Vivosmart HR: Garmin adds heart rate to popular fitness tracker

Garmin has joined the crowded market of wrist based HR fitness trackers with its newest addition – the Vivosmart HR. The device is available from 1 November and features a heart rate monitor, activity and sleep tracking and smart notifications. This means that it is in competition now with the likes of Fitbit Charge HR, the new Polar A360, Microsoft Band 2 and Basis Peak.

Garmin’s new device takes the Vivosmart band from last year, and adds in an optical sensor, new screen and a few other features. The HR now features always on black and white touchscreen with a resolution of 160 x 68 pixels. The text can be rotated 90 degrees, a nice feature that makes reading a little bit easier.

As its name implies, the Vivosmart HR boasts a new optical sensor developed internally by Garmin, which keeps track of your ticker 24/7. In addition, it includes an accelerometer and an altimeter to measure the steps and floors you climb during the day. The device however does not feature GPS, and according to early reviews cannot pair to your phone for GPS data.

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Vivosmart HR will automatically set goals and alert you to move when you have been sitting for too long. Additionally, the device will display texts, calls, emails, calendar and social media alerts, and control music when paired with a smartphone.

According to Garmin, their new fitness tracker is water-resistant up to 50 meters, and will last up to 5 days on a charge.

We will bring you a full review in the coming weeks.