Late in cycle — a new model is likely coming
Best for: 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.
Full details →Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest
Best for: Garmin users and health-focused individuals who want Body Battery, HRV, and advanced sleep analytics in a slim, discreet wristband rather than a sports watch. Compatible with both iPhone and Android via Garmin Connect.
Full details →| Polar Vantage V | Garmin vivosmart 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | Sports GPS | Fitness Tracker |
| Platform | iOS & Android | iOS & Android |
| Battery | 8 days | 7 days |
| Always-on display | ✅ | ❌ |
| GPS | ✅ | ❌ |
| Cellular | ❌ | ❌ |
| Health sensors | ecg, hr, spo2, hrv, running power, skin temp | hr, spo2, hrv, stress, body battery, pulse ox |
| Released | Oct 4, 2023 | Apr 26, 2022 |
| Cycle length | 1063 days | 700 days |
| Cycle advice | bad | bad |
| Deals advice | good | good |
| Next model | Polar Vantage V4 (2026) | — |
Polar Vantage V3 is one of the few sports GPS watches with on-demand ECG — usually only found on lifestyle smartwatches.
Running power measurement without a foot pod or chest strap — a significant training metric for pacing effort on hills and varied terrain.
The most detailed training load analysis in any sports watch: muscle groups targeted per session, recovery status per muscle, and long-term load trends.
Body Battery energy monitoring — the feature Garmin is known for — in a wristband that's thinner than most fitness trackers.
Continuous heart rate variability monitoring and all-day stress tracking give a more complete picture of recovery and readiness than step counts alone.
All data syncs to Garmin Connect, compatible with thousands of third-party apps, coaches, and integrations across the Garmin platform.