Garmin Vivoactive 4 Launched - now with music as standard, new Sony GPS, and Elevate V3 optical HR sensor with PulseOx

Any links to online stores should be assumed to be affiliates. The company or PR agency provides all or most review samples. They have no control over my content, and I provide my honest opinion.

Following on from the Garmin Venu announcement, I can (and will) copy and paste the details of the Vivoactive 4.

Functionally the two watches are almost identical, however, Garmin has used the Venu name to launch its first watch with AMOLED. This seems like a sensible move to me, allowing them to try out AMOLED without damaging one of their established models. The fear of AMOLED is how it will affect battery life, so for those concerned about that, or just don’t care about AMOLED, then the Vivoactive 4 is here with its 218 x 218 pixel display.

The Vivoactive range is designed more the casual market, rather than the athlete focussed Forerunner and Fenix ranges. This, therefore, means that there are less sports orientated features available. The amount of data the watch produces is massively cut back with just five FirstBeat features, compared to the 18 of the £500+ FR945 and Fenix 6 models. For you casual runner or gym enthusiast, this is more than enough.

It is the battery life that is interesting with Garmin, this watch is effectively competing with Smartwatches, however, due to it not using a fully-fledged OS the battery life is phenomenal compared to its WearOS counterparts, which struggle to get a day of tracking.

The vívoactive 4 (45mm) has a battery life of up to 8 days in smartwatch mode, and up to 6 hours in GPS + music mode. The vívoactive 4S (40mm) has a battery life of up to 7 days in smartwatch mode, and up to 5 hours in GPS + music mode.

vivoactive 4, Small, Black/Gunmetal
vivoactive 4, Small, White/Rosegold
vivoactive 4, Large, Shadow Gray/Stainless
vivoactive 4, Large, Shadow Gray/Stainless

Contents show

The Vivoactive 4 basic features

GPS tracking of activities using built-in GPS
Workout tracking of range of sports including running, cycling, pool swimming, skiing, golf, gym and many more (full list down below)
Structured workout support via downloadable workouts
Quick on the fly intervals
Training calendar support
Optical heart rate sensor in watch
24×7 tracking of steps, stairs, calories, and distance
Smartphone notifications from iOS/Android
Garmin Pay for contactless payments
Music streaming

What does the Vivoactive 4 have the older Vivoactive 3 doesn’t?

Music now standard: Including Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer, and iHeartRadio
Venu features 1.2” AMOLED display: Super vibrant, lots of colours
Venu also adds ‘always-on’ mode despite AMOLED display
Added ambient light sensor tied to the new display
Added new ‘Live’ Watch faces with small animations
Added secondary button to side: Used for lap, back, menu access
Added hydration tracking to manually track liquid intake with widget and app
Added Estimated Sweat Loss post-workout
Added Respiration Rate for all-day and sleep metrics (and certain workout types)
Added Breathwork Exercises (way different than simple breathing stress features)
Added Workout Animation functionality: For Strength, Cardio, Yoga, Pilates
Added new Yoga and Pilates Built-in workouts: Includes a step by step animations
Added ability to design Yoga workouts in Garmin Connect: Complete with step by step pose animations
Added ability to design Pilates workouts in Garmin Connect: Complete with step by step animations
Added PulseOx for 24×7 blood oxygen tracking
Revamped health stat widget akin to latest Fenix/Forerunner models
Switched to Sony GPS chipset
Switched to Garmin Elevate V3 optical HR sensor
Connect IQ Developers will have access to create live watch faces
Battery life at 5 days standby, and 6 hours of GPS+Music

Pricing

Suggested RRP in the UK and Ireland is £259.99 and £279.99 depending on the model and they are available for pre-order now on Garmin and other websites soon.

Full Press Release

today announced the vívoactive 4 and 4S GPS smartwatches with the broadest available range of 24/7 health monitoring features in the market. These innovations include advanced sleep with pulse ox1, new respiration tracking, Body BatteryTM energy monitoring, abnormal heartrate alerts, menstrual cycle tracking, stress tracking with relax reminders, new hydration tracking and more. With an always-on screen available in two sizes (40mm and 45mm), a multitude of colour options and metal finishes, and a battery life of up to 8 days in smartwatch mode, the vívoactive 4 series is styled and featured for life on the go. The vívoactive 4 is one of many new wearables launched by Garmin at IFA in Berlin, Germany, September 6-11, and will be on display at the Garmin stand in Hall 4.2, Booth 232.

“At Garmin we believe that health should be measured by more than just miles logged,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales. “The vívoactive 4 series is a tool for customers who want to track and improve their overall well-being, and that includes things like making sure you drink enough water or checking your Body Battery to see whether a workout over lunch is a good idea. When it is time for a workout, the vívoactive 4 offers a ton of options, from preloaded strength training to Pilates activities.”

For those looking to switch up their fitness routine, the vívoactive 4 introduces 40+ on-screen animated workouts for strength training, cardio, yoga and Pilates. These easy-to-follow workouts demonstrate proper form and technique right on the user’s watch. Animated workouts are just the latest addition to the vívoactive 4’s robust suite of workout options which include: preloaded workouts on the watch, preset workouts available to download from Garmin Connect^TM, “create your own” customisable workouts, and Garmin Coach training plans (these free training plans adapt based on a runner’s goals and performance with a coach to guide and motivate).

And because music makes it better, the vívoactive 4 series lets users download their favorite songs or playlists², including those from third-party music services like Spotify, Amazon Music, and Deezer, right to their wrist. Safety and tracking features built into the vívoactive 4 provide peace of mind and include incident detection (during select activities³) and assistance³, both of which send real-time location to emergency contacts.

The innovative Body Battery energy monitoring feature lets users check their body’s energy levels at any given moment, which can help with scheduling workouts, rest times and sleep. Using a combination of data gathered from stress, heart rate variability (HRV), sleep and activity, a higher Body Battery indicates the time is optimal to be active whereas a lower number suggests rest is in order.

When it’s time to wind down for the day, advanced sleep monitoring estimates light, deep and REM stages of sleep. New respiration tracking measures the number of breaths per minute and Pulse Ox gauges blood oxygen saturation levels while asleep. Together, this data can demonstrate sleep quality. Upon awakening, users can review their sleep stats in Garmin Connect.

With GPS, Elevate^TM wrist-based heart rate⁵, and over 20 built-in indoor and outdoor sports apps including Pilates, yoga, running, swimming and more, the vívoactive 4 series is packed with features to keep up with a varied active lifestyle. Need to take a breather? The vívoactive 4 offers new structured breathwork activities designed to promote focus and relaxation.

Staying connected is key with smart notifications³ for incoming calls, text messages, social media updates, calendar reminders and more. The vívoactive 4 series also includes Garmin Pay™, a contactless payment solution⁴, so users can leave their cash and cards at home. Garmin Pay can now be used at major transit systems around the world. Commuters simply tap and pay-per-ride with their watch – no transit card, phone or wallet needed. Personalisation is fun and easy with thousands of free watch faces, apps and widgets from the Garmin Connect IQ^TM store app. Users can even upload their own photos and turn them into watch faces.

The vívoactive 4 series is the latest innovation from the ever-expanding Garmin fitness segment that develops technologies to enhance and promote healthy and active lifestyles. Whether users are runners, cyclists, swimmers, multi-sport athletes, or simply looking to stay active throughout the day, there is a Garmin product that can help them reach their health and fitness goals.

James Smythe( Editor-in-chief )

I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.

As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.

In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.