First look: Polar releases latest watch, the Vantage M2

On Wednesday, Polar announced the release of its latest watch, the Vantage M2. The second iteration of the Polar Vantage M, this wearable is the product of the company’s ongoing attempt at designing the perfect watch for runners and multisport athletes. The M2 is lightweight, it has a lengthy battery life and it will monitor you all hours of the day, whether you’re running, relaxing or sleeping. The Polar Vantage M2 is available for pre-order now, and it starts at $449.99. 

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Lightweight with a long life

Like the Vantage V2, which Polar released in late 2020, the M2 has a remarkable weight-to-battery ratio. The V2 weighs in at 52 g, which is 21 per cent lighter than the already lightweight Vantage V, and it has a battery life of 100 hours (when the watch’s multiple power-saving features are activated).

Like the V2, the Vantage M2’s battery life can be extended to 100 hours using power-saving features, but it is even lighter, weighing just 45 g. Without using the M2’s power-saving features, the watch can run for up to 30 hours in training mode, meaning its heart rate and GPS trackers are on and monitoring your workout. While the original Vantage M had the same base battery life as the new M2, it did not have power-saving features, and its max was 30 hours of use. 

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Running-specific features

The Polar Vantage M2 is a multisport watch, and users can track many different kinds of workouts on it, but as usual, running is one of the company’s main focuses. Like any good GPS watch, the M2 will of course track your pace and total distance, and it will do so with Polar’s usual accuracy.

Some watches can be way off in their tracking, and they might tell you that you only ran 4.5K on a route you know is 5K. This can be incredibly frustrating, but it’s not an issue you’ll have with Polar products, which are precise in their measurements. In addition to the watch’s pace and distance tracking, it will also monitor your heart rate through its wrist-based HR system, which, like the GPS feature, is accurate and trustworthy. 

In addition to simply tracking your runs, the Vantage M2 has built-in running programs that you can follow to reach your personal goals. The watch will ask you what distance you’re training for and when your race is, and from there, you’ll have a coach on your wrist that will tell you what to do every day, whether you need to pick up the pace or slow down and provide you with supplementary core and strength routines. 

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The tracking doesn’t stop after your workouts, and the M2 will continue its work as you sleep. Polar’s Nightly Recharge feature will tell you how long you slept, the quality of your rest and estimate how you’ve recovered since your last session before determining what workout you should do next. 

Smartwatch features 

The Vantage M2 is not just a running watch, as Polar has designed it with several smartwatch features as well. Unlike the Vantage M, the M2 includes music controls on its face (only when you’re listening to songs, of course) to make it easier to skip, pause and play songs. The M2 also has a weather tracker, and you can keep up to date with the latest forecast, no matter where you are. 

To learn more about the Polar Vantage M2 and to pre-order today, click here. 

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