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Garmin just launched a new $300 Apple Watch alternative

Bryan M. Wolfe
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Garmin Vivoactive 5.
Garmin

Garmin’s latest smartwatch, the Vivoactive 5, looks like an impressive device offering a wide range of features for health and fitness enthusiasts. The wearable, which was just announced on September 20, features a long-lasting 11-day battery life and a 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen display that should deliver a solid viewing experience.

The Vivoactive 5 is designed with a lightweight aluminum bezel and silicone band to provide comfort and durability. It is available in four color combinations — black/slate, ivory/cream gold, navy/metallic navy, and orchid/metallic orchid — to suit different preferences and styles.

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Compared to its predecessor, the Vivoactive 5 offers several new-and-improved features that make it a pretty interesting upgrade. One of the most notable features of this smartwatch is the ability to track different sleep stages, naps, and other vital metrics, such as Pulse Ox and heart rate variability (HRV) status. This information is generated each morning in a report that includes a weather forecast for your day.

Garmin Vivoactive 5.
Garmin

Another highlight of the Vivoactive 5 is its body battery monitor, which tracks your energy levels throughout the day. This monitor provides insights on the best times to be active and when to rest based on your energy levels. It also offers valuable information on how sleep, naps, daily activities, and stress affect energy levels. While many Garmin wearables have the body battery feature, this is the same enhanced version that was introduced in August on the Garmin Venu 3 series.

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In addition to its health and fitness features, the Vivoactive 5 also includes a wheelchair mode that lets you monitor your daily pushes and provides weight shift alerts. It also comes with wheelchair-specific sports apps and workouts, making it an excellent device for wheelchair users who want to stay fit and active.

Other new features of the Vivoactive 5 include tracking how long it takes to recover from workouts and guided meditation practices to reduce stress and anxiety. You can customize the watch by changing between two font sizes to view smart notifications, workout data, and more. Similar tools are available on many of the best smartwatches available on the market today.

Garmin Vivoactive 5 smartwatch.
Garmin

Overall, the Vivoactive 5 appears to be a versatile and powerful health wearable with many features to help you stay on top of your health and fitness. Its long battery life, AMOLED display, and advanced tracking capabilities seem to make it a pretty well-rounded package — especially for the price.

According to Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of Global Consumer Sales: “Made for your active lifestyle, Vívoactive 5 packs premium features into a stylish, affordable smartwatch.”

Starting today, September 20, you can get your hands on the Garmin Vivoactive 5 series at a suggested retail price of $300.

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Bryan M. Wolfe
Bryan M. Wolfe
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.
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