Getting close to purchase: FR235 VS 'soon to be released' Vivoactive HR

Some outdoor running
235 does great at this
Some treadmill running
235 does great at this, especially with a foot pod.
Some treadmill 'fast walking' for longer times (like 4.2 mph for miles)
235 has no "walking mode" so you have to track this as "other"
I'd 'like' to see heart rates and sleep tracking
235 fails miserably on both heart rate and sleep tracking. It will often show you went to sleep hours before you actually did.
I'd also like step counts and such.
235 does very well with this, though the calorie calculations it provides for daily walking are off by as much as 300% day-to-day.

Sleep tracking is ok, but RHR is just off.
24/7 HR tracking is a joke. When i first started using, i thought it was doing a good job but i was wrong. Ill take walk for 10 minutes, HR will hit 120s. 235 wont even bother to check my HR during the walk unless i switch to HR widget or start a workout. So all that time itll log my HR as 72. Calories will be off as a result, etc

Per the VVAHR forum, it sounds like some retailers will start shipping in less than a week, so if you want real user feedback, it will be coming soon

https://forums.garmin.com/forumdisplay.php?584-vivoactive-HR

I do Connect IQ stuff and tend to watch for features with new devices, and here's my take (I do have an original vivoactive as well as a 230)

• The OHRM HW on the VVAHR sounds to be the same, but it MAY be the SW for it on the VVAHR may be better (A new device, and they are concentrating on it before updating the 235 sw)
  
• With the VVAHR, it will probably be like the VVA - "Jack of all trades, but master of none", while the 23x is a running orientated watch. For example, the VVA has indoor and outdoor native walking apps, while the 23x doesn't. Looks like the VVAHR will also have things like rowing, skiing, pool swimming, golf and more.
  
• The VVAHR does "floors" and keeps track of how many flights of stairs you do in a day (you might not care about that, but what it might mean). That to me means that it lively has a baro sensor for altitude. This means that on the watch, you'll see much better altitude, ascent and descent, if that's important to you. The 23x uses GPS for this info.
  
• on the VVAHR, you won't getting the same level of Running functions and features as you would with the 230
  

Thanks everyone!

Sounds like the stuff I want is its worst areas, figures! Lol

Hmmm think I'll wait and see how the new Vivo is, if it's not good, I'll just bail on the whole fitness watch idea :)

Wish I wasn't infatuated with the looks of the 235 (I'm a watch nut) :)

Thanks everyone!

Sounds like the stuff I want is its worst areas, figures! Lol

Hmmm think I'll wait and see how the new Vivo is, if it's not good, I'll just bail on the whole fitness watch idea :)

Wish I wasn't infatuated with the looks of the 235 (I'm a watch nut) :)

Yeah, the 235 is for people who run as their primary hobby/exercise. It has Fitbit-like features, but won't replace a Fitbit. It could... the software isn't quite there yet. I'd probably start with a Vivo, since those are the most Fitbit-like out of Garmin's lineup, and if you do take up running, you won't have to import/export your run history. Good luck!

Yeah, the 235 is for people who run as their primary hobby/exercise. It has Fitbit-like features, but won't replace a Fitbit. It could... the software isn't quite there yet. I'd probably start with a Vivo, since those are the most Fitbit-like out of Garmin's lineup, and if you do take up running, you won't have to import/export your run history. Good luck!

Actually, as a former Fitbitter, the Garmin devices are light years ahead when it comes to quality of both the HW and data, IMHO!

Fitbit is the "Waffle House" of fine dining! :)

Fitbit has "Marketing features" (like "floors"), that in reality are a joke the way they do it. (you do know with FB, floors have ZERO impact on calorie burn, right?)

I've had a vivoactive for a year now, and paired it to my phone exactly one time. With the 230, the only time I've had to re-pair is when I switched mobile devices. Notifcations, etc have worked well

The key with ANY devices like this when there is a connection problem is DO NOTHING. Don't uninstall, reinstall, re-pair, etc, as that won't help if you have problems with your data connection, or if the GC servers are bogged down, etc... It just makes you cranky!

Do NOTHING and just try again later! You won't lose any data.

(You don't sync TO your phone - you sync THROUGH your phone to Garmin)

Ah interesting!

Actually, as a former Fitbitter, the Garmin devices are light years ahead when it comes to quality of both the HW and data, IMHO!

Fitbit is the "Waffle House" of fine dining! :)

Fitbit has "Marketing features" (like "floors"), that in reality are a joke the way they do it. (you do know with FB, floors have ZERO impact on calorie burn, right?)

I will say that the Garmin's Achilles heel is sleep tracking. It is off to a hilarious degree.

That said? I'm very pleased with my 235 as a Fitbit replacement, otherwise. I even am able to sync my Fitbit Aria scale with the Garmin Connect app; they talk through MyFitnessPal.