The manufacturer of sports watches, Polar, is launching a new model, the Vantage M3. Yes, if you find something odd about the combination of Vantage and the M series, you’re right. Let’s take a look at what Polar has brought us this time and why the name of this new product reminds us of a mix between a top athletic model and a name for active to moderately sporty people.
I’ve only had the Vantage M3 in my hands for a short time… it’s no wonder—I still have the Vantage V3 and Grit X 2 Pro unfinished. However, in my initial enthusiasm and after some “hands-on” experience with the Vantage M3, I want to share my opinion.
The Vantage M3 is sensor-wise and functionally identical to the Vantage V3. Ultimately, the only differences between the Vantage M3 and the Vantage V3 or Grit X 2 Pro are the size (and thus the capacity) of the battery.
The Vantage M3 is basically something like the Fenix 8 42mm AMOLED… they are the third addition to the lineup alongside the Vantage V3 and Grit X 2 Pro. They are simply the smallest version of Polar's modern sports watches in their "full spec."
The case diameter is 44mm, the weight is 53 grams, the bezel is made of steel, and the glass is Gorilla Glass 3.
The active display size of the Vantage M3 is 1.28 inches, which is smaller than that of its larger siblings, but in practice, you don't notice it right away.
A minor drawback is that the Vantage M3 does not have audible alerts for events, only vibrations. For starting an activity, pausing, or laps, you'll need to have a sensitive wrist to feel the vibrations.
Personally, I like the design of the Vantage M3, and considering the price, it aims to compete with the Suunto Race S and is better positioned against Garmin models like the Venu 3 and Forerunner 265. The price is quite similar, and they feature a metal bezel, an AMOLED display, and support for a wide range of sports. Additionally, they offer offline maps and, in response to my favorite questions, “Do they have integrated climbing or skiing?” the answer is “yes, yes.” So, they truly are full-featured sports watches for both sports and outdoor activities.
However, Polar is not just introducing new hardware; the Polar Flow mobile app has also been updated. Polar recognizes that some people are returning to traditional watches outside of sports, so they’ve integrated battery low alerts into the app. Now, you’ll receive a pop-up message directly on your phone when the watch has a low battery, even if you’re not wearing it.
Next one is option of switching the watch off remotely from the Flow app.
You might think these are trivial features, but… really? Little things that… wait, it’s actually pretty cool when your phone notifies you that your watch has a low battery for your next training session. We’re used to watches alerting us, but what if you don’t have them with you? Or… I’ve often dismissed low battery notifications on my watch and then forgot about it. If it pops up in the notification center on your phone, there’s a good chance you’ll remember to plug your watch in for a while before your run. And that remote shutdown feature? Yeah, that’s handy too.
It’s not something you’d use often—like paying with your watch, which you’d probably use more frequently—but… no one else has that. And speaking of payments, Polar has introduced this option. For some inexplicable reason, payment bands don’t work (yes, Polar introduced payment through watch bands—there’s a built-in chip in the strap that requires a special registration process, but it doesn’t happen directly through Polar).
And… speaking of those little things, Polar has made the watches serviceable, with four screws on the back for disassembling the watch and potentially replacing components—like the battery.
As for the battery… it lasts about 30 hours during activity or 7 days in smartwatch mode. That’s less than the larger Grit X 2 Pro, but for a small watch with an AMOLED display that has a brightness of 1500 nits, it’s quite good. :-)
The optical sensor in the Vantage M3 is, like the one in the Vantage V3, of the fourth generation. However, thanks to improved fit on the wrist, you can expect more accurate measurements, which is also confirmed by DCR. :-)
In my opinion, this is a well-executed piece at a very competitive price, and hopefully, Polar will carve out its share of the market. Unfortunately, probably not in the Czech market, as there isn't much marketing for Polar here, and the competition is quite strong.
The only thing that concerns me and I consider a potential drawback of the new Vantage M3 is the placement of the screws on the underside of the watch. They are located in larger recesses where sweat, dirt, mud, and anything else that flows or sticks can get trapped. I don’t know—only time will tell, but… maybe we’ll see during testing? :-)