Huge announcement for all the tracker savvy out there. Garmin Vivoactive 3 is going to be one of many new wearables launched in conjunction with IFA Berlin. Garmin Vivoactive 3, (the successor of their old Garmin Vivoactive HR which was released in 2016, ) is probably one of the most anticipated trackers in 2017.

Garmin Vivoactive 3: Release Date

Garmin Vívoactive 3 is expected to be unveiled during the IFA Berlin, along with their Garmin wearables family Vívomove HR, and Vívosport. There is no exact release date for Garmin Vívoactive 3 yet but the price for their watch has been revealed!

Garmin VivoActive 3: Price

The new Garmin Vívoactive 3 price going to be $299 for the Black/stainless and White/Stainless version. The Black/slate version price going to be priced at about $330. This is quite a premium price for a tracker, even compared to its rivals the Fitbit Blaze, the Fitbit Charge and the Apple Watch. The question arises, just what do you get if you decide to pop that premium tag on Vívoactive 3?

Garmin VivoActive 3: Design

Instead of following its predecessor’s tradition, the Garmin Vívoactive HR with its slick rectangle design, the Garmin Vívoactive 3 changed it up with a lighter, thinner, more rounded design, with a weight of around 43 gr (0.1 lb). As I mention above, the Vívoactive 3 will be offered on the market in 3 colors: Black/stainless, White/stainless, and Black/slate. They all have a premium look, achieving great style from their older brothers, the Garmin Fenix and the Garmin Forerunner 630.

One of the biggest flaws that people reported in the previous Vívoactive HR version was the limited options for customization. Garmin Vívoactive HR screen was attached directly onto the black plastic strap and there is no way you could replace the strap. This all changed with Vívoactive 3, as you have the option to switch to a variety of compatible accessory bands.

The tight polymer strap really pulls off the premium feel of the watch and it is quite comfortable to wear. If you are looking for a fitness watch with an athletic, powerful look, then Garmin Vívoactive 3 is just what you looking for. You could also pull off a classy luxurious feel if you decide to move up into the Black/slate color model.

Garmin Vívoactive 3: Features

Garmin Vívoactive 3 pretty much kept everything that Vívoactive HR has and improve some of the features. Vívoactive 3 still has a the built-in GPS, offers music control, has a battery life of 7 days or more, provides daily goal features, is water resistant, can use Connect IQ apps and is a very accurate heart-rate tracker. Furthermore, the Vívoactive 3 comes with 15 different custom indoor and outdoor sports apps, VO2 max calculator, and stress monitoring feature. There are more features that I’m going to list below as I categorize them into a list of Pros and Cons so you guys get better understand my findings.

PROS:

The New Garmin Pay: This is the newest feature for a Garmin device.  It allows the user to make a payment wherever contactless payment are accepted (similar to Fitbit Ionic). Now you don’t have to worry about carrying your phone and your wallet around for a quick run through the city anymore. You can just use your Vívoactive 3 at a convenient store if you decide to buy a drink to revive yourself after a run around the town or pick up a couple of things on the way home. This feature currently supports both Visa and Mastercard from major issue banks like Chases, Wells Fargo, Bank of America

The Screen: Another challenge faced by the predecessor, Vívoactive HR was is the very poor readability due to its fairly low 205×148 resolution. Based on those issues, Garmin finally decide to make the new Vívoactive 3 screen 30.4 mm (in diameter), transflective, and sunlight visible. The screen is very vibrant and so much easier to read. This is an incredible news for people who like to participate in outdoor sport as well as those folks who only use Vívoactive 3 indoors or daily activities

The Side-Swipe: There is probably not much to talk about with this feature other than that Garmin finally heard what customers who preferred to use the watch with their thumbs rather than with their index fingers. Now instead of using your index fingers directly on the screen, you can use your thumb on the side of watch. This may seem like a really small addition, but reflects how well Garmin really listened to and responds to the requests from their customers.

15 Built-in Sport Apps: If you are someone who likes sports and being active, this is definitely a feature that you cannot go without. Running outdoors, on the treadmill, indoor tracks, cycling, stationary bikes used indoors, walking, walk indoor, floor climbing, cardio training, yoga, elliptical use, stair stepper, rowing, rowing machine indoors are now all included on your wrist. Quite amazing if you ask me!

CONS:

The Garmin Pay Cons: Most people already have their own contactless payment systems installed on their phones (via Apple Pay, Android Pay,…), and perhaps having another payment system on your wrist is just exposing you to an increased risk of having your information leaked out. Thieves and hackers have additional opportunities to steal your information if you provide your credit card or banking information on more than one system.

No Built-in Music Storage: It’s hard to imagine a fitness watch with a premium price range in 2017 that still does not offer a music library feature to store your music. Samsung, LG, and Motorola all offer this feature. Imagine the day that you will not have to carry your phone for a jog since you can already listen to music straight from your Garmin smartwatch. I really hope that day is coming soon.

You can buy Garmin Vívoactive 3 here:

Garmin Vívoactive 3: Final Verdict

For a price around $300 – $330, this is a nice tracker to have and there not much that could go wrong with it. It is more expensive than the Garmin Vívoactive HR but you also get a lot more with Garmin Vívoactive 3: A better screen, classier design, and a lot of new features.

If you care about functionality and looks, then this is the watch that you looking for. Additionally, If you have owned and really like Vívoactive HR, then you will definitely like the Garmin Vívoactive 3. In my opinion, Garmin has stepped up their game with this newly launched and  anticipated Garmin Vívoactive 3!