Giameng Vivoactive3 advantages and disadvantages of the full analysis
Has always been a professional sports watch and smart watches are two different categories of products, from the appearance and functions are not difficult to see the different positioning of the two. But with the development of the smart wearable market, in recent years, the boundaries of these two kinds of watches have become more and more blurred, with AppleWatch, Samsung Gear S3 and other smartwatches began to tilt to the field of sports and health, led by Garmin sports watches, while maintaining professionalism, also take into account the user's life scenarios.
Garmin's new Vivoactive 3 is arguably one of the best.
In an effort to move closer to mainstream smartwatches, the Vivoactive 3's dial features the trendy circular touchscreen. It's also the first running watch to use Garmin Pay, which means you can go out for a run and swipe your watch for water at a convenience store, so you really don't need a wallet or anything else.
P.S. At present, Garmin Pay is not open in China, and it will not be officially launched until early 2018.
Now, the following to share with you the Garmin Vivoactive 3 smart sports watch of the Chinese version of the Chinese version of the country line experience (hereinafter in the text of the Garmin Vivoactive 3 will be referred to as Garmin VA3).
Product Information
The Garmin Vivoactive 3 is available in three colors: Cool Black, Suikong Black and Ivory White.
The Suikong Black (dark gray metal bezel + black case + black silicone strap) screen with PVD coating is priced at $2,480.
Cool Black (silver metal bezel + black case + black silicone strap) and Ivory White (silver metal bezel + white case + white silicone strap) are priced at $2,180.
Size: 43.4 x 43.4 x 11.7 mm, suitable for wrist circumference of 127-204mm
Weight: 43g
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Appearance: face value is super high, cool and streamlined version of the Fenix5S
< p>If it weren't for the name of the Gamma VA3, it would still be obvious that this is the third generation of the Vivoactive series, and there would probably be a lot of people who would take it as a brand new product line for Gamma, because it's really hard to see the shadows of the previous two generations on it.Photo left: Vivoactive 丨右: Vivoactive HR
First of all, the large square screen from the previous two generations has been changed to a rounded touch screen that we all enjoy, and the improvement of the face value can be said to be off the charts.
The bezel is made of textured metal with thin stripes decorating the whole point, bidding farewell to the plastic feel of sports watches. Compared with the previous two generations more like a real smartwatch, very good with clothes, but also can meet the work and some formal social occasions.
The watch shell part does not use a metal body, but extends the plastic material, so the weight performance is great, only 43 grams, lighter than the Garmin 935, so 24 hours a day to wear it is also very comfortable.
The back of the watch, you can see the center is a 3LED photoelectric heart rate monitor, and Fenix 5 series, 935 heart rate monitor is the same model, the same as Garmin's latest generation of Elevate heart rate monitor, the height and the back cover is flush, there is no bulge, do not pinch the hand will not have indentation, wearing experience is very good.
On top of that, the heart rate monitor has been optimized in terms of energy consumption strategy, such as the judgment of the wearing state is very fast, as long as the watch is moved, the photoelectric heart rate monitor will light up a small green light to automatically turn on, but found that there is no contact with the skin, that is, not wearing the time, the heart rate monitor will immediately turn off.
Compared to previous products (where the watch would turn on the heart rate at regular intervals even when it wasn't being worn on the hand), the heart rate monitor on the Gamma VA3 is clearly a lot smarter, and helps to improve battery life.
On top of the heart rate monitor is the charging port, which is used by the Fenix5 series, the FR935, and the Vivosport bracelet that was launched at the same time as the VA3, and the charging cable is the same, so the problem of inconsistent cables, which has been criticized by older users, has finally been solved.
The strap part, Gamma VA3 adopts a common quick release structure, the impression of the Vivomove is also this kind of quick release, the use of experience is certainly not as good as the Fenix5 series of QuickFit quick release, but in view of the Vivo series, and the high end of the line can not be compared to, but also understandable.
Operation: Surprising touch screen and hidden buffs on the side
In order to get closer to the mainstream smartwatches, the Gamma VA3 also adopts a brand new attempt in the operation mode, a **** support touch screen, side-sliding control slider, physical buttons, three ways to work with the use of.
This is also the first time in five years that Gamma has enabled touchscreen operation (the last time was five years ago with the release of the Forerunner 610). The side-sliding control sliders are basically designed for older users who aren't used to touchscreens while exercising. Here's how it all works:
1. Touchscreen: Swipe up and down, tap the screen to turn pages and make selections, and long-press to enter the settings menu.
As a modern person who is used to using touch screen, the touch screen operation of VA3 is definitely much better than the left three right two buttons operation of Gamma watch. If you use it, the touch screen is very responsive and works fine when you are exercising and sweating a lot and on rainy days, including when there is water on the screen.
2. Side Slide Control Slider: On the left side of the frame of the Gamma VA3, you can see the obvious design with ribbed stripes, there is a side-sliding control slider, as the name implies, up and down sliding can switch the menu.
Using experience is quite smooth, wearing gloves can also be operated, ultra-technical, but certainly not direct contact screen operation is convenient and accurate. Especially when you're just getting started, you often cross the line with a single swipe, and it takes some time to get used to the position and distance of the swipe.
In fact, n years ago, Garmin FR405/410 had a similar touch frame, because the user experience was not very good and then did not continue. This time, Garmin VA3 is a brand new attempt, may be specially designed for the users who are used to using Garmin button watch and are not used to touch screen operation while exercising.
3. Physical buttons: There is a physical button on the right side of the watch that can be short-pressed and long-pressed, long-pressed to enter the settings menu, and short-pressed to return.
4. New bi-directional screen design:? The screen of Gamma VA3 can be rotated 180°, which is convenient for users to choose the screen orientation according to their own usage habits.
For example, many people are more accustomed to wearing the watch on the left hand, the crown is more smoothly facing the right, sliding the bezel with the thumb to control the slider, and the index finger is responsible for the buttons.
If you are used to wearing the watch on your right hand, it is OK to set the crown to face left, which can be set on both the watch and the mobile app.
Functions: sports + life use scenarios comprehensive coverage
1. Sports function
While the Gamma VA3 is a product that can compete with mainstream smartwatches on the same stage, after all, the original intention can not be forgotten, and is still very professional in sports monitoring. Hardware configuration contains GPS + GLONASS dual-mode positioning, optical heart rate monitor, barometer, electronic compass, altimeter, support for more than 15 sports modes, including running, swimming, golf.
Daily wear can record real-time daily exercise and sleep data, including steps, distance, calories burned, number of floors climbed, time spent in high-intensity activities, all-day stress scores, sedentary reminders, and more.
(Steps)
(High Intensity Activity Time)
(All Day Stress Score)
(Floors Climbed)
After pairing your phone via Bluetooth, your workout data is automatically uploaded to the companion Garmin Connect Mobile mobile app, where it can also be viewed in more detail.
2. Smart Functions
Notification Push: After connecting to your phone via Bluetooth, the Garmin VA3 can also realize more smart watch functions, including checking incoming calls, e-mails, WeChat, and other third-party apps, so you're never afraid of missing a delivery message again.
View Weather: Including current temperature, climate, the day's highest/lowest temperature, relative humidity, and more. It not only displays the day's data, but also accurate to the hour, you can also see the weather forecast for the next seven days.
Music control: this function can replace the headset line control, without opening the phone, click the play button to play music, also supports left and right cut songs.
3. New UI design
Software, Gamma VA3 adopts the latest version of the UI, and the interaction effect of Fenix5/FR935 is basically the same, coupled with the touch-screen operation, which is very in line with the operating habits of the current electronic products, and it's very easy to get started for novices.
It is worth mentioning that the Fenix 5 has a shortcut function page, which is also inherited on the Gamma VA3, long press the physical key can enter this page, including shutdown / Garmin Pay / find the phone / save the location / Do Not Disturb Mode / connecting to a cell phone / screen brightness adjustment / lock the screen of the 8 hotkeys.
In terms of battery life, the official website says that the Vivoactive3 can be used for 7 days in watch mode and 11 hours in GPS mode. The actual experience, from the beginning of the watch almost every day on the hand, according to the daily exercise of 1 hour all day Bluetooth connection (open the phone reminder), probably can last up to 5 days. GPS mode, full power on the GPS 5 hours, less than 40% of the power left.
4. Garmin Pay
After all that, it's finally the turn of Garmin VA3's heavy new feature, Garmin Pay mobile payment function in the upper right corner of the quick function page.
Before you use it, you need to add your bank card to the mobile app, but Garmin Pay is not open in China at the moment, so that's all we can show for now.
According to the official introduction, the operation and user experience of Garmin Pay should be very close to the benchmark product Apple Pay, and you can also bind multiple bank cards in the app.
Summary
Garmin sports watches are very reassuring in terms of sports monitoring and GPS performance, professional durability in the runners also have a reputation, but this "smart", always feel that the lack of a little meaning. Now, finally Vivoactive 3 can finally make up for this small defects ~
First of all, it is more attractive to me is the appearance of the design, at first glance a bit of Fenix5S feeling, but the weight of 43g than the Fenix5S is too much better than the weight of the Fenix5S, the price is cheaper than the Fenix5 series nearly double, the cost-effective no say.
Functionality, the new touch control, mobile payment and other functions to expand its use of the scene, in order to retain the basis of the professional sports to take into account more of the attributes of life. It can be said that in terms of positioning, Vivoactive 3 is fully capable of standing in the same line of competition with mainstream smartwatches such as AppleWatch and Samsung Gear S3.
Functionality, support for all-weather sports, sleep monitoring, heart rate monitoring, mobile message alerts, support for 15 sports modes, for the average user group is absolutely enough. Usually, if the amount of exercise is relatively small, it can also be used as a smartwatch. In short, I'm happy to wear it every day, regardless of whether I'm exercising or not.