## Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra vs. Garmin Vivoactive 5: Detailed Comparison
Choosing between the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra and Garmin Vivoactive 5 isn’t easy. Let’s do a detailed comparison to help you make the right choice.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra features a premium build with a titanium bezel and sapphire crystal for a rugged, high-end look. They’re built to withstand the rigors of everyday life and outdoor use. The watch is a little large, so it may not fit everyone, but it feels sturdy and durable. A nice touch is the watch’s customizable face, which displays the information you need at a glance.
The Garmin Vivoactive 5 watch, on the other hand, has a bright and colorful AMOLED display that is easy to read both indoors and outdoors. It also has a plastic case and a more streamlined design, making it lighter and more comfortable for some users. Even though the watch doesn’t have as much luxury as the Galaxy Watch Ultra, it still looks stylish and modern.
When it comes to fitness tracking, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra shines with amazingly accurate heart rate and GPS tracking, matching the performance of the Polar H10 chest strap and in some cases even surpassing the Garmin Epix Pro Gen 2. This makes them a top choice for serious athletes and fitness enthusiasts. The watch also provides detailed sleep tracking, including sleep estimates, oxygen levels, and skin temperature graphs.
However, the Garmin Vivoactive 5 is also just as good as them in terms of GPS tracking accuracy and new sleep metrics like Sleep Coach and sleep tracking. The watch uses the older Elevate Gen 4 heart rate sensor, but it provides reliable data for most workouts. The Vivoactive 5 also includes features like offline music playback and Garmin Pay, making it a convenient option for those who want to exercise without a cell phone.
Battery life is an important factor for any smartwatch. The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra provides about 2.5 days of battery life with normal use, including about an hour of GPS training each day. That’s good, but doesn’t quite match Samsung’s claimed performance of an always-on display.
The Garmin Vivoactive 5 watch, on the other hand, boasts a solid battery life of 7-8 days with normal use and 3-4 days with the always-on display. This makes it a more convenient option for those who don’t want to charge the watch every day.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra has introduced a handy pinch gesture to turn off alarms and notifications, as well as a tap gesture to open the flashlight. However, the buttons aren’t optimized for navigation during workouts, and the quick buttons are easy to hit during activity. The nautical strap is sturdy but can snag on objects, making it difficult to wear. The watch also doesn’t support reverse wireless charging from Samsung cell phones, which is a bit disappointing.
The Garmin Vivoactive 5 watch features a bright AMOLED display and an intuitive interface. It also supports offline music playback and Garmin Pay, which is handy for use without a phone. However, the plastic buttons are a bit bumpy and sometimes require repetitive pressing. The AMOLED display also reflects light and can be hard to read outdoors without brightness adjustment.
Both the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra and the Garmin Vivoactive 5 are great smartwatches, but they accomplish different tasks. The Galaxy Watch Ultra is a premium, rugged device with the highest tracking accuracy, perfect for serious athletes and outdoor enthusiasts. However, they are expensive and have some minor drawbacks such as battery life and button optimization. The Garmin Vivoactive 5, on the other hand, offers a great balance of features and cost, a bright display, long battery life, and useful sleep metrics. It’s a great choice for those who want a feature-rich fitness companion without spending a fortune. Ultimately, the best choice depends on your specific needs and preferences.
| Feature | SAMSUNG Galaxy Watch Ultra | Garmin Vivoactive 5 |
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The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is a premium, rugged device with top-notch tracking accuracy, making it ideal for serious athletes and outdoor enthusiasts. However, it comes with a higher price tag and some minor drawbacks like battery life and button optimization.
The Garmin Vivoactive 5 offers a great balance of features and value, with a vibrant display, solid battery life, and useful sleep metrics. It's a great choice for those who want a versatile fitness companion without breaking the bank.
