What Are the Differences Between the Garmin Vivoactive 4 and 4S? - Important Update

We buy a connected watch to use it, not to watch it pass. Here, the question is simple: what is the difference between Garmin Vivoactive 4 and 4S?

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It holds in one word: size. Everything else - Sensors, sports profiles, health follow -up, payments - is identical.

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The 4S is designed for finer wrists; The 4 favors readability and autonomy.

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The essential in a sentence

The main difference between Garmin Vivoactive 4 and 4S is their size: the 4 (wider box, larger screen) offers better readability and a little more autonomy; The 4S (more compact case) gains in comfort on fine wrist and discretion.

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Size and presence on the wrist

What changes in everyday size

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Vivoactive 4: larger box, wider screen. Concrete advantages: more readable data fields in racing, more airy widget cartridges, less scrolling. Possible disadvantages: more presence under an adjusted sleeve, feeling of volume on charred cuffs.

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Vivoactive 4S: Compact format. Advantages: Better base on fine wrist, less floating, more sober look in town. Disadvantages: lower display surface, slightly tighter figures during sessions.

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Clearly: if “Garmin Vivoactive Size 4” rhymes for you with maximum readability, the 4 will speak to you. If “Garmin Vivoactive 4s wrist” end is your concern, the 4S is the answer.

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Materials, style, posture

Steel bezel, polymer housing, reinforced glass: same signature, even serious.

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The 4 affirms an assumed sporting style. She likes sweatshirts, cross-training, hiking.

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The 4S plays elegant discretion. She slides under a shirt, does not strike a cuff, remains light in yoga as in the office.

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Autonomy: a few hours that matter (sometimes)

The battery mechanically benefits from the larger box. Result: the vivoactive 4 generally holds a little longer than the 4S, in particular:

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  • In “connected watch” (notifications, monitoring 24/7): the 4 nibbles one more day according to uses;
  • In GPS + Music: the 4 keeps a comfortable margin of about an hour more.
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It is not a chasm, but on a week of work or a long outing, this “vivo 4” difference can avoid recharging. Conversely, for urban use, 4–5 weekly training sessions, the 4S holds the pace without anxiety. The impact on the user is concrete: less cables traveling with the 4; More lightness H24 with the 4S.

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Software features: Perfect equality

On the “Vivoactive Garmin Comparison”, you have to be clear: identical features. Cardio follow -up on the wrist, SPO2, breathing, body battery, follow -up of stress and sleep, multisport profiles (race, bicycle, swimming, hit), animated coaches, guided breathing, music, garmin pay: same experience, same menus, same widgets. The “Vivo Difference 4S” does not relate to the software, but to comfort and autonomy.

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Visuals Comparative on the wrist

To project, three use cases. Visualize the relative size (left 4S, right 4). The proportions are indicative - the objective is to give a feeling of balance on the wrist.

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Fine wrist - 14 to 15.5 cm

[4S] ○ trip [4] ○ trip tenitsOutfit: centered outfit: overflow slightly on the edgesReadability: good readability: very good, marked presenceComfort: Excellent comfort: can hinder under narrow cuff

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Average wrist - 16 to 17.5 cm

[4S] ○ trip tenits [4] ○ trip tenitsOutfit: discreet outfit: balancedReadability: Correct readability: Large and comfortableComfort: very light comfort: stable, perceived “sport”

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Large wrist - 18 to 20 cm

[4S] ○iant [4] ○ trip tenitsHolding: Visually held: proportionateSmall readability: optimalReadability: more comfort: very good outfit in sportcompact

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Simple tip: try to stick the watch to the bone point of the wrist. If the glasses touches the protrusion, opt for the 4S. If it remains well centered, the 4 is made for you.

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Real uses: City, Sport, Travel

Office + Sport du Midi: 4s. It disappears under a shirt, does not weigh in keyboard. Alerts vibrate without attracting the eye.

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Hebdo sorting (race/fitness/swimming) and long outings on weekends: 4. The wider screen is relaxing to read its cardio areas in motion; More generous autonomy avoids impromptu recharge.

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Voyage Pro: Both do the job (payment, music, GPS). The 4 limits recharges; The 4S passes everywhere.

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What size to choose according to your wrist turn?

  • 14–17 cm: Favor the 4S. Best base, better sensor precision linked to stability.
  • 16–20 cm: The 4 is comfortable, especially if the readability prevails.
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Between two sizes? Ask your priority: invisible comfort (4S) or visibility and battery (4). This is the key axis of the difference between Garmin Vivoactive 4 and 4S.

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Purchasing experience

Take 5 minutes to validate your intuition:

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Try, if possible, both sizes on the wrist. Two minutes are enough to feel which “forget” its presence better.

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