As a current Garmin user I really like a lot of the features of the Garmin but the app for smart watch health tracking is atrocious and some of the values you get are clearly wrong like it recording my resting heart rate at 15 bps lower than it actually is.
The battery life is still insane which makes things like sleep tracking really nice
OhVenus_Baby@lemmy.ml 3 weeks ago
I and my family have had Garmin’s like the venu line for years and I am in the hospital all the time. I’ve tested mine against the polar h10 and multiple medical tests and during times of Hospital stays for lengths of time. Mine has always been accurate and within a beat or two in the heart rate and a single percentage or 2 on pulse ox.
Garmin has fantastic customer service. Perhaps updating your device, or contacting them for an exchange would be worth while. All their watches I have had, seen, have been accurate. I’m not refuting what your saying just trying to give my perspective.
You can also set to track every second vs the default smart tracking every few minutes. Hope any of this helps. Don’t settle for subpar results or experience. They make good equipment IME.
BussyCat@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
I didn’t try actually contacting customer service about it but from talking to other people it has to do with how the watch moves around during exercise that gives the false readings. If I just sit still and compare to a pulse oximeter it stays pretty close but if I am biking or walking around the values change drastically. Then for some reason while when I sit down or lay in bed my heart rate is around 65 it says my resting heart rate is in the 50s
OhVenus_Baby@lemmy.ml 3 weeks ago
It seems like a reading issues rather than a hardware issue. Try placing the sensor on the inside if your wrist where the skin is softer and veins are more prevalent. Also play with the tightness and fitment location up or down a little. Go to settings turn data to gather every second. Update the hardware and apps during syncing with phone or wifi. I know mine can be off under vigorous fan biking where your really thrashing your arms. But it’s fairly accurate any other time.
If you do intensive exercises or more moving than otherwise a watch on your wrist could reasonably keep up with. I highly recommend pairing a Polar H10 (roughly 100 usd) strap to your garmin and that’s hospital/lab grade accurate. Pairs right to the watch and nothing else is needed, syncs the data accurately and to connect app as usual. 400 hour battery life, adjustable, comfortable. Check it out. Good luck.