After watching your great review, I'm glad I bought my VA3 last year, I like the simplicity of the watch interface and the great software Garmin Connect on my phone and home computer, nothing you said about the AW3 makes me want to change, thanks again for a great review
It’s so refreshing to watch a genuinely fair and balanced review. Especially where Apple gear is concerned, where opinions tend to be stuck firmly in the polar regions of love or hate.
Hey, Des, Something worth mentioning for users, is that the Apple Watch does not natively track continuous heart rate unlike Garmin fitness trackers; something that can also be a dealbreaker. You do have the option to download third party apps on the Apple Watch for continuous heart rate, but this typically drains the battery in approx 1 day.
Wow, definitely a thorough and thoughtful comparison. I love the truck vs. sportscar analogy, it's in no way apple vs pear comparison when it comes to Apple Watch 3 vs. Garmin Vivoactive 3.
I've been with fitbit for about four years and with too many unknowns with the Google buyout and becoming much more serious with running and cycling I'm making the leap to the va3. Fingers crossed, I'm sure I'll have a ton of questions.
Got the apple watch 3(LTE), and using it since November. It is a love hate relationship for sure. The Garmin integrations are far better. There is so much the Apple software could do , it simply doesn't. I came from Garmin, and should have stayed. The best pro for apple watch is one less device to carry for music on the go, and with LTE I can make a call in an emergency. That is nice.
I use Siri and voice dictation a lot while on the move. I don’t even use the fitness functions due to the poor smartphone app experience and the limited watch experience as well. However, I have to agree that it CAN be so much more but it simply isn’t.
Really cool review; confirmed what I knew ‘on paper’ but really helped me to see and get a feel of the interaction and visuel experience of the devices. Great work!
What I do love, is that you are one of the few to actually go into detail. Just for notice regarding the straps - I have bought a couple of 22 mm. adapters for my Apple Watch which makes it possible to use every 22 mm band out there. Leather and all
Have been using Garmin for the past 4 years (one year with the Vivofit 2 and 3 with the Vívomove HR). Have been very happy with Garmin - very accurate Heart Rate and Sleep tracking, the 24*7 Stress tracking is very important to me and I've never faced any syncing issues. Plus Garmin connect is a very robust app and now has 4 years of my health data, so the obvious replacement for the Vivomove to me is the Vivoactive.
Thank you for producing this video. It really helped me to decide for the Garmin watch. particularly your comment on the feeling that the apple watch replicates some of the functions of the iphone... I was hesitant because the apple one looks nicer... but thats it... but f*3k looks, I need efficiency.
Thanks for the really great review, I’m switching from iPhone to Samsung galaxy so my Apple Watch will be useless. This had helped me decide which watch to buy.
Thanks for the review. These are the 2 ones i've been going back and forth about. Still unclear on which one. I started my search because i want to track my swimming stats, rowing and weight lifting mainly. I'm trying to not let the color and graphics sway me on the iwatch.
Hey Des great video as always. Side note- You can edit what you see on the Apple Watch and the number of metrics shown at a time from your iPhone for each workout type. Check it out in the Apple Watch app on iPhone then goto workouts > workout view.
Thanks for this review. I just purchased the vivoactive 3 but was doubting my purchase as I own all Apple products and thought it might be better to stick with them. But for what I need the watch for, Garmin was definitely the right choice. Thanks again!
Try both out if you can but the smartwatch experience is so good with the Apple Watch that it can make you forget about some of the limitations with the stock workout functions, and like I said, there are some 3rd party apps that can do a better job anyways. Enjoy!
Apple only allows music through Apple music, for me, Apple is more of a smartwatch than a fitness watch. Excellent review allowing people to make an informative decision.
Awesome comparison! Can’t wait for the 3rd party exercise apps on the Apple Watch. I have had the watch for a few weeks, and am very happy with it so far!!
I love my Vivoactive3 and I'm an Apple fanboy but i wanted a sports watch with some 'smart' features. With the new Garmin Connect app it's even better.
+Steven Vacher Garmin Connect is hands down the best smartphone app and the fact that they have a web application as well puts it far and away above the completion.
I got a Vivoactive 3 on sale based on this review! I used the link, I hope you get a cut! I have a question, did Garmin remove the altimeter option on the sensors menu in the watch? It's not showing up for me.
There was a software bug on the vivoactive 3 that reduced battery life significantly, sounds like the 2.6 update has fixed it and its back to a good few days battery life.
+Gary H i think it was hit and miss because some people saw an improvement, then I had some others say it got worse, and then I didn’t see any change at all. Odd either way!
Another big issue with the Garmin Vivoactive 3 is the extremely poor amount of onboard storage at only 7 activities compared to version 1 which had 10 (and 10 still isn't enough). Apple has 8GB with 4 available. Garmin need to address this issue plus having extra onboard storage would make the device be able to do other things like be a MP4 player as well.
Overall I think Garmin just went a bit too small with this device. Should have made it just slightly larger for more storage and more battery. But the funny thing is, activities do not take up that much memory, so the limit of 7 seems quite odd.
an Apple watch costs up to double of the price for similar features. Is it worth it when I see VIVOactive3 has lot of features, looks good and is very responsive. Now they all want a Fitbit in Belgium , a hype people certainly don't know it is Google owned. I think Garmin is marketed hyper badly in Belgium. No availability to the products in the shops and people want -from what I hear -the 'easy' IOS connectivity. I have VIVOactive 3 , connects relatively good and it works well, only cost me 199 euros. Most American brands except for trendy stuff even get no chance over here. People spending more are automatically directed to Samsung in our shops. Even Apple watches are only recently available on a larger scale. That says it all.
Many thanks for this video. I have been suffering since I lost my Garmin Forerunner 35 ... a simple watch with a solid battery and performed out on a run indoors and out + was a usable watch. With a budget, I almost went Apple Watch 3 Nike , but after watching your videos it dawned on my that I like the Garmin experience and integration with Strava. Why be forced to do things the Apple way (I do have an iPhone 7 + work of a mac mini). The Apple watch battery is an issue. The forerunner could last a week if I did not use the GPS. I am currently using an Amazfit Tip to fill the void whilst I did some research (massive battery, but GPS and heart not great, also mi-fit ap very limited, forcing you to use Apple health). So I have ordered the vivoactive 3 music £200, the cheapest I have seen. Both you and DC Rainmaker both rate highly. I came so close to a second hand Apple watch 3, I almost feel relieved / saved.
Heart rate monitoring on the Apple Watch just plan sucks. I also have a vivoactive 3 and the heart rate is awesome and always on. The Apple Watch only checks ur heart rate when you are sitting still for 10 min. The data is pathetic on the Apple Watch. But it’s a smart watch not a fitness tracker. For my needs I’m sticking with the Garmin! Thanks for the review!
I’d really like to know how you reached a battery life of 2-3 days with Apple but only 2-4 with Garmin... Every other Apple Watch review out there is talking about MAX 48 hours but also JUST in standby mode! And my vivo 3 is Running for at least 4 days (including workouts) and without doing workouts even up to 7 days...
+YoGoY battery life has been quite hit and miss with the VA3 with some people getting better and some worse with different firmware updates over time. Yes, I in fact can get 3 days but I just lowered my brightness all the way and that was about it. If I use GPS for over a couple hours in one day, it’s only going to be about 1.5 days of battery life.
+YoGoY I had the VA3 go in GPS mode for 6 hours and it had 20% left at the end of the day. Same time for the AW and had 15% left. Both started at 100%.
I also get 2 > 3 days battery life on the Apple Watch. That’s with 30mins GPS for running/cycling tracking & I keep the watch on while sleeping to track my HR. Note this is the AW3 42mm. The AW people mostly complain about are the 38mm older S1 & S2 versions. I’ve no idea how good the battery on the 38mm S3 is.
Hi Des, thanks for another great review. I have a different experience with the battery life. The standard brightness of the va3 is much higher than needed with this screen. I have lowered my brightness to 10%. Combined with the latest software updates I only need to charge my watch once every 5-8 days even while I’m biking/ running 2-5 hours a week and wearing it night and day. A major point you didn’t discuss is the updates of the va3 these are a real pain in the ***. I experienced sudden updates during exercises and quite some issues because of the updates including drop in battery life, loss of data and problematic connections with my phone. Most of the issues are easily solved by a cold restart of the watch but since the updates are not always noticed....
Hi DesFit can do a video were you test the battery life between Garmin vs Apple watch , Marathon 21km and 80km long distance purely looking at Longevity.
Hi, thanks for the video, it was extremely useful. I am still struggling to decide however as I mainly do strength training in the gym. With that in mind which of these two devices would you recommend? General activity and cardio in the form of soccer and running I feel both devices cover equally well but I am yet to find a device that tracks strength training adequately. Thanks for your help!
DesFit do you think it would be okay to play basketball with the Garmin Vivoactive 3. I have a 10 inch hoop that I play on at my house. I wanna use it for running,walking,and playing basketball. Is this okay or should I consider a Fitbit ionic as I can't decide whether to go with Garmin, or Fitbit. Keep up the awesome videos DesFit
+Joseph Broussard I’ve heard about some issues plaguing the FitBit Ionic which is the reason I didn’t review it. Although the battery life isn’t as advertised, I still think the VivoActive is a great device. Thanks!!
I would't go with the Fitbit as their devices just don't last and the customer service is such a pain to deal with. Fitbits are cute for counting steps and comparing to your friends but if you want good metrics and durability, go with Garmin
O yes please. As Android person Apple Watch is definitely no for me, but I'm so torn between Vivo and Sport. Des - is there any chance of doing the comparisons from Android point of view as well iPhone?
I prefer the Garmin Vivosport over both of these devices. I just want a simple, water-resistant tracker with GPS. I don't want to spend all day going through menus on my wrist.
I used vivosport since Nov. 2017 too, but strap broke after 27 months of use, 3 months after warranty ended. Paid 200 EUR for it as it was new model. It was extremely convenient (because of monolithic strap) and for current 100 EUR price is still a viable option. I only missed absence of GPS navigation to way-point. I decided to buy Vivoactive 3 though, for 150 EUR it is a bargain, when Vivoactive 4 costs 250-270 EUR.
The biggest problem with the Apple Watch 3 I feel is that you're still very much tethered to your iPhone or other apple devices, even with the cellular option. Also, if for some reason you do decide to use the cellular option to communicate, it kills the battery after about 1 full hour of usage. Finally, the cellular option is SLOW SLOW SLOW. I don't care if they say it's LTE, it''s extreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeemely slow.
well done but the vivoActive 3 gps is included in the price no need to use a phone to get gps. but the apple watch basic model at 250 it has gps capabilities pairing it with an apple phone. apple watch 3 cell with gps is like a 100 dollards more and a monthly cell fee from a carrier. is more like comparing apples and watermelons.
I have both AW-LTE and Garmin V3...recently upgraded to Watch 4. My Garmin is really good for road and track However, it is h o r r i b l e for trails, urban runs with buildings and off road. Also, if you run hills a lot and unless you use the elevation autocorrect, you can loose a lot of elevation. I love both, but I am biased about my AW. Thanks for sharing always! Love your channel.
Thanks for this Des. I think after watching this, I may have to settle with the apple watch and using the iSmoothrun app and just deal with the slight lag.
As I was browsing thru the AppStore I found another good workout app for the gym that is compatible to the Apple Watch, the name of the app is Fitbod. What I find interesting here is that there are GIFs of the workouts aside from full customization whether you are a beginner or a pro already. Would love to see a review of this in your channel :)
I just got the Garmin Vivioactive 3 for Christmas. My personal opinion is that it just isn't worth the price my parents likely paid for it, even if it was on Black Friday. I just feel like it seems to be $200 more expensive than the first series Vivioactive just because the shape and Garmin Pay
+Chris Fox Thanks! Unfortunately, most likely not for a while. GymKit compatible equipment is going to be quite scarce from what I’ve heard and I don’t live in a location where they will be available soon like New York. Would love to though! Maybe a good excuse for a vacation :)
The watch face featured in this video shows a constantly running seconds hand. I'm curious, is this the face you used for your battery-life testing? I ask because on previous Garmin watches (and also Pebble watches which had a similar screen) it was recommended to avoid using a seconds hand because each change in the face caused battery to tick down that much more.
+Michael Richardson that is a great question, but I test with simple stock ones as well as 3rd party faces and the really data intensive ones, like SC7, will eat more battery than the second hand from what I found.
+John Manley I was thinking about you when I saw the Strong app as I thought it was a really nice interface compared to the native Strength app on the VA3. And as always, thanks!
DesFit Have you tried the VA3 strength workout since they went to the 2.6 update? You now have to double tap the screen to move to the next exercise rather than hitting the button. I need to do it several times at it does not always register the taps. I hate that. Is the Strong profile on the Apple Watch 3 part of the 'Other' profile, or is that a third party app?
How’s it going DesFit?!! Last week I purchased the Vivoactive 3 but kinda felt like it was a regretful buy. Don’t get me wrong I like it... but I really don’t want any regrets, so I sent it back. So with that being said will you give me your choice between Fenix 5 or iWatch 3? I have a iPhone & I love the round face of the Fenix. Please help me out.
I would go with the fenix if you want anything remotely serious for a fitness device. Don’t get me wrong, Apple’s hardware is quite good but the software experience is no where close to Garmin Connect.
DesFit Thanks! I already ordered it & got it today(fenix 5 Saphire ). I’m having trouble updating it & connecting it to wi-fi. Any advice? & bu the way I love the looks of it so far. In addition to that I called Garmin customer service today to check the authenticity of my watch because for some reason I got a South Korea model that came without the extra band. The rep said it’s authentic so I guess it’s cool.
You didn't mention the huge difference in battery life for these two watches. Garmin wins there hands down, however, what kind of charging cable accompanies these two? I'm assuming a lightning connector for the AW (but can't that also be charged with a Q charger?) and does the Vivoactive 3 have the same clunky proprietary cable as the Vivoactive HR? So if I forget to charge it before I leave for a week, I might be out of luck?
:30 “Battery life should have been a clear winner...” But I will say that battery life did improve with some subsequent firmware updates to more like 3-5 days depending on usage. It wasn’t that great for the first few firmware releases. Re: cables - Nearly all watches have proprietary charging cables (mainly due to waterproof/resistance) or they may have wireless charging like the Apple Watch. There are a handful of Qi chargers that may work with an Apple Watch (there’s a few articles with some of that info).
Thanks! Might be nice to see wireless charging from Garmin soon! Thanks for the thorough review. I currently own the Vivoactive HR and both like and hate it. Very clunky for my small wrists, and it's had some weird issues with losing the correct time as well as being tough to see indoors in lots of lighting situations, but really good to read outdoors. Hoping the V3 is an improvement! This helped me decide. We are Apple people in our home but I just wasn't sure the Apple Watch was right for my purposes. For me, the Garmin Connect software is what keeps me with Garmin, as I also use a Garmin Edge on my road bike. You confirmed that with this review.
I also live in an Apple ecosystem but Garmin simply provides a more robust fitness experience. Especially so if you want to cycle with a head unit like an Edge. Which Edge do you own?
Great work man 👍🏻. Please I need your help !!!!! 😉 I have been using my Apple Watch ⌚️ 3 Nike+ against my Fitbit charge HR ( have it for 2 years ) for the last week. I do know there are advantages and disadvantages when using both. On a busy day I burn on average 4000 kcl on my Fitbit ,but AW shows around 1000 kcl less and it can be a bit annoying. I know the use different HR monitoring, but still 1000 kcl difference is a lot. Thanks for your help. PS: is the HR monitor on Garmin any good ,for all day Calorie tracking ???
I’ve found the AW to be a little low and the FitBit (Ionic) to be a little high in regards to calculating calories. I can’t comment on the Charge since I have not tested it, but most likely they use the same algorithm. However, the FitBit seems to drastically over estimate steps and although it does accurately track actual steps, it seems to also track other movements throughout the day and I found it to be much higher than any other test device.
DesFit thanks , what I do now , might be a little stupid but, with AW I add 2x active energy to the resting energy and The total is just around 200 kcl under the Fitbit total for a day .....and that is probably the most accurate figure. Works for me 👍🏻
+DesFit Thanks for this and the workout\fitness review - they're exactly what I needed, even though I am not looking at a Garmin, the AW features describd were of use. I've owned my AW3 Cellular since launch and have to say I still don't fully know or understand it's features, Apple Health I find overwhelming and then on the flip side the watch itself doesn't hold enough info! - I don't know if that's by design so that you still use your iPhone as well as watch or just Apple going through s/w versions with additions - my main issue is whether and when to use workout (native) vs Runkeeper. I don't like having data spread across multiple sources so end up adding in treadmill runs manually to Runkeeper although I recently found it has a stopwatch feature that lets you track treadmill running, not sure how accurate it is compared to the native workout app though. Is your 3rd party app review out soon? Also awaiting your final verdict of AW3. Thanks again. #subscribed
Thanks for watching and Follow on Twitter for updates! 👉 twitter.com/GetDesFit
After watching your great review, I'm glad I bought my VA3 last year, I like the simplicity of the watch interface and the great software Garmin Connect on my phone and home computer, nothing you said about the AW3 makes me want to change, thanks again for a great review
Instablaster
It’s so refreshing to watch a genuinely fair and balanced review. Especially where Apple gear is concerned, where opinions tend to be stuck firmly in the polar regions of love or hate.
+paul barton exactly! People are passionate about their devices but hopefully we can all get along :)
Hey, Des,
Something worth mentioning for users, is that the Apple Watch does not natively track continuous heart rate unlike Garmin fitness trackers; something that can also be a dealbreaker. You do have the option to download third party apps on the Apple Watch for continuous heart rate, but this typically drains the battery in approx 1 day.
Nicholas Good facts
Wow, definitely a thorough and thoughtful comparison. I love the truck vs. sportscar analogy, it's in no way apple vs pear comparison when it comes to Apple Watch 3 vs. Garmin Vivoactive 3.
I’ve been going through a ton of reviews since Friday and you’re definitely the best!
Thanks a bunch! Glad the videos help!
I've been with fitbit for about four years and with too many unknowns with the Google buyout and becoming much more serious with running and cycling I'm making the leap to the va3. Fingers crossed, I'm sure I'll have a ton of questions.
This vid is exactly what i was searching for. Great work!
Thanks and glad the information helped!
Got the apple watch 3(LTE), and using it since November. It is a love hate relationship for sure. The Garmin integrations are far better. There is so much the Apple software could do , it simply doesn't. I came from Garmin, and should have stayed. The best pro for apple watch is one less device to carry for music on the go, and with LTE I can make a call in an emergency. That is nice.
I use Siri and voice dictation a lot while on the move. I don’t even use the fitness functions due to the poor smartphone app experience and the limited watch experience as well. However, I have to agree that it CAN be so much more but it simply isn’t.
Really cool review; confirmed what I knew ‘on paper’ but really helped me to see and get a feel of the interaction and visuel experience of the devices. Great work!
Thanks! Enjoy your purchase!
What I do love, is that you are one of the few to actually go into detail. Just for notice regarding the straps - I have bought a couple of 22 mm. adapters for my Apple Watch which makes it possible to use every 22 mm band out there. Leather and all
+Dennis Kristensen sweet! Great tip!
Great review as always Des! As others have said its good to see detail in the reviews rather than generic specs as seen by others
Have been using Garmin for the past 4 years (one year with the Vivofit 2 and 3 with the Vívomove HR). Have been very happy with Garmin - very accurate Heart Rate and Sleep tracking, the 24*7 Stress tracking is very important to me and I've never faced any syncing issues.
Plus Garmin connect is a very robust app and now has 4 years of my health data, so the obvious replacement for the Vivomove to me is the Vivoactive.
Thank you for producing this video. It really helped me to decide for the Garmin watch. particularly your comment on the feeling that the apple watch replicates some of the functions of the iphone... I was hesitant because the apple one looks nicer... but thats it... but f*3k looks, I need efficiency.
Thanks for your great advice and videos! Thanks to you I just bought a Garmin Vivoactive 3 and I love it!
Nice! Glad you are enjoying it!
Thanks for the really great review, I’m switching from iPhone to Samsung galaxy so my Apple Watch will be useless. This had helped me decide which watch to buy.
Thanks for the review. These are the 2 ones i've been going back and forth about. Still unclear on which one. I started my search because i want to track my swimming stats, rowing and weight lifting mainly. I'm trying to not let the color and graphics sway me on the iwatch.
You have to get accustomed to the vivoactive side-swipe. There is a little vibrating signal that makes the side-swipe very accurate!
that fenix looks so fire ugh
Brilliant review. Well done!
Thanks!
Hey Des great video as always. Side note- You can edit what you see on the Apple Watch and the number of metrics shown at a time from your iPhone for each workout type. Check it out in the Apple Watch app on iPhone then goto workouts > workout view.
Charlie Hustle - Thanks !!!! I didn’t know that.
+Dmont Vape ^ what he said... :)
Oh man what a tip THANK YOU! The watch app does have a lot but it takes some finding (or tip finding like this ha!)
Thanks for this review. I just purchased the vivoactive 3 but was doubting my purchase as I own all Apple products and thought it might be better to stick with them. But for what I need the watch for, Garmin was definitely the right choice. Thanks again!
I was torned between va3 and Aw3.. your video is just timely.and I have an iPhone :)
Try both out if you can but the smartwatch experience is so good with the Apple Watch that it can make you forget about some of the limitations with the stock workout functions, and like I said, there are some 3rd party apps that can do a better job anyways. Enjoy!
Apple only allows music through Apple music, for me, Apple is more of a smartwatch than a fitness watch. Excellent review allowing people to make an informative decision.
Paul Nielsen not sure if this issue has been resolved or not, but Apple does offer a Spotify app that users can download.
Awesome comparison! Can’t wait for the 3rd party exercise apps on the Apple Watch. I have had the watch for a few weeks, and am very happy with it so far!!
Another great video. You’re best sport tech reviewer on RUclips man!
Thanks! I appreciate that a lot!
I love my Vivoactive3 and I'm an Apple fanboy but i wanted a sports watch with some 'smart' features.
With the new Garmin Connect app it's even better.
+Steven Vacher Garmin Connect is hands down the best smartphone app and the fact that they have a web application as well puts it far and away above the completion.
Yes, i love data mining the web app :-)
@@DesFit I am here right now : Apple Watch 3 Nike vs Vivoactive 3 music !!! am stuck
I got a Vivoactive 3 on sale based on this review! I used the link, I hope you get a cut! I have a question, did Garmin remove the altimeter option on the sensors menu in the watch? It's not showing up for me.
There was a software bug on the vivoactive 3 that reduced battery life significantly, sounds like the 2.6 update has fixed it and its back to a good few days battery life.
+Gary H i think it was hit and miss because some people saw an improvement, then I had some others say it got worse, and then I didn’t see any change at all. Odd either way!
Another big issue with the Garmin Vivoactive 3 is the extremely poor amount of onboard storage at only 7 activities compared to version 1 which had 10 (and 10 still isn't enough). Apple has 8GB with 4 available. Garmin need to address this issue plus having extra onboard storage would make the device be able to do other things like be a MP4 player as well.
Overall I think Garmin just went a bit too small with this device. Should have made it just slightly larger for more storage and more battery. But the funny thing is, activities do not take up that much memory, so the limit of 7 seems quite odd.
AWESOME review. Thank you for that.
Sure thing!
an Apple watch costs up to double of the price for similar features. Is it worth it when I see VIVOactive3 has lot of features, looks good and is very responsive. Now they all want a Fitbit in Belgium , a hype people certainly don't know it is Google owned. I think Garmin is marketed hyper badly in Belgium. No availability to the products in the shops and people want -from what I hear -the 'easy' IOS connectivity. I have VIVOactive 3 , connects relatively good and it works well, only cost me 199 euros. Most American brands except for trendy stuff even get no chance over here. People spending more are automatically directed to Samsung in our shops. Even Apple watches are only recently available on a larger scale. That says it all.
Is vivo active 3 good for gym and weights?
watched some videos ... its not perfect ... but at least you have the option
Many thanks for this video. I have been suffering since I lost my Garmin Forerunner 35 ... a simple watch with a solid battery and performed out on a run indoors and out + was a usable watch. With a budget, I almost went Apple Watch 3 Nike , but after watching your videos it dawned on my that I like the Garmin experience and integration with Strava. Why be forced to do things the Apple way (I do have an iPhone 7 + work of a mac mini). The Apple watch battery is an issue. The forerunner could last a week if I did not use the GPS. I am currently using an Amazfit Tip to fill the void whilst I did some research (massive battery, but GPS and heart not great, also mi-fit ap very limited, forcing you to use Apple health). So I have ordered the vivoactive 3 music £200, the cheapest I have seen. Both you and DC Rainmaker both rate highly. I came so close to a second hand Apple watch 3, I almost feel relieved / saved.
Very good review. It was useful to me. Thanks. :)
Glad it helped!
Heart rate monitoring on the Apple Watch just plan sucks. I also have a vivoactive 3 and the heart rate is awesome and always on. The Apple Watch only checks ur heart rate when you are sitting still for 10 min. The data is pathetic on the Apple Watch. But it’s a smart watch not a fitness tracker. For my needs I’m sticking with the Garmin! Thanks for the review!
Thanks for the video! What third party fitness apps do you recommend on the AW3?
I’d really like to know how you reached a battery life of 2-3 days with Apple but only 2-4 with Garmin...
Every other Apple Watch review out there is talking about MAX 48 hours but also JUST in standby mode!
And my vivo 3 is Running for at least 4 days (including workouts) and without doing workouts even up to 7 days...
+YoGoY battery life has been quite hit and miss with the VA3 with some people getting better and some worse with different firmware updates over time. Yes, I in fact can get 3 days but I just lowered my brightness all the way and that was about it. If I use GPS for over a couple hours in one day, it’s only going to be about 1.5 days of battery life.
DesFit do you have a side-by-side comparison? Like going for a day hike with both watches to see how long each lasts with GPS non stop?
+YoGoY I had the VA3 go in GPS mode for 6 hours and it had 20% left at the end of the day. Same time for the AW and had 15% left. Both started at 100%.
I also get 2 > 3 days battery life on the Apple Watch. That’s with 30mins GPS for running/cycling tracking & I keep the watch on while sleeping to track my HR. Note this is the AW3 42mm. The AW people mostly complain about are the 38mm older S1 & S2 versions. I’ve no idea how good the battery on the 38mm S3 is.
That's a very good point Dmont about the size of the watch which could play a role in battery life.
Very nice review. Thanks!
Sure thing.
Nicely compared on many fronts but still misses on oxygen monitoring, heart rate and sleep tracking.
Please tell me a few good third party apps for Apple Watch
thank you SO much! that was an absolute dealmaker!
Sure thing!
the choice is simple Garmin for athletes, for active people and Apple for lansers
eMDe exactly
I might have gotten an Apple watch but they're just to blah to look at. I like the always on of the Garmin's.
I have to agree 👍
2:50 Display differences
Could you do a video comparing Garmin Venu and Apple Watch series 5 ???
Thank you very much Des!
With this video you made me buy an Watch Series 3!😎
Keep up the good work. I love your videos.
This was super helpful
Glad it helped!
I'm gonna go with the VivoActive btw
It’s a great fitness watch! Enjoy!
Hi Des, thanks for another great review.
I have a different experience with the battery life. The standard brightness of the va3 is much higher than needed with this screen. I have lowered my brightness to 10%. Combined with the latest software updates I only need to charge my watch once every 5-8 days even while I’m biking/ running 2-5 hours a week and wearing it night and day.
A major point you didn’t discuss is the updates of the va3 these are a real pain in the ***. I experienced sudden updates during exercises and quite some issues because of the updates including drop in battery life, loss of data and problematic connections with my phone. Most of the issues are easily solved by a cold restart of the watch but since the updates are not always noticed....
Thank you for this video. Was very useful
Sure thing! Glad it helped!
Hi DesFit can do a video were you test the battery life between Garmin vs Apple watch , Marathon 21km and 80km long distance purely looking at Longevity.
Hi, thanks for the video, it was extremely useful. I am still struggling to decide however as I mainly do strength training in the gym. With that in mind which of these two devices would you recommend? General activity and cardio in the form of soccer and running I feel both devices cover equally well but I am yet to find a device that tracks strength training adequately.
Thanks for your help!
Let's go, I was waiting for you to drop the Apple Watch series 3 vs the Garmin Vivoactive 3. Thanks Desfit,you rock
Haha, I went on vacation and had to put it on hold, but hopefully it was worth the wait!
DesFit do you think it would be okay to play basketball with the Garmin Vivoactive 3. I have a 10 inch hoop that I play on at my house. I wanna use it for running,walking,and playing basketball. Is this okay or should I consider a Fitbit ionic as I can't decide whether to go with Garmin, or Fitbit. Keep up the awesome videos DesFit
+Joseph Broussard I’ve heard about some issues plaguing the FitBit Ionic which is the reason I didn’t review it. Although the battery life isn’t as advertised, I still think the VivoActive is a great device. Thanks!!
I would't go with the Fitbit as their devices just don't last and the customer service is such a pain to deal with. Fitbits are cute for counting steps and comparing to your friends but if you want good metrics and durability, go with Garmin
can you share your workouts on apple watch with someone who does not own an apple watch?
Joanna L I am trying to figure this out as well. I know Strava can somewhat act as a middle ground between fitness trackers
Des, do the Vivoactive 3 vs. Samsung gear sport!!! I still can't make up my mind between those two and it's killing me!
Soon! 😁
Or just give me your email or something, I'll bother you privately :)
O yes please. As Android person Apple Watch is definitely no for me, but I'm so torn between Vivo and Sport.
Des - is there any chance of doing the comparisons from Android point of view as well iPhone?
I prefer the Garmin Vivosport over both of these devices. I just want a simple, water-resistant tracker with GPS. I don't want to spend all day going through menus on my wrist.
I used vivosport since Nov. 2017 too, but strap broke after 27 months of use, 3 months after warranty ended. Paid 200 EUR for it as it was new model.
It was extremely convenient (because of monolithic strap) and for current 100 EUR price is still a viable option. I only missed absence of GPS navigation to way-point.
I decided to buy Vivoactive 3 though, for 150 EUR it is a bargain, when Vivoactive 4 costs 250-270 EUR.
Great job as always!! I guess I’ll head out to Best Buy to buy the Apple Watch series 3. This review has been completely Informative, thanks again!
+Brian Lancaster hope you enjoy it! If not, they have a 2 week return policy ;)
I have a question, what's the difference between Fenix 5 and vivoactive? For what profile of user are they focused?
Chrystian Yepiz good question
The biggest problem with the Apple Watch 3 I feel is that you're still very much tethered to your iPhone or other apple devices, even with the cellular option. Also, if for some reason you do decide to use the cellular option to communicate, it kills the battery after about 1 full hour of usage. Finally, the cellular option is SLOW SLOW SLOW. I don't care if they say it's LTE, it''s extreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeemely slow.
well done but the vivoActive 3 gps is included in the price no need to use a phone to get gps. but the apple watch basic model at 250 it has gps capabilities pairing it with an apple phone. apple watch 3 cell with gps is like a 100 dollards more and a monthly cell fee from a carrier. is more like comparing apples and watermelons.
I have both AW-LTE and Garmin V3...recently upgraded to Watch 4. My Garmin is really good for road and track However, it is h o r r i b l e for trails, urban runs with buildings and off road. Also, if you run hills a lot and unless you use the elevation autocorrect, you can loose a lot of elevation. I love both, but I am biased about my AW. Thanks for sharing always! Love your channel.
Thanks for this Des. I think after watching this, I may have to settle with the apple watch and using the iSmoothrun app and just deal with the slight lag.
Enjoy!
DesFit thank you! Really enjoy your reviews! Subscribed!
Thanks!
The app experience is where apple lost it for me. Garmin also has training plans and much nicer analytics
Great reviews. cant believe no open water swimming on VA3... how do i track my surfing? any ideas or workarounds? Thanks!
Yup there’s both SUP as well as outdoor rowing which could work, although they will give you stroke rate data. Hope that can work for you. Thanks!
thanks, i will try these!
As I was browsing thru the AppStore I found another good workout app for the gym that is compatible to the Apple Watch, the name of the app is Fitbod. What I find interesting here is that there are GIFs of the workouts aside from full customization whether you are a beginner or a pro already. Would love to see a review of this in your channel :)
Great video thank you
Hi Des, can you advise if there is any point buying a milestone pod or an RD-pod for to analyse outdoors running with vivoactive 3?
I just got the Garmin Vivioactive 3 for Christmas. My personal opinion is that it just isn't worth the price my parents likely paid for it, even if it was on Black Friday. I just feel like it seems to be $200 more expensive than the first series Vivioactive just because the shape and Garmin Pay
Great review.... Will be reviewing the new Apple Gym Kit integration?
+Chris Fox Thanks! Unfortunately, most likely not for a while. GymKit compatible equipment is going to be quite scarce from what I’ve heard and I don’t live in a location where they will be available soon like New York. Would love to though! Maybe a good excuse for a vacation :)
Hi can you do a review and comparison on the Polar M200
Des, thanks again. I just finally got an Apple Watch was (S3GPS). Thanks to your in depth review/overview.
Sure thing! Enjoy!
Looking forward to some 3rd party apps you'll review for the Apple Watch. I'm currently checking out Strong Workout Tracker on the AppStore 🏋️
Love your videos dude! Keep up your awesome work
Thanks and will do!
great review !!. Which do you think would be better for tracking MTB rides and heart rate for transfer to Strava?
Shouldn’t matter too much. Just note that the battery life is significantly different between the two so that may be your main point in choosing.
Good review man! I love the Apple watch, but I’m going with the Garmin. Thanks for the review man!
Sure thing! Enjoy!
At the 40s mark, what make/model is that that apple watch/phone stand? Also, great review of the two devices.
This one! amzn.to/2Fudj5V
Which watch has a better app to motivate you to keep moving?
Are you going to review the gear sport?
Here's your answer :) ruclips.net/video/nDVJbUEhTYk/видео.html
The watch face featured in this video shows a constantly running seconds hand. I'm curious, is this the face you used for your battery-life testing? I ask because on previous Garmin watches (and also Pebble watches which had a similar screen) it was recommended to avoid using a seconds hand because each change in the face caused battery to tick down that much more.
+Michael Richardson that is a great question, but I test with simple stock ones as well as 3rd party faces and the really data intensive ones, like SC7, will eat more battery than the second hand from what I found.
Please do a strength training review with apple watch.
Damir Burnac there are many. I️ bought the series 3 this week and there are great, free weightlifting apps and logs.
Im more an samsung fanboy so i love the samsung gear sport!! But in this vid im stickig to the apple watch 3
Nice explanation of the two, Des!
+John Manley I was thinking about you when I saw the Strong app as I thought it was a really nice interface compared to the native Strength app on the VA3. And as always, thanks!
DesFit Have you tried the VA3 strength workout since they went to the 2.6 update? You now have to double tap the screen to move to the next exercise rather than hitting the button. I need to do it several times at it does not always register the taps. I hate that. Is the Strong profile on the Apple Watch 3 part of the 'Other' profile, or is that a third party app?
+John Manley I did and did not like it either. Strong is a 3rd party app.
DesFit Makes me want the Apple Watch 3... It does much more. But I need an iPhone. Ahh
+John Manley yup, the BIG variable unfortunately.
Good review.
How’s it going DesFit?!! Last week I purchased the Vivoactive 3 but kinda felt like it was a regretful buy. Don’t get me wrong I like it... but I really don’t want any regrets, so I sent it back. So with that being said will you give me your choice between Fenix 5 or iWatch 3? I have a iPhone & I love the round face of the Fenix. Please help me out.
I would go with the fenix if you want anything remotely serious for a fitness device. Don’t get me wrong, Apple’s hardware is quite good but the software experience is no where close to Garmin Connect.
DesFit Thanks! I already ordered it & got it today(fenix 5 Saphire ). I’m having trouble updating it & connecting it to wi-fi. Any advice? & bu the way I love the looks of it so far. In addition to that I called Garmin customer service today to check the authenticity of my watch because for some reason I got a South Korea model that came without the extra band. The rep said it’s authentic so I guess it’s cool.
WiFi has always been a little hit and miss for me along with Bluetooth syncing. Always eventually connects by not always the first time around.
DesFit Thanks! Very much appreciated. 👍🏾
You didn't mention the huge difference in battery life for these two watches. Garmin wins there hands down, however, what kind of charging cable accompanies these two? I'm assuming a lightning connector for the AW (but can't that also be charged with a Q charger?) and does the Vivoactive 3 have the same clunky proprietary cable as the Vivoactive HR? So if I forget to charge it before I leave for a week, I might be out of luck?
:30 “Battery life should have been a clear winner...” But I will say that battery life did improve with some subsequent firmware updates to more like 3-5 days depending on usage. It wasn’t that great for the first few firmware releases.
Re: cables - Nearly all watches have proprietary charging cables (mainly due to waterproof/resistance) or they may have wireless charging like the Apple Watch. There are a handful of Qi chargers that may work with an Apple Watch (there’s a few articles with some of that info).
Thanks! Might be nice to see wireless charging from Garmin soon! Thanks for the thorough review. I currently own the Vivoactive HR and both like and hate it. Very clunky for my small wrists, and it's had some weird issues with losing the correct time as well as being tough to see indoors in lots of lighting situations, but really good to read outdoors. Hoping the V3 is an improvement! This helped me decide. We are Apple people in our home but I just wasn't sure the Apple Watch was right for my purposes. For me, the Garmin Connect software is what keeps me with Garmin, as I also use a Garmin Edge on my road bike. You confirmed that with this review.
I also live in an Apple ecosystem but Garmin simply provides a more robust fitness experience. Especially so if you want to cycle with a head unit like an Edge. Which Edge do you own?
I'm old school. Been using the Edge 500 for years. It does all the basics and battery lasts forever. It's pretty basic but does the job.
If it ain’t broke! 👍
Great review!!
Thanks!
Oh god. I actually laughed out loud at that joke. 🤦🏽♀️
🥑 🤷♂️
I'm not sure you you get such a short battery life with the VA3. I easily get 7 days and can push it to close to 10 if I don't wear it night
Great work man 👍🏻. Please I need your help !!!!! 😉 I have been using my Apple Watch ⌚️ 3 Nike+ against my Fitbit charge HR ( have it for 2 years ) for the last week. I do know there are advantages and disadvantages when using both. On a busy day I burn on average 4000 kcl on my Fitbit ,but AW shows around 1000 kcl less and it can be a bit annoying. I know the use different HR monitoring, but still 1000 kcl difference is a lot. Thanks for your help. PS: is the HR monitor on Garmin any good ,for all day Calorie tracking ???
I’ve found the AW to be a little low and the FitBit (Ionic) to be a little high in regards to calculating calories. I can’t comment on the Charge since I have not tested it, but most likely they use the same algorithm. However, the FitBit seems to drastically over estimate steps and although it does accurately track actual steps, it seems to also track other movements throughout the day and I found it to be much higher than any other test device.
DesFit thanks , what I do now , might be a little stupid but, with AW I add 2x active energy to the resting energy and The total is just around 200 kcl under the Fitbit total for a day .....and that is probably the most accurate figure. Works for me 👍🏻
Does the iWatch work with Garmin Connect?
with subtitles in Spanish your subscribers will increase considerably
+Vladimir Prens thanks for the tip! I’ll have to look into that although I do not know Spanish.
Is it compatible with power meter vector 3?
Compare the vivoactive 3 to the forerunner 235
Great Review-very helpful!
Thanks!
Great review good listen.. Thanks my minds made up. 👍 5 star 🌟
Thanks! Glad it helped.
Can you also test out the Samsung Gear Sport please?
OK, sure ;) ruclips.net/video/nDVJbUEhTYk/видео.html
How I can read whatsapp messages in Garmin watch? Only it show me that I have new message, but not show the text
+DesFit Thanks for this and the workout\fitness review - they're exactly what I needed, even though I am not looking at a Garmin, the AW features describd were of use. I've owned my AW3 Cellular since launch and have to say I still don't fully know or understand it's features, Apple Health I find overwhelming and then on the flip side the watch itself doesn't hold enough info! - I don't know if that's by design so that you still use your iPhone as well as watch or just Apple going through s/w versions with additions - my main issue is whether and when to use workout (native) vs Runkeeper. I don't like having data spread across multiple sources so end up adding in treadmill runs manually to Runkeeper although I recently found it has a stopwatch feature that lets you track treadmill running, not sure how accurate it is compared to the native workout app though. Is your 3rd party app review out soon? Also awaiting your final verdict of AW3.
Thanks again. #subscribed
You helped me decide bro
Cool bro
Awesome review! Thanks man
Sure thing
It goes so far people be lured into buying a brand new Apple smartphone to get their Fitbit smartwatch connect easy.