Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Vivofit 3 and Vivofit 2

So, while waiting for the Vivofit 3 to come out, the budget got a wee bit tighter.  Suddenly the older product that's starting to see clearance sale prices is getting more of my attention, so I thought I'd do a comparison.

Garmin Vivofit 3Vivofit 2
Price$99.9969.99 (Amazon, Best Buy)
Expected ReleaseAny Day Now...Available Now
Wrist BandMolded rubber, and fashion rubber, but the tracker pops out so we might see 3rd party wristbands in the future.Same
Battery Life1 year, replaceable batterySame
Display64 x 64 pixels, 0.39" x 0.39", watch orientationSegmented LCD
Water Rating5 ATMSame
Watch functionstime, date, calendar, and audible alarmTime
Auto activity sensing"Automatic activity detection"None
Heart RateANT+ Heart Rate Strap compatibleAccessory
Phone NotificationsNoSame
Sleep TrackingYesSame
Android Phone app, BTLEYesSame

It looks like the only major advantage the 3 has over the 2 is automatic activity detection.  Automatic activity detection sounds like a really nice feature, but being new it's hard to say how accurate it will be without letting other people try it out for a bit.  I very rarely "go for a run" and if I do I can track that with my phone as easily as with the wrist strap.  "Daily Steps" is tracked outside of "Timed Activities" so I don't ever have to use that feature (and even if I do it just means I need to press a button...)

I'm still postponing a decision until the budget clears, but if these clearance deals are still available then I think I'll consider it.

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