Hey guys! Today, we're diving deep into the Garmin Vivomove Style to see if it's still a worthy contender in the ever-evolving smartwatch market of 2024. If you're looking for a stylish hybrid smartwatch that blends fashion with fitness, this review is for you. We'll cover everything from design and display to fitness tracking and battery life, so you can make an informed decision. Let's get started!

Design and Build Quality

Let's kick things off with the design and build quality of the Garmin Vivomove Style. This is where the Vivomove Style truly shines, distinguishing itself from many other smartwatches on the market. The Garmin Vivomove Style is designed to look like a traditional analog watch, making it an excellent choice for those who want the functionality of a smartwatch without sacrificing the classic aesthetic of a regular timepiece. The watch features a sleek, minimalist design with a variety of color options and finishes, allowing you to choose one that best fits your personal style. Whether you're heading to a business meeting or a casual weekend outing, this watch won't look out of place.

One of the standout features of the Vivomove Style is its hidden touchscreen display. When not in use, the display blends seamlessly into the watch face, maintaining the traditional analog look. When activated, the touchscreen comes to life, displaying your stats, notifications, and other essential information. This integration is incredibly well-executed, providing a modern twist on a classic design. The watch case is made from aluminum, giving it a premium feel while keeping it lightweight and comfortable to wear throughout the day. The Corning Gorilla Glass protects the display from scratches, ensuring it remains pristine even with daily wear and tear. The straps are interchangeable, allowing you to further customize the watch to match your outfit or activity. You can choose from silicone, leather, or woven nylon straps, each offering a different look and feel. The quick-release pins make it easy to swap straps without needing any special tools.

The attention to detail in the design is evident in every aspect of the watch, from the perfectly aligned hands to the smooth, polished finish of the case. The watch feels solid and well-built, assuring you of its durability and longevity. The Garmin Vivomove Style is also water-resistant, making it suitable for swimming and showering. This is a significant advantage for fitness enthusiasts who don't want to worry about removing their watch before getting into the water. In summary, the design and build quality of the Garmin Vivomove Style are top-notch. It successfully combines the classic look of an analog watch with the modern features of a smartwatch, making it a stylish and versatile accessory for any occasion.

Display and User Interface

Now, let's talk about the display and user interface of the Garmin Vivomove Style. The display is a crucial aspect of any smartwatch, and the Vivomove Style offers a unique take with its hidden touchscreen. As mentioned earlier, the display is seamlessly integrated into the watch face, appearing only when needed. This design choice preserves the traditional look of the watch while providing access to smart features. The display is a dual AMOLED screen, which is vibrant and easy to read, even in direct sunlight. The colors are rich and the text is sharp, making it a pleasure to view your stats and notifications. The size of the display is adequate for showing essential information without overwhelming the watch face.

Navigating the user interface is intuitive and straightforward. The touchscreen responds quickly to swipes and taps, allowing you to easily access different features and settings. The menu system is well-organized, making it easy to find what you're looking for. You can customize the watch face to display the information that's most important to you, such as steps, heart rate, or battery life. The watch also supports smart notifications, allowing you to receive alerts for calls, texts, emails, and social media updates. You can view the content of the notifications directly on the watch, so you don't have to pull out your phone every time you receive an alert. One of the standout features of the user interface is the ability to control music playback from your smartphone. You can start, stop, and skip tracks directly from the watch, which is incredibly convenient when you're working out or on the go.

The Garmin Connect app is an integral part of the user experience. The app allows you to sync your data, track your progress, and customize your watch settings. The app is available for both iOS and Android, and it's easy to use and navigate. You can view detailed information about your activities, including steps, distance, calories burned, and sleep data. The app also provides insights and recommendations to help you improve your fitness and well-being. Overall, the display and user interface of the Garmin Vivomove Style are well-designed and user-friendly. The hidden touchscreen is a clever innovation that sets this watch apart from the competition. The intuitive interface and the comprehensive Garmin Connect app make it easy to stay connected and track your fitness goals.

Fitness and Health Tracking

Let's explore the fitness and health tracking capabilities of the Garmin Vivomove Style. This hybrid smartwatch is equipped with a variety of sensors and features to help you monitor your activity levels and overall well-being. The Vivomove Style can track your steps, distance, calories burned, and active minutes throughout the day. It also monitors your heart rate 24/7, providing valuable insights into your cardiovascular health. The watch uses Garmin's Elevate heart rate technology, which is known for its accuracy and reliability.

One of the key features of the Vivomove Style is its ability to track various types of activities, including walking, running, cycling, and swimming. The watch automatically detects when you start an activity and begins recording your data. You can also manually start and stop activities using the watch's interface. For more detailed tracking, you can use the connected GPS feature, which uses your smartphone's GPS to track your route and pace during outdoor activities. The Vivomove Style also offers advanced sleep tracking, monitoring your sleep stages and providing insights into your sleep quality. The watch can track your light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep, as well as your movements throughout the night. This data can help you identify patterns and make adjustments to improve your sleep habits.

In addition to activity and sleep tracking, the Vivomove Style also offers a range of health monitoring features. The watch can track your stress levels throughout the day, using heart rate variability to estimate your stress level. If your stress level gets too high, the watch can prompt you to take a break and do a relaxation exercise. The Vivomove Style also includes a Body Battery energy monitoring feature, which estimates your energy reserves based on your activity levels, stress, and sleep. This feature can help you plan your day and avoid overexerting yourself. The watch also supports women's health tracking, allowing you to track your menstrual cycle and log symptoms. This feature can provide valuable insights into your reproductive health and help you identify patterns and trends. Overall, the fitness and health tracking capabilities of the Garmin Vivomove Style are comprehensive and accurate. Whether you're a casual walker or a serious athlete, this watch can help you stay on top of your fitness goals and monitor your overall well-being.

Battery Life and Connectivity

Now, let's discuss the battery life and connectivity of the Garmin Vivomove Style. Battery life is a crucial consideration for any smartwatch, and the Vivomove Style offers a decent performance in this area. The watch can last up to five days in smartwatch mode, which is quite impressive considering its features and functionality. In watch mode, with only the analog hands displaying the time, the battery can last up to an additional week. This is a significant advantage for those who don't want to worry about charging their watch every day. The actual battery life may vary depending on your usage habits and settings. If you use the connected GPS feature frequently, the battery will drain more quickly. However, even with moderate to heavy usage, you can expect the watch to last at least a few days on a single charge.

The Vivomove Style uses a proprietary charging cable, which is easy to use and plugs into any USB port. It takes about two hours to fully charge the watch from empty. In terms of connectivity, the Vivomove Style uses Bluetooth to connect to your smartphone. This allows you to sync your data, receive notifications, and control music playback. The watch is compatible with both iOS and Android devices, and the connection is generally stable and reliable. The watch also supports ANT+ connectivity, which allows you to connect to external sensors, such as heart rate monitors and cycling sensors. This is a useful feature for serious athletes who want to track their performance with greater accuracy.

The Garmin Connect app plays a vital role in the connectivity experience. The app allows you to sync your data automatically, so you don't have to manually transfer your information. The app also provides access to a wide range of features and settings, allowing you to customize your watch to your liking. You can also use the app to participate in challenges and connect with other Garmin users. Overall, the battery life and connectivity of the Garmin Vivomove Style are solid. The watch offers a decent battery life for a hybrid smartwatch, and the Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity options provide flexibility and convenience.

Pros and Cons

To give you a balanced perspective, let's break down the pros and cons of the Garmin Vivomove Style.

Pros:

• Stylish Design: The Vivomove Style seamlessly blends the classic look of an analog watch with the modern features of a smartwatch, making it a stylish accessory for any occasion.
• Hidden Touchscreen Display: The hidden touchscreen display is a clever innovation that sets this watch apart from the competition. It preserves the traditional look of the watch while providing access to smart features.
• Comprehensive Fitness Tracking: The watch offers a wide range of fitness tracking features, including step tracking, heart rate monitoring, activity tracking, and sleep tracking.
• Health Monitoring Features: The Vivomove Style includes health monitoring features such as stress tracking, Body Battery energy monitoring, and women's health tracking.
• Decent Battery Life: The watch can last up to five days in smartwatch mode, which is quite impressive for a hybrid smartwatch.
• Water Resistance: The watch is water-resistant, making it suitable for swimming and showering.

Cons:

• Price: The Vivomove Style is relatively expensive compared to other smartwatches on the market.
• Limited Smart Features: While the watch offers essential smart features such as notifications and music control, it lacks some of the advanced features found in more full-featured smartwatches.
• Small Display: The display is relatively small, which can make it difficult to read notifications and view data.
• Proprietary Charging Cable: The watch uses a proprietary charging cable, which means you'll need to carry it with you when you travel.

Final Verdict

So, is the Garmin Vivomove Style worth it in 2024? The answer depends on your priorities. If you value style and want a smartwatch that looks like a traditional analog watch, the Vivomove Style is an excellent choice. The watch's hidden touchscreen display, comprehensive fitness tracking features, and decent battery life make it a compelling option for those who want a blend of fashion and functionality. However, if you're looking for a smartwatch with advanced features and a large display, you may want to consider other options. The Vivomove Style is also relatively expensive, so you'll need to be willing to pay a premium for its unique design and features.

Overall, the Garmin Vivomove Style is a well-designed and capable hybrid smartwatch that offers a unique blend of style and functionality. If you're looking for a smartwatch that looks great and helps you stay on top of your fitness goals, the Vivomove Style is definitely worth considering.