| Manufacturer | Garmin |
|---|---|
| Type | Smart fitness tracker with Pulse Ox, Body Battery and wrist-based heart rate |
| Series | Vívosmart |
| Released | April 20, 2022 |
| Price at launch | $149.99 USD |
| Predecessor | Vívosmart 4 |
| Sizes | Small/Medium (wrists 122–188mm, 24.5g), Large (wrists 148–228mm, 26.5g) |
| Colours | Black, White, Cool Mint (Small/Medium); Black (Large) |
Specifications and features as at launch.
Jump to: Expert opinion | What’s new | Specifications | Battery life | Features | Activity profiles | Further reading
Expert opinion
The Vivosmart 5 serves a specific niche: a lightweight, screen-minimalist band for non-subscribers who want Garmin’s health ecosystem, including Body Battery, sleep scoring and HRV stress tracking, without wearing a full watch.
Its value case is weakened by a small, dated black-and-white OLED display, a plastic lens prone to scuffing, the removal of the stair-tracking altimeter its predecessor had, and complete reliance on a paired smartphone for outdoor GPS tracking. It works best as an unobtrusive daily health tracker worn alongside a mechanical watch. Dedicated runners and cyclists are better served by stepping up to an entry-level GPS watch such as a Garmin Forerunner.
Garmin Vivosmart 5
Simple, easy-to-use fitness tracker with Pulse Ox, Body Battery and up to 7 days of battery life.
What’s new versus the Vívosmart 4
Hardware
- Display 66% larger: 10.5 x 18.5mm, 88 x 154 pixels, versus 6.6 x 17.7mm, 48 x 128 pixels on the Vívosmart 4
- Physical button added alongside the touchscreen, replacing capacitive-only controls
- Interchangeable silicone bands, replacing the Vívosmart 4’s integrated band design
- Standard Garmin proprietary charging connector, replacing the Vívosmart 4’s unique connector
- Acrylic display lens, replacing toughened glass
- Weight increased to 24.5g (Small/Medium) and 26.5g (Large), up from 16.5g and 17.1g on the Vívosmart 4
- Barometric altimeter removed: the Vívosmart 5 cannot track floors climbed, a feature the Vívosmart 4 had
Software
- Morning Report wake-up screen showing sleep score, weather, calendar events and step goals
- On-device sleep score display, shown as part of the Morning Report on waking
- All-day respiration rate tracking
- Incident Detection during select outdoor activities
- Manual Assistance alerts via a long button press
- New activity profiles: Breathwork, HIIT, Pilates, Treadmill, Indoor Rowing
- Bluetooth heart rate broadcast to apps such as Peloton and Zwift
Specifications
| Display | |
|---|---|
| Type | Grayscale OLED touchscreen with physical button, on-demand with ambient light sensor |
| Size | 10.5 x 18.5mm |
| Resolution | 88 x 154 pixels |
| Physical | |
| Weight | 24.5g (Small/Medium), 26.5g (Large) |
| Case material | Polycarbonate |
| Lens material | Acrylic |
| Strap material | Silicone |
| Water rating | 5 ATM |
| Sensors and positioning | |
| Heart rate sensor | Garmin Elevate wrist heart rate monitor with Pulse Ox (SpO2) |
| Other sensors | Accelerometer, ambient light sensor |
| GPS | No built-in GPS; Connected GPS via a paired smartphone for walk, run and bike activities |
| © the5krunner. Link required. | |
| Connectivity and storage | |
| Wireless | Bluetooth Smart (smartphone); ANT+ (heart rate broadcast only) |
| NFC / Garmin Pay | No |
| Memory | 7 timed activities, 14 days of activity tracking data |
| Smartphone compatibility | iPhone, Android |
Battery life
| Mode | Battery life |
|---|---|
| Smartwatch mode | Up to 7 days |
| © the5krunner. Link required. | |
Garmin’s owner’s manual lists a reduced figure of around 4 days when Pulse Ox is set to all-night monitoring rather than spot-check only; this reduction is not stated on Garmin’s current product page and should be confirmed against the manual directly before publishing as a firm figure.
Features
Full explanations of the metrics below are covered in Garmin Features Explained.
Plan
- Auto goal, learning daily activity level to set a step target
- Move alerts after a period of inactivity
Prepare
- Fitness Age, using chronological age, weekly vigorous activity, resting heart rate and BMI or body fat percentage
- Customisable activity profiles and interval training
Perform
- 24/7 wrist heart rate with abnormal heart rate alerts
- Pulse Ox blood oxygen saturation, spot-check, sleep, or all-day
- Body Battery energy monitoring
- All-day stress tracking with relaxation reminders and breathing timer
- Sleep tracking with on-device sleep score
- Respiration rate tracking
- Hydration tracking
- Women’s health tracking
- VO2 max (Run)
Connect
- Smart notifications, with text reply on Android
- Incident Detection and Assistance alerts
- LiveTrack
- Phone music control
- Find my phone
- Weather and calendar sync
- TrueUp and Move IQ
Activity profiles
| Category | Profiles |
|---|---|
| Running | Running (outdoor, Connected GPS), Treadmill Running |
| Cycling | Biking (Connected GPS) |
| Swimming | Pool Swimming |
| Gym and fitness | Strength Training (with rep counting), HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Indoor Rowing, Walking, Pilates, Yoga |
| Other | Other: a general catch-all profile |
This is a shorter activity list than Garmin’s watch-tier devices, reflecting the Vívosmart 5’s position as a simplified fitness tracker rather than a multisport watch. It has no Multisport profile and no built-in GPS; outdoor walk, run and bike activities rely on Connected GPS through a paired phone.
Garmin Vivosmart 5
Simple, easy-to-use fitness tracker with Pulse Ox, Body Battery and up to 7 days of battery life.
Further reading
Garmin watch and band specifications
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin from any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafe stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
- Speedo earplugs: Fewer ear infections and no cold-water dizziness. I use them.
- Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
- Maurten: Race fuel that stays easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Beet It Sport nitrate shots: Beetroot shots I take in the days before a race. I use them.
- Garmin charging puck: The quickest way to top up before a session. I use one.
- Injinji: Toe socks that stop rubbing, so you run more. I use them.
- Ultimate toe protectors: Stop black toenails on long runs. They work. I use them.
- Compressport R2 v2 calf sleeves: My calf sleeves of choice. I use them.
- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
- TPU tubes: Schwalbe Aerothan, Tubolito and Pirelli SmarTube. Light, tiny spares. I use all three.
- G8 insoles: Adjustable insoles that are good. I use them.
- Cycplus Cube: A 97g electric pump that gets a road tyre rideable in two minutes. I carry one. 5% off with code THE5KRUNNER.
Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.
Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
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