Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mmSize, Specs & Wrist Fit Compared
The Garmin Vivoactive 5 is 1.8mm wider, 0.5mm shorter, 2.5mm thicker and 6g heavier than the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm. Both are circular.
Measured against the Garmin Vivoactive 5.
- Case width
- 42.2mmbaseVivoactive 540.4mm−1.8mmGalaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm
- Lug-to-lug
- 42.2mmbaseVivoactive 542.7mm+0.5mmGalaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm
- Thickness
- 11.1mmbaseVivoactive 58.6mm−2.5mmGalaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm
- Weight
- 36gbaseVivoactive 530g−6gGalaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm
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Garmin
Vivoactive 5
Samsung
Galaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm
Which one fits you
Both need much the same wrist — roughly 44–61mm across the flat of the wrist. Neither will fit where the other won't, so decide on thickness, weight and features instead.
The Garmin Vivoactive 5 wears larger than the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm (42.2mm vs 40.4mm case), giving it more wrist presence — and needing a wider wrist to sit cleanly.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm is the slimmer of the two (8.6mm vs 11.1mm), so it slides under a cuff more easily.
On the wrist the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm feels lighter (30g vs 36g, case only).
Among the 697 42mm watches we hold thickness for, the Garmin Vivoactive 5 is thinner than 82%, so it wears flatter than its width suggests.
Among the 509 40mm watches we hold thickness for, the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm is thinner than 83%, so it wears flatter than its width suggests.
Specification Comparison
| Spec | GarminVivoactive 5 | SamsungGalaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 42.2mm | 40.4mm |
| Lug-to-Lug | 42.2mm | 42.7mm |
| Thickness | 11.1mm | 8.6mm |
| Weight | 36g | 30g |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| Water Resistance | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Display type | OLED/AMOLED | OLED/AMOLED |
| Screen size | 1.2 inches | 1.34 inches |
| Always-On Display | Yes | Yes |
| Battery life | 11 days | 2 days |
| Has wireless charging | No | Yes |
| Has a removable battery | No | No |
| Has a solar power battery | No | No |
| Has a rechargeable battery | Yes | Yes |
| Has a battery level indicator | Yes | Yes |
| Released | 2023 | 2025 |
Hover a row to highlight that measurement in the schematics below.
2D Dimension Schematics
Every case drawn to scale on a shared centre — from above, and in profile against the wrist. Built from the measurements, so it works for every watch whether or not it has a photo.
- Garmin Vivoactive 542.2mm · 11.1mm thick
- Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm40.4mm × 42.7mm · 8.6mm thick
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm on a wrist
Put Garmin Vivoactive 5 and Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm on the same arm, sized to your own wrist, and turn it. Side by side or stacked on one spot, whichever answers the question faster.
- Garmin Vivoactive 5 — 42.2mm case, standing 11.1mm off the wrist.
- Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm — 40.4mm case, 42.7mm lug-to-lug, standing 8.6mm off the wrist.
Whether that clears your wrist edges is the question worth answering, and it depends on your wrist rather than on the case diameter.
See them on a wrist in 3DCase shapes are generated from each watch's published measurements — case width, lug-to-lug and thickness — not from manufacturer 3D models, so the proportions are accurate while the dial is generic.
Battery life compared
Furthest apart in Smartwatch mode, where the Garmin Vivoactive 5 lasts 5.5× as long as the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm (11 days against 2 days).
Garmin Vivoactive 5Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm
Smartwatch
11 days2 daysGPS
21 hours—
Full Specification Comparison
122 specs| Spec | Garmin Vivoactive 5 | Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm |
|---|---|---|
| Design | ||
| width | 42.2 | 40.4 |
| height | 42.2 | 42.7 |
| volume | 19.77 cm³ | 14.84 cm³ |
| weight | 36 g | 30 g |
| thickness | 11.1 | 8.6 |
| ATM rating | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| resolution | 390 x 390 px | 438 x 438 px |
| screen size | 1.2 inches | 1.34 inches |
| Display type | OLED/AMOLED | OLED/AMOLED |
| Has a display | Yes | Yes |
| pixel density | 459 ppi | 327 ppi |
| width of band | 20 mm | 20 mm |
| water resistance | Waterproof | Water resistant |
| Always-On Display | Yes | Yes |
| has a touch screen | Yes | Yes |
| is designed for kids | No | No |
| Gorilla Glass version | Gorilla Glass 3 | — |
| waterproof depth rating | 50 m | 50 m |
| Watch band is replaceable | Yes | Yes |
| Has sapphire glass display | No | Yes |
| maximum operating temperature | 60 °C | 35 °C |
| has branded damage-resistant glass | Yes | No |
| lowest potential operating temperature | -20 °C | 0 °C |
| Ingress Protection (IP) rating | — | IP68 |
| Battery | ||
| charge time | 1.5 hours | — |
| battery life | 11 days | 2 days |
| has wireless charging | No | Yes |
| has a removable battery | No | No |
| battery life with GPS on | 21 hours | — |
| Has a solar power battery | No | No |
| has a rechargeable battery | Yes | Yes |
| battery power | — | 325 mAh |
| Sensors | ||
| has GPS | Yes | Yes |
| has a compass | Yes | Yes |
| Has a barometer | No | Yes |
| has a gyroscope | No | Yes |
| Has a cadence sensor | No | No |
| has an accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Monitors perspiration | No | No |
| Has a heart rate monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Has a temperature sensor | No | Yes |
| Monitors blood oxygenation levels | Yes | Yes |
| Features | ||
| RAM | 4GB | 2GB |
| release date | 2023-09-20 | 2025-07-09 |
| Has a stopwatch | Yes | Yes |
| Has smart alarm | No | No |
| warranty period | 1 years | — |
| Has call control | Yes | Yes |
| Has silent alarm | Yes | Yes |
| has HRV tracking | Yes | Yes |
| internal storage | 4GB | 32GB |
| measures VO2 max | Yes | Yes |
| Has notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Has ECG technology | No | Yes |
| Locates your phone | Yes | Yes |
| has a front camera | No | — |
| has fall detection | Yes | Yes |
| has voice commands | No | Yes |
| Acquires GPS faster | No | Yes |
| Has vibrating alerts | Yes | Yes |
| shows readiness level | No | Yes |
| Can be used to answer calls | No | Yes |
| measures resting heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| has irregular heart rate warnings | No | Yes |
| has fast/slow heart rate notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Has a built-in camera remote control function | No | Yes |
| Connectivity | ||
| has NFC | Yes | Yes |
| supports ANT+ | Yes | No |
| supports Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| supports Galileo | Yes | Yes |
| has a cellular module | No | No |
| Is compatible with iOS | Yes | No |
| Is compatible with Android | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi version | — | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) |
| Bluetooth version | — | 5.3 |
| Miscellaneous | ||
| has aptX | No | — |
| Has auto pause | Yes | Yes |
| Available on PC | Yes | — |
| Is compatible with Windows | Yes | No |
| Is compatible with Mac OS X | Yes | No |
| has an external memory slot | No | No |
| Compatible with smart scales | Yes | Yes |
| has a battery level indicator | Yes | Yes |
| has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack | No | No |
| Compatible with external heart rate monitors | Yes | Yes |
| Has passcode | — | Yes |
| App & Software | ||
| Ad-free | Yes | Yes |
| Free app | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks BMI | Yes | Yes |
| Has coaching | Yes | Yes |
| Includes maps | Yes | Yes |
| Supports routes | Yes | Yes |
| Has achievements | Yes | Yes |
| Has goal setting | Yes | Yes |
| Has live tracking | Yes | — |
| Has exercise diary | Yes | Yes |
| Predicts ovulation | Yes | — |
| Can be personalised | Yes | Yes |
| Has weight tracking | No | Yes |
| Predicts start date | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks water intake | Yes | Yes |
| Has inactivity alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Has period notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Has temperature tracking | No | Yes |
| Doesn’t require account | No | — |
| Provides activity reports | Yes | Yes |
| Displays fertile window notifications | Yes | — |
| Counts how many calories you've burned | Yes | Yes |
| Activity tracking | ||
| Measures pace | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks distance | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks elevation | No | Yes |
| Designed for golf | Yes | No |
| Tracks your sleep | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks steps taken | Yes | Yes |
| Designed for diving | No | No |
| Has a route tracker | No | Yes |
| Has exercise tagging | Yes | Yes |
| Has multi-sport mode | No | No |
| Tracks calorie intake | Yes | Yes |
| Provides sleep reports | Yes | Yes |
| Detects activities automatically | Yes | Yes |
| Has a stroke counter for swimming | Yes | Yes |
Wrist Fit
Garmin Vivoactive 5
Sits best on wrists ~44–60mm wide (≈ 11.7–16.0cm circumference).
Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm
Sits best on wrists ~45–61mm wide (≈ 12.0–16.3cm circumference).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Garmin Vivoactive 5 bigger than the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm?
The Garmin Vivoactive 5 is bigger — 42.2mm vs 40.4mm case width.
Which fits a smaller wrist better, the Garmin Vivoactive 5 or the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm?
The Garmin Vivoactive 5 suits wrists around 44–60mm wide, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm around 45–61mm. The one with the smaller lower bound is the safer pick for a small wrist.
Can I see the Garmin Vivoactive 5 and Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - Wi-Fi · 40mm 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.