Wear Radar

Polar Vantage VvsGarmin Forerunner 570

11d vs 8d
battery life
Garmin Forerunner 570 lasts longer
$50
price gap
Garmin Forerunner 570 cheaper
Polar Vantage V
Buy/Wait:bad

Late in cycle — a new model is likely coming

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Garmin Forerunner 570
Buy/Wait:good

Early in release cycle

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Polar Vantage VGarmin Forerunner 570
Pricing
Starting price$599$549
Subscription✓ Noneℹ️ Optional — $70/yr
Hardware
Weight39g42g
Water resistance5ATM5ATM
Battery8 days11 days
Always-on display
GPS
Cellular
PlatformiOS & AndroidiOS & Android
TierSports GPSSports GPS
Buy timing
ReleasedOct 4, 2023May 15, 2025
Cycle advicebadgood
Deals advicegoodneutral
Next modelPolar Vantage V4 (2026)

Health Sensors

Polar Vantage V only
2 exclusive sensors
ECGDetects irregular heart rhythms (AFib)
Running PowerWrist-based watt output — tracks effort independent of terrain
Both
4 shared
Heart RateContinuous or on-demand pulse tracking
SpO2Blood oxygen saturation, tracked during sleep
HRVHeart rate variability — stress & recovery scores
Skin TempOvernight changes linked to illness or cycle tracking
Garmin Forerunner 570 only
3 exclusive sensors
Stress TrackingStress estimate from HRV and physiological signals
Body BatteryGarmin's energy reserve — how much fuel left in the tank
Training ReadinessDaily recovery score — how ready you are to perform

Why buy each?

Polar Vantage V

ECG on a sports GPS watch

Polar Vantage V3 is one of the few sports GPS watches with on-demand ECG — usually only found on lifestyle smartwatches.

Wrist-based running power

Running power measurement without a foot pod or chest strap — a significant training metric for pacing effort on hills and varied terrain.

Polar Training Load Pro

The most detailed training load analysis in any sports watch: muscle groups targeted per session, recovery status per muscle, and long-term load trends.

Garmin Forerunner 570

Multi-band GPS and Elevate Gen 5 sensor

L1+L5 dual-frequency GPS for precise tracking in cities and trails, paired with Garmin's most advanced heart rate sensor — adding skin temperature monitoring over the FR265.

Built-in speaker and microphone

A first for this price tier — take phone calls, use voice assistant, and hear Bluetooth audio directly from your wrist. A meaningful upgrade over the silent FR265.

Garmin Triathlon Coach

AI-powered triathlon training plans that adapt to your swim, bike, and run fitness — a key differentiator over the FR265 for multisport athletes.

Quick Winner

The right pick depends on what you optimize for.

For the budget
Polar Vantage V wins

$599 vs $759 over 3 years · no required subscription.

For battery life
Garmin Forerunner 570 wins

11 days vs 8 days battery.

For health depth
Garmin Forerunner 570 wins

7 sensors.

For daily comfort
Polar Vantage V wins

39g · no required subscription.

Bottom Line

Technical gaps
  1. Vantage V-only sensors: ECG, Running Power.
  2. Forerunner 570-only sensors: Stress Tracking, Body Battery, Training Readiness.
Commercial gaps
  1. Hardware cost. Forerunner 570 is $50 cheaper upfront ($549 vs $599).
Pick the Polar Vantage V if…

Serious endurance athletes — particularly runners and triathletes — who want Polar's unmatched training load science and recovery guidance, combined with ECG health monitoring and running power in a premium package.

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Pick the Garmin Forerunner 570 if…

Regular runners and triathletes who race 5K to marathon distances and want accurate multi-band GPS, detailed training load management, and Triathlon Coach structured plans. The speaker and microphone make it a more capable daily-wear watch than the FR265 it replaces.

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