The Vantage M3 is the latest smartwatch from everyone’s favorite Finnish smart wearable brand, Polar (not to be confused with the U.S. streetwear brand by the same name). A mid-range GPS sports watch geared toward outdoor adventure enthusiasts, it joins the Polar lineup just below the flagship Vantage V3 and Grit X2 Pro.
I just started testing the Polar Vantage M3 for our official TG review and my initial impressions are largely positive. For the money, $399, the M3 boasts features and specs often reserved for higher-end wearables, like offline maps, dual-band GPS, multiple days of battery life, advanced training tools, and an abundance of holistic/workout tracking sensors.
Based on my experience wearing the watch so far — and having reviewed the Polar V3 earlier this year— here are five things I like about this midrange adventure watch and three I don’t.
Polar M3 — 5 things I like
First, let’s start with what I like most about the Polar M3. As hinted above, it offers a tremendous amount of bang for the buck compared to the competition. It’s also a seriously comfortable smartwatch, with a manageably-sized 45mm case that weighs just over an ounce. Here’s what else floats my boat about the M3.
The price
$399 is not a cheap price for a smartwatch, but in the realm of GPS adventure watches, it's not overly pricey, either. For that same amount of money, you could pick up the Garmin Forerunner 265, our current pick for the best GPS sports watch, or even the Apple Watch Series 10. The former is largely a match with the Polar Vantage M3, minus one key feature: access to offline maps. For that, you’ll have to step up to the $599 Garmin Forerunner 965.
On the other hand, the Apple Watch 10 blows the Polar M3 out of the water for smart features and third-party apps — the Polar supports none — but the extensive buffet of training tools, tracking features, and 150+ sports profiles make the M3 a far better smartwatch for fitness-focused shoppers. You also get superior battery life from the Polar.
Offline maps and Dual-band GPS
The list of smartwatches that support offline maps for under $400 is incredibly small. Off the top of my head, I can only think of the Amazfit T-Rex 3 and Amazfit Balance, which just got the feature via firmware.
For folks who love to hike, bike, run and explore off the beaten path, access to this tool is a game-changer. With offline maps, users can pre-download and save their route for navigational purposes while on the trail. Better yet, Polar’s approach to wrist-based maps is among the best, with detailed topographic details and optional turn-by-turn directions.
AMOLED screen
AMOLED screens are par for the course in higher-end smartwatches and nice-to-haves in mid and lower-tier models. The Polar M3 not only boasts a well-saturated and decently high-res AMOLED screen, but it also offers a solid amount of screen real estate. Of course, the device's 1.28-inch display isn’t as big as the Polar V3’s 1.39-inch offering but it's a generous improvement over the comparable dimmer, smaller and less-saturated 1.2-inch MIP screen found on its predecessor.
The M3’s display maxes out at 1,500 nits which is adequate for viewing in bright daylight. That’s brighter than the Garmin Forerunner 265 but not as bright as the Apple Watch 10’s max output of 2,000 nits.
Sensors and wellness tools galore
Polar doesn’t skimp when it comes to holistic sensors and tracking tech. The M3 comes equipped with a heart rate monitor, blood oxygen saturation sensor, body temperature sensor, ECG reader, barometric altimeter and more.
The device also provides detailed insights into sleep quality, along with useful workout recovery tracking tools. There are additionally loads of features to help you train, including Polar’s Training Load Pro tool to monitor excursion levels and help you avoid injury, customizable and trackable workout goals, daily energy level insights, exercise recommendations and more.
Long-lasting battery
While the battery life of the Polar M3 can’t quite match that of its flagship siblings, seven days of power per charge without GPS tracking and 30 hours of battery with GPS is gosh darn impressive. That’s more than enough juice to track even the most intense day-long adventures.
By comparison, the Apple Watch 10 gets around 18 hours per charge in normal operating mode, 36 hours in low-power mode, and six hours of battery life when tracking outdoor workouts with GPS. The Garmin Forerunner 265 meanwhile provides up to 13 days of battery per charge without GPS and up to 20 hours with location tracking.
Polar M3 — 3 things I don’t like
We’ve touched on the good, which there’s no shortage of. Now, it’s time to take a tour of some of the areas where the Polar M3 comes up a bit short.
No smart features
Polar watches across the board are lacking in smart features. Beyond mirrored smartphone notifications and Bluetooth music control, there are none to speak of. There’s no support for mobile payments, as you’ll find on most Garmin models, no support for wrist-based phone calls, and zero access to third-party apps.
Now, given the device’s pedigree as a smartwatch for hardcore outdoor athletes, this lack of some of these smart features can be forgiven, but at this point, I'd expect a $400 smartwatch to at least let me pay for my morning coffee or subway fare. Here's hoping that Polar is seriously looking into adding this functionality in future models.
Plastic case and lugs
The Polar Vantage M3 feels fairly well constructed, however, the all-plastic case is worth drawing attention to. While higher-end Polar watches boast metal cases and lugs, only the bezel on the M3 is made of metal.
A plastic case is one thing but plastic lugs concern me from a durability standpoint. One wrong bump or knock could result in one of these small plastic protrusions snapping off, rendering the watch unwearable. For a device so positioned for extreme adventurers, this design choice seems like a potential oversight.
50 meters of water resistance
On the subject, I was also hoping to see the M3 offer more than 50 meters of water resistance, like its older sibling, the Polar Grit X2 Pro (oddly, the Vantage V3 also only bosts 50 meters). Sadly, that’s not the case. This puts the M3 in the same camp as the Apple Watch 10 and Garmin Forerunner 265. However, neither device is as geared toward outdoor enthusiasts as much as the Polar M3 is.
50 meters of water resistance is adequate for short periods of surface-level swimming. However, for folks looking to wear their smartwatch while snorkeling, diving, jet skiing or long-distance swimming — you know, extreme outdoor activities — you’ll want to opt for something with 100 meters of water resistance or more, like the Grity X2 Pro or Apple Watch Ultra 2.
Want to learn more? Here’s a breakdown of smartwatch water resistance ratings explained.
