Garmin Forerunner® 245 vs Garmin Vivoactive 5Size, Specs & Wrist Fit Compared
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Garmin
Forerunner® 245 (010-02120-00)
Garmin
Vivoactive 5
The Garmin Forerunner® 245 and Garmin Vivoactive 5 share a near-identical 42.3mm case, so wrist presence comes down to thickness, lug-to-lug and weight.
The Garmin Vivoactive 5 is the slimmer of the two (11.1mm vs 12.2mm), so it slides under a cuff more easily.
On the wrist the Garmin Vivoactive 5 feels lighter (36g vs 38.5g, case only).
Specification Comparison
| Spec | GarminForerunner® 245 | GarminVivoactive 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 42.3mm | 42.2mm |
| Thickness | 12.2mm | 11.1mm |
| Weight | 38.5g | 36g |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| Water Resistance | — | 5 ATM |
| GPS | Yes | 21 hours |
| Display | Sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) | 1.2 inches |
| Always-On Display | — | Yes |
| Battery life | Smartwatch Mode: Up to 7 daysGPS mode: Up to 24 hours | — |
| Battery life (smartwatch mode) | Up to 7 days | — |
| Body Battery™ energy monitor | Yes | — |
| Charge time | — | 1.5 hours |
| Battery life | — | 11 days |
| Has wireless charging | — | No |
| Has a removable battery | — | No |
| Battery life with GPS on | — | 21 hours |
| Has a solar power battery | — | No |
| Has a rechargeable battery | — | Yes |
| Has a battery level indicator | — | Yes |
| Released | 2019 | 2023 |
Full Specification Comparison
266 specs| Spec | Garmin Forerunner® 245 | Garmin Vivoactive 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Family | Garmin | — |
| General | ||
| Battery life | Smartwatch Mode: Up to 7 daysGPS mode: Up to 24 hours | — |
| Display Size | 1.2" (30.4 mm) diameter | — |
| Color display | Yes | — |
| Lens Material | Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 | — |
| Bezel Material | fiber-reinforced polymer | — |
| Memory/History | 4 GB | — |
| Strap material | silicone | — |
| Charging method | Garmin proprietary plug charger | — |
| Display resolution | 240 x 240 pixels | — |
| Quick Release bands | yes (20 mm, Industry standard) | — |
| Sensors | ||
| GPS | Yes | — |
| Compass | Yes | — |
| GLONASS | Yes | — |
| Galileo | Yes | — |
| Thermometer | yes (tempe™ sensor required) | — |
| Accelerometer | Yes | — |
| Pulse Ox Blood Oxygen Saturation Monitor | Yes | — |
| Garmin Elevate™ wrist heart rate monitor | Yes | — |
| has GPS | — | Yes |
| has a compass | — | Yes |
| Has a barometer | — | No |
| has a gyroscope | — | No |
| Has a cadence sensor | — | No |
| has an accelerometer | — | Yes |
| Monitors perspiration | — | No |
| Has a heart rate monitor | — | Yes |
| Has a temperature sensor | — | No |
| Monitors blood oxygenation levels | — | Yes |
| Product Info | ||
| Main SKU | 010-02120-00 | — |
| Product ID | 628939 | — |
| Product Name | Forerunner® 245 | — |
| Release Date | 4/30/2019 | — |
| Product Variation | Slate Gray | — |
| Clock Features | ||
| Timer | Yes | — |
| Stopwatch | Yes | — |
| Time/date | Yes | — |
| Alarm clock | Yes | — |
| GPS Time Sync | Yes | — |
| Sunrise/sunset times | Yes | — |
| Automatic daylight saving time | Yes | — |
| Cycling Features | ||
| Courses | Yes | — |
| Race an activity | Yes | — |
| Compatible with Varia™ lights | Yes | — |
| Speed and cadence sensor support (w/sensor) | Yes | — |
| Compatible with Varia™ radar (rear-facing radar) | Yes | — |
| Compatible with Varia Vision™ (head-mounted display) | Yes | — |
| Alerts (triggers alarm when you reach goals including time, distance, heart rate or calories) | Yes | — |
| Running Features | ||
| Run workouts | Yes | — |
| Race predictor | Yes | — |
| Foot pod capable | Yes | — |
| Running dynamics | yes (with compatible accessory) | — |
| Performance condition | Yes | — |
| Run/Walk/Stand detection | Yes | — |
| Stride length (real time) | yes (with compatible accessory) | — |
| PacePro™ Pacing Strategies | Yes | — |
| Vertical oscillation and ratio | yes (with compatible accessory) | — |
| Ground contact time and balance | yes (with compatible accessory) | — |
| GPS-based distance, time and pace | Yes | — |
| Cadence (provides real-time number of steps per minute) | Yes | — |
| What You'll Love | ||
| Display type | Sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) | — |
| Water rating | 5 ATM | — |
| Training status | Yes | — |
| Pulse Ox blood oxygen | yes (spot-check and optionally in sleep) | — |
| Battery life (smartwatch mode) | Up to 7 days | — |
| Activity Profiles | ||
| Gym | Strength, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Indoor Rowing | — |
| Swim | Pool Swimming | — |
| Cycling | Biking, Indoor Biking | — |
| Wellness | Walking, Yoga | — |
| Indoor running | Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual Running | — |
| Outdoor running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running | — |
| Swimming Features | ||
| Pool swim workouts | Yes | — |
| Auto rest (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Drill logging (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Underwater wrist-based heart rate | Yes | — |
| "Repeat on" rest timer (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Basic rest timer (up from 0) (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Stroke type detection (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly) (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Pool swim metrics (lengths, distance, pace, stroke count, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories) | Yes | — |
| Outdoor Recreation | ||
| TracBack® | Yes | — |
| Back to start | Yes | — |
| UltraTrac mode | Yes | — |
| GPS coordinates | Yes | — |
| Distance to destination | Yes | — |
| Point-to-point navigation | Yes | — |
| Bread crumb trail in real time | Yes | — |
| Daily Smart Features | ||
| Calendar | Yes | — |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth®, ANT+® | — |
| Find My Phone | Yes | — |
| Find My Watch | Yes | — |
| VIRB® Remote | Yes | — |
| Weather forecasts | Yes | — |
| Smart Notifications | Yes | — |
| Smartphone compatibility | iPhone® and Android™ | — |
| Controls smartphone music | Yes | — |
| Pairs with Garmin Connect™ Mobile | Yes | — |
| Text response/reject phone call with text (Android™ only) | Yes | — |
| Connect IQ™ (downloadable watch faces, data fields and apps) | Yes | — |
| Activity Tracking Features | ||
| TrueUp™ | Yes | — |
| Move IQ™ | Yes | — |
| Step counter | Yes | — |
| Calories burned | Yes | — |
| Distance traveled | Yes | — |
| Intensity minutes | Yes | — |
| Automatic rep counting | Yes | — |
| Garmin Connect™ Challenges app | yes (optional Connect IQ app) | — |
| Move alerts (displays on device after a period of inactivity) | Yes | — |
| Auto goal (learns your activity level and assigns a daily step goal) | Yes | — |
| Workout and Training Plans | ||
| Cardio workouts | Yes | — |
| Strength workouts | Yes | — |
| Health & Wellness Monitoring | ||
| Sleep | yes (advanced) | — |
| Hydration | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) | — |
| Fitness age | yes (in app) | — |
| All-day stress | Yes | — |
| Women's health | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) | — |
| Resting heart rate | Yes | — |
| Abnormal heart rate alerts | yes (high and low) | — |
| Relaxation breathing timer | Yes | — |
| Body Battery™ energy monitor | Yes | — |
| Wrist-based heart rate (constant, every second) | Yes | — |
| Safety and Tracking Features | ||
| Assistance | Yes | — |
| Live Event Sharing | Android™ Only | — |
| Incident Detection during select activities | Yes | — |
| Incident detection alert on phone for wearables | Yes | — |
| Kid Activity Tracking Features | ||
| Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app | yes (optional Connect IQ Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app) | — |
| Training, Planning and Analysis Features | ||
| % HRR | Yes | — |
| % HR max | Yes | — |
| HR zones | Yes | — |
| HR alerts | Yes | — |
| Manual lap | Yes | — |
| Auto max HR | Yes | — |
| Auto scroll | Yes | — |
| Finish time | Yes | — |
| HR calories | Yes | — |
| Voice alerts | Yes | — |
| Custom alerts | Yes | — |
| Physio TrueUp | Yes | — |
| Recovery time | Yes | — |
| Training load | Yes | — |
| VO2 Max (Run) | Yes | — |
| Course guidance | Yes | — |
| Training effect | Yes | — |
| Virtual Partner | Yes | — |
| Race an Activity | Yes | — |
| Advanced workouts | Yes | — |
| Interval training | Yes | — |
| GPS speed and distance | Yes | — |
| Improved recovery time | Yes | — |
| Configurable lap alerts | Yes | — |
| Customizable data pages | Yes | — |
| Touch and/or button lock | Yes | — |
| Activity history on watch | Yes | — |
| Downloadable training plans | Yes | — |
| Training effect (anaerobic) | Yes | — |
| HRM running pace and distance | Yes | — |
| Customizable activity profiles | Yes | — |
| Auto Pause® automatic timer halt | Yes | — |
| Auto Lap® interval tracking feature | Yes | — |
| HR broadcast (broadcasts HR data over ANT+® to paired devices) | yes (using ANT+ or BLE) | — |
| Design | ||
| width | — | 42.2 |
| height | — | 42.2 |
| volume | — | 19.77 cm³ |
| weight | — | 36 g |
| thickness | — | 11.1 |
| ATM rating | — | 5 ATM |
| resolution | — | 390 x 390 px |
| screen size | — | 1.2 inches |
| Display type | — | OLED/AMOLED |
| Has a display | — | Yes |
| pixel density | — | 459 ppi |
| width of band | — | 20 mm |
| water resistance | — | Waterproof |
| Always-On Display | — | Yes |
| has a touch screen | — | Yes |
| is designed for kids | — | No |
| Gorilla Glass version | — | Gorilla Glass 3 |
| waterproof depth rating | — | 50 m |
| Watch band is replaceable | — | Yes |
| Has sapphire glass display | — | No |
| maximum operating temperature | — | 60 °C |
| has branded damage-resistant glass | — | Yes |
| lowest potential operating temperature | — | -20 °C |
| Battery | ||
| charge time | — | 1.5 hours |
| battery life | — | 11 days |
| has wireless charging | — | No |
| has a removable battery | — | No |
| battery life with GPS on | — | 21 hours |
| Has a solar power battery | — | No |
| has a rechargeable battery | — | Yes |
| Features | ||
| RAM | — | 4GB |
| release date | — | 2023-09-20 |
| Has a stopwatch | — | Yes |
| Has smart alarm | — | No |
| warranty period | — | 1 years |
| Has call control | — | Yes |
| Has silent alarm | — | Yes |
| has HRV tracking | — | Yes |
| internal storage | — | 4GB |
| measures VO2 max | — | Yes |
| Has notifications | — | Yes |
| Has ECG technology | — | No |
| Locates your phone | — | Yes |
| has a front camera | — | No |
| has fall detection | — | Yes |
| has voice commands | — | No |
| Acquires GPS faster | — | No |
| Has vibrating alerts | — | Yes |
| shows readiness level | — | No |
| Can be used to answer calls | — | No |
| measures resting heart rate | — | Yes |
| has irregular heart rate warnings | — | No |
| has fast/slow heart rate notifications | — | Yes |
| Has a built-in camera remote control function | — | No |
| Connectivity | ||
| has NFC | — | Yes |
| supports ANT+ | — | Yes |
| supports Wi-Fi | — | Yes |
| supports Galileo | — | Yes |
| has a cellular module | — | No |
| Is compatible with iOS | — | Yes |
| Is compatible with Android | — | Yes |
| Miscellaneous | ||
| has aptX | — | No |
| Has auto pause | — | Yes |
| Available on PC | — | Yes |
| Is compatible with Windows | — | Yes |
| Is compatible with Mac OS X | — | Yes |
| has an external memory slot | — | No |
| Compatible with smart scales | — | Yes |
| has a battery level indicator | — | Yes |
| has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack | — | No |
| Compatible with external heart rate monitors | — | Yes |
| App & Software | ||
| Ad-free | — | Yes |
| Free app | — | Yes |
| Tracks BMI | — | Yes |
| Has coaching | — | Yes |
| Includes maps | — | Yes |
| Supports routes | — | Yes |
| Has achievements | — | Yes |
| Has goal setting | — | Yes |
| Has live tracking | — | Yes |
| Has exercise diary | — | Yes |
| Predicts ovulation | — | Yes |
| Can be personalised | — | Yes |
| Has weight tracking | — | No |
| Predicts start date | — | Yes |
| Tracks water intake | — | Yes |
| Has inactivity alerts | — | Yes |
| Has period notifications | — | Yes |
| Has temperature tracking | — | No |
| Doesn’t require account | — | No |
| Provides activity reports | — | Yes |
| Displays fertile window notifications | — | Yes |
| Counts how many calories you've burned | — | Yes |
| Activity tracking | ||
| Measures pace | — | Yes |
| Tracks distance | — | Yes |
| Tracks elevation | — | No |
| Designed for golf | — | Yes |
| Tracks your sleep | — | Yes |
| Tracks steps taken | — | Yes |
| Designed for diving | — | No |
| Has a route tracker | — | No |
| Has exercise tagging | — | Yes |
| Has multi-sport mode | — | No |
| Tracks calorie intake | — | Yes |
| Provides sleep reports | — | Yes |
| Detects activities automatically | — | Yes |
| Has a stroke counter for swimming | — | Yes |
Wrist Fit
Garmin Forerunner® 245
Sits best on wrists ~45–60mm wide (≈ 12.0–16.0cm circumference).
Garmin Vivoactive 5
Sits best on wrists ~44–60mm wide (≈ 11.7–16.0cm circumference).
2D Dimension Schematics
Accurate scale drawings based on case dimensions. Drag to pan, Ctrl+scroll to zoom. Works for every watch regardless of photo availability.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Garmin Forerunner® 245 bigger than the Garmin Vivoactive 5?
The Garmin Forerunner® 245 is bigger — 42.3mm vs 42.2mm case width.
Which fits a smaller wrist better, the Garmin Forerunner® 245 or the Garmin Vivoactive 5?
The Garmin Forerunner® 245 suits wrists around 45–60mm wide, and the Garmin Vivoactive 5 around 44–60mm. The one with the smaller lower bound is the safer pick for a small wrist.
Can I see the Garmin Forerunner® 245 and Garmin Vivoactive 5 side by side at true scale?
Yes — the schematics and photos above show both watches at matched scale, and our fit tool overlays each on your wrist width.