Related
This discussion has been locked.
You can no longer post new replies to this discussion. If you have a question you can start a new discussion

What is better for me Vivoactive 4 or 3?

Toto
over 5 years ago

Dear all, 

this is my first message to this forum, so I would like to thank you all in advance for the kind answers I am sure I will get. 

I'm a very dissatisfied Fitbit user. I got a Versa last year for Christmas and since then I had it replaced (under warranty) 5 times and it is not just my bad luck, it is really a bad product with a lot of bugs. 

I'm now starting to look around to for something to replace the Fitbit when the warranty will expire and of course Garmin is on the list of possible successors, but differently from Fitbit where there are just few models, here the list is too long for an easy decision. So I'm asking you to help me with the decision keeping in mind my needs: bike, walking and swimming. 

I'm not a professional sportler. I'm just having fun mainly outdoor and trying to keep me fit. I'm biking almost everyday and I would like to have an integrated GPS because the shared GPS with the mobile phone is not really reliable. When I'm not biking it is because of the bad weather and then I am walking / running on a tapis roulant. Over the weekend I'm swimming in pool and there I would like to have my pools counted along with my timings. 

I don't care about music nor contactless payment. 

Given those boundaries conditions, what do you think it is better for me: series 4 or 3? Or maybe any other model I have overlooked.

Thanks a lot for your help and see you around! 

Cheers,

toto

  • 0 over 5 years ago in reply to oleksiy.yergiyev

    Wow, thanks for the very exhaustive and detailed explanation. I was not considering the VA3M because I don't listen to Music but the facts you show are indeed very interesting. 

    Thanks 

  • 0 over 5 years ago in reply to Toto

    There is another argument for the VA3M: since the last firmware update of the VA3 there is an issue with crashes caused by memory addressing in widgets. Widgets which query GPS cause third-party watchfaces and apps to crash, and only a restart resolves that. Also scrolling like mad can cause the same issue. Garmin may or may not fix this, but the VA3M doesn't have that problem, it simply has more memory. You lose the sideswipe function and metal caseback of the VA3, and of course it doesn't have Pulse Ox and fancy workout graphics like the VA4. 

  • 0 over 5 years ago

    I would wait for the vivoactive range. At this point there are way too many bugs, and it has been for months now. Garmin can't get it together. It feels like their watch department is on the brink of bankruptcy.

    If you can't wait, the GT 2 comes out very promising in tests. I wish I bought that one.

  • 0 over 5 years ago in reply to fallenwout

    Of course I can wait. That why I started my survey so early. 

    Thanks

  • 0 over 5 years ago in reply to fallenwout

    When you say GT2, you mean Huawei GT2? Because, yes I was looking very carefully at because I have a P20 and that would be the perfect match with my mobile phone. 

  • 0 over 5 years ago in reply to Toto

    yes, it also comes in 2 sizes. The smaller one doesn't have a calling option.

  • 0 over 5 years ago

    OK, I just ordered a Fenix. 

  • 0 over 5 years ago in reply to Former Member

    I have personal music, audiobooks, as well as Spotify music working on my VA4... As as well as Wifi. Works fine for me.

  • 0 over 5 years ago

    I had a va3 since it came out and upgraded to the 4, have had zero problems with it. My wife still has a va3, and am probably going to upgrade hers soon too (mostly for music and PulseOx)

    The animated workout thing is great for when you are starting a new workout and don't know exactly what the next thing is.

    PulseOx will drain the battery if left on all the time, but you can also set it to run just at night (or I believe just during workouts too).

    Music and wifi work perfectly fine for me, I do wish google goog music was a supported provider, but Spotify works fine.

    Gestures seem more responsive on the 4 than the 3, the screen also seems better in general (*I have the larger 4, not the 4s).

    You lose the annoying sideswipe function...But I turned that off on my va3 early on. (Gets annoying when you are plugging it in to charge).

    Both seem to have about the same battery life. *Unless PulseOx is on all the time...then you lose a day or two of battery.