Garmin announced a new version of the Vivoactive 3 with a feature that brings the device up-to-par with the newest versions of its competitors, the Apple Watch Series 3 and the Fitbit Ionic: music storage.
Featuring Garmin Pay contactless payments and thousands of ways to customize with free watch faces, widgets, data fields and apps through the Garmin Connect IQ store, the vivoactive 3 Music has been designed for running errands, running a 10K, and everything in between.
Featuring the same fitness, wellness and smart connectivity features first introduced on the vivoactive 3, the vivoactive 3 Music gives users an extra pep in their step with on-device music storage of up to 500 songs. Download offline music playlists from select music streaming services like Deezer (coming soon), iHeartRadio, or transfer music from a computer directly to the watch. Once the music is loaded, pair the vivoactive 3 Music with a set of compatible Bluetooth headphones (sold separately) and go.
Connecting the device to your PC and opening Garmin Express allows you to do a number of things: download music, install software updates, manage Connect IQ apps, and change device and profile settings. The Music program automatically identifies the default music program on your PC and mirrors the folders you have in that program such as playlists, albums, songs, and more.
Garmin Pay, a contactless payment solution, means vivoactive 3 Music wearers can leave their cash and credit cards at home and still stop for a coffee, pop in a store, or grab a bite to eat throughout their day. Utilizing their Garmin Pay wallet, users have the same rewards and benefits of the physical cards, with the convenience of having them right on the wrist for contactless payment.
With Elevate wrist-based heart rate and over 15 preloaded GPS and indoor sports apps including yoga, running, strength training and more, the vivoactive 3 Music is packed with features to keep up with a varied active lifestyle. Like all of Garmin's wearables, it is safe for swimming and showering and has a battery life of up to 7 days in smartwatch mode and 5 hours in GPS with music mode.
The redesigned Garmin Connect makes it easier to beat yesterday with colorful activity cards that give users an at-a-glance to the most important stats. Simply scroll down to compare today's totals to past results or tap in for more detailed information. Activities and other stats captured by the device are presented in detail with data customized and filtered so that the user is only seeing what is most relevant to his or her goals. Users can connect with friends and family to motivate one another, join challenges, engage in friendly competitions and score colorful new Garmin Connect badges when goals are crushed.
The vivoactive 3 Music comes with a black silicone 20mm quick release industry standard band and has a suggested retail price of $299.99 and is available now. Accessory bands in different sizes are available for purchase separately for $29.99.
While Garmin devices work with Android and iOS, keep in mind that Android users get a few extra perks thanks to the openness of the platform. Android users can send quick-replies to text messages directly from the watch, while iOS users are limited to reading and dismissing message alerts. Android users can also use smart notifications to pick and choose apps to receive alerts from on the watch-for iOS users, it's all alerts, calls only, or calls and texts only.
Compared to the Apple Watch and Fitbit's devices, the Apple Watch makes a better smartwatch if you have an iPhone, allowing you to respond to messages and even make and receive calls if you have the LTE version of the Series 3 Watch.
Fitbit's devices have a friendlier mobile app than Garmin's, and Fitbit's social features make exercise a communal activity. Garmin has social features as well, and some athletes may even prefer them, but Fitbit's challenges, activity status and photo sharing, groups and other social features will appeal to a wider variety of users with different fitness levels.
General |
| Lens Material |
chemically strengthened glass |
| Case material |
polymer |
| Quick Release Bands |
yes (20 mm, Industry standard) |
| Strap material |
silicone |
| Physical size |
43.1 x 43.1 x 13.6 mm
Fits wrists with a circumference of 127-204 mm |
| Weight |
39.0 g |
| Water rating |
Swim, 5 ATM |
| Touchscreen |
yes |
| Display type |
sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) |
| Display size |
1.2" (30.4mm) diameter |
| Display resolution |
240 x 240 pixels |
| Color display |
yes |
| Battery life |
Smartwatch mode: Up to 7 days
GPS mode with music: Up to 5 hours
GPS mode without music: Up to 13 hours |
| Memory/History |
7 timed activities, 14 days of activity tracking data |
Clock Features |
| Time/date |
yes |
| GPS Time Sync |
yes |
| Automatic daylight saving time |
yes |
| Alarm clock |
yes |
| Timer |
yes |
| Stopwatch |
yes |
Sensors |
| GPS |
yes |
| GLONASS |
yes |
| Garmin Elevate wrist heart rate monitor |
yes |
| Barometric altimeter |
yes |
| Compass |
yes |
| Gyroscope |
yes |
| Accelerometer |
yes |
| Thermometer |
yes |
Daily Smart Features |
| Connectivity |
Bluetooth Smart and ANT+ |
| Connect IQ (downloadable watch faces, data fields, widgets and apps) |
yes |
| Smart notifications |
yes |
| Text response/reject phone call with text (Android only) |
yes |
| Calendar |
yes |
| Weather |
yes |
| Controls smartphone music |
yes |
| Plays and controls watch music |
yes |
| Music Storage |
up to 500 songs |
| Find My Phone |
yes |
| Find My Watch |
yes |
| VIRB Camera Remote |
yes |
| Smartphone compatibility |
iPhone, Android |
| Compatible with Garmin Connect Mobile |
yes |
| Garmin Pay |
yes |
Activity Tracking Features |
| Step counter |
yes |
| Move bar (displays on device after a period of inactivity; walk for a couple of minutes to reset it) |
yes |
| Auto goal (learns your activity level and assigns a daily step goal) |
yes |
| Sleep monitoring (monitors total sleep and periods of movement or restful sleep) |
yes |
| Calories burned |
yes |
| Floors climbed |
yes |
| Distance traveled |
yes |
| Intensity minutes |
yes |
| TrueUp |
yes |
| Move IQ |
yes |
| Fitness Age |
yes (in app) |
| All-day Stress Tracking |
yes |
Fitness Equipment/Gym |
| Preloaded gym activity profiles |
Strength Training, Cardio Training, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing and Yoga |
| Cardio workouts |
yes |
| Strength workouts |
yes |
| Automatic rep counting |
yes |
Training, Planning and Analysis Features |
| GPS speed and distance |
yes |
| Customizable data pages |
yes |
| Customizable activity profiles |
yes |
| Auto Pause |
yes |
| Advanced workouts |
yes |
| Downloadable training plans |
yes |
| Auto Lap |
yes |
| Manual lap |
yes |
| Configurable lap alerts |
yes |
| V02 max |
yes |
| Customizable alerts |
yes |
| LiveTrack |
yes |
| Touch and/or button lock |
yes |
| Auto scroll |
yes |
| Activity history on watch |
yes |
Heart Rate Features |
| HR zones |
yes |
| HR alerts |
yes |
| HR calories |
yes |
| % HR max |
yes |
| HR Broadcast (broadcasts HR data over ANT+ to paired devices) |
yes |
Running Features |
| Preloaded run profiles |
Running, Indoor Track Running, Treadmill Running |
| GPS-based distance, time and pace |
yes |
| Run workouts |
yes |
| Foot pod capable |
yes |
Outdoor Recreation Features |
| Preloaded outdoor recreation profiles |
Skiing, Snowboarding, XC Skiing, Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing |
| Back to start |
yes |
| Total ascent/descent |
yes |
Golfing Features |
| Yardage to F/M/B (distance to front, middle and back of green) |
yes |
| Yardage to layups/doglegs |
yes |
| Measures shot distance (calculates exact yardage for shots from anywhere on course) |
Automatic |
| Digital scorecard |
yes |
| Stat tracking (strokes, putts per round, greens and fairways hit) |
yes |
| Garmin AutoShot |
yes |
| Green View with manual pin position |
yes |
| Hazards and course targets |
yes |
| PinPointer |
yes |
| Round timer/odometer |
yes |
Cycling Features |
| Preloaded cycling profiles |
Biking, Indoor Biking |
| Time/distance alerts (triggers alarm when you reach goal) |
yes |
| Compatible with Varia radar (rear-facing radar) |
yes |
| Compatible with Varia lights |
yes |
| Speed and cadence sensor support (with sensor) |
yes |
Swimming Features |
| Preloaded swim profiles |
Pool Swimming |
| Pool swim metrics (lengths, distance, pace, stroke count/rate, calories) |
yes |
| Stroke type detection (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly) |
yes |
| Swim efficiency (SWOLF) |
yes |