Garmin vívoactive 5 Ivory
Score: 82/100
Apple Watch SE 40mm Midnight
Score: 72/100Rankings
The Garmin vívoactive 5 offers an AMOLED touchscreen, extensive sport and health tracking features, and an impressive 11-day battery life, making it a versatile fitness companion. It lacks premium health sensors such as ECG and has limited media functionality. Best for active users who value long battery life and a rich suite of sport apps without needing advanced medical-grade sensors.
The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) 40 mm GPS offers a bright OLED display and essential health and safety features at a budget-friendly price. It falls short on advanced health metrics and lacks an always-on screen, requiring daily charging. Ideal for first-time smartwatch users and families who want core Apple Watch functionality without the premium cost.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
264 hoursbest | 18 hours | |
— | 245 mAhbest | |
| ↓ lower better | 36 g | 26.4 gbest |
1.2 inches | 1.57 inchesbest | |
| ↓ lower better | 11.1 mm | 10.7 mmbest |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Battery & Power(1) | ||
Battery Life (hours) | 264 hours | 18 hours |
Sensors(1) | ||
SpO₂ Sensor | true | false |
Display(3) | ||
Display Size (inches) | 1.20 inches | 1.57 inches |
Display Resolution | 390x390 | 324x394 |
Display Type | AMOLED | LTPO OLED Retina with Ion‑X glass |
Build & Design(3) | ||
Weight (g) | 36 g | 26.4 g |
Thickness (mm) | 11.1 mm | 10.7 mm |
Water Resistance (IP Rating) | 5 ATM | 50m |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers consider the SE 2 the best budget Apple Watch, praising its bright display, smooth S8 performance, reliable GPS, and safety features like crash detection, while noting the lack of an always-on screen and advanced health sensors makes it less future-proof.
Everyday users love the lightweight comfort, attractive Midnight finish, solid battery life for a day, and reliable fitness tracking, but they commonly complain about daily charging, the missing always-on display, and the absence of premium health sensors.
“Great value for the price”
“Battery lasts just enough for a day”
