Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Vivoactive 4S

Vivoactive 4 series is a great smartwatch series for someone looking at the basic functionality of a smartwatch. The Vivoactive 4 series seeks to replace the Vivoactive 3 series smartwatches. In the US, you will not be able to get a new Vivoactive 3 smartwatch. However, in other parts of the world, Vivoactive 3 is still available.

Vivoactive 4 series watch comes in two variants. This keeps things simple and straight for people looking at getting a Garmin Vivoactive 4 smartwatch. Vivoactive 4 and Vivoactive 4S are the two smartwatch models of the Garmin Vivoactive 4 series. We look at the key aspects or differences between the Vivoactive 4 and 4S smartwatches of Garmin.

Size

The primary difference between the Vivoactive 4 and 4S is in size. Both watches provide the same underlying features and functionality.

Vivoactive 4 has a 45 mm watch body size while the Vivoactive 4S has a watch body size of 40 mm. This is the most basic difference between Vivoactive 4 and 4S smartwatches. Vivoactive 4 has a thickness of 12.8 mm and the Vivoactive 4S has a thickness of 12.7 mm.

Vivoactive 4 is made to fit a wrist size of 135-200 mm. When we talk about the wrist size, we are actually indicating the circumference of your wrist. Vivoactive 4S is made to fit a wrist circumference between 110-175 mm. Vivoactive 4S is more suitable for slim or thin wrists. This is also the reason that Vivoactive 4S is considered an ideal watch for women.

The display size of the Vivoactive 4 is 33 mm and the Vivoactive 4S has a display size of 28 mm. The display size is indicating the site of the watch display screen. A 5 mm display screen difference makes the Vivoactive 4S much sleeker than the Vivoactive 4.

To top it all off, the Vivoactive 4S has a strap size of 18 mm and the Vivoactive 4 has a strap size of 22 mm. These are industry standard sizes of the watch straps. A Vivoactive 4S looks pretty slim watch due to the compact strap size. Vivoactive 4, on the other hand, has a full size of 22 mm watch strap. This makes Vivoactive 4 more suitable for men or for people with broader wrists.

If you look at the size attributes of Vivoactive 4S and Vivoactive 4, a Vivoactive 4 would be more suitable for men or folks with broader wrists. Women would be better off getting a Vivoactive 4S. In terms of price, both watches have similar pricing. There are no cost benefits attached to the smaller-sized Vivoactive 4S. Both watches of the Vivoactive 4 series are priced to sell at the same price.

Weight

In terms of weight, the Vivoactive 4 has a watch bodyweight of 50.5 gm. A Vivoactive 4S has a watch bodyweight of 40 gm. Essentially, the Vivoactive 4 weighs 20 percent higher than the Vivoactive 4S. The weight difference can be easily explained on account of the size difference between the Vivoactive 4 and Vivoactive 4S.

A heavier watch body size and a slightly thicker body of the Vivoactive 4 make it marginally heavier than the Vivoactive 4S. For people with thin wrists, it may be a wise idea to wear the Vivoactive 4 to feel the watch weight. Although the 50.5 g weight of the Vivoactive 4 is manageable for thin wrists, you may feel it is bulkier than the Vivoactive 4S.

Battery Size

The battery capacity or backup on Vivoactive 4 is sized on a higher side. In comparison, the battery on a Vivoactive 4S is slightly smaller. This is also borne out of the fact that the Garmin Vivoactive 4 offers marginally better backup than a Vivoactive 4S.

On the smartwatch mode, Vivoactive 4 offers a backup of up to 8 days. Vivoactive 4S offers a backup of up to 7 days.
On GPS without music, Vivoactive 4 has a backup of 18 hours. Vivoactive 4S offers a backup of 15 hours.
On GPS with music, Vivoactive 4 has a backup of 6 hours. Vivoactive 4S offers 5 hours of watch time on GPS mode with music.

The difference in battery backup is marginal, at best.

Color options

Vivoactive 4S is thinner and slimmer. It has four different color options to pick the watch from. In comparison, the Vivoactive 4 has two color options. The available color options of the Vivoactive 4S are specifically suited for women. We look at all the color options available for the Garmin Vivoactive 4 and the Vivoactive 4S.

Garmin Vivoactive 4 comes in two color options:

Garmin Vivoactive 4 comes in a Silver Stainless Steel Bezel with a Shadow Gray Case and Silicon Band.
Garmin Vivoactive 4 also has a Slate Stainless Steel Bezel with Black Case and Silicone Band.

Garmin Vivoactive 4S has 4 different color options to choose the watch from:

Vivoactive 4S comes in light gold stainless steel bezel with a Dust Rose case and silicon band.
Vivoactive 4S has an option of Rose Gold Stainless Steel Bezel with White Case and Silicone Band.
Vivoactive 4S has a color option of Rose Gold Stainless Steel Bezel with White Case and Silicone Band.
Finally, the Vivoactive 4S also has a Slate Stainless Steel Bezel with a Black Case and Silicone Band to complement the look and feel of the Vivoactive 4 smartwatches.

Summary

We have shared the main differences between the Garmin Vivoactive 4 and Vivoactive 4S above. For your ready reference, we provide a summary of the differences between Vivoactive 4 and Vivoactive 4S below:

Garmin Vivoactive 4 and Vivoactive 4S have similar features and functionality.
Garmin Vivoactive 4S is slightly smaller in size than the Vivoactive 4.
Vivoactive 4S has a marginally smaller battery backup capacity than a Vivoactive 4.
Vivoactive 4S comes in 4 different color options and the Vivoactive comes in 2 color options.
Vivoactive 4S is more suitable for thin or slim wrists. It is an ideal smartwatch for women.

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Helen Kurt

Helen Kurt is a geeky nerd who loves to cover the wearables space. She has over 5 years of experience in the smartwatch domain. You can reach her on email at [email protected].