I tested Garmin's latest smartwatch, and it has the right balance of style and features

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The Garmin Vivoactive 6 is disposable successful 4 colors for $300.
• The AMOLED show is brilliant, the disposable enactment functions are comprehensive, and the artillery lasts 5-11 days.
• There is nary altimeter, the 30 infinitesimal astute alarm interval is simply a spot long, and it's a spot tiny for those with larger wrists.

Garmin's latest smartwatch for the masses, the Vivoactive 6, brings a caller position to its lineup with a stylish plan and approachable price.

With the continuation of its upgrade cycle, Garmin chose a smaller signifier origin for the Vivoactive 6, with enactment for a wide scope of activities -- a large ticker for users that bash a batch of antithetic things but don't request heavy insights successful 1 peculiar area. 

Also: The champion Garmin watches you tin buy: Expert tested

The Vivoactive 6 besides incorporates the caller Smart Alarm diagnostic for the archetypal clip connected a Garmin smartwatch. This diagnostic wakes you wrong 30 minutes of your acceptable alarm clip erstwhile it detects you're successful a airy slumber phase. We archetypal saw this capableness with Fitbit years agone truthful it's bully to spot Garmin helping america aftermath up happier.   

I'm not definite I privation to beryllium awakened 30 minutes earlier my alarm, but the thought present is that it'd beryllium easier to get up if you're successful a airy slumber phase. It volition instrumentality immoderate acquisition to spot however good it works, and if it's truly amended to beryllium awoken earlier, arsenic opposed to sleeping longer but jolted awake from a heavy sleep. 

I person larger wrists truthful I recovered the Vivoactive 6 to beryllium a spot excessively tiny for me, but the 42mm diameter is definite to acceptable the bulk of people. The watch's plan is precise minimalist, though, with curved edges and an wide sleek consciousness that is simply a departure from astir chunky smartwatches. It measures conscionable 10.9mm heavy and weighs 36 grams, truthful you tin slumber soundly without it interrupting your slumber arsenic you twist and roll.

There are lone 2 carnal buttons connected the close broadside truthful navigation of the idiosyncratic interface is via these 2 buttons, surface taps, and surface swipes. This plan is cleanable for radical caller to Garmin watches who whitethorn beryllium overwhelmed by the accepted 5 fastener interface. The AMOLED show is vibrant and lovely, but if you alteration the always-on mode past your artillery beingness volition beryllium chopped successful half. Since the show turns connected reliably erstwhile you assistance your wrist, I urge switching disconnected the always-on mode and bask much than a week of artillery life.

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

More than 80 indoor and outdoor activities are supported connected the Vivoactive 6, including regular suggested workouts. It besides includes stretching activities, animated workouts, wheelchair mode, and spot training. Running dynamics, fittingness levels, interval and workout creation, accent tracking, HRV status, and overmuch much are halfway functions successful the Vivoactive 6.

Also: This Garmin smartwatch convinced my girl to power implicit from Fitbit

The Vivoactive 6 motorboat comes arsenic just upwind play season, biking, and different outdoor endeavors go much popular. The play enactment is reasonably extended truthful you tin way your shots and beryllium assured that the ticker volition not change your swing. I hardly felt the Vivoactive 6 erstwhile it was secured connected my wrist and americium frankly amazed it has a artillery ample capable to past much than a week with regular use.

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

When compared to different devices, I confirmed close determination tracking and bosom complaint show portion walking, running, cycling, and rowing. Sleep tracking matched the diagnostic sets of different comparable devices and the slumber manager feedback was close successful my testing. 

ZDNET's buying advice

The Garmin Vivoactive 6 has galore important improvements implicit the Vivoactive 5, portion remaining astatine the aforesaid $299.99 starting price. The disposable colour options are definite to fulfill radical and the smaller size means it's cleanable for those with tiny to medium-sized wrists. It supports an extended fig of sports and activities truthful if you don't request a specialized, focused device, this ticker volition apt conscionable your needs.

What are the tariffs successful the US?

The caller US tariffs connected imports from countries similar China, Vietnam, and India purpose to boost home manufacturing but are apt to thrust up prices connected user electronics. Products similar smartphones, laptops, and TVs whitethorn go much costly arsenic companies rethink planetary proviso chains and measurement the outgo of shifting production.

Also: Tariff warfare has tech buyers wondering what's next. Here's what we know

Headphones and wearable devices, which are predominantly manufactured successful these regions, are present taxable to tariffs arsenic precocious arsenic 54% connected Chinese imports and 46% connected Vietnamese goods. As a result, consumers whitethorn spot terms increases of astir 20% connected these items. 

Manufacturers are exploring options similar relocating accumulation to countries with little tariffs, but specified shifts are analyzable and whitethorn not supply contiguous relief. In the abbreviated term, shoppers should expect higher costs for headphones and wearables owed to these commercialized policies.