Key Takeaways
- The Garmin Vivoactive 4 is one of the best rated golf watches with activity tracking because it is a versatile smartwatch that excels in tracking your movements and shots on the golf course as well as tracking important fitness metrics related to your heart rate and sleep.
- Features preloaded golf course maps for over 40,000 courses worldwide, providing accurate distance measurements to flagsticks, hazards, and doglegs, as well as shot and club tracking.
- It does not have the advanced running features such as running dynamics, pacing strategies, and race prediction times of the best running watches for 2024 including the Garmin Forerunner 965 and Fenix 7.
- Offers wrist-based heart rate monitoring, activity tracking for various sports, detailed sleep analysis, and up to 500 songs of on-board music storage.
- Lacks some advanced golf features like full vector course mapping (no visuals of hazards and fairways), slope compensation, and virtual caddie, as well as certain high-end fitness metrics and health tracking capabilities such as endurance score, sleep score, HRV status, training readiness and load, and pacing strategies.
- Boasts an impressive 8-day battery life in smartwatch mode and a responsive user interface, despite occasional lags or stutters.
- Seamlessly syncs with the Garmin Connect app for data management, customization, and social features.
- Priced at $349.99, making it an affordable option for golfers and fitness enthusiasts seeking a well-rounded smartwatch experience.
Garmin Vivoactive 4 Review: The Ultimate Golf and Fitness Smartwatch
Meet the Garmin Vivoactive 4 – a sleek smartwatch that seamlessly blends golf GPS capabilities with comprehensive fitness tracking. After extensively testing this gadget over the past few weeks, I can confidently say it will lower your golf score and improve your cardio fitness.
Imagine having a virtual caddie on your wrist, providing precise distances to the green, hazards, and layup positions. With over 40,000 preloaded golf courses worldwide, the Vivoactive 4 ensures you’re always well-informed, no matter where your next swing takes you because it comes with automatic course and hole recognition as well as shot tracking and a digital scorecard.
But this watch isn’t just about golf. It’s a fitness powerhouse:
- Wrist-based heart rate monitoring during workouts and rest
- Activity tracking for running, cycling, swimming, and more
- Sleep monitoring with detailed sleep stage analysis
The Vivoactive 4 boasts a touchscreen display that’s easy to navigate, customizable watch faces, and interchangeable bands to suit your style. Plus, its impressive music storage capacity lets you rock out to your favorite tunes during workouts – no phone needed!
Design and Display
Sleek and Sporty Look
The Vivoactive 4 strikes the perfect balance between style and functionality. Its lightweight polymer case weighs a mere 50.5 grams, ensuring a comfortable wear throughout the day. Despite its featherweight design, the watch feels remarkably sturdy thanks to its fiber-reinforced polymer construction.
The vibrant 1.3-inch display boasts a sharp 260 x 260 pixel resolution, delivering crisp visuals whether you’re checking golf yardages or tracking your workout stats. Its transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) technology ensures excellent visibility, even under direct sunlight.
One sunny afternoon, I decided to squeeze in a quick nine holes. Despite the glaring rays, I could easily read the precise distances to the green without squinting or shielding the display – a true game-changer when every yard counts.
Customizable Watch Faces and Bands
Personalization is key, and the Vivoactive 4 offers a wealth of options to make it truly yours. With a vast library of watch faces to choose from, you can switch up the look daily to match your outfit, mood, or activity.
From sleek analog styles to modern digital designs, and everything in between, there’s something to suit every taste. I particularly enjoy the faces with customizable data fields, allowing me to see my most important metrics at a glance.
But the fun doesn’t stop there! The Vivoactive 4 also offers a wide range of interchangeable watch bands in various materials and colors. Feeling sporty? Opt for a breathable silicone strap that wicks away sweat during intense workouts. Dressing up? A supple leather band instantly elevates the look for a night out.
| Feature | Availability |
|---|---|
| Touchscreen Display | Yes |
| Display Size | 1.3″ (33.0 mm) diameter |
| Display Resolution | 260 x 260 pixels |
| Customizable Watch Faces | Yes |
| Changeable Watch Bands | Yes |
Swapping bands is a breeze – just a few clicks, and you’re ready to rock a fresh look. Last weekend, I effortlessly switched from a perforated silicone band for my morning trail run to a sleek leather strap for brunch with friends, all without missing a beat.
Golf Features
Preloaded Golf Course Maps
Having access to over 40,000 preloaded golf courses worldwide is really convenient because it offers key distance information at a glance. While it may lack the eye-candy of full vector maps with detailed visuals, it covers all the essentials.
You’ll have front, middle, and back yardages to the green, as well as distances to hazards like bunkers and water hazards. It even accounts for layup positions and dogleg turns, ensuring you have the data you need to plan every shot.
During a recent round at a challenging new course, the preloaded maps were a lifesaver. Instead of guessing yardages or relying on outdated course guides, I had accurate distances readily available, allowing me to attack each hole with confidence.
Automatic Course and Hole Recognition
Bid farewell to manually selecting your course and hole – the Vivoactive 4 does it automatically. This nifty feature detects your location and updates seamlessly as you move from hole to hole, ensuring you always have the right information.
Accurate Distance Measurements
Precise distance data is the cornerstone of good golf, and the Vivoactive 4 delivers. In addition to front/middle/back yardages to the green, it provides distances to hazards like bunkers and water hazards, as well as layup positions and dogleg turns.
On a recent par 5, I recall a particularly tight approach shot, where the difference between a perfectly stuck green and a dreaded bunker lie was mere yards. Thanks to the Vivoactive 4’s layup distance measurement, I selected the right club, setting up a perfect approach that nearly led to an eagle putt that settled just a few feet from the pin. The accuracy of these measurements can truly shave strokes off your game.
Shot Tracking and Digital Scorecard
Say goodbye to those flimsy scorecards because the Vivoactive 4’s shot tracking and digital scorecard are a revelation. They can meticulously track your shots, scores, and putts.
| Golf Feature | Availability |
|---|---|
| Preloaded Golf Course Maps | Yes |
| Automatic Course and Hole Recognition | Yes |
| Distance to Front/Middle/Back of Green | Yes |
| Hazard and Layup Distances | Yes |
| Dogleg Distances | Yes |
| Shot Tracking | Yes |
| Digital Scorecard | Yes |
| PlaysLike Distances (Slope Compensation) | No |
| Full Vector Course Maps | No |
| Touch Targeting | No |
While it may lack advanced features of the Garmin s62 and s70 like PlaysLike distances or full vector maps, the Vivoactive 4 covers all the essentials for an enjoyable and data-driven round of golf. With automatic course recognition, precise distances to hazards and pins, shot tracking, and digital scoring, it’s a fantastic option for golfers seeking an affordable edge on the course.
Fitness and Activity Tracking
Heart Rate Monitoring
The Vivoactive 4 boasts a wrist-based heart rate monitor, allowing you to track your cardiac activity during workouts and rest periods. While skeptical at first, I’ve been impressed by its accuracy, especially during high-intensity sessions.
During a recent HIIT workout, I could feel my heart pounding as I pushed through each interval. A quick glance at my wrist confirmed the elevated heart rate, motivating me to dig deeper. No need for a cumbersome chest strap! However, it does not offer advanced heart rate variability (HRV) metrics or underwater wrist-based heart rate monitoring, which are available on some higher-end Garmin watches.
Activity Tracking
The watch tracks a wide variety of activities, from running and cycling to swimming and strength training. It provides useful features like time and distance alerts, calories burned, gps-based distance, time, and pace as well as cadence. That said, it lacks some advanced running dynamics like ground contact time, vertical oscillation and ratio, and real-time stride length, which are found on watches like the Forerunner 965 and Fenix 7 series.
Sleep Tracking
Tracking your sleep is crucial for overall health and recovery, and the Vivoactive 4 does an impressive job. It monitors your sleep stages (light, deep, REM) and provides a breakdown of your sleep quality.
I’ve found this feature particularly helpful in identifying patterns and making adjustments to my routine. For instance, after a few restless nights, the sleep data prompted me to cut back on evening caffeine, leading to significantly improved sleep quality. However, it does not offer a dedicated sleep score or advanced sleep insights like those found in the Fitbit Premium or Garmin Connect IQ apps.
Other Health and Fitness Features
The Vivoactive 4 packs a punch with several additional health and fitness features:
- VO2 max estimation
- Body Battery energy monitoring
- Stress tracking with breathing exercises
- Hydration tracking
- Menstrual cycle tracking
Unfortunately, it lacks some advanced metrics like training load, training effect, recovery time estimation, and daily suggested workouts based on your training status, which are available on higher-end Garmin watches such as the Garmin Fenix 8, Forerunner 965, and Epix Pro 2.
| Fitness Feature | Availability |
|---|---|
| Wrist-based Heart Rate Monitoring | Yes |
| Heart Rate Variability (HRV) | No |
| Underwater Wrist HR | No |
| Activity Tracking (Running, Cycling, Swimming, etc.) | Yes |
| Advanced Running Dynamics | No |
| Sleep Tracking | Yes |
| Sleep Score | No |
| VO2 Max Estimation | Yes |
| Body Battery Energy Monitoring | Yes |
| Stress Tracking | Yes |
| Hydration Tracking | Yes |
| Menstrual Cycle Tracking | Yes |
| Training Load/Effect Monitoring | No |
| Recovery Time Estimation | No |
| Daily Suggested Workouts | No |
Smart Features
Music Storage and Control
One of my favorite features of the Vivoactive 4 is its ability to store and play music directly from the watch. No more lugging around your phone during workouts or runs! I can sync my Spotify playlists and enjoy up to 500 songs on the go.
The interface for controlling music playback is intuitive and easy to navigate, even mid-stride. I remember jamming out to my favorite tunes during a recent long run, effortlessly skipping tracks and adjusting the volume from my wrist.
However, it’s worth noting that the watch lacks a built-in speaker, so you’ll need to pair it with Bluetooth headphones or earbuds to listen to your tunes.
Smartphone Notifications
Stay connected without constantly reaching for your phone. The Vivoactive 4 displays notifications from your smartphone, including incoming calls, texts, and app alerts. Perfect for keeping tabs on important updates without breaking your stride.
I particularly appreciate the vibration alerts, which subtly notify me of incoming notifications without causing a disruptive ruckus. Although, a heads-up: you can’t respond directly from the watch, so you’ll need to grab your phone for that.
Other Smart Features
While not as feature-packed as some dedicated smartwatches, the Vivoactive 4 still offers a few handy smart features:
- Weather forecasts
- Calendar integration
- Find my phone (trigger your phone to ring)
- Garmin Pay (contactless payments)
The weather and calendar widgets have proven quite useful for staying on top of my daily schedule and planning outdoor activities accordingly.
| Smart Feature | Availability |
|---|---|
| Music Storage and Control | Yes |
| Built-in Speaker for Music Playback | No |
| Smartphone Notifications | Yes |
| Respond to Notifications from Watch | No |
| Weather Forecasts | Yes |
| Calendar Integration | Yes |
| Find My Phone | Yes |
| Garmin Pay (Contactless Payments) | Yes |
| Voice Assistant | No |
| Take Calls from Watch | No |
Battery Life and Performance
Battery Life in Different Modes
One of the standout features of the Vivoactive 4 is its impressive battery life. In smartwatch mode, you can expect up to 8 days of use on a single charge. That’s over a week without having to worry about finding a power source!
For activities that utilize GPS, the battery life is still respectable. With GPS and music playback, you’ll get up to 6 hours of usage, while GPS mode without music offers up to 18 hours of runtime.
During a recent weekend camping trip, I put the Vivoactive 4’s battery to the test. Despite tracking multiple hikes with GPS and occasionally streaming music, the watch lasted the entire trip without needing a recharge.
However, it’s worth noting that battery life can vary based on factors like activity tracking, display settings, and overall usage patterns.
Performance and Responsiveness
Powered by a snappy processor, the Vivoactive 4 delivers a smooth and responsive experience. Navigating through menus, launching apps, and accessing data feels seamless, with minimal lag or stuttering.
That said, like any smart device, the Vivoactive 4 can occasionally experience hiccups or slowdowns, especially when dealing with complex data sets or running multiple apps simultaneously. But for most everyday use cases, its performance is reliable and satisfactory.
| Battery Life | Duration |
|---|---|
| Smartwatch Mode | Up to 8 days |
| GPS Mode with Music | Up to 6 hours |
| GPS Mode without Music | Up to 18 hours |
| Performance | Availability |
| Responsive User Interface | Yes |
| Occasional Lags or Stutters | Yes |
Garmin Connect App
Syncing and Data Management
The Vivoactive 4 seamlessly syncs with Garmin’s Connect app, allowing you to view and analyze your activity data in greater detail. The syncing process is straightforward – simply open the app, and your watch will automatically upload its latest data.
I’ve found the Connect app to be a valuable companion, providing insights into my fitness trends and progress over time. The ability to view historical data and compare it to my current performance has helped me identify areas for improvement and stay motivated on my fitness journey.
Customization and Settings
While the Vivoactive 4 offers a decent level of customization on the watch itself, the Connect app takes it to the next level. From watch faces and data fields to activity profiles and widget layouts, you can tailor the experience to suit your preferences.
I particularly enjoy browsing through the vast library of watch face designs, ranging from sleek and minimalist to bold and vibrant. With just a few taps, I can instantly refresh the look of my watch to match my mood or outfit.
Social and Community Features
The Garmin Connect app also boasts a social component, allowing you to connect with friends, family, and like-minded fitness enthusiasts. You can share your activities, join challenges, and even engage in friendly competitions to keep each other motivated.
While not a primary feature for me, I’ve found the social aspect to be a fun addition, especially when my friends and I challenge each other to hit certain step goals or compete in virtual races.
| Garmin Connect Feature | Availability |
|---|---|
| Sync and View Activity Data | Yes |
| Customize Watch Faces and Settings | Yes |
| Social Features (Connect with Friends, Challenges) | Yes |
| Advanced Training Analysis and Metrics | Limited |
| Third-Party App Integration | Limited |
Comparisons
Comparison with Other Garmin Watches
When it comes to Garmin’s lineup, the Vivoactive 4 strikes a nice balance between features and affordability. Compared to the more expensive Fenix 7 series or the dedicated Garmin golf watches like the Approach S62, it understandably lacks some advanced features.
For instance, the Fenix 7 boasts features like recovery time estimation, training load analysis, and advanced running dynamics that the Vivoactive 4 doesn’t offer. Similarly, the Approach S62 provides full vector course mapping and touch targeting capabilities that golf enthusiasts may appreciate.
However, for casual golfers and fitness enthusiasts, the Vivoactive 4 offers a compelling package at a more accessible price point. Its core golf GPS and activity tracking features are more than adequate for most users, making it a solid entry-level option.
Comparison with Competitor Watches
The Vivoactive 4 holds its own against competitors like the Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch series. While it may not match their smart feature set, it excels in areas like battery life and dedicated fitness tracking capabilities.
For example, the Vivoactive 4’s impressive 8-day battery life in smartwatch mode significantly outperforms the Apple Watch, which typically needs daily charging. Also its comprehensive suite of fitness metrics and outdoor navigation features cater more directly to active individuals and outdoor enthusiasts.
However, if you prioritize smart features like voice assistants, cellular connectivity, or advanced health tracking (like ECG and blood oxygen monitoring), the Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch may be better suited to your needs.
| Watch | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Garmin Vivoactive 4 | Golf GPS, fitness tracking, battery life | Limited advanced features, smart capabilities |
| Garmin Fenix 7 | Advanced fitness metrics, outdoor navigation | Higher price point |
| Garmin Approach S62 | Full vector course mapping, touch targeting | Limited non-golf features |
| Apple Watch | Smart features, health tracking, app ecosystem | Battery life, dedicated fitness tracking |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch | Smart features, health tracking, rotating bezel | Battery life, dedicated fitness tracking |
Pricing and Availability
The Garmin Vivoactive 4 is priced at a reasonable $349.99, making it an attractive option for those seeking a versatile GPS smartwatch without breaking the bank. Given its impressive feature set, the value proposition is hard to beat.
You can find the Vivoactive 4 at various retailers, both online and in physical stores. Popular options include:
- Garmin’s official website
- Major online retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and REI
- Sporting goods stores like Dick’s Sporting Goods and Academy Sports
The watch is available in several color options, including Black, White, and a sleek Slate colorway with a stainless steel bezel. Also you can mix and match different band styles and materials to personalize the look further.
During my recent purchase, I opted for the Slate model with a leather band, giving it a more refined look suitable for both workout sessions and casual outings. The buying process was straightforward, and the watch arrived promptly, ready for action right out of the box.
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Price | $349.99 |
| Color Options | Black, White, Slate |
| Band Options | Silicone, Leather, Nylon |
| Availability | |
| Garmin Website | Yes |
| Online Retailers (Amazon, Best Buy, REI) | Yes |
| Sporting Goods Stores | Yes |
While the Vivoactive 4 may not be the most affordable option on the market, its combination of golf GPS capabilities, fitness tracking features, and smartwatch functionality make it a worthwhile investment for anyone looking for a versatile and capable smartwatch that excels in both golf GPS and fitness tracking capabilities.
For golfers, the preloaded course maps, accurate distance measurements, and shot tracking features make it a reliable companion on the course. While it may lack some advanced golf-specific features like full vector mapping or slope compensation, it covers the essentials beautifully.
In the fitness world, the Vivoactive 4 shines with its wrist-based heart rate monitoring, activity tracking for a wide range of sports, and detailed sleep analysis. The ability to store and play music directly from the watch is important for those who prefer to leave their phones behind during workouts.
However, it’s important to note that the Vivoactive 4 falls short in some areas. Advanced training metrics like recovery time estimation and training load analysis are absent, as are some cutting-edge health tracking features like ECG and blood oxygen monitoring.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Preloaded golf course maps | No full vector course mapping |
| Accurate distance measurements | No slope compensation |
| Shot tracking and digital scorecard | No touch targeting |
| Wrist-based heart rate monitoring | No advanced training metrics |
| Comprehensive activity tracking | Limited advanced health tracking |
| Sleep tracking and analysis | No ECG or blood oxygen monitoring |
| Music storage and control | No built-in speaker |
| Impressive battery life | Occasional lags or stutters |
The Garmin Vivoactive 4 is an excellent option for active individuals and casual golfers seeking a well-rounded smartwatch that balances golf GPS, fitness tracking, and smart features at an affordable price point.
If you’re in the market for a versatile smartwatch that can keep up with your active lifestyle and provide accurate golf data, the Vivoactive 4 is definitely worth considering.
