Garmin Vivosmart 5 vs Fitbit Charge 6: Which Tracker Wins?
Tired of fitness trackers that underperform? You’re in the right place! We’re diving headfirst into a showdown between two of the most popular contenders: the Garmin Vivosmart 5 and the Fitbit Charge 6. Get ready to discover which device will best help you achieve your health and fitness goals.
Both the Garmin Vivosmart 5 and the Fitbit Charge 6 pack a punch with features designed to track your activity, monitor your sleep, and keep you connected. But which one offers the best overall experience and value for your money? This comparison will break down the key differences and help you make an informed decision.
We’ll explore everything from design and display to activity tracking and smart features. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each tracker, empowering you to choose the perfect fitness companion for your lifestyle. Let’s get started and see which device comes out on top!
Specs at a Glance
| Feature | Garmin Vivosmart 5 | Fitbit Charge 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Display Type | OLED | AMOLED |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| GPS | Connected GPS | Built-in GPS |
| Heart Rate Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| SpO2 Monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Activity Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Water Resistance | Swim-proof | Swim-proof |
| Smartphone Notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Music Controls | Yes | Yes |
| Voice Assistant | No | Google Assistant |
| ECG | No | Yes |
Feature-by-Feature Breakdown
Design and Display
- Garmin Vivosmart 5: Features a slim, lightweight design with a bright OLED touchscreen display. Offers a comfortable fit for all-day wear, but the screen size is relatively small, which can make reading notifications and interacting with the interface challenging for some users.
- Fitbit Charge 6: Boasts a sleek design with a larger, brighter AMOLED display compared to its predecessor. Provides a more vibrant and easily readable experience, but the design is not a significant departure from previous versions.
- Winner: Fitbit
Fitness Tracking
- Garmin Vivosmart 5: Excellent fitness tracking capabilities, including heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and activity tracking for a variety of sports. Provides detailed insights through Garmin Connect. However, it lacks built-in GPS, relying on connected GPS.
- Fitbit Charge 6: Comprehensive fitness tracking with heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and automatic workout detection. Includes built-in GPS for accurate distance and pace tracking. Offers integration with Fitbit Premium for advanced analytics.
- Winner: Fitbit
GPS Performance
- Garmin Vivosmart 5: Relies on connected GPS, meaning it uses your smartphone’s GPS to track outdoor activities. This is generally accurate but requires your phone to be present during workouts.
- Fitbit Charge 6: Features built-in GPS, allowing for standalone tracking of outdoor activities without needing a smartphone. This provides more accurate and convenient location data.
- Winner: Fitbit
Heart Rate Monitoring
- Garmin Vivosmart 5: Equipped with Garmin’s Elevate heart rate sensor, providing continuous heart rate monitoring and alerts. Offers accurate heart rate data, but may lag behind some competitors in responsiveness during intense workouts.
- Fitbit Charge 6: Includes an improved heart rate sensor with enhanced accuracy during various activities. Provides continuous heart rate tracking and integrates with other health metrics.
- Winner: Fitbit
Smart Features
- Garmin Vivosmart 5: Offers basic smart features such as smart notifications, music controls, and find my phone. Lacks advanced features such as on-wrist calling or extensive app support.
- Fitbit Charge 6: Includes smart features such as smart notifications, contactless payments (Fitbit Pay), and music controls. Provides access to various apps and integrations.
- Winner: Fitbit
Battery Life
- Garmin Vivosmart 5: Offers up to 7 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, providing excellent longevity. Less frequent charging is a significant advantage for continuous wear.
- Fitbit Charge 6: Provides up to 7 days of battery life, similar to the vivosmart 5. Battery life may vary depending on usage of GPS and other features.
- Winner: Tie
Health and Wellness Features
- Garmin Vivosmart 5: Includes features like Body Battery energy monitoring, stress tracking, and abnormal heart rate alerts. Offers a strong suite of health-focused tools.
- Fitbit Charge 6: Provides health features like stress management score, EDA sensor for stress tracking, and Active Zone Minutes. Integrates with Fitbit Premium for deeper insights.
- Winner: Tie
Price
- Garmin Vivosmart 5: Typically priced lower than the Fitbit Charge 6, making it a more budget-friendly option.
- Fitbit Charge 6: Generally priced higher, reflecting its more advanced features and built-in GPS.
- Winner: Garmin
Winner by Category
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Display | Fitbit Charge 6 |
| GPS | Fitbit Charge 6 |
| Health Features | Fitbit Charge 6 |
| Voice Assistant | Fitbit Charge 6 |
| Design | Garmin Vivosmart 5 |
| Value | Tie |
What They Have in Common
- Heart Rate Monitoring: Both the Garmin Vivosmart 5 and Fitbit Charge 6 continuously monitor your heart rate, providing valuable insights into your activity levels and overall health. This data helps you track your fitness progress and identify potential health concerns.
- Sleep Tracking: Both fitness trackers automatically track your sleep patterns, including sleep stages (light, deep, and REM) and sleep quality. This information helps you understand your sleep habits and make adjustments for better rest.
- Activity Tracking: Both devices track a wide range of activities, including steps, distance, calories burned, and active minutes. They provide detailed metrics to help you monitor your daily activity and stay motivated.
- Smartphone Notifications: Both fitness trackers display smartphone notifications, allowing you to stay connected without constantly checking your phone. You can receive calls, texts, and app alerts directly on your wrist.
- Water Resistance: Both devices are water-resistant, making them suitable for swimming and showering. You can wear them during your workouts and daily activities without worrying about water damage.
Garmin Vivosmart 5 Vs Fitbit Charge 6 Buying Guide
Design and Display
The Garmin Vivosmart 5 boasts a sleek, minimalist design with a comfortable silicone band and a bright OLED touchscreen display. Its compact form factor makes it ideal for all-day wear and during workouts. The Fitbit Charge 6, on the other hand, features a slightly larger, more vibrant AMOLED display, offering improved readability and a more premium feel. Its design is also refined, with a similar band style and a focus on durability. Both devices are water-resistant, suitable for swimming and showering, but the Charge 6’s screen offers a better visual experience due to its enhanced brightness and color saturation. Deciding which design you prefer will come down to personal preference.
Fitness Tracking Features
Both the Vivosmart 5 and Charge 6 excel in fitness tracking, providing comprehensive metrics. The Vivosmart 5 focuses on core health metrics, including heart rate, sleep tracking, and stress levels. It also includes activity tracking for various sports. The Charge 6 offers a wider array of fitness tracking capabilities, including built-in GPS for more accurate distance and pace tracking, especially during outdoor activities. It also provides more advanced workout modes and real-time performance insights. The Charge 6’s integration with Google features like YouTube Music control and Google Maps directions further enhances its fitness-focused functionality, offering a more complete and feature-rich experience.
Health Monitoring Capabilities
The Garmin Vivosmart 5 and Fitbit Charge 6 both prioritize health monitoring. The Vivosmart 5 provides 24/7 heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking with sleep score, and stress tracking. It also offers Body Battery, a useful metric for understanding your energy levels. The Charge 6 builds upon these features with advanced health metrics, including SpO2 monitoring and an ECG app for detecting potential signs of atrial fibrillation. The Charge 6 offers a more in-depth health analysis, giving users more tools to monitor and understand their health and wellness. This makes the Charge 6 a more valuable tool for long-term health monitoring and preventative care.
Smartwatch Functionality
While both devices are primarily fitness trackers, they offer some smartwatch features. The Vivosmart 5 provides basic smartphone notifications, including call, text, and app alerts. It also allows for music control. The Charge 6 offers a more robust smartwatch experience. It includes smartphone notifications, music control, and support for Google Pay for contactless payments. The Charge 6’s integration with Google services provides a more seamless and convenient experience, making it a better choice for users who prioritize smartwatch features. The inclusion of Google Assistant adds even more functionality, allowing users to control smart home devices and get information with voice commands.
Battery Life
Battery life is an important consideration. The Garmin Vivosmart 5 generally offers longer battery life, typically lasting up to 7 days on a single charge, depending on usage. This is a significant advantage for users who prefer to minimize the frequency of charging. The Fitbit Charge 6’s battery life is shorter, usually lasting up to 6 days with typical use, and less if using GPS frequently. The Charge 6’s more advanced features and brighter display contribute to its shorter battery life. If long battery life is a priority, the Vivosmart 5 is the better choice, but if you don’t mind charging more often, the Charge 6 offers plenty of features.
Price and Value
Both the Garmin Vivosmart 5 and Fitbit Charge 6 are competitively priced. The Vivosmart 5 often comes at a slightly lower price point, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious consumers. Its core fitness tracking features and long battery life provide excellent value. The Charge 6, while potentially more expensive, offers a broader range of features, including built-in GPS, advanced health metrics, and more robust smartwatch functionalities. The Charge 6 is a better value if you’ll take advantage of these extra features. The best value depends on your specific needs and priorities, and the features that matter most to you.
Who Should Buy What?
Buy Garmin Vivosmart 5 If…
- You prioritize a lightweight and comfortable design.
- You prefer a more basic and straightforward user experience.
- You want a reliable fitness tracker with essential health and fitness features.
- You are invested in the Garmin ecosystem.
Buy Fitbit Charge 6 If…
- You want built-in GPS for more accurate workout tracking.
- You want access to advanced health features like ECG and Google Assistant.
- You want a more vibrant display.
- You prefer a wider range of activity tracking options and integrations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between the Vivosmart 5 and Charge 6?
The main difference lies in features and functionality. The Charge 6 offers built-in GPS, a more vibrant display, and more advanced health metrics, including ECG and SpO2 monitoring. The Vivosmart 5 focuses on core fitness tracking and offers longer battery life and a simpler interface. The Charge 6 has a more robust feature set, but the Vivosmart 5 offers a simpler experience.
Which tracker has better sleep tracking?
Both trackers offer excellent sleep tracking, but the Charge 6’s more advanced health metrics and detailed sleep analysis may give it a slight edge. Both trackers monitor sleep stages, but the Charge 6 offers more detailed insights and a sleep score based on your sleep quality. The Vivosmart 5 is still a great option, but the Charge 6 provides more in-depth data.
Does the Charge 6 have GPS?
Yes, the Fitbit Charge 6 has built-in GPS, allowing for accurate tracking of outdoor activities like running, cycling, and hiking. This eliminates the need to carry your phone for GPS tracking, providing more accurate distance and pace data. This is a key advantage over the Vivosmart 5, which relies on connected GPS via a smartphone.
Which tracker is better for beginners?
The Garmin Vivosmart 5 is generally better for beginners due to its simpler interface and focus on core fitness tracking. Its straightforward design and ease of use make it less overwhelming. The Charge 6’s broader feature set might be a bit much for beginners. Both are user-friendly, but the Vivosmart 5 has less learning curve.
Can I make calls on either device?
Neither the Vivosmart 5 nor the Charge 6 allows you to make phone calls directly from the device. They both provide notifications for incoming calls, allowing you to see who is calling and to accept or reject the call. You must still use your smartphone to talk.
Which tracker has better heart rate monitoring?
Both trackers offer continuous heart rate monitoring. The Charge 6 uses Fitbit’s PurePulse 2.0 technology, known for its accuracy. The Vivosmart 5 also provides reliable heart rate tracking. The accuracy is generally comparable between the two, but the Charge 6 may have a slight edge. Factors like fit and activity can impact accuracy.
Which device is best for battery life?
The Garmin Vivosmart 5 has the better battery life, typically lasting up to 7 days on a single charge. The Fitbit Charge 6 offers about 6 days of battery life, depending on usage. If battery life is a priority, the Vivosmart 5 is the clear winner. The Charge 6’s extra features affect its battery performance.
Final Verdict
The Garmin Vivosmart 5 and Fitbit Charge 6 are both excellent fitness trackers, each with its own strengths. The Vivosmart 5 excels in simplicity, long battery life, and core fitness tracking. The Charge 6 shines with its built-in GPS, advanced health metrics, and more robust smartwatch features. The best choice depends on your individual needs and preferences. If you prioritize advanced features and a more premium experience, the Charge 6 is the better choice.
Winner: Fitbit Charge 6