TL;DR
- The Garmin Vivoactive 6 has just been revealed, with orders for the new smartwatch set to start on April 4.
- The Vivoactive 6 introduces a smart wake alarm and expanded fitness features, while animated workouts return.
- The watch comes in four colorways and keeps the same $299.99 price tag as its predecessor.
We hope Garmin isn’t playing an April Fool’s prank on us because it just dropped the news that many smartwatch fans have been awaiting. The brand has announced the Vivoactive 6, the latest entry in its long-running line of fitness-focused wearables. Set to start orders on April 4 for $299.99, the new model arrives with a brighter AMOLED display, an updated interface, and expanded health and training tools — all while keeping the same price as its predecessor.
The Vivoactive 6 follows up 2023’s Vivoactive 5, which brought an AMOLED screen to the lineup for the first time. Garmin’s newest watch, introduced in a press release, keeps that same display size and 42mm build but promises improved brightness and visibility. The battery life remains around the same, with up to 11 days in smartwatch mode or up to 21 hours with GPS in use.
While the device’s look hasn’t been overhauled, Garmin has made several software-focused additions. The Vivoactive 6 now includes a smart wake alarm that aims to rouse you during a light sleep stage within a set window. A customizable morning report can greet you with your sleep score, heart rate variability (HRV), Body Battery level, and more. For runners, the watch adds tools like cadence, stride length, ground contact time, and Garmin’s PacePro pacing strategy to help fine-tune your workouts.
The new watch also expands its fitness tracking with more than 80 built-in sports profiles and guided mobility workouts. Users can still access Garmin Coach and download step-by-step plans for running and strength training. For wheelchair users, there’s a dedicated mode that tracks pushes and offers specific workout types. The animated workouts feature also makes a return after some fans were disappointed to see it overlooked in the Vivoactive 5.
Most of Garmin’s signature wellness features carry over, including Body Battery energy monitoring, stress tracking, Pulse Ox, and menstrual health tracking. Sleep coaching and HRV status return as well, offering deeper insight into recovery and readiness. It supports contactless payments with Garmin Pay and phone-free music playback via downloads from Spotify, Amazon Music, or Deezer. Texts, notifications, and safety alerts are available when paired with a compatible smartphone, and Android users can reply to messages using an on-watch keyboard.
Available in Black/Slate, Bone/Lunar Gold, Jasper Green, and Pink Dawn, the Vivoactive 6 will be open for orders on the Garmin website this Friday. Like the last model, it comes in a single 42mm size with an aluminum bezel and silicone band. The upgrades may be modest, but early signs suggest that Garmin fans won’t be disappointed.
