[Review] Polar Vantage V: The anti-Apple Watch athletes

November 13, 2019

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Invited by Polar in London for the launch of the Polar Vantage V, we were able to Review a very special smartwatch. Unlike other smart health connected watches, it completely obscures the "lifestyle" side of this kind of product, to focus solely on the analysis and collection of data for athletes.

  • Mark : Polar

  • Category: smart health connected watch

  • Connection: Bluetooth

  • Features: Heart rate, GPS tracking, calories burned, burned fat, sleep monitoring, power developed, number of steps, followed by a workout *

  • Autonomy: 40 hours

  • Weight : 65 grams

  • Compatibility: Android and iOS

  • Polar Vantage V price: starting from 499 euros

  • Availability: available for pre-order

  • Tested with: Huawei P20

(Embed) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X71-QDfQWYk (/ embed)

Polar brought us to Windsor, near London to Review his new smart health connected watch, the Polar Vantage V. A counter-current product of the current smartwatch market that is intended for the general public and usually focuses on lifestyle features. Here no NFC, so no contactless payment. It's also impossible to listen to music or install apps through a store for daily activities.

Unboxing of the Polar Vantage V

The Polar Vantage V is packed in a rectangular box very elegant black. Inside the case is the watch and its charging station warranty and instructions. In the latter, the user is invited to download Polar Flow, the free application with which your watch and your phone synchronize.

Once the watch is taken in hand, we notice very quickly the number of sensors present at the rear of it. A dozen green and red LEDs accurately calculate your heart rate. An impressive number of LEDs that allow a high accuracy of calculation of the heart rate during the effort.

To turn on the smartwatch, just stay press the red button to the right of the watch. To access the menu, it's a mix of button and touch screen. Press the button at the bottom right, then press the screen to access the different features.

Impossible not to notice, the menu of the watch is ugly. It's not a question of taste, it's objectively ugly. This is the kind of icons that are currently seen in cheap or older watches. But paradoxically, this is not a problem. Quite simply, because the Polar Vantage V is not intended for casual sportsmen but to professionals who do not bother with a nice menu. The opposite of an Apple Watch.

Thousands of data

"Winners are made of Blood, Swear and Data", The tone is set. This next-generation tocante is reserved for pros and semi-pros athletes who favor the accuracy and analysis of their data during the effort. And data you will harvest during your training session. Cardiac frequency minimum and maximum in 5 categories, power developed in Watt, calories burned, average pace, maximum and traced GPS of your course.

Everything is available on your watch or on your phone. With so many graphics and numbers, it feels like you're looking at a video game character card. It is very impressivebut again, only useful for a professional. A casual sportsman will be overwhelmed by so much information. But at the same time, Polar does not try to seduce them.

The Polar Flow app, is very pleasant to use. Despite the myriad of data available at the consultation, we easily find the information we are interested in. On this same application, we can also consult the analysis of our sleep. Provided, of course, to keep our watch on the wrist during the night. The bracelet, intended for an intense sporting activity, will unfortunately tend to squeeze too hard and may disturb you during your rest.

Thanks to the function Load and Recovery Pro, the watch warns you in case of overtraining. It is also interesting to note that to optimize data collection, the Polar Vantage V supports more than 130 different sports. The battery life is just as impressive, more than 40 hours of autonomy announced even during the effort.

We regret, however, not being able to connect his headphones to exercise in music.

Polar Vantage V: An all terrain watch

The Polar Vantage V is made of a very resistant anti-reflective and shockproof screen "Gorilla glass"Which does not leave fingerprints on the glass. At the moment, the screen of the watch suffers from a problem of luminosity which should be quickly corrected if one believes the statements of Polar on this subject. Hope that the update supposed to solve this problem does not take long to show.

The bracelet is comfortable to wear and sticks well to the skin. It is flexible, Sweat and light. All that can be expected from a product intended for intense physical activity. Only downside on the wrist attachment. It is difficult to hang, but allows a good maintenance of the watch which weighs only 65 grams.

The watch is also intended for a aquatic use. She continues to analyze your heart rate in real time, as well as harvest all other data, even while swimming. It can be used up to 35 m underwater.

Add to that, tracking all your daily activities number of steps, calories burned and percentage of your recommended daily physical activity directly visible on the dial of your watch.

The Polar Vantage V is already available for pre-order and will be released officially on October 26 at a price of 499 euros.

Conclusion

Despite some flaws, such as the brightness and interface that, according to Polar, should be improved in an upcoming update, the bet is successful. The Vantage V already established as a reference in the world of top athletes. But beware, it does not correspond to the use of casual sportsmen. The interface is abrupt, sloppy, but hides a real laboratory analysis of your performance on your wrist. Calculation of the power developed, heart rate, GPS track, analysis of your training, calories burned … Everything is at your disposal for become the best of your sport category.

Good points

  • A real analysis laboratory at your handle

  • An extraordinary autonomy

  • Resistance to water up to 35 meters

  • GPS tracking

  • Calculation of the developed power

  • A smart smartphone app

Negative points

  • A very ugly interface

  • Not for the general public

  • No apps available

  • No contactless payment

  • Can not listen to music with his watch

Design and Ergonomics – 3
Application – 9
Features – 9
Ease of use – 4
Value for Money – 5

6

 

Design and Ergonomics : If the design of the watch is neat, it can not be said of its user interface. The menu is ugly, difficult to use and not very intuitive

Application : The Polar Flow app is a real success. The amount of information collected by the watch is impressive. However, we do not get lost, everything is perfectly classified and easy to understand. 

features : That's where Polar hits hard. With this watch, you'll know everything about your physical abilities during the effort. GPS tracking, power in Watt provided by your muscles, calories burned, etc …

Ease of use : Getting started with the Polar Vantage V is complicated at first. It requires several tens of minutes of use.

Quality / price ratio : Hard to judge the price of a device for professionals. However, you should know that at this price, you will get a real jewel of technology capable of pushing the analysis of your performance much further than most other smartwatches on the market.

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