Ever since the first fitness wearable emerged, the market got overfilled with devices that try to get to the high-end realm of smartwatches.
Among all the manufacturers, the one that is not trying but instead is delivering high-end features is Garmin.
They are now offering an extensive lineup of feature-packed wearables in the market.
Among that lineup, the ones that most people tend to compare is the Vivoactive and the Forerunner 230.
And the topic Garmin vivoactive or forerunner 230 emerges quite often because most buyers tend to fall in an infinite dilemma while comparing them.
Are you finding yourself in the same predicament? Well, thankfully, you came to the right place for that.
Hopefully, by the end, we will be able to get you out fo the dilemma that you are in at the moment.
Garmin Vivoactive vs Forerunner 230 – Comparison 2020
Last update on 2020-10-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Garmin Vivoactive
The entry point towards the high-end realm of smartwatches started with the Vivoactive lineup for Garmin.
They have integrated plenty of states of the earth technology in this lineup of watches that surely caught many people’s attention. Let us first have a look at the pioneer of this lineup.
To begin with, it boasts a plethora of built-in sports apps. From biking to walking to running to golfing, it will allow you to monitor them all. And the device is also waterproof to 5 ATM.
Apart from that, the screen that it sports is highly readable. It is an LCD panel with a resolution of 205 x 148 pixels. And as it has memory-in-pixel technology, it makes it easier to read the display even if you are standing directly under sunlight.
On that note, the display has a touchscreen digitized installed. For that reason, you will be able to navigate through each of the functions by touch.
Unlike some of the Garmin watches, you will not have to rely on buttons for the navigation.
However, it does have a power button on the side and two capacitive touch buttons on the front.
Other than that, the watch is exceptionally customizable. By connecting it to the ConnectIQ store, you will not only be able to modify the watch faces but also can adjust the widgets, apps, and customize your own workout plans.
It also has a GPS sensor for location functionalities. That enables you to save your current location with just a touch. So it will let you navigate to your desired location as well.
The battery that it carries can power up the device for about 21 days in the watch mode. And if you were to turn on the GPS, it would last for about 10 hours.
PROS
CONS
Latest Guide: Garmin Vivosmart HR vs. Vivoactive HR
Garmin Forerunner 230
The lineup of watches where the Garmin started to implement a watch-like design rather than a boxy one is the Forerunner.
And by watch-like layout, we meant a round-shaped body. Well, the shape of the body is not everything, right? Let us dive a little bit deeper then.
To start with, it’s packed with plenty of sensors. Because of the integration of the accelerometer, it will be able to accurately track steps, pace, and time for your running and walking sessions.
And after the session, it will also provide you an organized data to your connected phone.
Apart from the fitness sensors, it also has location sensors. That comes with a GPS sensor to offer precise location tracking.
And to make the location services more efficient, it pairs up the GPS with the GLONASS sensor. With that, you can get location data even if the weather is a bit off.
The user interface that it packs is relatively straightforward. It includes buttons on the sides for the navigation.
And it is relatively easy to get used to button navigation because of the button layout that is implemented on this watch.
On that note, the display that it boasts is an LCD panel. The resolution is 215 x 180 pixels, and it is integrated with the memory-in-pixel technology.
As you know by now, that technology allows the screen to be more readable, even if it is under bright sunlight.
The watch is exceptionally customizable too. It has the ability to connect to the ConnectIQ store.
After connecting to it, the app will allow you to customize the watch faces, change the widgets, install or remove apps, customize your activity plan, and many more.
Lastly, the battery that it has will enable the timepiece to last in the watch mode for up to 5 weeks.
And up to 16 hours if you keep it in the GPS mode. It also has a 5 ATM waterproof rating.
PROS
CONS
Related Guide: Fenix 3 vs. Vivoactive 3
Garmin Vivoactive or Forerunner 230?
You might have already guessed by now, both of the watches have a lot in common.
But you are here for the differences, right? Well, let us hop right into the differences then.
Battery
Let us start by talking about the cell that powers on both the devices. In the case of the Forerunner 230, it can last for a staggering 35 days in the standby mode.
Can you imagine not having to worry about connecting the device to a charger for 5 weeks? Well, with this watch, you will not have to imagine anymore.
On the other hand, the Vivoactive does also have a praiseworthy standby time, which is about 21 days.
But the thing is if you want to have a little less to worry about the juice left in the battery, then we would definitely recommend you to opt for the Forerunner.
Design
Design-wise, both the watches are very different from each other. Whereas the Vivoactive is sporting a boxy design, the Forerunner has a more modern, watch-like design. However, the boxy design might appeal to many, but according to us, the Forerunner will look premium on hands in comparison.
Features
Even though both the devices have the same rudimentary fitness features integrated into them, there’s one thing that the Vivoactive is good at is the push notification capability.
That ability allows the watch to show incoming calls, emails, and texts. You can also make it display the notifications of your connected social media.
Display
Last but not least, the display is a bit different for both devices. By being different, we meant that one has touch capabilities where the other does not.
The one that does have the touch capability is the Vivoactive. Having a touchscreen can make navigating through the UI feel more smooth and easy.
However, both the display panels are identical. They both have the memory-in-pixel technology induced in them, and they both can get equally bright.
But the touch capability is what sets both apart the most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I be able to wear the Vivoactive while swimming?
Yes, you will be able to wear Vivoactvie while swimming.
In fact, it has a swimming profile built-in to it. And as it is waterproof to about 5 ATM, you will not have to worry that much.
Is it possible to control the audio using the Garmin Forerunner 230?
As the watch will come with an audio playing widget, it will let you control the track playing on a connected device.
However, you can not play audio directly on the watch as it does not have any speaker or internal storage.
Are there replaceable bands available for the Vivoactive?
Yes, there are a lot of straps and bands available for the Vivoactive.
You can find them in varying colors, and if you opt for aftermarket bands, you can even find different materials.
How can I improve the battery life of the Vivoactive?
If you want your Vivoactive to last a bit longer than it does, we would recommend you to turn off the GPS feature when you do not need it.
Also, you can disconnect it from your phone when data sync is not necessary.
Is not having a touchscreen a dealbreaker thing for the Forerunner 230?
For all the other features that it contains, we would say getting a Forerunner is totally worth it. The navigation is easy to get used to too.
Conclusion
Now that you know the differences that lie in between the watches, hopefully, choosing one will not be an issue for you.
With that being said, we would like to conclude our take on the topic Garmin vivoactive and forerunner 230 here by wishing you good luck.