Why you can trust TechRuther
We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Learn more about how we test.
Garmin Vivoactive 6: One Minute Review
The Garmin Vivoactive 6 is an excellent fitness watch, nothing like what I was expecting from Garmin’s slim, budget-friendly offering. It’s loaded with features like PaciPro, Garmin’s virtual tracking system for runners, that are typically found on more expensive, more specialized watches like Garmin’s Forerunner series.
Like the Apple Watch SE3, the Garmin Vivoactive 6 is very light, weighing in at just 36 grams with a band, and thin at just 10.9mm thick. That means it’s comfortable to wear all day, and you can go from the gym to the office and even to bed and basically forget about wearing it. It slipped easily under my shirt cuff during the day when other Garmin watches would bulge. Any sleep tracker has to be comfortable to wear overnight, and that was more the case with the Vinoactive, which is a millimeter or so thicker and much heavier due to its metal construction.
The smart wake alarm, a new feature for Garmin, has long been missing from its lineup, and I was pleased but still surprised to see it in the VivoTech line. It wakes you up with haptic vibrations at the lightest point in your sleep cycle, within a 30-minute window. After trying it for a few days, I found it a much more pleasant way to wake up than my usual alarm, and I feel a lot less grouchy in the morning.
I also enjoyed the Auto Activity Start feature, which allowed me to start recording after a minute of driving. It really contributes to a smooth, super-light smartwatch experience when you don’t have to toggle around to get to running settings. It’s a great one, but it adds more to the overall ‘virtual assistant’ experience that many smartwatches are now trying out, letting you anticipate your needs without having to go through menus. I wish the vivoactive 6 had a microphone and voice assistant, but I can accept the shortcomings at this price point.
I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to adventurers or serious runners because of features it lacks from other Garmin watches, and it’s packing the older Elevate V4 heart rate sensor, which is functional but not as accurate as the upgraded Elevate V5, and my tests against the Polar H10 heart rate monitor. But it’s a great fitness tool and the best cheap Garmin watch of 2025.
Garmin Vivoactive 6: Price and Availability
- 9 299.99 / £ 279.99 / au $ 549
- Cheap price compared to other Garmin
- Compared to most smartwatches from Apple and Samsung
The Garmin vivoactive 6 retails at £299.99 / £279.99 / au$549, though can be found on sale for slightly less.
It’s very comparable to the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Google Pixel Watch 4, and slightly more expensive than the Apple Watch SE 3. While it’s skewed more towards fitness enthusiasts than these all-rounder watches, I’d say it’s a great value for the amount of features on offer.
Garmin vivoactive 6: Scorecard
category | Comment | Score |
Price | Inexpensive and certainly enjoyable, packed with premium features for the price. | 5/5 |
Design | Two buttons and a touch screen, nice and light, with a newly designed UI. | 4/5 |
Features | Tons if you love your fitness, but lack some advanced smartwatch features like a microphone. | 4/5 |
performance | Fairly accurate, comfortable to wear and lasts for ages. I wish it was packing Garmin’s more accurate HR monitor. | 4/5 |
Garmin Vivoactive 6: Should I Buy?
If you buy it…
If you don’t buy it…
Also consider
How I Experienced
I wore the Garmin Vivoactive 6 for 10 days, performed a variety of workouts, slept with it on, and drained the battery. I tested its various functions, including the new Smart Wake Alarm, and tested its Elevate V4 heart rate sensor against the Polar H10 chest-mounted heart rate monitor.
First review: November 2025
