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The Garmin vívoactive 5 offers a bright and vibrant AMOLED display, making it easy to read notifications and health data at a glance. With a robust battery life of up to 11 days, it stands out in terms of longevity, reducing the frequency of recharging. Compatibility with both iOS and Android ensures it works seamlessly with a variety of smartphones.
For fitness enthusiasts, it comes packed with over 30 built-in sports apps, GPS tracking, and advanced health monitoring features such as heart rate, sleep analysis, and stress tracking. These features provide comprehensive insights into your health and fitness levels. The inclusion of Body Battery energy monitoring is a plus for those looking to optimize their daily activities and rest periods. Additionally, the smartwatch is water-resistant, making it suitable for swimming and other water-based activities.
The design is customizable, with options to download music directly to the watch and connect wirelessly to headphones, which is great for those who prefer phone-free listening during workouts. However, the 4 GB memory storage capacity might seem limited for users who prefer to store a lot of music or apps directly on the device. Although it has a strong focus on fitness and health, the smartwatch may lack some of the more advanced app integrations and functionalities found in other iOS-specific smartwatches like the Apple Watch. The Garmin vívoactive 5 is best suited for users who prioritize fitness and health tracking over an extensive app ecosystem.
The Garmin Lily 2 is a small, stylish smartwatch designed especially for users who want a fashionable accessory that also tracks their health and fitness. Its unique patterned lens hides a bright 1-inch touchscreen display, giving it a sleek look when not in use. It pairs well with iPhones (and Android phones), syncing notifications like calls, texts, and calendar alerts via Bluetooth. Battery life is a strong point here, offering up to 5 days on a single charge, which is convenient for everyday wear without frequent recharging.
The watch offers a broad range of health tracking tools, including heart rate monitoring, sleep score, stress levels, hydration, menstrual cycle, and pregnancy tracking. Fitness tracking includes popular activities like yoga, Pilates, running (using your phone's GPS), and more, making it a versatile companion for active users. It also includes safety features like incident detection and live location sharing, though these require the phone nearby and network coverage.
The design is lightweight and comfortable, with metal casing and a silicone band available in two colors, appealing to those who want style alongside functionality. The display is quite small, which might be a downside if you prefer bigger screens for easier reading or interaction. It relies on your smartphone for GPS and connectivity, so it’s less independent compared to some other smartwatches with built-in GPS. The Garmin Lily 2 is well suited for users looking for a compact, stylish smartwatch that covers core health and fitness tracking with good battery life, especially if you favor form as much as function and mainly use an iPhone.
The Garmin Forerunner 165 Music is a lightweight running smartwatch that works well with iOS devices and offers a bright, colorful 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen. It’s especially good for runners and fitness enthusiasts thanks to its built-in GPS, wrist-based heart rate monitoring, and over 25 activity profiles, including cycling and strength training. The watch stands out with personalized training plans and recovery insights that help you track progress and avoid overtraining.
Battery life is strong in smartwatch mode, lasting up to 11 days, though it drops to about 19 hours when using GPS continuously—enough for long runs but something to keep in mind for multi-day use. Another handy feature is music storage and playback, allowing you to listen offline with wireless headphones, which is perfect for workouts without carrying a phone. The watch offers smart notifications, contactless payments via Garmin Pay, and safety features like incident detection when paired with your phone, but some of these require your smartphone connection to work fully.
The design is simple, with a 43 mm round face and traditional button controls alongside the touchscreen, making it easy to use even when moving. This model suits active users who want solid fitness tracking, music on the go, and smart features in a user-friendly package, especially if you are comfortable pairing it with your phone to get the most out of it.