The Garmin Vivosmart 5 is here to take on the Fitbit Charge 5

What you need to know

• Garmin has announced the Vivosmart 5 fitness tracker.
• The tracker features a larger display, 7-day battery life, and much more.
• Pricing starts at $149 and the Vivosmart 5 is available starting today.

In the world of fitness trackers, there are quite a few different options available. But it's largely ruled by Fitbit's vast array of trackers, including the Charge 5 and Inspire 2. Garmin is hoping to change up the market a bit with its announcement of the all-new Garmin Vivosmart 5. 

It's been over a year since Garmin launched the Vivosmart 4, which was riddled with frustrating issues such as an unreliable touchscreen and a hardware button that didn't really do the job. That's all changing with the Vivosmart 5, as the company has implemented a screen that's even larger than its predecessor. Plus, the menu button on the front has been raised, making it easier to interact with your fitness tracker throughout the day.

The Vivosmart 5 is equipped with plenty of health-tracking and fitness features. These include 24/7 heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, stress tracking, and a Pulse Ox sensor so you can keep an eye on your blood oxygen levels. Garmin's Body Battery monitoring is also pretty nifty, allowing you to check on your energy levels to help you decide whether you should just take a break from your workouts or not.

While Garmin has packed quite a few features into the Vivosmart 5, there is one feature that is still missing. In order to enjoy GPS tracking, you'll have to connect the Vivosmart 5 to your smartphone of choice. This is one area that which Fitbit's Charge 5 still has an edge, as you could actually leave your phone behind and still keep track of your workouts. 

Other features of the Vivosmart 5 include 7-day battery life and the introduction of interchangeable bands. You can also rest easy knowing that you won't need to take off your fitness tracker just to jump in the pool, as the Vivosmart 5 is both swim and shower-proof.

Pricing for the Vivosmart 5 starts at $149.99 and is available directly from Garmin starting today. We expect to see this latest Garmin wearable hit the shelves at other retailers in the coming weeks.

Garmin vivosmart 5

Simple, yet robust

The Garmin Vivosmart 5 is here to take on the Fitbit Charge 5 for those who want something a bit different. You'll miss out on dedicated GPS, but there are plenty of other health and fitness tracking features to enjoy.