Polar Grit X2 Pro vs Grit X Pro

The new Polar Grit X2 Pro is a huge upgrade, which brings Polar’s watches into a new era.

An improved AMOLED display is the headline feature, but there’s also improved GPS accuracy and TOPO maps, which makes it one of the top choices for lovers of the outdoors. 

We’re reviewing the Polar Grit X2 Pro at the moment, and have extensively tested the Grit X Pro.

Read on for our comparison and all the key details you need.

Price

The new Polar Grit X2 Pro costs $729/£649 – which is a competitive price given the cost of similar specced Garmins. 

The older Polar Grit X Pro was launched in 2021, so it's pretty dated now.

You can pick this up for around $510/£300 – so a good saving. But there are serious sacrifices. Check out the latest and best prices below:

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Design and materials

Polar Grit X2 Pro 

Polar

The main change is the new AMOLED display (above), which brings a 1.39-inch AMOLED touchscreen display to the fore, with a 454 × 454 resolution.

That’s compared to the 1.2-inch transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) display on the Grit X Pro, which is less bright and crisp.It may be practical and offer good viewability in direct sunlight, but it’s nowhere near as attractive.

The stainless steel case weighs 79 grams and has dimensions of 48.6 mm x 48.6 mm x 13.4 mm.

Both are WR100 rated, so they're good for open water and sea swimming, surfing and water sports.

Polar Grit X

Polar

The Polar Grit X Pro (see our review image above) also has a durable design. It also has a stainless steel case, a fluoroelastomer strap, and a bezel made of compass-style sapphire glass.

So there's not too much to pick between the two watches, other than the display. 

It also weighs 79 grams and has a slightly smaller 47mm x 47 mm, and thickness of 13mm. It’s 100m water resistant and MIL-STD-810G resistance to dust, ingress and extreme temperatures.

Both are large, heavy watches – just the ticket if you like a chunky, tough sports watch. But those with slimmer wrists aren't catered well for here.

Features

Polar Grit X2 Pro:

Polar

The Polar Grit X2 Pro is packed with new features, including:

• Dual-frequency GNSS for improved accuracy around tree cover and tall buildings.
• Polar’s improved Elixir heart rate tech, with SpO2 blood oxygen levels, and nightly skin temperature monitoring
• A new “3D speed” metric, which tracks average ascent across different terrains
• Offline TOPO maps and turn-by-turn navigation.
• 32GB storage for saving training data, maps, and multiple routes
• Smartwatch notifications
• Up to 43 hours of battery life in performance training mode with dual-band enabled, and up to 10 days in smartwatch mode
• Up to 140 hours of battery life in eco-training mode

Polar Grit X

Polar

 The Polar Grit X also has a good range of fitness features – but it missed out on the Elixir heart rate improvements, and the upgraded GPS. However, most of Polar's excellent analysis tools are present.

• Built-in GPS, barometer, and compass
• Preloaded training programs and recovery metrics
• Continuous heart rate tracking and sleep tracking
• Music controls and weather forecasts
• Notifications

Fitness features and modes

Polar Grit X2 Pro

Polar

The Polar Grit X2 Pro is a great choice for athletes who want a watch that can track their workouts in detail. Some of the core features are:

• Recovery Pro and fitness tests
• HilLSplitter and 3D tracking analysis (VAM) of ascent speeds
• FuelWise planning of nutrition
• Full TOPO mapping and turn-by-turn navigation
• The excellent Sleep Stages, Nightly Recharge and SleepWise modes, which have been marked in our reviews as some of the best sleep tracking on any fitness watch.
• Running Power metrics and FuelWise analysis of nutritional and fuelling needs for races.
• FitSpark – which has been praised in our reviews for being a top coaching platform

Polar Grit X

Polar

The Polar Grit X also offers a good range of fitness features, including:

• Built-in GPS for tracking distance, pace, and elevation
• Continuous heart rate tracking
• Navigation via GPX files and Komoot – but not full TOPO maps on the Grit X2 Pro
• FitSpark personalized coaching 
• FuelWise nutritional planning
• HillSplitter analysis of ascents and descents, but not as in depth as the new VAM on Grit X2 Pro
• Polar's excellent SleepWise/Nightly Recharge/Sleep Plus Stages, which adds context to sleep tracking for your training and performance.

• Performance tests to assess your maximum aerobic speed and VO2 max
• Recovery tests to help you gauge your readiness for future workouts

Battery life

Polar Grit X2 Pro

Polar

The Polar Grit X2 Pro offers impressive battery life. It can last up to 43 hours in performance training mode with dual-band GPS enabled, and up to 10 days in smartwatch mode. You can even get up to 140 hours of battery life in eco training mode.

Polar Grit X Pro

Polar

The Polar Grit X also has good battery life. It can last up to 7 days in watch mode with continuous heart rate tracking enabled, and up to 35 hours in performance GPS mode. In its longest battery mode it can last 100 hours.

Verdict

Buy the Polar Grit X2 Pro if...

The Polar Grit X2 Pro is a more feature-rich watch with a larger display, more accurate GPS, proper mapping and longer battery life. It's a great option for outdoor adventurers who want a watch that can track their workouts in detail, monitor their health, and help them navigate new trails. Yes it costs, but it's much less than big name rivals.

Buy the Polar Grit X Pro if...

The Polar Grit X is still a good option given the excellent sleep tracking, performance analysis, and FitSpark AI coaching. However, you will need to put up with the MIP display, which is a big downgrade. Polar has also improved nearly every aspect of the data provided on its successor – so it would need to be a really good deal for us to sanction buying the older Grit.