Garmin Vivoactive 4S Review: Best Compact GPS Smartwatch

Garmin Vivoactive 4S Review: The Perfect Small-Sized GPS Smartwatch?

Looking for a compact, feature-packed GPS smartwatch? The Garmin Vivoactive 4S (Silver with Gray Band) might be your ideal fitness companion. Designed for smaller wrists, this watch doesn’t compromise on advanced health tracking, music storage, and animated workouts.

In this in-depth review, we’ll cover:

✔ Key Features & Benefits

✔ Performance & Battery Life

✔ Who Should Buy It?

✔ How It Compares to Other Garmin Watches

By the end, you’ll know if the Vivoactive 4S is worth your investment.

Key Features of the Garmin Vivoactive 4S

1. Perfect for Smaller Wrists

• 40mm case (vs. 45mm on Vivoactive 4)
• Lightweight design (50g) – Comfortable for all-day wear
• Sleek silver & gray band – Stylish for workouts and daily use

2. Advanced Health & Fitness Tracking

• Pulse Ox sensor (measures blood oxygen levels)
• Body Battery™ energy monitoring – Tracks energy reserves
• 24/7 heart rate monitoring
• Sleep tracking with REM cycles

3. Built-in Music & Smart Notifications

• Store up to 500 songs (Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music)
• Bluetooth headphone compatibility
• Smartphone notifications (calls, texts, apps)

4. Animated Workouts & GPS Tracking

• Preloaded animated workouts (yoga, strength, cardio)
• Built-in GPS (accurate distance & pace tracking)
• 20+ sports modes (running, swimming, cycling)

5. Battery Life & Water Resistance

• Up to 7 days in smartwatch mode
• 5 ATM water-resistant (swim & shower-proof)

Who Should Buy the Garmin Vivoactive 4S?

✔ Women & men with smaller wrists who want a lightweight watch

✔ Fitness enthusiasts needing GPS & multi-sport tracking

✔ Music lovers who want offline playback

✔ Health-conscious users tracking sleep, stress, and energy levels

How It Compares to Other Garmin Watches

Feature Vivoactive 4S Venu 2S Forerunner 55

Screen Type Sunlight-readable AMOLED Monochrome

Music Storage ✅ Yes ✅ Yes ❌ No

Pulse Ox ✅ Yes ✅ Yes ❌ No

Battery Life 7 days 10 days 2 weeks

Price $$ $$$ $

Best for?

• Vivoactive 4S = Best balanced smartwatch
• Venu 2S = Best display & premium features
• Forerunner 55 = Best budget running watch
• Final Verdict: Is the Garmin Vivoactive 4S Worth It?

✅ Pros:

Perfect smaller-sized GPS watch

Great fitness & health tracking

Music storage & smart features

Solid battery life

❌ Cons:

• No touchless payments (Garmin Pay depends on the model)
• Screen is less vibrant than AMOLED (Venu 2S)
• Best for: Active users who want a compact, full-featured smartwatch without bulk.

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