8/18/2023 0 Comments Xpro v2 reviewActually, it has more features than that since it has the Running Performance test. In other words, it’s basically a Vantage M2. Now, how does it differ from the upcoming (May-timeframe) $199 Polar Pacer edition? Well, according to Polar, these are the differences: And there’s absolutely zero reason to buy the Polar Vantage M2 at this juncture (and Polar confirmed the Pacer Pro has every feature the Vantage M2 does). Especially since the base Polar Pacer basically has almost all the same features as the M2, but at $100 less.Įither way, M2’s fate aside – what matters here is features vs not. I’ve gotta wonder if this is Polar quietly killing off the Polar Vantage M lineup (note officially, they say they aren’t). There’s literally no logical reason you’d buy that watch at the same price (both are currently $299). So at this point, you can see that the Pacer Pro basically sideswipes any reason to buy the Polar Vantage M2. If I’ve got everything roughly straight in my head, the key differences the M2 doesn’t have that this does is a barometric altimeter, running power, performance tests, longer battery life, SHIFT compatibility, Hill Splitter, Strava Live Segments, and then Route Navigation. – Increased waterproofing spec to 50m from 30m on Vantage M2 – Increased GPS battery life to 35hrs from 30hrs – Added Smartphone notifications during workout – Added Polar SHIFT strap accessory compatibility – Added Performance Tests (Walking, Running, Cycling) – Added Hill Splitter (hill repeat counter) – Added wrist-based running power (no accessories required) No, the Vantage M2 is the right comparison. While one might try and argue the Polar M430, that’s five years old and well past stinky. Instead, I’m going to use the Polar Vantage M2, which is also priced at $299. Given that the last time there was a Polar Pacer product was 30 years ago, I’m going to skip 30 years of smartwatch improvements (as fun as that’d be). Which is frankly how most brands are doing it these days (including Garmin). So in effect, almost nothing is ‘new to Polar’ here (except the walking test). The Polar Pacer Pro is largely about shifting higher-end features down-level to a sub-$300 price point. If you found this review useful, you can use the links at the bottom, or consider becoming a DCR Supporter which makes the site ad-free, while also getting access to a mostly weekly video series behind the scenes of the DCR Cave. Once this unit goes back, I’ll go out and get my own for any future testing needs. And as regular readers know, if something is crap, I’m gonna tell it brutally like it is – no matter the brand. This review is not sponsored (nor does any company get to preview anything I review), and I don’t take any advertiser money from any companies I review. And despite rumors to the contrary, it’s not an AMOLED/LCD display (like the Polar Unite or Polar Ignite), but a less flashy MIPS display like you’d see on a Garmin Forerunner or Fenix series (among many other watches).Īs usual, this watch is a media loaner, and it’ll go back to Polar shortly. And the display is better, albeit definitely not groundbreaking. You won’t notice/care about the memory, but the processor is noticeably faster in some cases. The Polar Pacer Pro also has a new display, faster processor, and more memory. Thus, while Polar is branding and marketing this heavily as a running watch, practically speaking, it’s a full multisport watch. So it adds a barometric altimeter, Hill Splitter, Running Power, Muscle Load, Strava Live Segments, and courses/routing. So what is the Polar Pacer Pro? Well, in a nutshell, it’s basically a Polar Vantage M2, but with almost all the features of the GRIT X series. This post is about the Polar Pacer Pro, whereas the less expensive Polar Pacer will arrive in a few months. However, fast-forward many years and Polar is reviving the brand with two new watches: The Polar Pacer & Polar Pacer Pro. Because that’s about when the original Polar Pacer came out. Back then, it was time to party like it was…err…1990. This was an era before GPS, before optical HR, and before countless other metrics that we didn’t even know would exist someday. A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there was the Polar Pacer watch.
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