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Vivoactive 3 or Fitbit Ionic

Former Member over 7 years ago

Everything being equal, the choice is a lot simpler but not everything is equal.

I've been using a Garmin Vivoactive HR+ for almost a year now. Picked it up to replace the Microsoft Band which was tragically killed off by Microsoft.
The Vivoactive HR+ has served me well and I really like the water resistance. The software on the other hand is a nightmare for a Windows Phone user.
I do not get push notifications, synchronization is a crap shoot and there are times the Connect Mobile app completely fails to work.

The Vivoactive 3 come incredibly close to what we had with the Microsoft Band and just looks great.
However, Fitbit's Ionic also comes incredibly close to what we had with the Band and also looks good.

Fitbit's software is far more successful than Garmin's on Windows 10 (Mobile and PC), though.
I don't care much about the onboard music storage and having onboard GPS and water resistance is a plus.
I do have a Garmin scale which would need to be replaced.
There is the option of switching to an iPhone, where the software issues are not as prominent, and stick with Garmin but that's an awfully expensive solution.

I guess what I'm asking the group is are there any overwhelming reasons not to switch to the Ionic? Is there hope that Garmin will get off their butts and give Connect Mobile some much-needed attention?

0 R_Tellis over 7 years ago

While the Ionic was never really on my radar it's too bad that if those reports are true because competition makes everyone better.

0 jim_m_58 over 7 years ago

R_Tellis.. I've seen boxes of breakfast cereal that offered a chance to win a FitBit on the box. They really never were compitition :)

0 Former Member over 7 years ago

I have been using an AW2 for the last year after using a FR235 and I switched to the Ionic to try it out before trying the VA3.

I like the Ionic for the most part, but I am having intermittent issues with the HRM and cadence lock like I seem to with the AW2. Garmin seems to be the only one of the 3 that actually tries to acquire the heart rate first.

I will say that the thing I like most about Fitbit is the ecosystem. However at the same time, I think the way that Fitbit logs and presents workouts is awful. I can’t see how much I run every week/month etc. With both the AW2 and Garmin I can consolidate into the Nike+ app as well as the Garmin app being superior at the display.

i am looking forward to trying the VA3 once the vibration intensity issue is solved.

0 Former Member over 7 years ago

I just don't get what some people may see in the new Fitbit Ionic:

1. If I want a smartwatch with access to all type of apps and so on (mainly useless imo) then I go for an Apple Watch
2. If I'm mainly interested in tracking my training sessions, then any Garmin (235 or above) will do (pick depending on what sports I practice)...I've got the 735XT and wish the 935 were available when i got my watch

3. If I want a fitness tracker plus to a lesser extent apps or sports tracking, then again either the Apple Watch or a Garmin
4. If i just want a fitness tracker, then a cheap fitbit band

But a Fitbit Ionic? A $300 fitness tracker with a (bad) music app????? An Apple Watch 1 or 2 can do pretty much the same and both are cheaper! and the 3 is not that much more expensive

Here they show more than 20 reviews of the Ionic and no single reviewer liked the watch beyond the battery life and the fitness tracking stuff https://goo.gl/YPimXF

Well if money is not important to you and all your friends are in the fitbit platform, then maybe

0 nancyjocoy over 7 years ago

I am also in the search and the ability to pair with a chest strap is a biggie for me if I find the heart rate is not accurate in peak. I have pushed myself a bit *tooooo* far and would like to have known before I got there. Fortunately no damage done, though it kind of scared me to realize how long I was that high and I am hoping it was just inaccurate, but the older you get the lower the max HR should be.

Garmin certainly has the history with GPS. The only thing putting me off Garmin has been my very poor customer service responses [do they just give support staff a book and say here are your canned responses? ] My last one was so bad, that the rep did not even respond when I asked how I could give feedback on Garmin Customer Support. I was very polite the whole time. Fitbit has always had great customer service and does not hesitate to replace a bad unit. But. I think the Garmin has more of what I am seeking.

0 JGobeil over 7 years ago

I bought an FB Ionic and quickly returned it. I didn't go through the horror stories described in the Fitbit forum: setup and sync worked beautifully. Battery life is good and the screen is beautiful. However, it has some weaknesses I can not live with.

1- I have been unable to set my maximum heart rate. It has the option but it doesn't work. I am stuck with the 220 minus age formula which is grosly inaccurate in my case. Also, you are stuck with 3 HR zones while the norm is 5 .

2- GPS works ok but... elevation/altitude is not really available. It is shown in the summary after the activity is finished but is nowhere to be seen in the data/stats/graph of the activity.

3- The Android app has decent fitness reports, graphs etc. However, the activity reports and stats are underdeveloped.

4- There are no apps and very few watchfaces available. Well, if you consider a stopwatch and Starbucks as apps, there are a few...

IMO, this watch has potential but it is not there yet !

0 jim_m_58 over 7 years ago

I used fitbits for a few years, but they lost me with the whole FitBit Force "RashBit" debacle, and I moved over to Garmin

The interesting thing is FitBit is trying to play "catch up" with what Garmin had in early 2015 with the original vivoactive with their "Ironic" (that's not a typo)

Fitbit is better known, but it may be because they are offered as prizes in boxes of breakfast cereal! (to be fair, it's only a chance to win one!)