Polar has released the Grit X, a rugged and durable smartwatch with a MIL-STD-810G rating, so also is the Vantage V released in 2018. These two are some of the most sophisticated multisport GPS smartwatches loaded with lots of activity tracking features. Also featured in this comparison alongside these two is the lower-priced Ignite. Each of these three is fitness-focused and well equipped to track your active life comprehensively. Head-to-head, we compare the full specifications and features of these three so you know the differences.
Polar Ignite vs Grit X vs Vantage V Specifications Compared
| Polar Ignite | Polar Grit X | Polar Vantage V | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  | |
ABOUT DEVICE | |||
| Device name | Polar Ignite | Polar Grit X | Polar Vantage V |
| Device type | Fitness/Sport Smartwatch | Fitness/Sport Smartwatch | Fitness/Sport Smartwatch |
| Predessesor | __ | __ | __ |
| Successor | __ | __ | __ |
| Released date | June, 2019 | April, 2020 | September, 2018 |
| Ideal for | Unisex | Men | Men |
DISPLAY | |||
| Display type | IPS Transflective LCD | MIP transflective LCD | MIP Transflective LCD |
| Display size | 1.2 inch | 1.2 inch | 1.2 inch |
| Display resolution | 240 x 240 pixels | 240 x 240 pixels | 240 x 240 pixels |
| Pixel density | __ | __ | __ |
| Input type | Touchscreen 1 physical button | Touchscreen 5 physical buttons | Touchscreen 5 physical buttons |
| Always-on | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Customizable watch face | Yes | Yes | Yes |
BODY | |||
| Shape | Circular | Circular | Circular |
| Dimension | 43 x 43 x 8.5 mm | 47 x 47 x 13 mm | 46 x 46 x 13 mm |
| Weight | 35 grams (including straps) | 64 grams (including straps) | 66 grams (including straps) |
| Casing material | Glass fiber reinforced polymer | Stainless steel/ Glass fiber reinforced polymer back | Stainless steel/ Glass fiber reinforced polymer back |
| Strap/band material | TPU (Black and silver) Silicone (other colors) | Silicone | Nylon/TPE |
| Bezel Material | Stainless steel | Stainless steel | Stainless steel |
| Strap size | 20mm | 22mm | 22mm |
| Interchangeable band | Yes, 22mm | Yes, 22mm | Yes, 22mm |
| Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Water resistant/Protection | Yes, 3ATM | Yes, 10ATM (MIL-STD-810G) | Yes, 5ATM (MIL-STD-810G) |
| Swim-proof | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended |
| Color(s) | Black Silver Yellow White | Black Gray White | Black Orange White |
MEMORY | |||
| RAM | __ | __ | __ |
| Internal storage | __ | __ | __ |
| Memory card slot | No | No | No |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth LE | Yes | Bluetooth v4.2 LE |
| Bluetooth calling | No | No | No |
| Wi-Fi | No | No | No |
| NFC | No | No | No |
| Payment system | None | None | None |
| GPS | GPS/GLONASS | GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO/QZSS/A-GPS | GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO/QZSS/A-GPS |
CELLULAR TECHNOLOGY | |||
| Technology | No | No | No |
| SIM | No | No | No |
| Band | No | No | No |
NOTIFICATIONS | |||
| Email alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SMS alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Calls alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Event reminder | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Weather | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Third-party apps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Text response | No | _ | No |
FITNESS TRACKING | |||
| Sleep apnea | No | No | No |
| Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Steps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Floors climbed | No | Yes | Yes |
| Heart rate monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Calories | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stress | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VO2 Max. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Blood oxygen | No | No | No |
| Blood pressure | No | No | No |
| Menstrual cycle tracking | No | No | No |
| Swim tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Under-water heart rate tracking | No | Yes | Yes |
| Preloaded maps | _ | _ | _ |
| On-screen workout modes | No | No | No |
| Triathlon mode | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ECG Tracking | No | No | No |
| Preloaded sport modes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Safety tracking | No | No | No |
MEDIA | |||
| Audio | No | No | No |
| Music streaming | No | No | No |
| Bluetooth music | No | No | No |
| Radio | No | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | No | No | No |
| Microphone | No | No | No |
| Camera | No | No | No |
SENSORS | |||
PLATFORM | |||
| Operating system (OS) | _ | _ | _ |
| Chipset | _ | _ | _ |
| CPU | _ | _ | _ |
| GPU | -- | -- | -- |
BATTERY | |||
| Type of battery | Non-removable Li-ion battery | Non-removable Li-ion battery | Non-removable Li-ion battery |
| Battery capacity | 165mAh | 346mAh | 320mAh |
| Battery life | GPS and wrist-based heart rate: 17 hrs Watch mode with heart rate: Up to 5 days | GPS and wrist-based heart rate: 40 hrs Watch mode with heart rate: Up to 7 days | GPS and wrist-based heart rate: 40 hrs Watch mode with heart rate: Up to 7 days |
| Charging type | USB cradle | USB cradle | USB cradle |
| Charging time | About 1-2 hours | About 1-2 hours | About 1-2 hours |
| Battery saver mode | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Solar power | No | No | No |
| Rapid charging | No | No | No |
CLOCK FEATURES | |||
| Time/Date | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stopwatch | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Alarm | Yes | Yes | Yes |
OTHER FUNCTIONS | |||
| Control camera | No | _ | No |
| Music control | Yes | Yes | No |
| Find phone | Yes | Yes | Yes |
MISC | |||
| Compatibility | Android and iOS | Android and iOS | Android and iOS |
| Companion app | Polar Flow app | Polar Flow app | Polar Flow app |
| Voice command | No | No | No |
BOX CONTENTS | |||
| Polar Vantage M | Polar Grit X | Polar Vantage V | |
| Straps | Straps | Straps | |
| USB cradle | USB cradle | USB cradle | |
| Quick start guide | Quick start guide | Quick start guide | |
| NOTE: We can't guarantee that all the information on this table are 100% correct. Read full disclaimer. Please, report an error. | |||
| Official Site | Official Site | Official Site | |
The Differences
- Design
- Fitness Tracking
- Battery Life
No doubt each of these three has got a remarkable design that’s both stylish and elegant. Each of these three is sturdily built with some of the most durable materials on the market. Reinforced glass fiber has been used for the case of these three, except for the Vantage V and Grit X which both have a stainless steel case that makes these two more durable. Moreover, the black version of the Grit X has a DLC coating which is a premium material and more durable.
The Ignite which has the smallest case size is the most compact out of the three, it also weighs the least which makes it more comfortable to wear. Moreover, it also has the most vivid display which weighs on its battery life unlike the Grit X and Vantage V powered by a MIP LCD that consumes less power and is also easy to read outdoors. The Ignite is also easy to read outdoors thanks to its transflective display.
While the Grit X has a massive 10ATM(waterproof up to 100 meters) waterproof rating, Vantage V has 5ATM which is higher than the 3ATM of the Ignite. Moreover, the Grit X and Vantage V certified MIL-STD-810G are rugged devices ready to withstand harsher conditions.
Like every other Polar smartwatch, each of these three is fitness-focused and well equipped to track your active life comprehensively. Each of these three is equipped with an inbuilt GPS, heart rate sensor, accelerometer, and altimeter. These enable each of these three to track your complete sleep cycle, continuous heart rate monitoring, outdoor activities, calories, stress, fitness level, and more. However, the new Grit X comes with additional activity tracking features that may come to older models in future updates.
The table below highlights activity tracking features present in each of these three and the differences.
| Activity Tracking Features | Ignite | Grit X | Vantage V |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compass Has a compass that allows you to know your exact orientation. | No | Yes | No |
| Swimming Metrics Automatically detects your heart rate, swimming style, distance, pace, strokes and rest times. Distance and strokes get tracked also in open water swimming. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fitness Level Test Test your fitness level easily in just 5 minutes without breaking a sweat. Learn more | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Breathing Session For Stress Management Relax your body and calm down your mind with the help of a guided breathing exercise | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Complete Sleep Monitoring Tracks your complete sleep cycle including stages and time spent in each. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Training Benefits Get motivating feedback immediately after training describing the effect of the session. Learn more | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Weather Update Check current weather info and a 2-day forecast straight on your watch | No | Yes | No |
| Continuous Heart Rate Tracking Tracks your heart rate continuously to give you a comprehensive view of how your heart behaves during the day as well as calories. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Track Calories Know exactly how many calories you’ve burned based on your weight, height, age, gender, your individual maximum heart rate (HRmax) and how hard you’re training. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Running Program Get a personal and adaptive training plan that fits you and your goals. Learn more | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Route Planning With Komoot Plan your route on Komoot, import it to your Polar Grit X and let the turn-by-turn guidance take care of navigation for you. | No | Yes | No |
| Route Guidance Upload your route to your Polar Grit X and stay on the right path with real-time guidance. | No | Yes | Yes |
| Running Index Get an estimate of your running VO2max and see how your running performance is developing. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Training Load Pro Quantify the strain of your training session and see how your training strains the different parts of your body. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hill Splitter Get detailed data about your performance on the uphill and downhill sections of your session | No | Yes | No |
| FuelWise Learn to refuel and maintain adequate energy levels during your long training sessions. | No | Yes | No |
| FitSpark Training Guide Polar Grit X and the FitSpark™ training guide make sure you’re prepared for your pursuit to conquer the trails with ready-made daily workouts that match your recovery, readiness, and training history. Learn more | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Energy Sources See how your body uses different energy sources during a training session. Polar Grit X divides your energy usage into carbs, proteins and fats. | - | Yes | |
| Running Power Get more comprehensive insight into the intensity of your running sessions. Learn more | - | Yes | Yes |
| Recovery Pro See how recovered your body is and get recovery feedback. Learn more | No | No | Yes |
| Strava Live Segments Make your runs and rides more exciting with Strava Live Segments. Get alerts about nearby segments, see real-time performance data during a segment and check your results right after you finish. | No | Yes | Yes |
| Multisport Training It allows you to do multiple sports in one training session and seamlessly switch between sports without interrupting the recording of your training. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Inbuilt GPS/QZSS/GLONASS/A-GPS/GALILEO Built-in GPS provides accurate speed and distance measurement for a range of outdoor sports, and allows you to see your route on the map in the Polar Flow app and web service after your session. | Yes (lacks QZSS & Galileo) | Yes | Yes |
| Leg Recovery Test The Leg Recovery Test tells you whether your legs are ready for high-intensity training. | No | No | No |
| Running Performance Test The Running Performance Test helps you keep track of your progress and personalize your heart rate, speed, and power zones. | No | No | No |
| Cycling Performance Test Helps you follow your progress, allows you to personalize your power zones, and tells you your personal functional threshold power. A compatible power meter required. | No | No | No |
The battery life of each of these three is impressive, with any of these three you should get multi-days of long battery life from a single charge. However, the Grit X and Vantage have about the same battery life of a week(usage differs) which is longer than that of the Ignite.
Polar Ignite vs Grit X vs Vantage V – My Verdict
Clearly, each of these three is an outstanding fitness-focused smartwatch with a decent design, loaded with lots of activity tracking features, and a long battery life that lets you go longer. However, the Grit X with additional activity tracking features is the most comprehensive activity tracker out of these three.
On the other hand, the Ignite which is way cheaper is a decent alternative.
Watch the Polar Grit X Review
Hi! I’m Jude, the chief editor at Smartwatchseries.com
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