Between the vívoactive 5 and Vantage V3, the vívoactive 5 comes out ahead in battery life and weight, while the Vantage V3 wins on display size and ecg. Overall, the vívoactive 5 scores 53.3 and the Vantage V3 scores 53.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (53.3 vs 53.5). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the vívoactive 5 if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. The biggest gaps in its favor are battery life, weight.
Pick the Vantage V3 if you care most about display size and ecg. Its strongest claims are display size, ecg.
Both ship with comparable cellular, spo2, water resistance, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Garmin - vívoactive 5 wins
- ▲Battery life — 57.14% more. 264 h vs 168 h.
- ▲Weight — 31.00 g less. 26 vs 57.
Why Polar - Vantage V3 wins
- ▲Display size — 15.83% more. 1.39 " vs 1.2 ".
- ▲Has ECG.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Garmin - vívoactive 5 | Polar - Vantage V3 |
|---|---|---|
| Case size | 42 mm | 47 mmlead |
| Weight | 26 glead | 57 g |
| Case material | polymer | aluminum |
| Water resistanceⓘ | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
Display
| Spec | Garmin - vívoactive 5 | Polar - Vantage V3 |
|---|---|---|
| Display size | 1.2 " | 1.39 "lead |
| Always-on display | true | true |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 1000 nits | 1000 nits |
Health & Fitness
| Spec | Garmin - vívoactive 5 | Polar - Vantage V3 |
|---|---|---|
| ECG | false | truelead |
| SpO2 | true | true |
| Temperature sensor | false | truelead |
| Sleep tracking | true | true |
| Blood pressure | false | false |
Battery & Connectivity
| Spec | Garmin - vívoactive 5 | Polar - Vantage V3 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 264 hlead | 168 h |
| GPS | true | true |
| Cellular | false | false |
| NFC | truelead | false |
| OS | Garmin OS | Polar OSlead |
Frequently asked
Which has longer battery life, vívoactive 5 or Vantage V3?+
vívoactive 5 lasts 264h vs 168h.
Do vívoactive 5 or Vantage V3 support ECG?+
Vantage V3 supports ECG; vívoactive 5 does not.
Which has cellular, vívoactive 5 or Vantage V3?+
Neither offers cellular.
Spec-level deep dives
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