Fitbit Charge 2 Vs Garmin Vivoactive Smart 3

To start here is a Fitbit Charge 2 vs Garmin Vivoactive Smart 3 comparison table to help you understand the differences between the watches.

Build and Design

Fitbit Charge 2 and Garmin Vivoactive Smart 3 are not the best trackers to go for if you are in search of something more stylish because they are all about fashion and not there to make you look like a fashion star.

Although not fashionable, they are light and so comfortable when on the wrist. The watches are both waterproof but at different levels. Fitbit Charge 2 is waterproof to levels only suitable to hit the shower.

Garmin Vivoactive Smart 3 comes with an always-on-screen display. You can change the bands on Fitbit Charge 2 with the bands of your choice.

Examples of straps you can supplement the original with to unleash a bit of your fashion desire are Luxe leather and metal bands.

Activity Tracking

Both Vivoactive 3 and Charge 2 will count your steps. Fitbit Charge 2 step count results are not trustworthy because they tend to over-count steps.

Both activity trackers can monitor the heart rate but, Vivoactive Smart 3 overrates the heart rate while exercising while Fitbit Charge 2 gives a slightly inaccurate report on heart rate.

You can see how your blood uses oxygen from both watches thanks to the VO2 Max feature. In other words, both watches can show cardio fitness levels.

The trackers can help you track your sleep stages (Light, Deep, and REM, sleep). Both trackers work with Apps and they are available on both Stores (Google Play for Android and Apple Store iOS devices).

Price

Their cost is slightly different. In the United States, you will get the Fitbit Charge 2 for under $130 and the Garmin Vivoactive Smart 3 for under $140.

If you are in search of looking for the best activity tracker under $200 here you have them.

Between the two it is evident that Fitbit Charge 2 comes at a slightly lower price. Therefore, if you are looking for something more affordable then Fitbit Charge 2 be will be the tracker.

Water Resistance Rating

Between the two activity trackers, the Garmin Vivoactive Smart 3 Smartwatch is the best water-resistant activity tracker to go for.

This Garmin Smartwatch can withstand water pressure up to a depth of 50 meters thus the best fitness tracker for swimming and taking a shower.

Fitbit Charge 2 on the other hand is waterproof up to a depth of 10 meters which makes it the worst activity tracker to enter the pool with. But the Fitbit can be worn when taking a shower because it can withstand a slash or two.

Battery Life

Garmin Vivoactive Smart 3 and Fitbit Charge 2 differ in battery life. While Garmin Vivoactive Smart 3 can keep charge for up to 7 hours after a complete charge, Fitbit Charge 2 can only keep a charge for 5 days on a full charge.

On the other hand, when out of smartwatch mode (GPS on) Garmin Vivoactive Smart 3 battery life drops to about 13 hours.

Fitbit Charge 2 on the other hand is the worst because when out of smartwatch mode it can only last up to 10 hours.

So, Garmin Vivoactive Smart 3 is the best activity watch to go for when you are in search of an activity tracker that can keep a charge for a long period. When not on smartwatch mode it keeps charge 3 hours more than Fitbit Charge 2.

Charging Fitbit Charge 2 to completion will take up to 2 hours while charging Garmin Vivoactive Smart 3 will take between 60 to 90 minutes to charge to completion when fully depleted.

Garmin Vivoactive Smart 3 is the fitness tracker you want if you don’t want to waste a match of your time around power sources since it charges quicker than Fitbit Charge 2.

Batteries on both activity trackers are built-in. And that means they are not removable unless taken to authorize persons when the battery needs to be replaced.

Inactivity Alert

Activity trackers detect when you are dormant for too long. They will remind you to be on the move by vibrating.

Both Fitbit Charge Vivoactive Smart 3 and Fitbit Charge 3 will alert you when they don’t detect movement.

Like for Fitbit Charge 3, failing to walk at least 250 steps per hour a reminder to move is sent 10 minutes before the hour expires (13:50 Hours).

If you are in search of trackers that come with smart alarms the two don’t but Inspire HR, Charge 3 and 4, Ionic, the Versa family, and all the newer Fitbit-branded fitness trackers have smart alarms.

Notifications

Both Fitbit Charge 2 and Garmin Vivoactive Smart 3 will send notifications and alert you through vibrations or the selected noise depending on your settings.

You will be able to get notifications from calls and messages on both devices. We prefer setting the watch to vibration mode because no matter how deep you are your body can’t resist the vibration feel.

Wellness

Garmin Vivoactive and Fitbit Charge are all going beyond soundness to fitness. Like on Fitbit Charge 2 there is a guided breathing session.

These sessions/lessons ensure you are relaxed once you take a couple of minutes away from what you were doing. To well determine your breathing behavior, Fitbit Charge 2 uses the heart rate.

Garmin Vivoactive 3 on the other hand will use the heart rate variability to determine your level of stress. That said, Garmin Vivoactive Smart 3 is one of the best smartwatches to buy if you want to monitor stress levels.

Like Fitbit Charge 2, Vivoactive 3/Vivoactive 3 is also able to monitor your breathing habit, just open the Relax Timer to access the guided breathing sessions whenever you are away on a slight break.

Although both watches offer guided breathing lessons, Garmin Vivoactive 3 does more by helping users track their stress levels.