Garmin Forerunner 745 continues to be a compelling choice for runners. Vivoactive 4 has been one of the highest-selling lifestyle smartwatches of Garmin.
We look at Forerunner 745 and Vivoactive 4 in a detailed comparison study below.
Main differences
- Forerunner 745 is costlier than Vivoactive 4 by almost $150.
- Forerunner 745 was released in September 2020. Vivoactive 4 debuted in September 2019.
- Forerunner 745 has a DX-coated 3rd generation Corning Gorilla Glass. Vivoactive 4 has a 3rd generation Corning Gorilla Glass. So, the Forerunner 745 has a better display lens than Vivoactive 4.
- Forerunner 745 lacks touchscreen functionality. Vivoactive 4 has a touchscreen feature.
- You can expect to see a higher number of in-built programs for running, outdoor recreation, and cycling in a Forerunner 745.
- Forerunner 745 has an in-built thermometer. Vivoactive 4 can measure skin-based temperature using a tempe sensor. Tempe sensor will cost additional money to the tune of $39.99.
- Forerunner 745 does not support Golf. Vivoactive 4 offers Golf feature.
- Sleep score and sleep insights are missing in Garmin Vivoactive 4.
- Forerunner 745 is compatible with VIRB remotes to manage an ANT+ action camera device using the smartwatch directly.
- Forerunner 745 has a device storage of 4 GB while the Vivoactive 4 can store activity data up to 200 hours.
The differences between Forerunner 745 and Vivoactive 4 are trivial. However, for runners or athletes, the Forerunner 745 makes a compelling alternative.
We look at some of these differences in detail below.

Display specifications
Forerunner 745 and Vivoactive use the MIP (Memory-in-pixel) screen. The display resolution is low; but, the battery life increases because of this.
The display lens of Forerunner 745 has a DX coating. DX coating is an anti-reflective coating that helps in improving the readability experience under bright sunlight.
The other display specifications are shared below in the table of comparison.
Display specifications | Garmin Forerunner 745 | Garmin Vivoactive 4 |
---|---|---|
Display lens | Corning Gorilla Glass DX | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
Display size | 1.2″ or 30 mm | 1.3″ or 33 mm |
Display type | MIP (Memory-in-pixel) | MIP (Memory-in-pixel) |
Display resolution | 240 x 240 pixels | 260 x 260 pixels |
Color display | Yes | Yes |
Touchscreen | No | Yes |
Ambient light sensor | No | No |
LED Flashlight | No | No |
Some significant omissions in Forerunner 745 include the touchscreen functionality and an ambient light sensor. Vivoactive 4 does have a touchscreen functionality.
Physical specifications
Garmin Vivoactive 4 comes in two size variants. There is a Vivoactive 4S variant with a 40 mm size and the standard edition Vivoactive 4 has a size of 45 mm.
We look at Forerunner 745 and Vivoactive 4 specifications below.
Physical specifications | Forerunner 745 | Garmin Vivoactive 4 |
---|---|---|
Watch size | 43.8 x 43.8 x 13.3 mm | 45.1 x 45.1 x 12.8 mm |
Thickness | 13.3 mm | 12.8 mm |
Watch weight | 47 g | 50.5 g |
Watch body | Fiber-enforced polymer | Fiber-enforced polymer |
Bezel material | Fiber-enforced polymer | Stainless steel |
Band material | Silicone | Silicone |
Band size | 22 mm | 22 mm |
Recommended wrist circumference | 135-200 mm | 126-216 mm |
Water rating | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
Device storage | 4 GB | 200 hours of activity data |
NFC or Contactless Payments | Garmin Pay | Garmin Pay |
Swimming profiles | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming, Swimrun | Pool Swimming |
Wireless Connectivity | ANT+, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | ANT+, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
GPS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO |
Multi-band GPS | No | No |
Barometric altimeter | Yes | Yes |
Compass | Yes | Yes |
Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
Thermometer | Yes | Yes (with tempe sensor) |
iOS Compatibility | iOS 15 or higher | iOS 15 or higher |
Android compatibility | Android 7 or higher | Android 7 or higher |
The important physical differences between Garmin Forerunner 745 and Vivoactive 4 are:
- Forerunner 745 has an in-built temperature sensor to take skin-based temperature readings; Vivoactive 4 will need a tempe sensor to take temperature readings.
- Forerunner 745 has 4 GB internal storage while Vivoactive 4 can store up to 200 hours of activity data.
Music
Forerunner 745 and Vivoactive 4 offer full music functionality. This means that you can use the following music features on Forerunner 745 and Vivoactive 4:
- You can store music on the smartwatch storage.
- You can manage music on the smartwatch through the watch interface directly.
- You can stream music using streaming apps like Spotify. For this, you will need to download the app from the Connect IQ store. Premium subscription of Spotify and other streaming apps will be needed.
- You can also control music on the paired smartphone.
Additional profiles
Forerunner 745 offers additional profiles than Vivoactive 4. We have summarized the additional activity profiles below.
Profiles | Forerunner 745 | Vivoactive 4 |
---|---|---|
Cycling | Biking, Indoor Biking, Mountain Trail Biking | Biking, Indoor Biking |
Outdoor recreation | Hiking, Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Skiing, XC Classic Skiing, XC Skate Skiing, Stand up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking | Skiing, Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Stand Up PaddleboaRunnrding, Rowing |
Running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Trail Running, Virtual Running | Running, Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running |
Battery life
There is no significant difference between Forerunner 745 and Vivoactive 4 in terms of battery backup. Battery backup offered in different watch modes for Forerunner 745 and Vivoactive 4 is mentioned below.
Watch mode | Garmin Forerunner 745 | Garmin Vivoactive 4 |
---|---|---|
Smartwatch mode | Up to 7 days | Up to 8 days |
GPS mode without music | Up to 16 hours | Up to 18 hours |
GPS mode with music | Up to 6 hours | Up to 6 hours |

Golf
Garmin Vivoactive 4 supports Golf and is compatible with Garmin Golf. It supports Golf features like the Garmin Autoshot, Round Timer, Automatic club tracking, and Digital scorecard.
Garmin Forerunner 745 is not compatible with Golf.
Costs
Garmin Forerunner 745 has a list price of $499.99 and Garmin Vivoactive 4 has a list price of $349.99.
Final verdict
Garmin Forerunner 745 is apt for runners and athletes. The watch is designed to offer exceptional battery backup, a better display experience under the sun, and multiple tracking profiles for runners and outdoor recreation sports.
Garmin Vivoactive 4 is a popular lifestyle smartwatch. It makes for a compelling option, especially if you are fond of Golf.
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