Garmin Vivomove Sport in the test: the fashionable smartwatch with a hidden display
RRP $ 179.00
"The fashionable Garmin Vivomove may have a hidden screen, but once you put it on, the watch's extensive technology and health tracking talents are evident."
benefits
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Looks like a fashion watch
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Screen completely hides when not in use
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Gesture control is reliable
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Comprehensive health and activity tracking
disadvantage
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OLED screen has a low resolution
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Battery life just average
Garmin's new Vivomove Sport for 2022 is literally a hybrid smartwatch as it has physical pointers that move around the watch face and a screen that stays completely hidden until needed. It's the opposite of the Fitbit Versa 3, which is its biggest competitor and will appeal to anyone who finds the Fitbit's boring design off-putting. The good news is that it's not just the design that I like about the Vivomove Sport, as I found out.
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The Garmin Vivomove Sport is very good at disguising its hybrid smartwatch status as the small OLED screen is completely hidden until needed. When I say whole, I mean it too. I challenge you to look at the photos with the screen off and tell me there is one at all. I really like this approach, especially as more and more hybrid smartwatches are increasingly integrating active e-ink screens, where the design is away from the "watch" and much closer to the "smartwatch".
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Not like this here, and it looks great for that. The dial is simple, with Garmin branding stamped on it, six hour markers, and some redundant chronograph-style markings on the bezel. The surface has a subtle vinyl record finish that is barely noticeable if you don't look closely while the baton hands are silver. There is no second hand, no buttons on the case and no crown.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The case is made of fiber reinforced polymer (which Garmin has used on other models, including the Fenix range) and has glass over the dial with a very slight curve around the edges. It feels smooth and warm, but it can get greasy. It's attached to a simple rubber strap, which on my test device is black, but you can also get the Vivomove Sport in Ivory, Cocoa or Cool Mint. The Vivomove Sport is very light and comfortable to wear at just 34 grams. I wore it 24 hours a day for five days with no irritation or overnight problems or even the need to adjust the strap because it got too hot or sweaty.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
I like the design. It's very understated, but the simplicity means it goes with anything, especially black, and the 40mm case size is modest and fits most wrists. You won't make a statement with the Vivomove Sport, but because of the hidden screen you won't advertise wearing a smartwatch either. It just looks like a pretty ordinary fashion watch. This is exactly what a good hybrid smartwatch should be and ideal for anyone who doesn't like the sportiness of a fitness band or the geekiness of a full touchscreen but understands the need for a screen to increase its utility but doesn't want to see it all the time.
Screen and menu
Garmin's decision to hide the screen works from a design perspective, but what if it's on? It activates when you raise your wrist or double-tap the glass to view the time, battery status, and date information. You also tap the glass skillfully to operate the menu system, so Garmin can do without buttons on the case and it is an accurate and reliable system. Swipe the screen to view steps, heart rate, health data, and more. The pointers automatically rotate out of the way when you look at these screens.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Long press the screen to open the exercise menu, where you can quickly activate a walking, running, cycling, weight training, yoga, meditation or swimming session. Dig deeper and you'll find more detailed health functions like VO2 Max, blood oxygen and fitness age, as well as some settings for the watch. The on-screen options may seem small, but they're actually easy to find and press with your finger due to the accuracy of the watch's touch-sensitive glass.
Unfortunately, the OLED screen is bright, but not very high-resolution with only 72 x 154 pixels. The information displayed is noticeably blurry, almost like it's a little blurry or the glass is smeared, and it looks out of place next to the physical pointers and markers on the dial. It doesn't affect functionality or readability, but it's distracting and looks cheap.
Software and app
I used the watch with the Garmin Connect app connected to a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 before it was released, and it's compatible with iOS too. I didn't have any connection issues and syncing was flawless. It lacks some features like the Google Assistant or the Siri integration you'll find on competing models like the Fitbit Versa 3.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Notifications are delivered reliably, but the screen is small. So don't expect anything other than basic information. Tap the incoming notification and you'll get more details, but it's of little use as a message spans multiple screens. The notifications work exactly the way you want them from a hybrid smartwatch: as a prompt to make a decision whether to pick up the phone or not.
By default, the vibrating alert isn't very strong, but exploring the settings menu can make it longer for the buzz, although battery life suffers. This is not the only customization option as many aspects of the watch can be changed from within the app, from the watch face to the exercise options displayed to gesture control options to the orientation of the hands.
The Garmin Connect app is colorful to look at and quick to use. It's packed with information and data, but I found it to be often tightly presented and awkward to find. A slide-in menu offers even more options, and navigating through it can be confusing and time-consuming. It's definitely for the data junkie, and I've rarely found anything that gives me advice on what to do with the data or how to make improvements. Instead, Garmin urges you to be motivated to participate in Community Challenges, either pre-generated or created with friends.
The Vivomove Sport may not be an expensive Garmin sports smartwatch, but with Connect it's definitely still comprehensive enough to be used by both casual coaches and serious athletes. There are features like adding details about your shoes and bike, saving routes you have run regularly and then navigating with Garmin's PacePro pacing system, as well as the ability to create custom workouts for the watch. All of your statistics, from sleep to stress to heart rate, are visible on individual screens with historical data for up to a year.
It's as complex as you want it to be, and if you only want to record a workout or two a week it's as ready to do so as it is all more strenuous.
Health tracking
I've followed workouts with the Vivomove Sport and the Apple Watch Series 7 together, and the Garmin returned significantly higher values than the Apple Watch. The average heart rate during Vivomove Sport was about 10 beats per minute higher, which probably had an effect on calorie burning, which was usually 50 or 60 kcal higher as well. When comparing Garmin's sleep tracking with the Oura ring, neither of the two agreed on the timing of the sleep phases, but were almost identical for heart and respiratory rates.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Neither of these are medical devices so results will always vary, but in my experience, the Apple Watch tends to match most other wearables in terms of activity tracking and heart rate. I am using the Garmin Vivomove Sport before its official announcement and with a special version of the Garmin Connect app, so adjustments to the watch's firmware and algorithms can be made after its release.
What else? There is menstrual cycle and pregnancy tracking, a way to manually log fluid intake, GPS tracking with your phone, various security features including emergency location sharing, and some mindfulness style relaxation features. Garmin's Body Battery is an unusual addition that might come in handy, but it's not implemented very well. It assesses your energy levels to understand if it is a good time to exercise or to make an effort in general. I didn't find it helpful in everyday life, mainly because you have to look for your battery level in the app. The Oura Ring has a similar Readiness Score, but it appears first thing in the morning on the app's home screen, making it more helpful for planning your day.
The Vivomove Sport covers my basic health needs very well, with a lot of leeway even for the more enthusiastic athlete
The touch-sensitive glass and the quick and easy activation of exercise tracking are welcome, as the process can often be a frustrating combination of keystrokes on hybrid smartwatches. Not so here, and by swiping the small screen, you can also see live heart rate and calorie consumption data. The Vivomove Sport covers my basic health monitoring needs very well and also offers plenty of leeway for the more enthusiastic exerciser, but the accuracy can benefit from some tweaks.
battery
Connected to an Android smartphone and with notifications as well as all-day heart rate monitoring, a few recorded training sessions and overnight sleep, the Garmin Vivomove Sport's battery lasted five days before it needed to be charged. You charge the battery with a proprietary cable included in the scope of delivery.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
I didn't turn on blood oxygen monitoring for sleep, which would likely further reduce usage time, but with these settings it is in line with Garmin's expectations for battery life. It's longer than a full-fledged smartwatch like the Apple Watch, but less than very energy-efficient smartwatches like the Huawei Watch GT 3. Five days of use is good, but given the Vivomove Sport's small screen, I would have liked to have had it longer.
Price and availability
The Vivomove Sport is priced at $ 179 and is available now from Garmin's online shop.
Our opinion
The subtle design that goes with everything and the real hands make the Garmin Vivomove Sport an excellent hybrid smartwatch for everyday use.
The precise gesture controls and the bright OLED screen make it quick and easy to use, it works with Android and iOS and the Garmin Connect app is full of data. On the less positive side, the five-day battery life is decent but not overwhelming, and the OLED screen's low resolution is distracting, but the area that is most worrying is the tracking accuracy. Discrepancies between the Vivomove Sport and other smartwatches indicate that there may be too many reports and an update is needed to optimize performance.
I've worn the Garmin Vivomove Sport for 10 frustration-free days at the time of writing. I only had to charge it once, it tracked my activity and sleep, reliably delivered notifications, looked great on my wrist and didn't get uncomfortable. Definitely recommended for the reasonable price of $ 179.
Is there a better alternative?
Garmin's Vivomove Sport's biggest competitor is the Fitbit Versa 3, valued at $ 230. Throughout my time, I've been reminded how convenient and easy the Versa 3 is to use, traits it shares with the Garmin watch. However, I prefer the design and the real hands of the Vivomove Sport by far, and it's significantly cheaper, but I think the Versa 3 is even more comfortable to wear 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you want a hybrid smartwatch with real pointers on the dial, the best alternative is the $ 195 Skagens Jorn HR, which has an e-ink screen behind the pointers. It shows as much information as the Garmin Vivomove Sport, but is not as easy to use and has no touchscreen. However, it is more customizable, and the design and materials used make it more desirable.
For a hybrid watch with a digital screen, we recommend the Casio G-Shock GBD-200 for $ 149 or its surf-oriented brother, the $ 180 GBX-100NS. Both come with basic fitness tracking and notifications, as well as all of the durability you'd expect from the brand. If you're still considering a full smartwatch, here are the best models right now.
How long it will take?
The Vivomove Sport has a water resistance of 50 meters and is suitable for swimming, while the plastic housing should prove to be durable. Garmin is a well-established company so there shouldn't be a problem with the Connect app continuing to work for years to come.
The Vivomove Sport allows you to grow if your exercise routines or needs or interests change too, making it a safe buy even if you are just starting out with tracking and are unsure of what the future will bring. It's not a high fashion piece so it should look fresh in a couple of years, and the 20mm strap is on quick release pins so it can be easily replaced if it breaks. You get the Vivomove Sport for three or more years.
Should you buy it?
Yes. It's a great alternative to a Fitbit, with a more watch-like design and a reasonable price.
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