Garmin has been heavily focusing on its smartwatch segment as of late, leaving its competitors to dominate the fitness tracker market. Finally, four years after the release of its last model, the company has recently unveiled the successor to its smartband line with the Vivosmart 5. And much like its predecessor, the newer model offers users simple and straightforward smart features and also Garmin’s signature health/fitness tracking in a compact package, sans the advanced functions typically found on the brand’s roster of smartwatches.
The new Vivosmart 5 is equipped with a larger 10.5mm x 18.5mm OLED touchscreen with 88 x 154 pixel resolution that is encased in a polycarbonate body that is attached to an interchangeable silicone strap. It is water-rated at 5 ATM, available in small, medium and large sizes, and is also offered in three colour options: Cool Mint, Black, and White.
While it may not feature ECG sensors, the device does offer typical tracking functions for workout activity levels, sleep, menstrual cycles, blood oxygen levels, stress, and so on. This is on top of its 14 built-in activity modes, which includes everything from yoga to breathwork. Besides that, the Vivosmart 5 also comes with one new feature not found on the older models: connected GPS. This will allow the device to track and log the distance, speed, and pace of your runs and bike rides, as long as it is connected to the Garmin app on your smartphone.
As for battery life, Garmin claims the new tracker can last up to seven days on a single charge, provided that the pulse ox or sleep tracking features are disabled. As with its predecessors, also packaged together with it is a proprietary charger.
The Garmin Vivosmart 5 is now available in the US via the brand’s corresponding website and online store in that region. Regardless of the strap size chosen, the tracker is set to retail at a recommended price of US$150 (~RM 646). Unfortunately, its availability in Malaysia has not been determined at this time.
(Source: Garmin US [1])
