I can't recommend the Music version of the watch above the normal version except for some very specific people. In general, most people are better off saving money with the base model. The watch itself is great, and I have worn it daily since purchase.
Pros:
GPS activity tracking. Whether you're walking, running, or swimming the GPS tracking is pretty decent. It's not the most reliable on the market, but for normal purposes - comparing daily activities - it's sufficient. Note that time to acquire a GPS signal can vary wildly, so make sure you get a signal (start activity, and it'll pause until signal is acquired) before you get ramped up for your workout.
Heart Rate tracking. My minimum and maximum pulse rates now have activity going back over a year, which is wonderful for helping track overall fitness. It's also great to have a rough idea of my pulse during workouts, although the update speed can be quite slow, which I'll get it.
Garmin Connect app. The Garmin app is pretty good. Although it's not the most detailed or helpful out there, it does connect to almost anything. As an example I have a smart scale and often use the MyFitness app to help track calories and weight. The data from my Garmin app seamlessly ports to MyFitness, so I have some idea of my daily calorie burn and how it impacts my diet and weight. This is super useful, as sometimes I might find myself desperately craving food at night and when I look at my intake I realize I really am a few hundred calories down for the day so I'm fine to have a snack.
Universal 20mm band. You can use any watch band you want, so long as it has a 20mm quick-release bar.
Customizable watch face. I find the default faces to be universally terrible, but the Garmin apps let you download much better ones for free. I use the "crystal" face from the store, which does a much better job showing a lot of data while looking like a classic running watch.
Smart tracking. Most days I don't use the Activities at all (I'll get into that). But the daily caloric estimate via steps and pulse has been "good enough" for my weight loss program. The watch will also step up and notify you when it detects that you've been walking/running for a set period (say 10 minutes straight) and ask if you want to record and save this as an Activity. That's very helpful - it turns your 2-hour Ikea marathon into a recorded workout. Very helpful.
Middling:
Battery is... okay. From my personal use, yes the watch will last 2 weeks if you turn down the features and turn off pairing entirely to put it in "watch mode" basically. But when you're really using it, including music and GPS, it will only go for a few hours. When I was doing 45-to-60-minute hikes with music, the battery would fall from 100% to around 50-55%. That's okay for me, but that's not enough for some users. In normal usage - checking heart rate constantly and syncing daily, 3-4 days between charges is normal.
Cons:
The music apps are terrible. You really only get Spotify, some generic podcast apps, and a few oddities like Deezer. You have to download the music to the watch which is finicky and unreliable. I often had to delete and reinstall the apps to get them to sync again. When downloaded, you have to regularly sync again to update, which is again unreliable. Assuming you've passed these hurdles, the controls are terrible. If you're halfway through a 3-hour-long podcast at the end of your run, the watch probably won't remember where you stopped. You also can't forward in any smart manner, so you have to hit the FWD button about 10 seconds at a time to skip up to where you were. It's pretty bad. If I could go back in time and tell myself about this, I'd skip the music version. To be fair, if you only need to download a small playlist of workout jams that are an absolute must-have, the experience of running around without your phone and with paired Bluetooth headphones is extremely nice. I suspect though, the frustration will eventually bring back the full phone.
Lack of activities. The watch is really bad at its choice of activities. For instance, if I want to track weightlifting, the ONLY option it has is to count steps. So if I'm not swinging my wrists, e.g. doing leg lifts, the weight program is useless. Basically any activity where you're standing in place, including treadmill, seems pretty useless. Even if you are swinging your wrists, weights are often done too slow and with not enough cadence to trigger the step count, so you end up manually trying to enter exercises later - and even the manual selection is terrible. Skip this, and just use the normal heart rate measure to estimate your daily burn.
Slow heart rate updates. I do workout programs that focus on interval training. One program basically does 20 seconds of hard work, 10 seconds of rest, and repeat for 20 minutes. This watch might register my max pulse rate from the workout portion once during the entire workout, if at all. If I could set an appropriate activity I could probably up this a bit as the watch goes to high gear, but as said the activity choice is terrible, so I skip it.
Small wristbands for large men. The "small" and "medium/large" bands that come standard with the Garmin are too small for my wrist (6'2" male with normalwrists for my size). I had to find a third-party band, and even then I'm close to the max setting. I wish they'd add a true large wristband to their lineup.
Not a hardened case. I already damaged my face using kettlebells. There's a big white spot where a weight hit the watch. Sure that's my fault, but this is an activity watch sold to weightlifters. It would be nice if it was reinforced a bit.
Touch sensitivity is not great. Tapping the watch to get the backlight on, or swiping between menus, can be sporadic. Sometimes one tap lights up the watch, sometimes I jackhammer on it like a woodpecker and it won't wake up. I never have a clue.
The included USB dongle is proprietary and short. I immediately found a third-party leash that's 3 feet long and provides a proper, disc-shaped dock. That's much better. I also got a pack of rubber protectors for the USB port.
Overall:
As a general fitness and sleep tracker, the Garmin Vívoactive 3 is stellar. Decent battery life, decent metrics, swappable bands, good app support for customization. As a GPS running watch, for weightlifters, and as a music player, it's pretty bad. I'd recommend only buying the standard version without music, and only expecting to use it as a passive daily tracker for steps and a rough estimate of caloric burn from what it derives via steps and pulse. In that mode, it's a very solid choice.
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From the manufacturer
GPS Smartwatch with Music Storage and Playback
From playing sports to playing your favorite songs, vívoactive 3 Music is the smartwatch for your active life. It features on-device music storage, so you can bring your tunes along for every workout. This sporty smartwatch has estimated wrist-based heart rate and more than 15 preloaded sports apps, so you can choose how you like to get fit. Built-in GPS lets you accurately record outdoor activities.
Your Watch, Your Music
With storage for up to 500 songs, vívoactive 3 Music puts the “beat” in your daily mission to beat yesterday. Use our Garmin Express software to easily transfer music from your computer, and then queue up your favorite songs for easy listening through Bluetooth-enabled headphones. You can even download select music streaming service apps from our Connect IQ store, and then sync your customized playlists to your watch for offline ad-free listening (may require a premium subscription). Now you really can leave your phone behind when you work out, because the music that helps keep you moving is right on your wrist.
Fits You and All You Do
Feel free to take this watch outside in all kinds of weather. Not only is it safe for swimming and showering, its Garmin Chroma Display is easy to read — even in direct sunlight — and housed under extra-durable glass. Comfortable, convenient and easy to see — vívoactive 3 Music just fits.
Play More Sports
With more than 15 preloaded sports apps, finding a fun way to stay active is easy. Hit the golf course, go for a bike ride, take a yoga class, or even try your hand at stand-up paddle boarding. When you head outside, built-in GPS lets vívoactive 3 Music track the details of your chosen activity — with no phone connection required. From snowboarding to swimming and at least a dozen other options in between, this watch is the perfect playmate.
Monitor your fitness level with VO2 max and fitness age estimates, plus keep an eye on how you handle stress through estimated heart rate variability.
Battery life: up to 7 days in smartwatch mode and up to 5 hours in GPS with music mode.
- GPS smartwatch with music storage and playback
- Easily download up to 500 songs on your watch, and connect with headphones enabled with Bluetooth technology (sold separately) for phone-free listening
- Garmin Pay contactless payment solution (available for supported cards from participating banks) lets you make convenient payments with your watch, so you can leave your cash and cards at home
- Customize with thousands of free watch faces, apps and more from our Connect IQ store
- More than 15 preloaded sports apps, including yoga, running, swimming, strength training and many more; use preloaded workouts, or create and download custom ones
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Pay Your WayThe vívoactive 3 Music smartwatch features Garmin Pay, which lets you pay for purchases with your watch. Use it just about anywhere you can tap your card to pay (with participating banks). So, you can leave your wallet behind without missing out on that post-run caffè latte. Just tap and go. |
Make It Yoursvívoactive 3 Music is compatible with our Connect IQ store, where you can download watch faces, widgets and apps that transform this smartwatch into your watch. Keep tabs on when your Uber is arriving, turn on your lights at home with the SmartThings app, and even use the AccuWeather MinuteCast app to find out when the rain will start. |
Download and Create WorkoutsKeep your workout schedule fresh. Choose from preloaded ones, or create your own custom running, cycling, cardio or strength workouts, and download them to your watch. Then, your smartwatch will keep track of the exercises, reps, sets and rest time for you. |
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Daily Fitness and Stress TrackingWith help from Elevate estimated wrist-based heart rate technology, vívoactive 3 Music lets you monitor key aspects of your fitness and stress to show how your body responds under various circumstances. For example, it’s able to estimate your VO2 max and fitness age, important indicators of your physical fitness that can often improve over time with regular exercise. It also tracks your heart rate variability (HRV), which is used to calculate and track your stress level. vívoactive 3 Music can make you aware when physical or emotional sources cause your stress level to rise so you can find a way to relieve the pressure. |
Always ConnectedLife doesn’t have a pause button, so stay connected with your vívoactive 3 Music smartwatch while you’re playing hard or working out. Once paired with your compatible smartphone, you’ll be able to receive and even respond (responding only available for Android) to text messages and see social media updates, emails and more right on your wrist. Find your phone, access music controls, and let friends follow your outdoor sports with the LiveTrack feature. Your finished activities will even automatically upload to our Garmin Connect online fitness community. |
Share and CompeteSyncing your activities to Garmin Connect is for more than just storing your data. Garmin Connect is a thriving online community where people on the go can connect and compete by joining challenges, encourage each other’s successes and even share their triumphs via social media. Garmin Connect is free and available on the web or on your compatible smartphone. |
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Training for a triathlon.... LOVE this watch! :-)
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2018
I spent a lot of time deciding between the Fitbit Ionic and this Vivoactive 3. I've had a vivofit 2 for just counting steps and sleep, and I had a forerunner I swapped out for runs. As I'm training for a triathlon now, I felt it time to upgrade to something that does it all. After comparing this watch vs the Ionic online, it seemed like most people agreed that Fitbits are for app lovers, and Garmin are better sport trackers.....so, my decision was made! && I LOVE THIS WATCH SOOOO MUCH! I had to get used to the larger watch face compared to the vivofit 2 I've worn for 3 years, but now that it has been a few months, I'm completely attached to it. Here are the sports I use it for with some pros/cons I have found to be true:Running: I LOVE THIS WATCH FOR RUNNING. It is seriously a step up from the forerunner. I can customize my activity screen to all my favorites with laps, heartrate, and target zones. I can sent alerts for distances, drinking water, and much more. The GPS is spot on. I love the break down of each mile with speed and elevation. My only con: When I run in the rain, the screens change on their own. After a 10K race last month in an absolute downpour, my screens and watchface had been completely changed. It took me a while to reset everything back to my preferences. My fix: if it's raining, I lock the screen after starting the activing.Biking: I already have a WAHOO Cadence reader attached to my biking shoe. The activity for biking on this watch also syncs to this 3rd party cadence tracker. Though, it is not the most relable. While riding indoors on a tripod, cadence tracks well however once outdoors and on a windy day, it looses connection for brief periods of time.... this may honestly be WAHOO's problem but I thought I'd mention it in case others have experienced the same. Still love the GPS plus heartrate while on long, tough workout bike rides! (See pic of cadence attached)Swimming: I'm not sure why other reviews say their watch does not track laps, because mine does beautifully! It tracks, times, and gives me a good reading/evaluation of how hard I pushed myself after 2500 meters in a 25m long pool. :-) my only complaint is that I DO wish heartrate was available in swim mode....Maybe in the future?? I also wish outdoor/open water swimming could be tracked via GPS....Maybe also in the future. :-) I still use it while swimming open water but don't have the benefit of distance.Also, as for sleep, it seems to be a lot more accurate than the vivofit 2....probably because of the heartrate. My only complainthere is the back light that turns on whenever I move in my sleep. I want to still see what time it is when needed, so I change the lighting to 10%, however sometimes when I move the watch seems to light up the room. I'm just about used to it now, but still a bit of a bother. This is even while I've set it to DND or do not disturb mode.Overall, if you want a watch that does it all, choose the Vivoactive 3! I have had this watch for 2 months now and am still VERY happy I chose it! :-)***************3 YEAR UPDATE*********************************My vivoactive 3 is still one of the best purchases I've ever made. When I wrote the review above, I had yet to complete a triathlon. Since this review, I've completed 15 Olympic triathlons and 3 half Ironmans; qualifying for both National Championships in the Olympic and for Worlds in the half Iron. I attribute some of this success to having such a great watch to track my progress. This watch with the Garmin Connect app has really helped me sculpt my training plans and continuously seek improvement.I have even more workarounds for my complaints above:Open water swimming: Yes this app has a 3rd party OWS download possible through Garmin IQ, however it's still pretty terrible for accurate tracking. I found in a forum to set the watch activity to ROW and then place the watch under my swim cap. BOOM! Almost perfectly it tracked my route through the lake. I *only* do this during workouts and NOT during a race. During a race, the route is already an exact distance so I normally will just set the generic stop watch timer then lock the screen after starting. This way I have an understanding at what my swim time was while I'm running to the first transition.Bike cadence tracker: My issue above was DEFINITELY with WAHOO. After a few months I bought the Garmin pair of cadence/speed sensors for my bike. The Vivoactive 3 catches the stats perfectly. It never drops, not even outdoors, and gives me more accurate readings than WAHOO ever did.Running: There are still SO many ways to customize your run. It's not all about pace anymore when you're working on your form. ;) This watch has allowed me to reach strengths I didn't know I had.Battery life: My watch is over 3 years old now (older than my cell phone...). The battery life has gone down slightly from when I first purchased it. At the beginning I could get 2-3 days of life while using GPS/activities daily. Now that's about every other day. If I don't use activities, it can go 3-4 days before the battery life gets low.
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2018
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 6, 2020
Pattern Name: WatchStyle: With MusicColor: BlackVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 20, 2018
Pattern Name: WatchStyle: StandardColor: Black with SlateVerified Purchase
Top reviews from other countries
Sandra V.
Excelente compra
Reviewed in Mexico 🇲🇽 on March 19, 2019
Sandra V.
Reviewed in Mexico 🇲🇽 on March 19, 2019
Lo que no he logrado es entender cómo funcionan las modalidades para hacer ejercicio en mi caso particular que hago ejercicios funcionales en casa, sin embargo lo demás está súper sencillo de utilizar. Te vienen opciones de deportes y lo seleccionas antes de hacer deporte y te mide todo. La batería me dura como 3/4 días dependiendo que tanto lo use pero lo uso casi diario. Esta súper ligero. Desde la app puedes ponerle distintas carátulas
Excelente compra.
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Cinthya
Excelente reloj, excepto para corredores enfocados en Workouts (Entrenamientos)
Reviewed in Mexico 🇲🇽 on January 10, 2018Pattern Name: WatchStyle: StandardColor: Black with SlateVerified Purchase
Amazon Customer
Great product !
Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on February 18, 2019
Amazon Customer
Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on February 18, 2019
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A regular Joe
Pricey but very good for the features
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on February 23, 2022Pattern Name: WatchStyle: StandardColor: Black with SlateVerified Purchase
Amazon Customer
On point
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on June 3, 2019Pattern Name: WatchStyle: With MusicColor: BlackVerified Purchase
