{"id":1194,"date":"2025-04-02T04:34:19","date_gmt":"2025-04-02T04:34:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1194\/"},"modified":"2025-04-02T04:34:19","modified_gmt":"2025-04-02T04:34:19","slug":"garmin-vivoactive-6-hands-on-everything-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1194\/","title":{"rendered":"Garmin Vivoactive 6 Hands-On: Everything You Need to Know!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

Garmin has just announced the new Vivoacitve 6, which brings it even closer to their mainstream consumer watch, the Venu 3. This new version adds in some 50 sport profile modes, a ton of running features including running dynamics, running power, running PacePro, course following, and on-watch workout animations. Meanwhile on the hardware side it doubles the music storage, and increases GPS connectivity.<\/p>\n

Thankfully, unlike most other Garmin launches over the past year, Garmin didn\u2019t raise the price on the watch. Instead, it\u2019s kept at $299USD, including the ability to do offline music (such as Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music).<\/p>\n

Now, this isn\u2019t a full review yet, but rather, \u00a0just a quick first-look at things, including a first run to take a crack at the expanded running metrics. Expect a full in-depth review down the road in a few weeks.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s New:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Vivaoctive 6 is overall a very modest upgrade from the Vivoactive 5. In much the same way the Apple Watch SE2<\/a> was a modest upgrade from the Apple Watch SE1. These sorts of product launches are more about ensuring you have a \u2018recently released\u2019 hardware model in the market for buyers, and less so about huge splashy releases.<\/p>\n

Still, here\u2019s what\u2019s changed from the Vivoactive 5 to the Vivoactive 6:<\/p>\n

\u2013 Completely revamped\/changed user interface (especially around settings\/controls)
\u2013 Added ~50 sport profiles\/apps
\u2013 Added Smart Wake Alarm
\u2013 Added Running Dynamics support (Ground Contact Time, Vertical Oscillation, Stride Length)
\u2013 Added Running Power Support
\u2013 Added PacePro
\u2013 Added Course\/Route following
\u2013 Added Daily Suggested Workouts (Walk only)
\u2013 Added Mobility activity\/sport profile (for flexibility & strength)
\u2013 Added Workout Animations (previously on Venu 3, but not Vivoactive 5)
\u2013 Increased data fields per page from 4 to 8
\u2013 Increased custom data pages allowed
\u2013 Added compass & compass fields
\u2013 Increased display brightness (but didn\u2019t disclose nit values, my guess is 1,500 nits now)
\u2013 Doubled internal storage from 4GB to 8GB
\u2013 Increased GPS\/GNSS types: Added Beidou & QZSS to multiband list (but not dual frequency)
\u2013 Same 1.2\u201d AMOLED display size as Vivoactive 5 (390x390px)
\u2013 Same 42mm case size as Vivoactive 5 (one model size)
\u2013 Same Garmin Elevate Gen4 Optical HR Sensor
\u2013 Same 11 day (smartwatch) battery life as Vivoactive 5
\u2013 Same 21hr GPS mode battery life as Vivoactive 5
\u2013 Same 23g weight as Vivoactive 5
\u2013 Price is same $299 as Vivoactive 5 (329EUR)<\/p>\n

When it comes to the sport profile modes, here\u2019s the full list on the Vivoctive 6:<\/p>\n

\n

Walk, Run, Track Run, Treadmill, Virtual Run, Indoor Track, Trail Run, Obstacle Racing, Bike, Road Bike, Handcycle, Bike Indoor, Handcycle Indoor, MTB, eBike, eMTB, CycloCross, Gravel Bike, Bike Commute, Bike Tour, Pool Swim, Openwater, HIIT, Yoga, Meditation, Mobility, Strength, Pilates, Treadmill, Elliptical, Stair Stepper, Row Indoor, Bike Indoor, Walk Indoor, Pool Swim, Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts, Jump Rope, Hike, Golf, Mountaineering, Disc Golf, Horseback, Cow Tipping, Archery, Obstacle Racing, Inline Skating, Ski, Snowboard, XC Classic Ski, XC Skate Ski, Snowshoe, Ice Skating, Snowmobile, SUP, Kayak, Row, Snorkel, Soccer\/Football, American Football, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Volleyball, Cricket, Lacrosse, Rugby, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Ultimate Disc, Tennis, Pickleball, Padel, Racquetball, Squash, Badminton, Platform Tennis, ATV, Snowmobile, Overland, Motocross, Motorcycle, Breathwork, Cardio<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Now, as a reminder, the Vivoactive 5 when it released about 18 months ago, was a *massive* upgrade over the Vivoactive 4, which was pretty stale. So, in case it\u2019s been a while since you\u2019ve looked at the Vivoactive lineup, here\u2019s what was added from the Vivoactive 4 to the Vivoactive 5:<\/p>\n

\u2013 Changed display type from MIP to a 1.2\u201d AMOLED
\u2013 Switched back to a single size, 42mm
\u2013 Added Sleep Coach feature, including sleep recommendation factors
\u2013 Added Nap detection support (new to Garmin, finally!)
\u2013 Added HRV tracking support (at night)
\u2013 Added Morning Report feature
\u2013 Added Daily Summary report feature (new to Garmin)
\u2013 Added Recovery Time (for sports)
\u2013 Added Workout Benefit feature (tells you what the benefit of a given workout was)
\u2013 Added on-watch interval workout creation (plus existing downloadable structured workout support)
\u2013 Added eBike sensor support (ANT+)
\u2013 Added support for tracking Wheelchair pushes, as well as wheelchair sport-specific workouts
\u2013 Added \u2018Recents\u2019 quick switching between widgets
\u2013 Added more new live watch faces
\u2013 Added a number of new sport profiles (openwater swim, handcycle, etc \u2013 listed below)
\u2013 Added new guided Meditation Activity
\u2013 Added muscle map feature in strength workouts
\u2013 Expanded \u2018Shortcuts\u2019 feature
\u2013 Added ability to switch between small fonts and larger fonts for text
\u2013 Added quick-access Flashlight feature (using screen, not dedicated LED flashlight)
\u2013 Added photos in text messages (Android only)
\u2013 Revamped user interface in a massive number of different ways
\u2013 Upgraded from Garmin ELEVATE V3 HR sensor to ELEVATE V4 HR sensor (but V5 is latest)
\u2013 Switched GPS sensor to multi-GNSS (but not multi-band)
\u2013 Battery life is 11 days in smartwatch mode
\u2013 GPS battery life up to 21 hours, depending on mode.
\u2013 Contains VO2Max Estimates
\u2013 Supported sensor types: Headphones (Bluetooth audio devices), Heart Rate Sensors, Speed\/Cadence, eBike, Foot Pod, Tempe (Temperature), ANT+ Cycling Lights, Cycling Radar (ANT+), Golf Club sensors
\u2013 Contains offline music capability as standard (Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, MP3, Podcasts)
\u2013 Removed barometric altimeter
\u2013 Removed floors counted (stairs) metric
\u2013 Reduced functionality in skiing\/snowboarding modes (no longer automatically counts runs)
\u2013 Removed workout animations in strength\/yoga\/etc (but added muscle maps, per above)<\/p>\n

Phew, got all that?<\/p>\n

Now, when it comes to colors, here\u2019s a quick look at the four colors:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

For comparison sake,\u00a0here\u2019s the Vivoactive 3S, the Vivoactive 6, the Venu 3, and the Forerunner 165:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Ok, let\u2019s take a quick look at the new features.<\/p>\n

A Closer Look:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first new feature is the new smart alarms. This can be found by going into the alarms menu, and setting an alarm just like before:<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

Except, now when you do that, it\u2019ll ask if you\u2019d like to set it as a \u2018Smart Wake\u2019:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

When you toggle that for the first time, it\u2019ll explain that it\u2019ll wake you up using vibration alerts, up to 30 minutes ahead of your wake-up time, by looking at your current sleep phases\/stages, to find the time that\u2019ll make waking up hurt less. In the event there isn\u2019t an optimal time during that 30-minute window, it\u2019ll still alarm at the predefined time:<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

After which, you can see the confirmed time range:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Next, let\u2019s take a look at the new user interface. At first glance the watch face looks essentially inline with past Garminw watches. The display is by default gesture-based, but you can toggle it to always-on like I did. And of course, you can customize the watch face with other stock\/included watch faces, or anything from Connect IQ.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The next user interface change is that you can\u2019t get to the settings by simply long-holding the lower right button. Rather, that\u2019s now going to setup a quick-access control (such as accessing heart rate broadcasting or other features).<\/p>\n

Instead, to access settings you\u2019ll need to first swipe from the right (or tap the upper right button), which brings you \u00a0to the main activities page. Here you can jump to starting a workout (like the past), or other apps:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

But to access settings, you\u2019ll swipe down till you find \u2018Settings\u2019, and tap that open:<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

Within that you\u2019ve got the new settings list. At a conceptual level, this starts to follow the new UI found on the Fenix series, in terms of some of the groupings. It\u2019s different from the past Vivoactive\/Venu units. At that point, you\u2019ll find all the familiar settings options, just in different spots.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, backing out a step you\u2019re in that Activities menu, and within that all of the sports I outlined above. If I tap the \u2018Walk\u2019 sport mode though, you\u2019ll see the new \u2018Walk\u2019 Daily Suggested workouts. Daily Suggested workouts have historically only been Run or Bike on Garmin watches, so this is actually legit new to Garmin.<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

Sidestepping to the running profile, you\u2019ll see the new options here for course following, as well as PacePro loading. The course\/route following means you can navigate a course. While there isn\u2019t maps on the watch, it will at least follow breadcrumb-style a trail, and tell you when you\u2019re off-course.<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, for PacePro, it\u2019ll allow you to create a PacePro plan (such as on Garmin Connect mobile), and push it to the watch:<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

And then you can see\/load it onto the watch:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Of course, you can still do any structured training that you want, such as loading plans from Garmin Connect (it includes free running\/cycling plans), as well as creating your own custom workouts, or having custom workouts pushed from various training platforms (such as TrainingPeaks or Final Surge). Likewise, there\u2019s also a smattering of included interval workouts, and the ability to create your own interval workouts.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve picked whatever you want course or structure-wise, you\u2019re off onto a run. This runs will now include Running Dynamics details, without any chest strap or RD pod required. Likewise, it\u2019ll include Running Power too. What\u2019s somewhat notable about this is that historically Garmin has always required a barometric altimeter on their watches to display running power. Here, they don\u2019t advertise that the unit includes they, yet, still has running power\u2026and 3D Distance\u2026and 3D Speed\u2026.and downhill Skiing mode, and all these other metrics that in every single Garmin watch over the last 2 seconds, has required an altimeter. Yet, Garmin says there\u2019s no barometric altimeter here. And there\u2019s at least one snippet of evidence to support that. Check out my run here with the Vivoactive 6, Venu 3 (baro altimeter), and Fenix 8 (baro altimeter). Note in particular that moment where I stopped to take some watch photos, standing very still. In that moment, the Vivoactive 6 showed absolutely zero wiggle\/momvement (as a GPS-based one would). In contrast, the baro altimeters showed very slight sub-1m movements.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

In terms of data fields, you can now customize up to 8 data fields per page (from previously 4 data fields per page). There doesn\u2019t appear to be a hard limit of 3 custom pages like there was in the past, either. There\u2019s even a magnetic compass in there now, which will correctly change as you rotate the watch (versus an electronic compass, which requires you moving forward).<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll be adding in some more post-run data pages here shortly, with more details on that, though, that remains the same as previous Garmin watches.<\/p>\n

Wrap-Up:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Vivoactive 6 is actually much more feature-packed than I expected. In fact, I\u2019d argue it\u2019s one of the best deals in Garmin\u2019s lineup today. In fact, in some sport areas (such as route\/course following), the Vivoactive 6 exceeds that of the Venu 3 (which lacks course\/route following). Of course, the Venu 3 has ECG features and Garmin\u2019s newer optical HR sensor, plus various voice\/microphone\/speaker features. The Venu 3 was launched at the same time as the Vivoactive 5, so I\u2019d expect a Venu 4 refresh is probably in the cards. Though, historically Garmin has released the Venu series in the September timeframe (much like the Vivoactive series). Thus, things are a bit askew in terms of historical data.<\/p>\n

Still, it seems clear the Vivoactive 6 is designed to compete most directly with the Apple Watch SE. While that was the case previously, I gave Garmin a hard time in my Vivaoctive 5 review, due to lack of many sport features that Apple included but Garmin didn\u2019t. Given Garmin\u2019s jam in life was sports\/fitness features, it was a pretty big gap that Apple had bested them in some of those areas. The Vivoactive 6 is clearly Garmin saying \u201cNope, we own sports and fitness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, I\u2019ll do a full in-depth review in the coming weeks, diving into all the details of the Vivoactive 6 after a bunch more workouts. Till then, thanks for reading!<\/p>\n

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