Garmin Vivoactive 5 is a newer variant released in September 2023. Forerunner 245 Music has been around since April 2019.
The differences between the Vivoactive 5 and Forerunner 245 Music edition watches are below.
Main differences
- Vivoactive 5 uses an AMOLED display. Forerunner 245 Music uses a MIP or Memory-in-pixel screen.
- The display resolution of Vivoactive 5 is much higher than the display resolution of a Forerunner 245 Music smartwatch.
- Vivoactive 5 supports NFC payments through Garmin Pay. Forerunner 245 Music lacks NFC support.
- Vivoactive 5 has a longer battery backup than Forerunner 245 Music.
- Vivoactive 5 adds a wheelchair mode to the watch. Forerunner 245 Music lacks it.
- Vivoactive 5 has special apps for meditation, sleep coaching, and nap detection. These functions are unavailable on Forerunner 245 Music.
- Vivoactive 5 has an anodized aluminum bezel. Forerunner 245 Music is completely made of fiber-enforced polymer.
- Vivoactive 5 and Forerunner 245 Music differ in terms of activity profiles supported by each watch.
- Vivoactive 5 is cheaper than Forerunner 245 Music by $50.
We look at these differences in detail below.
Display specifications
Vivoactive 5 and Forerunner 245 Music use the 3rd generation Corning Gorilla Glass in the display lens.
Vivoactive 5 uses an AMOLED display and Forerunner 245 Music works on the MIP or Memory-in-pixel screen.
Due to the AMOLED display, the Vivoactive 5 has a higher display resolution than Forerunner 245 Music. It also supports the Always-on-display mode.
The generic display specifications of the Vivoactive 5 and Forerunner 245 Music smartwatches are listed below.
| Display specifications | Garmin Vivoactive 5 | Garmin Forerunner 245 Music |
|---|---|---|
| Display lens | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Display size | 30 mm or 1.2″ | 30 mm or 1.2″ |
| Color display | Yes | Yes |
| Touchscreen | Yes | No |
| Display resolution | 390 x 390 pixels | 240 x 240 pixels |
| Ambient light sensor | Yes | No |
| LED Flashlight | No | No |
Vivoactive 5 has an AMOLED display, Ambient light sensor, and touchscreen feature. Forerunner 245 Music lacks all these.
Physical specifications
Garmin Vivoactive 5 supports NFC payments through the Garmin Pay app. Forerunner 245 Music lacks support for NFC or contactless payments. It is not compatible with the Garmin Pay app.
Vivoactive 5 uses a bezel made of anodized aluminum. Forerunner 245 Music is made of fiber-enforced polymer.
The physical specifications of the Vivoactive 5 and Forerunner 245 Music are compared below.
| Physical specifications | Garmin Vivoactive 5 | Garmin Forerunner 245 Music |
|---|---|---|
| Watch size | 42 mm | 42 mm |
| Watch dimensions | 42.2 x 42.2 x 11.1 mm | 42.3 x 42.3 x 12.2 (mm |
| Thickness | 11.1 mm | 12.2 mm |
| Bezel | Anodized aluminum | Fiber-reinforced polymer |
| Watch body | Fiber-enforced polymer | Fiber-enforced polymer |
| Watch weight | 36 g | 38.5 g |
| Band size | 20 mm | 20 mm |
| Recommended wrist circumference | 125-190 mm | 127-204 mm |
| Water rating | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Swimming profiles | Pool swimming, Open water swimming | Pool swimming |
| Device storage | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| NFC Payments | Garmin Pay | Not available |
| Wireless connectivity | ANT+, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | ANT+, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | Yes |
| Gyroscope | No | No |
| Barometric altimeter | No | No |
| Garmin Pulse Ox Sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Elevate Heart Sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Thermometer | Yes (tempe sensor needed) | Yes (tempe sensor needed) |
| In-built speaker | No | No |
| In-built microphone | No | No |
| Android compatibility | Android 7 or higher | Android 7 or higher |
| iOS compatibility | iOS 15 or higher | iOS 15 or higher |
Battery
The battery backup provided by Vivoactive 5 is marginally higher than the battery backup of Forerunner 245 Music.
A comparison of battery backup on various smartwatch modes is displayed below.
| Battery mode | Garmin Vivoactive 5 | Garmin Forerunner 245 Music |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch mode | Up to 11 days | Up to 7 days |
| GPS Mode | Up to 21 hours | Up to 24 hours |
| GPS Mode with music | Up to 9 hours | Up to 6 hours |
| All-Systems GNSS mode | Up to 17 hours | – |
| All-Systems GNSS mode with music | Up to 8 hours | – |
| All-Systems GNSS mode plus multi-band with music | Multi-band not available | – |
| All-Systems GNSS mode plus multi-band without music | Multi-band not available | – |
| Battery Saver Mode | Up to 21 days | – |
Vivoactive 5 features a Battery Saver mode. The Battery Saver mode helps to extend battery life. You can use the smartwatch at low power settings as well.
Activity profiles
Vivoactive 5 and Forerunner 245 Music also differ in the activity profiles supported on each watch. A side-by-side comparison of activity profiles supported on each watch is given below.
| Activity profiles | Garmin Vivoactive 5 | Garmin Forerunner 245 Music |
|---|---|---|
| Running | Running, Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Trail Running, Virtual Running |
| Cycling | Biking, Indoor Biking, eBiking, Handcycling, Indoor Handcycling | Biking, Indoor Biking |
| Swimming | Pool Swimming | Pool Swimming |
| Gym | Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Indoor Rowing | Strength, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Indoor Rowing |
Wheelchair mode
Wheelchair mode is a special mode on Vivoactive 5. It allows wheelchair users to track pushes as part of daily workouts.
Garmin also features wheelchair workouts for wheelchair users.
The wheelchair mode is unavailable on Forerunner 245 Music smartwatches.
Costs
Garmin Vivoactive 5 carries a list price of $299.99. Garmin Forerunner 245 Music has a list price of $349.99. However, you can usually get discounts on the Forerunner 245 Music series as it is a dated model.
Final verdict
Garmin Vivoactive 5 offers significant feature upgrades over the Forerunner 245 Music edition watch. I will pick a Vivoactive 5 over the Forerunner 245 Music for the following reasons:
- AMOLED display
- Higher display resolution
- NFC or contactless payments through the Garmin Pay app
- Newer apps for meditation and sleep coaching.
- Longer battery life
I will prefer a Forerunner 245 Music over the Vivoactive 5 only if I am into serious running and need metrics to track my efforts. Garmin Forerunner 245 Music is ideally suited for athletes due to the range of activity and running profiles it offers.
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