Fitbit calls the Charge 4 a “slim health and fitness tracker” the Charge 4 is pretty wide and massive. The Fitbit Charge 4 is now part of Google. Presented at the end of March 2020, with all the important must-haves – heart rate monitor, GPS, music control, and even NFC. But for me, the fitness bracelet had its pitfalls in everyday life.
The Garmin Vivosport is similar to the Vivosmart 3. Garmin relies on silicone, the 9.7 × 19.3 mm color touch display is firmly integrated into the bracelet. In addition to the gray-black device that we tested, the Vivosport also comes in Limelight (a yellow-green shade) and Fuchsia Focus (bright red). But be careful: not all models are available in all sizes, the S / M variant is almost too narrow for wide wrists.
Pros and Cons
| Fitbit Charge 4 | Garmin Vivosport |
| GPS sensor | GPS and heart rate sensor |
| Mobile payment | Long battery life |
| High precision | Easy to read display |
| GPS runtime is below the manufacturer’s specification | Bracelet cannot be changed |
| No universal music control | Small touchscreen display |
General
| Fitbit Charge 4 | Garmin Vivosport | |
| $ | CHECK PRICE | CHECK PRICE |
| Brand | Fitbit | Garmin |
| Model | Charge 4 | Vivosport |
| Release date | Sep 2020 | Sep 2017 |
| Shape | Rectangular, Flat | Rectangular, Flat |
| Sensors | Optical heart rate tracker, 3-axis accelerometer, altimeter, Pulse Ox, vibration motor | Optical heart rate tracker, 3 axis-accelerometer, barometric altimeter |
| Display | OLED, Grayscale | Transflective memory-in-pixel |
| Compatibility | Android, iOS | Android, iOS |
| Colors | Black, RoseWood, Storm Blue | Slate, Fuchsia Focus, Limelight |
Technical Specifications
| Fitbit Charge 4 | Garmin Vivosport | |
| Display Resolution | 100 x 150 pixels | 72 x 144 pixels |
| Dimension | 35.8mm x 22.7mm | 19.3 mm x 9.7 mm |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Water Resistant | 50m water resistant | 50m water resistant |
| Water Resistance Depth | 5ATM | 5ATM |
Activity Monitoring
| Fitbit Charge 4 | Garmin Vivosport | |
| Pedometer | Yes | Yes |
| Calories Count | Yes | Yes |
| Heart Rate Monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | No |
| Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Alarm Clock | Yes | Yes |
| Chronograph | Yes | Yes |
| Date & Time Display | Yes | Yes |
| Language | English | English |
| Sleep Tracking | Yes | Yes |
Fitbit Charge 4
Garmin Vivosport
Connectivity Features
| Fitbit Charge 4 | Garmin Vivosport | |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| NFS | Yes | No |
| Mobile Payment | Fitbit Pay | Garmin Pay |
| Battery | Li-Ion 455 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 455 mAh, non-removable |
| Battery backup | 7 days 5 hours in GPS mode | 7 days 8 hours in GPS mode |
| Charging port | Proprietary charging cable | Proprietary charging cable |
Conclusion!
The Fitbit Charge 4 fitness tracker consistently maintained an excellent level in the test. Compared to the previous model, the equipment has been expanded and now has, for example, a GPS sensor and the Fitbit Pay contactless payment system. The accuracy has also been improved a bit. The already excellent usability of the Fitbit Charge 3 has not really changed. Neither in terms of optics, although the aluminum housing has given way to the plastic housing. The pricing is okay.
The Garmin Vivosport was impressed with precise tracking and excellent equipment. The Vivosport is Garmin’s smallest fitness tracker with a built-in GPS. This allows outdoor activities to be recorded in detail – optionally also automatically via the so-called Move-IQ function. The tracker is operated via touch gestures on display, which is easy to read at all times. The silicone bracelet is soft and adapts well to the wrist but is scratch-sensitive and unfortunately cannot be changed. Due to the long-running time of 8 days and the extensive equipment, the Garmin Vivosport is recommended for recreational athletes.
