Tech Talk

Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs. Fitbit Versa 3: Many similarities

Your search for the best Android smartwatch will likely focus on a few key factors, including what features you need from your wearable. Fortunately, there are many splendid options out there, including the Garmin Vivoactive 4 and Fitbit Versa 3.

If you want the full package for a complete wearable experience that leaves nothing to the imagination, you should opt for the Fitbit Versa 3. If you're mostly focused on health/fitness tracking and aren't worried about extras, the Garmin Vivoactive 4 is another solid choice.

Your tracking needs met with the Garmin Vivoactive 4

One reason some people might prefer the Garmin Vivoactive 4 is that it comes in two sizes. You can opt for the standard model, which comes in a 45mm case. If you want something smaller, the 4S comes in a 40mm case. The bigger watch offers up to 8 days of battery life in smartwatch mode. The smaller model will deliver up to 7 days of battery life. You'll be happy to know that Garmin Vivoactive 4 bands are interchangeable, so you'll never be stuck with only one look for your watch.

When you look at the Garmin Vivoactive 4 and Vivoactive 3, it's easy to see that this watch has come a long way. You'll now have a Pulse Ox sensor, which will track your blood oxygen saturation levels. There's also respiration tracking, which monitors the number of breaths per minute. Garmin says that these two features work together to deliver more insightful sleep data. This newer model also offers music storage as a standard feature. Previously, you had to pay more for a model with this perk.

The Garmin Vivoactive 4 is packed with many other health and fitness perks to further enhance your experience. Some examples include built-in GPS, heart-rate monitoring, sleep tracking, stress monitoring, and female health tracking.

One unique feature that is consistent on most Garmin wearables is Body Battery energy monitoring. This will help you learn more about your energy levels throughout the day to better determine when to schedule workouts and when you should rest. If you're wondering how this feature works, it gathers key data from your activity, sleep, stress, and heart rate variability (HRV) to assess your energy levels.

The Garmin Vivoactive 4 offers animated on-screen workouts that are super easy to follow.

If you're worried about having limited workout options, don't be. The Garmin Vivoactive 4 offers animated on-screen workouts that are super easy to follow. Other workout options include 20+ preloaded sports apps, preset workouts from the Garmin Connect app, and Garmin Coach training plans. You'll have plenty of options when it comes to deciding how you want to exercise with your watch.

While it doesn't offer quite as many extras as the Versa 3 does, you get some nice smartwatch features with the Vivoactive 4. These include Garmin Pay, smartphone notifications, and music storage. If you're not concerned about having a voice assistant or being able to take calls on your wrist, you won't be missing much. You can take comfort in the fact that the Vivoactive 4 is one of the best Garmin smartwatches you can buy.

The Fitbit Versa 3 handles your tracking needs and more

As a leader in the smartwatch world, it should come as no surprise that Fitbit continues to raise the bar with each new release. The latest Versa model is no exception. This model does a fantastic job of fulfilling many of the wishes that users have been longing for. The Fitbit Versa 3 offers onboard GPS, improved heart-rate technology, a new feature called Active Zone Minutes, and more. All the major players are also present, including 24/7 heart-rate monitoring, 20+ goal-based exercise modes, advanced sleep monitoring, and female health tracking.

It'll be easy to spot this watch in a lineup as the Versa 3 looks similar to previous models with its squircle design. The good news is that the company increased the display area's size and improved overall responsiveness. It comes in a lightweight 40mm case that's available in Black or Gold. Most importantly, the Fitbit Versa 3 bands are now much easier to use and change thanks to the new Infinity band system.

This smartwatch also offers better battery life than its predecessor. The Fitbit Versa 3 promises 6 days of battery life on a single charge. You'll appreciate the convenient, fast charging feature for those days when you can't slow down. This allows you to charge your watch for approximately 15 minutes, and you'll have a full day of battery life.

The Fitbit Versa 3 offers improved heart-rate monitoring with the new PurePulse 2.0 technology.

You'll find new features on this watch as well. The Versa 3 offers Active Zone Minutes, which alerts you when you've hit your target heart rate zone during a workout. It's also worth noting that the Fitbit Versa 3 offers improved heart-rate monitoring with the new PurePulse 2.0 technology. These are just a few reasons that this watch is one of the best Fitbit wearables out there.

As for bonus features, this is yet another area where the Fitbit Versa 3 shines. For starters, you get Fitbit Pay as a standard feature. You also have two voice assistant options: Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. The built-in microphone and speaker make it easy to take advantage of the voice assistants. More importantly, you can take Bluetooth calls on your wrist when your phone is connected.

Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs. Fitbit Versa 3: Which should you buy?

While both of these smartwatches will provide an excellent wearable experience, your decision will come down to what you're looking to gain from that experience. If you want as many features as possible, the Fitbit Versa 3 has more to offer.

You'll find it's quite convenient to take a quick call from your watch when you're on the go or working out. Not to mention that Google Assistant or Amazon Alex will come in handy in various situations. Of course, the Fitbit Versa 3 also offers an action-packed health and fitness tracking experience that's ideal for casual athletes.

If your primary goal in buying one of these smartwatches is to monitor your progress and you're not concerned about having all the bonus perks, you might prefer the Garmin Vivoactive 4. It still has some nice extras, like music storage and mobile payments, so you're not totally missing out. It offers a slightly longer battery life than the Fitbit Versa 3, and it comes in two different sizes. The Vivoactive 4 is a wonderful fitness smartwatch for those who want to focus on, well, fitness.

The full package

Fitbit Versa 3

For those who want to do more

$229 at Amazon $230 at Best Buy $229 at Walmart

The Fitbit Versa 3 is great for those committed to health and fitness tracking, but it can do more than that. If you like extras, you'll love this smartwatch. It has a mic/speaker, which is great when using voice assistants. Not to mention, you can take Bluetooth calls on your wrist!

Most of the essentials

Garmin Vivoactive 4

For fitness-focused individuals

From $250 at Amazon $350 at Best Buy $310 at Walmart

If you want a fitness smartwatch that offers superior tracking, you'll be in good hands with the Garmin Vivoactive 4. You'll also get a full week of battery life. In addition to GPS, heart-rate monitoring, and activity/sleep tracking, you get mobile payments and music storage.