Nina Caldwell
The Garmin Vivoactive 4 is a GPS golf watch with a variety of features. It has built-in GPS, fitness, health, and sleep tracking, and can even play music directly from the watch. The Vivoactive 4 offers improved battery life and comes in a few different sizes. It is a multisport watch that can be used for swimming, cycling, running, and other activities. When it comes to golf, the Vivoactive 4 provides basic features such as calculating the distance to the front, middle, and back of the green. Users have reported some issues with phone sync and the need to carry their phones with them while playing. Overall, the Vivoactive 4 is a solid choice for those seeking a golf GPS watch with additional functionalities.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Vivoactive 4 |
| Brand | Garmin |
| Type | Multisport watch |
| Use | Golf, fitness tracking, sleep tracking, swimming, cycling, running, driving, hiking, boating |
| Features | Built-in GPS, music storage, 20+ sports apps |
| Sizes | 45mm, 40mm |
| Battery life | Up to 1 week without GPS |
| Additional features | Step tracking, calorie tracking, hydration tracking, on-screen workouts, automatic course updates |
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$195.95 $299.99
What You'll Learn
Vivoactive 4 as a golf GPS
The Garmin Vivoactive 4 is a GPS golf watch that offers a range of features for golfers. It has a built-in GPS that can be used not only for golf but also for driving, hiking, boating, and other activities. Before using the watch for golf, users must download the Garmin Golf™ app from the app store on their phone. The device then locates satellites, calculates the user's location, and selects a course. If there is more than one course nearby, the user can select from a list of courses, which are updated automatically. The watch also has the ability to calculate the distance to the front, middle, and back of the green, though not the actual pin location.
In addition to its golf capabilities, the Vivoactive 4 also offers fitness, health, and sleep tracking. It can track steps, calories burned, hydration levels, sleep quality, and even provide on-screen workouts. The watch also has music capabilities, allowing users to play music directly from the watch through Spotify or Amazon Music, a feature not available on its predecessor, the Vivoactive 3.
The Vivoactive 4 comes in two different sizes, 45mm and 40mm, offering a more comfortable option for those who prefer a smaller watch. In terms of battery life, the Vivoactive 4 is supposed to last an hour longer in normal smartwatch mode compared to the Vivoactive 3, although some users have reported not noticing a significant difference. If used just as a normal watch with no GPS, the battery should last about a week.
Overall, the Vivoactive 4 offers a range of features for golfers and those with active lifestyles. While the golf features may not be as advanced as those on other watches, such as the Garmin S42, the Vivoactive 4 provides a good balance of golf and multisport features, making it a versatile option for users with varied interests.
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Vivoactive 4 battery life
The Garmin Vivoactive 4 is a comprehensive fitness tracker that offers insights into your breathing, sleep, and stress levels. It also provides motivating training plans and smartwatch features. According to Garmin, the Vivoactive 4 can last up to 8 days in smartwatch mode, 6 hours in GPS mode, or 18 hours in GPS mode without music. The smaller Vivoactive 4S is estimated to have a battery life of up to 7 days in smartwatch mode, 5 hours in GPS mode, or 15 hours in GPS mode without music.
However, some users have reported that the battery life they experience falls short of these estimates. Several factors can affect the battery life of the Vivoactive 4, including usage patterns, the number of apps running in the background, and the brightness and duration of the backlight setting. For example, one user reported getting 4 to 4.5 days of battery life with two to three 30-35 minute runs per week using GPS and three strength workouts per week, while another user with similar usage patterns but different backlight settings reported getting around 4 days of battery life.
It's important to note that certain features, such as the Pulse Ox feature for tracking blood oxygen saturation, can significantly reduce the battery life. Additionally, the battery life of the Vivoactive 4 may decrease over time, with some users reporting a decline in battery performance after 2-3 years of use. In such cases, a factory reset or battery replacement may be necessary to improve battery life.
To optimize the battery life of the Vivoactive 4, users can adjust their settings, such as disabling the backlight or reducing the brightness, limiting the number of apps running in the background, and updating the watch software to the latest version. Additionally, using the battery widget can help users test different settings and understand their impact on battery life.
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Vivoactive 4 compared to other watches
The Garmin Vivoactive 4 is a multisport fitness watch that falls somewhere in the middle of Garmin's lineup. It is more advanced than the base model Vivomove 3 or Vivosmart 5 but is a notable step down from the more advanced watches from the Fenix line, Venu series, and Vivoactive 5. The Vivoactive 4 is the basis from which all of Garmin's other 2019 multisport watches are built, including the Garmin Venu, Legacy Saga series, and Legacy Hero series. The main differences between the four product lines are that the Venu has an AMOLED display, the Legacy Saga series are Star Wars-themed watches, and the Legacy Hero series is based on Marvel's Captain America and Captain Marvel.
Compared to the Apple Watch Series 5, Vivoactive 4 has better accuracy in tracking runs, but the Apple Watch is more correct in getting to and from the track. The Vivoactive 4 has a barometric altimeter, while the Apple Watch does not. The Vivoactive 4 also has advanced yoga, Pilates, or related animations, which the Apple Watch also lacks. The Vivoactive 4 can display smartphone notifications for both Android and iOS, but only Android users can respond to messages via canned responses.
Compared to the Fitbit Ionic, the Vivoactive 4 has greater lifestyle and wellness features, giving it more depth. The Vivoactive 4 also has better third-party app support than Fitbit.
Compared to the Samsung Galaxy Active Watch 2, the Vivoactive 4 has longer battery life, lasting eight days in smartwatch mode and six hours with GPS and music.
Compared to the Vivoactive 5, the Vivoactive 4 has fewer sports modes (20 compared to over 30) and a lower-resolution display (260 x 260 pixels compared to 390 x 390 pixels). The Vivoactive 5 also has a brighter AMOLED display compared to the older MIP display on the Vivoactive 4. The Vivoactive 5 offers advanced features like Morning Report, which tells you how rested your body is based on metrics like sleep and HRV status, viewable at a glance. It also offers nap detection and the Sleep Coach feature, which gives feedback on sleep stages, total sleep, and quality.
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Using Vivoactive 4 with a phone
The Garmin Vivoactive 4 is a GPS golf watch that can also be used for other sports and fitness tracking. It has a built-in GPS that can be used for driving, hiking, boating, and other activities. The watch also has a variety of other features, such as fitness, health, and sleep tracking, and can store music directly on the device.
To use the Vivoactive 4 with a phone, you must first pair it with your smartphone via Bluetooth. This can be done by downloading the Garmin Connect Mobile app on your phone and following the on-screen instructions to pair the two devices. Once paired, you can use the app to download courses to the watch, which can then be used as a standalone GPS device.
When using the Vivoactive 4 as a golf GPS, it is recommended to carry your phone with you, as some users have reported issues with the watch losing its connection to the course after a few holes. By keeping your phone connected, you will continue to receive course updates and notifications on your watch. However, if you prefer not to carry your phone, you can download the course to your watch beforehand and leave your phone behind.
In addition to using the Vivoactive 4 as a golf GPS, pairing it with your phone allows you to view notifications and calendar events, share and analyze data, download software updates, and download additional Connect IQ features from Garmin and other providers.
It is important to note that some users have reported difficulties in pairing the Vivoactive 4 with a new phone. In some cases, a factory reset of the watch or reinstalling the Connect app on the phone may be necessary to establish a successful connection.
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Vivoactive 4 features
The Vivoactive 4 is a GPS smartwatch with a range of features. It has a colour touchscreen with a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 lens, a textured silicone strap, and a stainless steel bezel. The watch is rated 5ATM for water resistance, meaning it can withstand water pressure to a depth of 164 feet. It has an always-on display, and the screen can be tapped to trigger the backlight.
The Vivoactive 4 offers health and fitness tracking, including insights about your breathing, sleep, and stress. It also provides training plans, and on-screen workout animations. It tracks steps, calories burned, hydration levels, and distance travelled. It comes with over 20 preloaded sports apps, and you can play music directly from the watch through Spotify or Amazon Music.
The watch has a range of sensors, including an accelerometer, a barometric altimeter, a compass, GPS, a gyroscope, and a heart rate monitor. It also has a pulse oximeter that gauges oxygen saturation in the blood.
The Vivoactive 4 has a battery life of around a week if used as a standard watch without GPS.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Vivoactive 4 has a built-in GPS and can be used for golf.
To use the Vivoactive 4 as a golf GPS, you must first download the Garmin Golf™ app from the app store on your phone. Then, download the course using the Garmin Connect app. Make sure your phone and watch are connected and the course will sync. Once synced, you can leave your phone in the car and use the watch as a standalone GPS.
The Vivoactive 4 will calculate the distance to the front, middle, and back of the green, but not the actual pin location as these change. The watch will also keep your score.
The Vivoactive 4 has a better battery life than its predecessor, so it can be used for longer on the golf course. It also has other health and fitness tracking features, such as step count and calorie burn, which can be useful for golfers.
