Garmin Vivoactive 3 vs Apple Watch – Which One Should I Get?

Ever since Apple debuted their iconic wearable in the market, the other manufacturers have been trying to perfect their offerings to match up to the functionalities and features that it has to offer. However, not many have been progressing that much in that regard.
But one of the fitness manufacturers did bring out a smartwatch that is worthy of being called the “Alternative of Apple Watch,†which is the Vivoactive 3.
Now that you know that, you would want pertinent information on the topic Garmin vivoactive 3 and apple watch, right?
Well, you have stumbled upon the perfect source for that. We are not only going to go through each of the watches but also will let you know about the factors that make one better than the other.
Vivoactive 3 or Apple Watch?
We’ve gone through the reviews of both devices; you might be wondering that there are any differences between them or not. Well, they do indeed have some differences. The major ones are:
Screen
The screen is the first thing that you are going to notice in case of any smart device.
And the better the screen, the better the user experience will be. Both of them have a touchscreen panel. But the one that Garmin is utilizing is an LCD panel.
Don’t get us wrong; we are not saying that LCD panels are bad. But the viewing angles and the colors that an OLED screen can output is genuinely something that you are going to appreciate.
Keeping that in mind, it is clear to say that the Apple watch takes victory in the case of the display.
Features

Both devices come packed with features. And both of them have an app store from which you can download more apps and widgets from.
But as it goes with Apple, you will be able to get more of them inside the Appstore.
However, the ones that are available in the Garmin are more than enough. The apps are mostly directed to fitness, and there are not that many utility apps inside of it.
So, in this case, Apple retakes the lead because having a bit more options; in any case, is more convenient, right?
Battery Life
The battery that Apple Watch packs can provide a run time of about 32 to 38 hours.
This much amount of battery life is more than enough for daily usage and activity tracking.
However, the case is a bit different for the Garmin. It can offer a standby battery life of up to 7 days, which is quite something.
With the GPS turned on, you are going to get about 13 hours of runtime, but the standby time is where the money is at.
So, in this case, Garmin Vivoactive 3 is the clear winner.
Garmin Vivoactive 3 vs Apple Watch – Comparison of 2021
Garmin Vivoactive 3
The fitness manufacturer Garmin has released a plethora of smart fitness devices.
But not all of them were as groundbreaking as the Vivocative 3 that they released not so while ago. And we are going to let you see why this release was groundbreaking.
To keep the tabs up with the rest of the high-end smartwatches out there, the manufacturer implemented their own contactless payment solution.
It is known as Garmin pay. With that, you can make purchases with your watch.
Apart from that, the fitness watch is exceptionally customizable. After connecting to the ConnectIQ store, you will find yourself among thousands of watch faces.
Most of them are entirely free and have an elegant design that will enable you to make your watch look unique.
As the type of company Garmin is, they have bundled their smartwatches with a plethora of fitness tracking functionalities.
It can track VO2 max level, stress, heart rate, calories burnt, activity level, and many more.
Because of all that, you will be able to push yourself to the absolute max every day.
The manufacturer did not skimp one bit in the other factors too. They have packed this watch with advanced GPS features.
The apps that come preloaded will allow you to precisely locate yourself, navigate yourself to a location, and save your current location for future navigating.
Apart from that, it also has plenty of sports apps. From running to swimming to yoga, it basically has all of them.
And as it is waterproof, you can take full advantage of the watch at any given weather scenario.
Design-wise, it comes with a round stainless steel body that will make it look sleek. The display is quite bright too.
It is 240 x 240 pixels and has the memory-in-pixel technology integrated. The battery can make it operates for up to a week in the smartwatch mode.
Product Specification
PROS
CONS
Latest Guide: Garmin Vivoactive vs. Forerunner 230
Apple Watch Series 3
Ever since the first device came out, people were always looking at Apple for their take on it.
And as we all know, when Apple releases something, they release a perfected version of that something. The same thing can be seen in this case too.
Let us start by taking a look at the display. It features the state of the earth display panel that is out in the market.
The OLED display will provide a greater viewing angle and can get exceptionally bright.
It displays bright and punchy colors, which means you will not have any trouble viewing it under direct sunlight.
We do not have that much to say in the case of the design. Apple is widely known for offering premium build quality.
And that can be seen in this product too. It has a stainless steel body and sapphire crystal-induced glass on the front.
When it comes to features, the watch is completely packed with them. The one thing that made this stand out the most is the built-in storage for audio.
It is like having an mp3 player on your wrist. The device also has a polished contactless payment system.On the note of walking, the watch did not skimp one bit in fitness features.
It packs loads of sensors, including the heart rate sensor that is exceptionally accurate, altimeter, accelerometer, etc. All of that will let the watch precisely track your body perimeters.
Lastly, in battery life, it can provide up to 18 hours of service with all the standard functions turned on.
It is also water-resistant to up to 50 meters and has a highly customizable user interface.
Product Specification
PROS
CONS
Related Guide: Vivosmart HR vs. Vivoactive HR
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Apple Watch have cellular services?
In the case of series 3, there is a GPS + Cellular version available for the watch.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eAfter connecting it with your iPhone, you can set up the cellular services with your preferred provider.
Can Garmin Vivoactive 3 play audio?
The Vivoactive 3 does not have any built-in memory for storing any audio.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eHowever, you can control the audio tracks playing in the connected device using this watch.
Will I be able to use my Apple Watch 3 internationally?
If you have the GPS + Cellular version of the watch, you will not be able to use the international roaming feature of the watch. However, you can use all the other features optimally.
Is Garmin Vivoactive 3 waterproof?
Yes, the Garmin Vivoactive 3 is waterproof to about 5 ATM of pressure.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eThis rating is quite similar to the one that the Apple Watch has. That means you can go swimming and do fitness activities in the rain while wearing the watch on your hand.
Can Garmin Vivoactive 3 answer calls?
Unlike the Apple Watch, you will not be able to speak through the Garmin Vivoactive 3 directly as it does not have a built-in microphone.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eHowever, you will be able to answer and decline calls through it.
Conclusion
Though the Garmin Vivoactive 3 is lacking a bit behind Apple watch 3 in terms of overall functionality, it is still an excellent alternative to it.
Now, we would like to conclude our take on the topic Garmin vivoactive 3 or apple watch here by hoping that you can get the most out of the fitness device that you plan to purchase.