Apple Watch 2 vs. Garmin Vivoactive HR – Which One Is Best?
The twenty-first century has brought with it dynamic, busy lives. We are always on the go, whether it be for work, school, or play.
Staying fit and healthy can be a real challenge nowadays with our busy lives, and that is where smartwatches come into play!
These nifty devices can help us stay fit by monitoring our daily activities and by measuring our heart-rate, sleep, and what not! If you are someone who would like to buy one of these great fitness companions, then this is the right place to start.
This comparison is perhaps what you need, for they are two great smartwatches out there.
Luckily for you, that is exactly what we bring, so read on below to find out more about these amazing products!
Apple Watch 2 vs Garmin Vivoactive HR – Comparison of 2021
Apple Watch 2
Apple hardly needs an introduction with the worldwide popularity over their iPhones and MacBooks. But what about their smartwatches? Well, they are pretty swell too!
The Apple Watch 2 was released in September, 2016 as the successor to the Apple Watch 1.
With a beautiful design containing curved edges and nice straps, this watch is certainly sleek!
It comes in different models made of either aluminum, stainless steel, or ceramic, each with its unique feel.
This unit comes with a heart-rate monitor that uses technology that can measure your heart rate from your wrist.
Although that’s very neat during sedentary activities, this monitor is not the most accurate during running.
The GPS technology is great and can be used with or without Glonass to determine the speed, distance, and pace.
Other than that, this product is water-resistant for up to 50 meters and hence can be used for swimming.
It can also count laps, track pace, and even detect the stroke type in order to calculate the number of calories burned.
All these features, combined with the S2 dual-core processor, results in a fast and efficient machine.
This unit is compatible with watchOS 3 to 6. Hence many new perks can be enjoyed, such as accessing the App Store.
But this watch is not enough for all functions on its own and needs to be paired with an iPhone 5 or above models.
Moreover, the display on this product is OLED and very bright, so using it outside is no issue.
As the battery life is so great, this makes for a perfect combination! It can last for up to 2 days on a single charge, and for about 5 hours with only the GPS on during running.
Overall, this is a great watch, but just like all Apple products, it’s quite expensive.
PROS
CONS
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Garmin Vivoactive HR
Garmin has a great array of smartwatches, and the Vivoactive HR is one of them.
Ever since its first release in February of 2016, it has been very popular amongst those who make fitness a priority.
Endowed with an optical heart-monitor that can measure heart-rate from the wrist during rest and exercise, this unit is very handy.
It can be used during all sorts of sports, including swimming and golfing, with dedicated features for each.
Being water-resistant for up to 50 meters and containing a swim-tracking mode makes it great for swimming.
It also contains a golf tracking mode which can be used once you’ve paired it up with your smartphone.
Other than that, it can count calories burned and track sleep, though the latter feature is not very accurate.
The display on this watch is a bit smaller and less bright than most other smartwatches.
This allows for a better battery life, which is great on this watch. It can run for 8 days on smartwatch mode and about 13 hours on GPS mode.
This product contains a touchscreen option along with buttons, so it’s convenient to navigate.
The built-in GPS is very decent and accurately tracks your exercise. Additionally, data can be downloaded from Garmin Connect, such as routes and new workouts, which makes fitness even easier and more fun.
A plus point is that the Vivoactive HR is compatible with both iOS and Android OS.
This product is made of plastic and rubber and is quite bulky looking, so it may not be for office use or party-wear for most.
The Vivoactive HR is a great fitness watch at a reasonable price, and should be on your radar if you’re looking for a smartwatch!
PROS
CONS
Related Guide: Forerunner 35 and Vivoactive 3 Comparison
Apple Watch 2 or Garmin Vivoactive HR Watch?
Here is the feature-by-feature comparison of Apple Watch 2 and Garmin Vivoactive HR.
Activity Tracking
The Apple Watch is good at tracking activities like walking and swimming, but not so good at tracking more demanding activities.
On the other hand, the Garmin Vivoactive HR is great at tracking other activities as well, like running, golfing, and skiing.
Heart Rate Monitor
Both the watches monitor the heart rate by measuring it at the wrist. Whereas the Apple Watch 2 is good at measuring heart-rate during walking, it is not so good at it while running.
The Vivoactive HR can measure the resting, walking, and running heart-rate much more accurately.
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Design
The Apple Watch 2 comes with a sleek and premium looking design, suitable for most occasions.
Since the Vivoactive HR is bulkier, it is not so well suited for the office.
Display
A brighter display is found on the Apple Watch 2, both indoors and outdoors.
Vivoactive HR contains a dimmer display, which, even though readable in sunlight, is very dull indoors.
Compatibility
The Apple Watch 2 is compatible with iPhone models 5 and beyond, with iOS 10 and above.
Vivoactive HR is also compatible with iOS 10 and above, but also with Android OS 4.4 and above.
Price
As Apple Watch 2 is made of aluminum, steel, or ceramic, depending on the model, it is more expensive.
The Vivoactive HR, being made of plastic and rubber, comes at a lower price.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Here we have the most commonly asked queries regarding the Apple Watch 2 and the Garmin Vivoactive:
1. Can the Vivoactive HR monitor the heart rate in swim mode?
No, it can’t.
2. Can the addition of a chest strap improve the heart-rate monitoring?
Yes, it can.
3. Do these watches come with chargers?
Yes, they do.
4. Can I use the Apple Watch 2 with Android devices?
No, it only works with Apple devices.
5. Can these devices measure blood pressure?
No, they can’t.
Conclusion
Now that you have gone through our comparison, you can choose the best watch!
Even though they are both decent products, you have to assess your own needs and pick the right one for your lifestyle.
So go make your purchase, and get fit!