The Vivosmart 5 looks very much like its predecessor, Vivosmart 4. It’s also fitness-focused and well-equipped to track your daily activities like sleep, heart rate, blood oxygen and calories, and it also features a handful of preloaded sports modes. However, it comes with more safety and health tracking features not present on the Vivosmart 4. Moreover, it also has a slightly larger display and interchangeable bands. This in-depth comparison reviews the differences between the Garmin Vivosmart 4 and Vivosmart 5 to help you decide if an upgrade is a worthwhile investment.
In other words, while the Vivosmart 4 is a fantastic smartwatch, the Vivosmart 5 has a 66% larger display and more activity tracking features including safety features like incidental fall detection and Livetrack. Moreover, it has an easier to use charger and comes with a swappable band that will allow you to wear different looks for different occasions.
Garmin Vivosmart 4 vs 5 Full Specifications
| Product Info |
 Garmin Vivosmart 4 - Full Smartwatch Specifications |
 Garmin Vivosmart 5 - Full Smartwatch Specifications |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $89.99 | $139.58 |
| ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE |
| Device name | Garmin Vivosmart 4 | Garmin Vivosmart 5 |
| Device type | Fitness/Sport smartwatch | Fitness/Sport smartwatch |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Release date | August, 2018 | April 2022 |
| Predecessor | Garmin Vivosmart 3 | Garmin Vivosmart 4 |
| Successor | Garmin Vivosmart 5 | — |
| Versions | Small & Large | Small & Large |
| BODY | BODY | BODY |
| Dimension | 15 x 10.5 x 197 mm (small), 15 x 10.5 x 223mm (large) | 19.5 x 10.7 x 217mm (small), 19.5 x 10.7 x 255 mm (large) |
| Weight | 16.5g (small), 17.1g (large) | 24.5g (small), 26.5g (large) |
| Shape | Rectangular | Rectangular |
| Case material | Fiber-reinforced polymer | Fiber-reinforced polymer |
| Strap material | Silicone | Silicone |
| Bezel material | Aluminum | Fiber-reinforced polymer |
| Strap size | 20 mm | 20 mm |
| Interchangeable strap | No | Yes |
| Screen protection | Polycarbonate | Acrylic |
| Water resistance | Yes, 5ATM | Yes, 5ATM |
| Durability test | — | — |
| Swim-proof | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended |
| Color | Black, Gray | Black, White, Cool mint |
| DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY |
| Display size | 0.75 inch | 0.84 inch |
| Display type | Monochrome OLED | Monochrome OLED |
| Display resolution | 48 x 128 pixels | 88 x 154 pixels |
| Pixel density | 182 PPI | 211.15 PPI |
| Always on | Yes | Yes |
| Custom watch face | Yes | Yes |
| Input type | Touchscreen | 1 Physical button, Touchscreen |
| CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY |
| Bluetooth | ANT+, Bluetooth | ANT+, Bluetooth |
| Bluetooth calling | No | No |
| GPS | (connected GPS) | (connected GPS) |
| NFC | No | No |
| Wi-Fi | No | No |
| MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY |
| RAM | — | — |
| ROM | 128MB | 128MB |
| Memory card slot | No | No |
| CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY |
| Technology | None | None |
| SIM type | None | None |
| Band | — | — |
| NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS |
| SMS alert | Yes | Yes |
| Calls alert | Yes | Yes |
| Email alert | Yes | Yes |
| Event reminder | Yes | Yes |
| Third-party apps alert | Yes | Yes |
| Reply to Notifications | Android only, Yes (preset replies) | Android only, Yes (preset replies) |
| MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA |
| Audio | No | No |
| Bluetooth music | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | No | No |
| Microphone | No | No |
| Camera | No | No |
| Radio | No | No |
| SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS |
| Sensor(s) | — | — |
| ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING |
| Blood oxygen | Yes | Yes |
| Blood Pressure | No | No |
| Calories | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes |
| ECG tracking | No | No |
| Heart rate monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Steps | Yes | Yes |
| Floors climbed | Yes | No |
| Stress | Yes | Yes |
| Fall detection | No | Yes |
| Menstrual cycle | Yes | Yes |
| VO2 Max | Yes | Yes |
| Swim-tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Underwater heart rate tracking | No | No |
| On-screen workout | No | No |
| Sport modes | Yes | Yes |
| BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY |
| Battery type | — | — |
| Battery capacity | — | — |
| Battery life | Mixed usage: Up to 7 days | Mixed usage: Up to 7 days |
| Charging type | Charging dock | Charging dock |
| Charging time | 1-2 hours | 1-2 hours |
| Solar charging | No | No |
| PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM |
| Chipset | — | — |
| CPU | — | — |
| GPU | — | — |
| Operating system | Proprietary OS | Proprietary OS |
| MISC | MISC | MISC |
| Companion app | Garmin Connect | Garmin Connect |
| Compatibility | Android 7.0+, iOS 15.0+ | Android 7.0+, iOS 15.0+ |
| Payment system | None | None |
| Voice command | No | No |
| Find my phone | Yes | Yes |
| Box content | Charger, Manual, Straps, Garmin Vivosmart 4 | Charger, Manual, Straps, Garmin Vivosmart 5 |
Garmin Vivosmart 4 vs 5 – Key Differences
- Vivosmart 5 has a slightly larger display
- Vivosmart 5 has a physical button
- Vivosmart 5 has a swappable band
- Vivosmart 5 has a calendar app
- Vivosmart 5 will give you a sleep score
- Vivosmart 5 will track your respiratory rate 24/7
- Vivosmart 5 features incidental fall detection and LiveTrack
- Vivosmart 5 features HIIT and Pilates workout profiles
- Vivosmart 5 has an updated heart rate sensor
- Vivosmart 5 uses a USB charger
Both the Vivosmart 4 and 5 have very tiny displays, however, Vivosmart 5 has a 0.85 display size which is 66% larger than the 0.75-inch display size of the Vivosmart 4. This will allow you to see a little more at a glance.
Both smartbands use a monochrome OLED display that’s not colorful but very easy to read in any ambient light condition.
Both Vivosmart 4 and 5 feature a touch-sensitive screen that makes navigation very easy. However, while Vivosmart 4 has a haptic button, the Vivosmart 5 has a physical button. I prefer the physical button because you can accidentally press the haptic button but that’s almost impossible with a physical button.
Going further, another notable difference is that unlike Vivosmart 4, you can swap the band of Vivosmart 5. This will allow you to wear different looks for different occasions.
While this might not be exceptional, there is a calendar app on the Vivosmart 5 which is not available on Vivosmart 4. The calendar app will sync with the calendar app on your phone and will allow you to easily access the calendar directly from the device.
While Vivosmart 4 will track your sleep, it won’t give you a sleep score. Meanwhile, joining recently released Garmin watches, Vivosmart 5 will track your sleep and also give you a sleep score.
Sleep score is an advanced sleep tracking function that grades your sleep on a scale of 0-100. It also gives you insight into the factors that influenced your sleep score. A high sleep score means you had a good night’s rest and better prepared for the challenges ahead.
Unlike Vivosmart 4, the Vivosmart 5 will track your respiratory rate 24/7. The respiratory rate represents the number of times you breathe per minute.
While the Vivosmart 4 lacks incidental fall detection, with your phone nearby, the Vivosmart 5 can help you get real-time assistance if it detects a hard fall. You need to setup fall detection from the Garmin Connect app, and when the Vivosmart 5 detects a fall, it will start a call to a preset emergency contact and will also send your current location to these preset contacts.
Moreover, the Vivosmart 5 also features LiveTrack. With LiveTrack you can share a real-time view of your workout so that friends and family can follow along. LiveTrack will allow you share your current location, pace, distance, speed and more.
While both Vivosmart 4 and 5 feature a handful of gym profiles, the Vivosmart 5 features more gym profiles. It features HIIT and Pilates workout profiles which are not available on it’s predecessor.
Although both smartbands have an heart rate sensor that tracks your heart rate 24/7, the Vivosmart 5 comes with an updated heart rate sensor. Nonetheless, both smartbands are very consistent in tracking your heart rate.
Last but not the least, the Vivosmart 5 comes with a USB charger which is similar to what you get with most Garmin watches. Meanwhile, the Vivosmart 4 uses a clip-type charger. I find the USB charger to be easier to use.
In summary, while both smartbands are very compact and lightweight as well as equipped with loads of health tracking features, the Vivosmart 5 has a larger display and features more health and safety tracking features which no doubt makes it a more comprehensive and better smartband than its predecessor.
Vivosmart 4 vs 5 – Similar Features
Beyond the differences mentioned above, the Vivosmart 4 and 5 share a lot in common. Both smartbands are durably built with a polycarbonate case and silicone bands. And they are both rated 5ATM which means you can wear any of these to the shower or pool.
In terms of activity tracking, both smartbands will track your steps, calories, distance, sleep, blood oxygen, and heart rate. And with the Garmin Connect app, you can track hydration and menstrual cycle for women. Moreover, you get a handful of preloaded sports profiles.
With your phone nearby, both Vivosmart 4 and 5 will alert you when you receive a notification on your phone. You need to enable notifications for your preferred apps in the Garmin Connect app to receive messages from your favorite apps. It’s awesome to note that you also have the option to reply to messages using preset quick replies (Android only). Meanwhile, there is no difference in battery life, you get up to 7 days of battery life with either Vivosmart 4 or 5.
In conclusion, while the Vivosmart 4 is cheaper and a fantastic fitness-focused smartband, the Vivosmart 5 is a more comprehensive health tracker. It’s a worthwhile upgrade considering the significant additions.
