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Customer reviews for Garmin Vivoactive 5 Smart Watch for
Garmin Vivoactive 5 Smart Watch
4.3 out of 5 stars
stars1,534 ratings1,525 reviews
  1. 5 stars64% (976)
  2. 4 stars18% (276)
  3. 3 stars9% (138)
  4. 2 stars4% (67)
  5. 1 star5% (77)

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Showing 301-310 of 1,525 reviews
Aug 24, 2025
MCRushh
1 out of 5 stars review

Disconnects weekly

When this app and my watch are connecting, they're fantastic. But having to set up my device at least once, if not twice, a week is time consuming and makes me regret my "upgrade" to Garmin. I never put my actual goals into the app/watch anymore because it's a waste of my time. I could go back in time. I would have saved my money and bought a new fitb when my 5-year fitb broke.

Review from Garmin
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Sep 10, 2025
KarenW
4 out of 5 stars review

Good but not perfect

I wore a Fitbit for many years and when the last one died, I replaced it with what I had hoped would be a longer lasting watch. The first Vivo5 had to be replaced because it died within the first 3 months. The second one is still around although it, too, has died on a couple of occasions, but I have been able to bring it back to life after a few, furious pushing of buttons. (Actually, the last time it died I had to do a factory reset.) That's the bad new. The good news is that the watch pairs seamlessly with my Garmin Edge 530, which is another reason I switched to Vivo5. It is rich in features, and the battery life is much better than the Fitbit. I'm not a huge fan of how a new band attaches to the face--it's kinda finicky and requires small hands--but not enough of a downer for me to consider replacing it. Overall, I am happy I switched from Fitbit to Garmin, but would really like it to be more reliable.

Review from Garmin
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Jul 20, 2025
TJDURB
5 out of 5 stars review

GARMIN VIVOACTIVE 5

I bought this watch a few weeks ago and am already impressed with the battery life. this watch replaced an old model Iwatch that worked as well; however the battery life was horrible! I love being able to wear the Garmin watch for days, but especially enjoy the sleep analysis which I could not do with the Apple watch because of the poor battery life that required nightly charging.

Review from Garmin
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Jun 30, 2025
ChrisGr
4 out of 5 stars review

Great value! Worth upgrading.

I'm a frequent runner who also likes to dabble in cycling, hiking, strength training, and soccer. I bought this to replace my Vivoactive 3 Music, which met almost all of needs/wants (gps, activity tracking, onboard music), but was right on the edge of battery life limits if I wanted to run anything more than a half marathon. The Vivoactive 5 was just the right step up in battery life without compromising elsewhere. I do wish they had kept the barometric altimeter for my hiking ventures, but I live in Indiana so I'm mostly fine without it.

Review from Garmin
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Jun 12, 2025
ITSMEE WBM
5 out of 5 stars review

Amazing features

My daughter gave this to me to replace a Fitbit. This watch has more useable features than the Fitbit had WITHOUT the need for an annual fee. I would write a longer review, but my Garmin just told me it’s time to get up and move. Oh yeah I LIKE IT.

Review from Garmin
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Jun 19, 2025
Christabell
5 out of 5 stars review

Upgraded features from vivoactive 3

I had a vivoactive 3 and it was not holding much of a charge and I was having an issue with the button on the side. I like the buttons better on the 5. I also really like the lightness of the watch compared to the 3. The sleep functions are way different and I love it. Also, I like the fitness options. I'm very satisfied with the 5.

Review from Garmin
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Aug 14, 2025
Kamibob
2 out of 5 stars review

Weird....

I've had my Vivoactive 5 for a couple of years now and it works well except for the incident alert feature wihch is really clumsy and awkward. If I am out snowshoeing and stop to talk with someone, it sends an alert like I have fallen and can't get up. Also, today after a bike ride, the watch was no longer connected to my phone. None of my previously saved data was available on the watch or the phone. After re-pairing the phone to the "new" watch, all was good again. Then I got this request to review my new watch. Very weird.

Review from Garmin
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Aug 1, 2025
Temp
4 out of 5 stars review

Good

I am 75 years old and recently changed from a Fitbit Alta HR which I mostly wore on my ankle. So far the Garmin sleep tracking is way off. Step count is 30% low. Other readings seem to be quite accurate. Connectivity is far superior to the Alta, and app runs smoothly and with no issues. Really like the outdoor walking map with the GPS but I have learned to put it on my ankle when on a treadmill, shopping, or gardening. The screen is fantastic as well as the battery life. I like being able to connect it to my laptop which is much better for me than a small screen. The Garmin is also infinitely more customizable and readable with much better information on the watch itself than I had before. All in all, once I get the sleep tracking and step count accuracy improved , this will be a substantial improvement to what I have had in the past. I would make the switch again!

Review from Garmin
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reply from Care

Hey, there! If you're having trouble getting accurate sleep tracking from your Vivoactive 5, I recommend checking the tips linked below to ensure that you're meeting the requirements to get advanced sleep monitoring: http://ms.spr.ly/6425sK32D As for the step count, it sounds like you've got a pretty good idea of how to record steps while doing activities that prevent arm movement, but I'd like to ensure that you've reviewed the information in this FAQ just to be thorough: http://ms.spr.ly/6427sK321 If you still need assistance after reading through those tips, please call Garmin Support at 800-800-1020 to speak with an associate about these concerns. *KC

Aug 18, 2025
Dar_el
3 out of 5 stars review

Hoping to love it

I got this as a gift after my Apple Watch died and I was really excited about the 11 day battery life that was advertised but soon realized that only happens if you basically never track anything on your watch. I’ve only gotten at most 3 days on a single charge. Also, the watch band has apparently given me a rash and looking up reviews on Reddit it appears to be a common experience. So I have to spend more money to buy a different band. That’s a bummer. Hope once I get my new band and my rash is gone, I’d be able to start loving it.

Review from Garmin
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Sep 1, 2025
jackie1988
5 out of 5 stars review

love it!

Still learning all the things this can do, it's a LOT! I'm a convert from Fitbit, and am now wondering what took me so long. I mainly do yoga, Pilates, walk/jog/hike, kayaking, and bicycling, and I've JUST started with the coach workouts. Outside of the fitness features, the wellness features like stress levels and body battery have led me to discover that broken sleep is taking a LOT larger toll on me than I realized, so what once didn't seem that important has become a priority. I wouldn't have known otherwise.

Review from Garmin
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