Polar refused to let March go by without launching a new batch of sporty and not so sporty smartwatches on the market. The Finnish company has just announced its new Polar Ignite 2 and Polar Vantage M2, two smartwatches that share much of the functions but are focused on different audiences.
The Polar Ignite 2 is a more everyday watch, with a more casual and less attractive design than what we see in other sports watches. The Polar Vantage M2, meanwhile, is a multisport smartwatch focused on more athletic users. Let’s get to know them better below, but not before commenting on their prices. The Polar Ignite 2 will be available for $229.90, while the Polar Vantage M2 amounts to $299.90.
Polar Ignite 2 and Polar Vantage M2 Specifications
| Polar Ignite 2 | Polar Vantage M2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions and Weight | 43.3 x 43.3 x 8.45 mm 35 grams | 46 x 46 x 12.5 mm 45.5 grams |
| Screen | DragonTail Touch color TFT / LCD | 1.2 inch 240 x 240 pixel color TFT / LCD coated PMMA |
| Strap | 20 millimeters | 22 millimeters |
| Geo-positioning | Integrated GPS chip | Integrated GPS chip |
| Sensors | Polar Precision Prime | Polar Precision Prime |
| Buttons | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproof | Yes, 30 meters | Yes, 30 meters |
| Battery | Watch mode: five days Sport mode: up to 20 hours Power saving: up to 100 hours | Watch mode: seven days Sport mode: up to 30 hours Power saving: up to 100 hours |
| Connectivity | – | – |
| Extra Features | Sleep Plus Stages Nigthly Recharge Running Program Serene FitSpark Weekly summary HR Sensor Mode Music control Weather forecast Notifications and calls Compatible with Polar Flow | Sleep Plus Stages Nigthly Recharge Running Program Training Load Pro FuelWise Serene FitSpark Weekly summary HR Sensor Mode Music control Weather forecast Notifications and calls Compatible with Polar Flow |
| Price | $229.90 | $299.90 |
Here is what Polar Ignite 2 looks like
Let’s start with the Polar Ignite 2. It is a smartwatch weighing 35 grams and a case of 43.3 millimeters. It is compatible with 20-millimeter straps and its design is the most minimalist. It is a smartwatch designed for everyday use and perhaps for most amateur athletes.
Its screen is protected by DragonTail glass and uses TFT LCD technology, something designed to improve visibility in broad daylight. The screen can be customized with different dials and it is tactile and in color. The device is sealed to be water-resistant to 30 meters.
Under the hood is a Polar Precision Prime sensor, which is familiar from the Grit X, featuring nine LEDs of different colors and wavelengths for improved skin penetration, four electrodes, and an accelerometer. It also has an integrated GPS chip. Polar has not revealed the amperage of its battery but has confirmed that it can last up to five days in watch mode, up to 20 hours in exercise mode, and up to 100 hours in power-saving mode.
The watch supports up to 130 sport modes and is loaded with all of Polar’s features, such as Sleep Plus Stages (sleep analysis), Nightly Recharge (body recovery at night), FitSpark (personalized training guides), and Serene (breathing exercises). It also has a feature called Share HR that allows you to connect the watch to other Bluetooth devices, apps, and gym machines.
As a smartwatch, the watch is capable of providing real-time notification and call alerts, weather forecast up to two days ahead, and music control. It works with any music app and regardless of the operating system, i.e., it works on both iOS and Android.
Here’s what the Polar Vantage M2 looks like
The Polar Vantage M2, meanwhile, is a multisport watch designed for most athletic users. Precisely for this reason, it has some exclusive features, as will be discussed further on. The watch has a more attractive design, with five buttons spread across the length and width of its 46-millimeter case. These buttons have an engraving similar to that of the Polar Grit X to improve usability when our hands are wet or stained.
The device weighs 45.5 grams with a strap that, in this case, is 22 millimeters, not 20 millimeters, but equally interchangeable for any other strap. At the top is a TFT LCD with 1.2-inch Always On function with 240 x 240 pixels resolution. Polar claims to have a PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) laminated lens with a hard coating to protect the screen from bumps and scratches.
At the bottom is the same sensor mentioned above, the Polar Precision Prime, which, as we recall, has nine LEDs of different color wavelengths, four electrodes, and an accelerometer. It also has an integrated GPS chip capable of measuring speed, pace, distance, and route.
The Polar Vantage M2 is similar in functions to the Polar Ignite 2 but has a few unique things. The first is Training Load Pro, which helps you understand your total training load and optimize that training. The second is FuelWise, which are smart reminders (manual or automatic) to take food during training.
About the battery, Polar has not revealed the capacity of the same but has simply ensured that holds seven days in watch mode, 30 hours in sport mode (with GPS), and up to 100 hours in power-saving mode.
Price and Availability of the Polar Ignite 2 and Polar Vantage M2
The Polar Ignite 2 will be available for purchase from April 21, 2021, for $229.90. It will be available in champagne (gold), Black Pearl (black), Pink rose-gold (pink gold), and Storm Blue (dark blue) and can be combined with different straps whose prices start at $29.90.
The Polar Vantage M2, meanwhile, can be purchased now on the Polar website and, from April, will be available in physical stores. Its price is $299.90 and is available in Grey/Black (black and gray), Brown/Copper (black and bronze), Champagne/Gold (gold), and Yellow/Grey (gray and yellow). The price of the straps is $29.90 for the Velcro straps and $49.90 for the black leather straps.
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