Polar has launched its Grit X2 Pro— and offered a huge overhaul to its fitness watch range with the addition of an AMOLED display and dual-band GPS.
Polar has been lagging behind the likes of Garmin, but re-engineering its watch to have the latest screen tech is a big statement of intent for the brand.
The 326ppi hi-res 1.39” AMOLED touchscreen is 15% larger than previous generations in the Grit X family.
It doesn’t hold back on tracking specs either. Dual-frequency GPS uses the L1 and L5 bands for better accuracy under tree cover and around tall buildings, and it also uses the Polar Elixir heart rate sensing platform.
It offers optical heart rate tracking, wrist-based ECG readings, SpO2 blood oxygen levels, and even nightly skin temperature monitoring.
Polar
The Polar Grit X2 Pro also utilizes a new “3D speed” metric, which tracks average ascent across different terrains, something akin to Garmin’s HillWise scores for those who spend time on trails.
Trail runners will also enjoy navigation tools, including offline TOPO maps, that puts the Polar Grit X2 Pro right up there with the Garmin Epix. It comes with a built-in flashlight and 32GB storage for saving training data, maps, and multiple routes for offline use.
Battery life is also impressive. It offers up to 43 hours in performance training mode with the dual-band enabled, and up to 10 days in smartwatch mode. You can get up to 140 hours of battery life in the eco training mode, for long hikes or adventures.
Polar Grit X2 Pro comes in at $749/£649, so it undercuts the Epix by a significant chunk of change. Yes, it’s a big price tag – but plenty cheaper than its rivals for this level of battery life. There’s also the Grit X2 Pro with a Polar H10 heart rate monitor for $799/£689.
Polar Grit X2 Pro key specs
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 48.6 mm x 48.6 mm x 13.4 mm |
| Weight | Total weight: 79 g |
| Display | Type: AMOLED, Size: 1.39 inches, Resolution: 454 x 454, Touch screen: Yes, Always on display: Yes, Ambient light sensor: Yes |
| Performance | CPU speed: 275 MHz, Memory: 37 MB, Storage: 32 GB |
| Materials | Case material: Stainless steel, Screen material: Sapphire glass, Bezel material: Stainless steel |
| GPS | Dual-band GNSS GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS, Assisted GPS, Assisted GLONASS, Assisted Galileo, Assisted QZSS |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth version: 5.1, ANT version: none, USB cable: Proprietary / USB-C |
| Durability | Operating temperature: -20 °C to 50 °C, Water resistance: WR100, Tested against military standards: Yes |
| Sensors | Barometer, Magnetometer compass, Accelerometer |
How we test
James is the co-founder of Wareable, and he has been a technology journalist for 15 years.
He started his career at Future Publishing, James became the features editor of T3 Magazine and T3.com and was a regular contributor to TechRadar – before leaving Future Publishing to found Wareable in 2014.
James has been at the helm of Wareable since 2014 and has become one of the leading experts in wearable technologies globally. He has reviewed, tested, and covered pretty much every wearable on the market, and is passionate about the evolving industry, and wearables helping people achieve healthier and happier lives.