Garmin Garmin Swim™ vs Garmin VivoactiveSize, Specs & Wrist Fit Compared
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Garmin
Garmin Swim™ (010-01004-00)
Garmin
Vivoactive
The Garmin Garmin Swim™ and Garmin Vivoactive share a near-identical 44mm case, so wrist presence comes down to thickness, lug-to-lug and weight.
The Garmin Vivoactive is the slimmer of the two (8mm vs 13mm), so it slides under a cuff more easily.
On the wrist the Garmin Vivoactive feels lighter (38g vs 40g, case only).
Specification Comparison
| Spec | GarminGarmin Swim™ | GarminVivoactive |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 44mm | 43.8mm |
| Lug-to-Lug | 48mm | 38.5mm |
| Thickness | 13mm | 8mm |
| Weight | 40g | 38g |
| Shape | Circular | Rectangle |
| Water Resistance | — | Waterproof |
| GPS | — | 10 hours |
| Display | — | LCD |
| Always-On Display | — | Yes |
| Battery life | — | 13 days |
| Battery life with GPS on | — | 10 hours |
| Has a rechargeable battery | — | Yes |
| Has a battery level indicator | — | Yes |
| Released | 2012 | — |
Full Specification Comparison
59 specs| Spec | Garmin Garmin Swim™ | Garmin Vivoactive |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Family | Garmin | — |
| General | ||
| Lens Material | chemically strengthened glass | — |
| Memory/History | 200 hours of activity | — |
| Strap material | TPU | — |
| Display resolution | 55 x 31 pixels | — |
| Sensors | ||
| Accelerometer | Yes | — |
| has GPS | — | Yes |
| has a compass | — | Yes |
| Has a barometer | — | Yes |
| has an accelerometer | — | Yes |
| Product Info | ||
| Main SKU | 010-01004-00 | — |
| Product ID | 97287 | — |
| Product Name | Garmin Swim™ | — |
| Release Date | 7/5/2012 | — |
| Product Variation | Watch Only | — |
| Clock Features | ||
| Timer | Yes | — |
| Stopwatch | Yes | — |
| Time/date | Yes | — |
| Alarm clock | Yes | — |
| Activity Profiles | ||
| Swim | Pool Swimming | — |
| Swimming Features | ||
| Drill logging (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Countdown start (pool swim only) | 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 | — |
| Design | ||
| width | — | 43.8 |
| height | — | 38.5 |
| weight | — | 38 g |
| thickness | — | 8 |
| resolution | — | 148 x 205 px |
| Display type | — | LCD |
| Has a display | — | Yes |
| water resistance | — | Waterproof |
| Always-On Display | — | Yes |
| has a touch screen | — | Yes |
| waterproof depth rating | — | 50 m |
| Battery | ||
| battery life | — | 13 days |
| battery life with GPS on | — | 10 hours |
| has a rechargeable battery | — | Yes |
| Features | ||
| Has notifications | — | Yes |
| Locates your phone | — | Yes |
| Connectivity | ||
| supports ANT+ | — | Yes |
| Bluetooth version | — | 4 |
| Is compatible with iOS | — | Yes |
| Is compatible with Android | — | Yes |
| Miscellaneous | ||
| has a battery level indicator | — | Yes |
| App & Software | ||
| Has achievements | — | Yes |
| Has goal setting | — | Yes |
| Has inactivity alerts | — | Yes |
| Counts how many calories you've burned | — | Yes |
| Activity tracking | ||
| Measures pace | — | Yes |
| Tracks distance | — | Yes |
| Designed for golf | — | Yes |
| Tracks your sleep | — | Yes |
| Tracks steps taken | — | Yes |
| Has multi-sport mode | — | Yes |
| Provides sleep reports | — | Yes |
| Has a stroke counter for swimming | — | Yes |
Wrist Fit
Garmin Garmin Swim™
Sits best on wrists ~51–69mm wide (≈ 13.6–18.4cm circumference).
Garmin Vivoactive
Sits best on wrists ~41–55mm wide (≈ 10.9–14.7cm 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Garmin Garmin Swim™ bigger than the Garmin Vivoactive?
The Garmin Garmin Swim™ is bigger — 44mm vs 43.8mm case width.
Which fits a smaller wrist better, the Garmin Garmin Swim™ or the Garmin Vivoactive?
The Garmin Garmin Swim™ suits wrists around 51–69mm wide, and the Garmin Vivoactive around 41–55mm. The one with the smaller lower bound is the safer pick for a small wrist.
Can I see the Garmin Garmin Swim™ and Garmin Vivoactive 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.