snug health watch with sufficient smarts to maintain my smartwatch itch scratched, whereas additionally protecting sufficient within the tank to final for four-to-five days on a single cost with all the things turned on. The Vivoactive 6 is an distinctive gadget, and I’ve cherished each second with it.

In the end the Garmin Vivoactive 6 is strictly what it appears: a reliable health watch with a great smartwatch facet to it. The refined design will enchantment to those that don’t just like the sportier design of many health watches, and the lengthy battery life will sate those that merely can’t abide the thought of charging a smartwatch daily. At a value of $300, the Garmin Vivoactive 6 is completely value your cash when you want an incredible health and well being tracker, however don’t need everybody to right away learn about your gymnasium days.