Reviewing the Garmin Vivomove Sport: A Harmonious Blend of Style and Utility
The concept of hybrid smartwatches holds the allure of blending elegant analog design with modern technological capabilities. The vision is to have a timepiece that graces your wrist with beauty while discreetly monitoring your health and providing notifications. In reality, many companies tend to emphasize the chic design at the expense of functionality, resulting in smartwatches that fall short of their price range’s capabilities. However, Garmin’s entry-level offering, the Vivomove Sport, breaks this trend with its price-tag matching its design and feature set, standing at a reasonable $179.99. At last, it seems we’re making headway.
The Vivomove Sport made its debut at CES 2022, representing Garmin’s first new hybrid smartwatch since introducing the Vivomove Luxe, Style, and 3 / 3S back in 2019. A cursory glance reveals a design reminiscent of a Swatch timepiece. (In fact, my mint green review unit bears a striking resemblance to a particular Swatch model.) However, a simple wrist movement or a double-tap on the display unveils your statistics, notifications, timers, and Garmin-specific fitness widgets. The display employs a technique that’s reminiscent of the objectives of augmented reality glasses – overlaying ghostly, holographic-like information on an otherwise conventional object. This effect is both intriguing and practical, enhancing data and notification visibility when compared to the last hybrid I evaluated, the Withings ScanWatch.
Naturally, hybrid displays come with certain limitations. The Sport suits those who desire to stay informed without major disruptions. Reading full messages on the lower half of the screen isn’t ideal, but it’s easy to identify the sender or app attempting to reach you. Yet, this watch serves as a reminder to check your phone rather than a replacement for it. It lacks features like contactless payments, relies on tethered GPS, and lacks a speaker or microphone for wrist-based calls. (Android users can employ quick replies for texts and send text-based call rejections.) Nonetheless, you can use it for setting timers, engaging in breathing sessions, tracking hydration, and accessing health metrics such as heart rate and stress levels.
Efficient Navigation with Some Quirks
Navigating through menus on the Vivomove Sport is accomplished by swiping left and right, with a single tap serving as the selection action. To return to the previous menu, a small arrow icon is tapped. Furthermore, a long press acts as a shortcut, swiftly launching the workout app for easy recording. Admittedly, the navigation might feel somewhat awkward, but this seems to be a common trait among hybrid watches I’ve assessed. While Garmin’s menu navigation might not be perfect, it surpasses the method utilized by Fossil for its e-ink hybrids. Its performance only faltered when my fingers were sweaty post-workout – an issue that underscores why many athletes prefer physical buttons.
In terms of functionality, the watch strives for a largely hands-off experience. Garmin states an estimated battery life of around five days, although my experience was closer to 3–4 days with frequent GPS usage. This is a respectable duration for smartwatches but somewhat shorter for a hybrid model. However, you’re not obligated to sync data every day if you choose not to. The device can store up to 10 timed activities and retain 14 days’ worth of data without the need for synchronization.
In essence, the Vivomove Sport is a no-frills fitness tracker within the guise of a smartwatch. What distinguishes this particular device is its combination of both charming and practical design, along with its versatile options that cater to various aesthetics. While I appreciate the Fitbit Luxe’s elegant appeal, it sometimes exudes a more formal tracker vibe, necessitating an additional strap for versatility. However, with the Sport, such concerns are unnecessary. This tracker also boasts excellent comfort. With its 40mm case, it’s smaller than the majority of wearables on the market, making it a suitable fit for my daintier wrists. It doesn’t snag on jacket sleeves, the silicone straps withstand post-workout grime, and its lightweight construction is a notable advantage.
But you don’t have to take my word alone. I have a particularly opinionated friend who often critiques the smartwatches I evaluate for their bulky and uncomfortable nature, dismissing them as unsuitable for her preferences. However, upon encountering the Sport, she eagerly grabbed my arm and remarked, “Is this smart? I’d definitely wear this.”
A Balanced Fusion of Style and Functionality
Despite its design-forward approach, the Sport doesn’t skimp on health features. Equipped with optical heart rate and SpO2 sensors, it can provide alerts for abnormal heart rates. It also measures respiration rate, fitness age, stress, and blood oxygen levels, both during sleep and through spot checks. Stress tracking, often a work in progress on most devices, is notably better on the Garmin. The “Body Battery” metric, which gauges your energy reserves for activities, is another compelling inclusion. It amalgamates sleep quality, exercise, stress, and heart rate variability to determine whether you should push yourself or opt for rest. Although similar “readiness” metrics are offered by numerous wearables these days, their accuracy can be variable. However, Garmin’s version has grown on me over time as an effective tool for planning recovery days.
Impressively, the Sport’s accuracy holds up for a hybrid device. Usually, hybrid watches struggle with GPS activity tracking, but the Sport aligned perfectly with my Apple Watch Series 7 during multiple runs. A 3-mile run tracked on the Runkeeper app displayed 3.04 miles on the Sport and a rounded three miles on the Series 7. The Garmin indicated I was slightly faster per mile, but this level of detail isn’t likely to concern the casual users this watch caters to.
It’s worth noting that if you’re keen on heart rate zone training, the Sport might not be the optimal choice. Hybrid watches tend to fall short when it comes to mid-exercise stat analysis, and the Sport is no exception. This limitation hindered my real-time heart rate accuracy evaluation, yet post-exercise data review showed my max and average heart rates, as well as heart rate zone data, were nearly identical to the Series 7.
