Polar Vantage V & M Smartwatches

Polar has unveiled its two latest GPS-capable running smartwatches, called the Vantage V and M. Both were designed specifically for athletes and people who are serious about staying fit, letting them track their workouts, heart rate, and other biometrics as they exercise.

The Vantage V is the higher-end model of the two, with features like Precision Prime, an ultra-accurate heart rate monitor; and a so-called running power functionality, which combines metrics for runners that eliminates the need to use external sensors.

The Vantage M, on the other hand, is nearly the same as its more premium sibling, but it lacks the ability to track running power. It also only gives you 30 hours of training time, as opposed to the Vantage V’s 40 hours. The latter is the only model that has Recovery Pro and Training Load Pro, which are a pair of features that will monitor the athlete’s “training load” for each session, keeping tabs on things like tolerance and strain while providing an overview of recovery and training balance.

The Vantage V retails for $500, while the Vantage M retails for $280. You can go for the Vantage M (in black, white, or red) if you don’t mind having the Polar’s sophisticated set of tracking and biometric tools and just want an honest-to-goodness fitness watch. But you can splurge half a thousand dollars for the Vantage V (in black, white, or orange) if you want everything Polar has to offer. Your choice. Both smartwatches are available now at Polar.com.