| Price | Discontinued | $170 | $399 | $129-149 | $220.00 | $319 | $219 | $150.00 |
| Product Announcement Date | JAN 3, 2006 | APR 2, 2009 | OCT 4, 2011 | Jan 8, 2012 | Mar 21, 2011 | APR 29, 2013 | APR 29, 2013 | JAN 25, 2010 |
| Actual Availability/Shipping Date | FEB 2006 | JUN 2009 | JAN-APR 2012 | Feb 8, 2012 | June 2011 | May 2013 | May 2013 | JUN 23, 2010 |
| GPS Recording Functionality | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Separate GPS Pod | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Data Transfer | USB | ANT+ Wireless | ANT+ Wireless | USB | irDA Wireless | USB | USB | USB |
| Waterproofing | IPX7 | Yes | Yes - 50m | 50 Meters | Yes - 30m | Yes - 100m | Yes - 50m | 50 Meters |
| Battery Life (GPS) | 10 Hours | 20 Hours | 20 Hours | 8 Hours | 1 year (GPS separate) | 50 hours | 25 hours | 15 hours |
| Recording Interval | 1s or Smart | 1s or Smart | 1s or Smart | 1-second | Adjustable | Variable | Variable | 2-Second |
| Alerts | Sound/Visual | Vibrate/Sound/Visual | Vibrate/Sound/Visual | Audio/Visual; Vibrate for Up | Sound/Visual | Sound/Visual | Sound/Visual | Sound/Visual |
| Backlight Greatness | Good | Great | Great | Good | Good | Great | Great | Good |
| Ability to download custom apps to unit/device | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Acts as daily activity monitor (steps, etc...) | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Connectivity | Garmin Forerunner 305 | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 910XT | Magellan Switch & Switch Up | Polar RCX5 | Suunto Ambit2 | Suunto Ambit2 S | Timex Global Trainer | | Bluetooth Smart to Phone Uploading | No | Via Wahoo Fitness Adapter | Via Wahoo Fitness Adapter | No | No | No | No | No |
| Phone Notifications to unit (i.e. texts/calls/etc...) | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Live Tracking (streaming location to website) | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Emergency/SOS Message Notification (from watch to contacts) | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Built-in cellular chip (no phone required) | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Cycling | Garmin Forerunner 305 | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 910XT | Magellan Switch & Switch Up | Polar RCX5 | Suunto Ambit2 | Suunto Ambit2 S | Timex Global Trainer | | Designed for cycling | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Power Meter Capable | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Power Meter Configuration/Calibration Options | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | Yes | Yes | No |
| Power Meter TSS/NP/IF | N/A | No | Yes | No | N/A | No | No | No |
| Speed/Cadence Sensor Capable | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Running | Garmin Forerunner 305 | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 910XT | Magellan Switch & Switch Up | Polar RCX5 | Suunto Ambit2 | Suunto Ambit2 S | Timex Global Trainer | | Designed for running | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Footpod Capable (For treadmills) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (internal accelerometer) | Yes (internal accelerometer) | Yes |
| Running Dynamics (vertical oscillation, ground contact time, etc...) | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| VO2Max Estimation | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Race Predictor | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Recovery Advisor | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Run/Walk Mode | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
Swimming | Garmin Forerunner 305 | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 910XT | Magellan Switch & Switch Up | Polar RCX5 | Suunto Ambit2 | Suunto Ambit2 S | Timex Global Trainer | | Designed for swimming | No | Partial | Yes | Basic support | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Openwater swimming mode | No | Yes | Yes | No (Swimcap only) | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| Lap/Indoor Distance Tracking | No | No | Yes | N/A | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| Record HR underwater | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | N/A |
| Openwater Metrics (Stroke/etc.) | No | Distance, no stroke | Yes | N/A | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| Indoor Metrics (Stroke/etc.) | No | No | Yes | N/A | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| Indoor Drill Mode | No | No | No | N/A | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| Indoor auto-pause feature | No | No | No | N/A | N/A | No | No | N/A |
| Change pool size | No | No | Yes | N/A | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| Indoor Min/Max Pool Lengths | No | No | 20m/22y to 100y/m | N/A | N/A | 15m/y to 1,200m/y | 15m/y to 1,200m/y | N/A |
| Ability to customize data fields | No | No | Yes | N/A | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| Captures per length data - indoors | No | No | Yes | N/A | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| Indoor Alerts | No | No | Yes | N/A | N/A | No | No | N/A |
Triathlon | Garmin Forerunner 305 | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 910XT | Magellan Switch & Switch Up | Polar RCX5 | Suunto Ambit2 | Suunto Ambit2 S | Timex Global Trainer | | Designed for triathlon | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multisport mode | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Workouts | Garmin Forerunner 305 | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 910XT | Magellan Switch & Switch Up | Polar RCX5 | Suunto Ambit2 | Suunto Ambit2 S | Timex Global Trainer | | Create/Follow custom workouts | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| On-unit interval Feature | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Barely | Barely | Yes |
| Training Calendar Functionality | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
Functions | Garmin Forerunner 305 | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 910XT | Magellan Switch & Switch Up | Polar RCX5 | Suunto Ambit2 | Suunto Ambit2 S | Timex Global Trainer | | Auto Start/Stop | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual Partner Feature | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Virtual Racer Feature | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Records PR's - Personal Records (diff than history) | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Tidal Tables (Tide Information) | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Weather Display (live data) | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Navigate | Garmin Forerunner 305 | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 910XT | Magellan Switch & Switch Up | Polar RCX5 | Suunto Ambit2 | Suunto Ambit2 S | Timex Global Trainer | | Follow GPS Track (Courses/Waypoints) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes (Barely) |
| Markers/Waypoint Direction | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Routable/Visual Maps (like car GPS) | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Back to start | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (added Aug 30, 2013) | Yes (added Aug 30, 2013) | Yes |
| Impromptu Round Trip Route Creation | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Download courses/routes from phone to unit | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Sensors | Garmin Forerunner 305 | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 910XT | Magellan Switch & Switch Up | Polar RCX5 | Suunto Ambit2 | Suunto Ambit2 S | Timex Global Trainer | | Altimeter Type | GPS | GPS | Barometric | GPS, Barometric for Up | None | Barometric, GPS (FusedAlti) | GPS | GPS |
| Compass Type | GPS | GPS | GPS | N/A | None | Magnetic | Magnetic | GPS |
| Heart Rate Strap Compatible | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ANT+ Heart Rate Strap Capable | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ANT+ Speed/Cadence Capable | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ANT+ Footpod Capable | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ANT+ Power Meter Capable | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ANT+ Remote Control | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| ANT+ eBike Compatibility | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Shimano Di2 Shifting | | | No | | | No | No | |
| Bluetooth Smart HR Strap Capable | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Bluetooth Smart Speed/Cadence Capable | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Bluetooth Smart Footpod Capable | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Bluetooth Smart Power Meter Capable | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Temp Recording (internal sensor) | No | No | No | Up Only | No | Yes | No | No |
| Temp Recording (external sensor) | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Software | Garmin Forerunner 305 | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 910XT | Magellan Switch & Switch Up | Polar RCX5 | Suunto Ambit2 | Suunto Ambit2 S | Timex Global Trainer | | PC Application | GTC | GTC/ANT Agent | GTC/ANT Agent | None | PPT/Websync | Moveslink Agent | Moveslink Agent | Training Peaks Agent |
| Web Application | Garmin Connect | Garmin Connect | Garmin Connect | Magellen Active | PPT.com | Movescount | Movescount | Training Peaks |
| Phone App | Garmin Fit | Garmin Fit | iOS/Android | None | Polar Beats | Suunto Movescount | Movescount | Training Peaks |
| Ability to Export Settings | No | No | No | No | No | Yes (online) | Yes (online) | Yes |
Purchase | Garmin Forerunner 305 | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 910XT | Magellan Switch & Switch Up | Polar RCX5 | Suunto Ambit2 | Suunto Ambit2 S | Timex Global Trainer | | Amazon | Link | Link | Link | Link | Link | Link | Link | Link |
DCRainmaker | Garmin Forerunner 305 | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 910XT | Magellan Switch & Switch Up | Polar RCX5 | Suunto Ambit2 | Suunto Ambit2 S | Timex Global Trainer | | Review Link | Link | Link | Link | Link | Link | Link | Link | Link |