| Price | $170 | $349.00 | $215.00 | $250 | $225 | $99 |
| Product Announcement Date | APR 2, 2009 | APR 12, 2011 | AUG 13, 2012 | JAN 28, 2014 | Mar 18, 2013 | APR 17, 2013 |
| Actual Availability/Shipping Date | JUN 2009 | APR 15, 2011 | SEPT 2012 | MAR 2014 | Apr 2013 | Jul 1, 2013 |
| GPS Recording Functionality | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Data Transfer | ANT+ Wireless | ANT+ Wireless | USB | USB | USB | USB/Bluetooth Smart |
| Waterproofing | Yes | IPX7 | IPX7 | Yes - 50m | 50m | ATM5 (50m roughly) |
| Battery Life (GPS) | 20 Hours | 8 Hours | 12 Hours | 25 hours | GPS: 8HRS | 10hrs |
| Recording Interval | 1s or Smart | 1-second & smart | 1-Second | Variable | 1-second | 1-second |
| Alerts | Vibrate/Sound/Visual | AUDIO/VISUAL/VIBRATE | Sound/Visual | Sound/Visual | SOUND/VISUAL/VIBRATE | Audio/Visual/Vibrate |
| Ability to download custom apps to unit/device | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
Connectivity | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 610 | Polar RC3 | Suunto Ambit2 R | Timex Run Trainer GPS 2.0 | TomTom Runner | | Bluetooth Smart to Phone Uploading | Via Wahoo Fitness Adapter | Via Wahoo Fitness Adapter | No | No | No | Yes |
| Phone Notifications to unit (i.e. texts/calls/etc...) | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Live Tracking (streaming location to website) | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Emergency/SOS Message Notification (from watch to contacts) | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Built-in cellular chip (no phone required) | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Cycling | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 610 | Polar RC3 | Suunto Ambit2 R | Timex Run Trainer GPS 2.0 | TomTom Runner | | Designed for cycling | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (but can show speed) | No | No |
| Power Meter Capable | Yes | No | No | N/A | N/A | No |
| Power Meter Configuration/Calibration Options | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Power Meter TSS/NP/IF | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Speed/Cadence Sensor Capable | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | N/A | No |
Running | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 610 | Polar RC3 | Suunto Ambit2 R | Timex Run Trainer GPS 2.0 | TomTom Runner | | Designed for running | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Footpod Capable (For treadmills) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (internal accelerometer) | Yes | No, has internal accelerometer |
| Running Dynamics (vertical oscillation, ground contact time, etc...) | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| VO2Max Estimation | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Race Predictor | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Recovery Advisor | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Run/Walk Mode | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Swimming | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 610 | Polar RC3 | Suunto Ambit2 R | Timex Run Trainer GPS 2.0 | TomTom Runner | | Designed for swimming | Partial | No | No | No | No | No |
| Openwater swimming mode | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Lap/Indoor Distance Tracking | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Record HR underwater | No | No | No | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Openwater Metrics (Stroke/etc.) | Distance, no stroke | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Indoor Metrics (Stroke/etc.) | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Indoor Drill Mode | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Indoor auto-pause feature | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Change pool size | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Indoor Min/Max Pool Lengths | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Ability to customize data fields | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Captures per length data - indoors | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Indoor Alerts | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Triathlon | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 610 | Polar RC3 | Suunto Ambit2 R | Timex Run Trainer GPS 2.0 | TomTom Runner | | Designed for triathlon | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Multisport mode | Yes | No | No | N/A | N/A | No |
Workouts | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 610 | Polar RC3 | Suunto Ambit2 R | Timex Run Trainer GPS 2.0 | TomTom Runner | | Create/Follow custom workouts | Yes | Yes | No | Sorta (via Suunto Apps) | No | No |
| On-unit interval Feature | Yes | Yes | Yes with firmware upate | Barely | Yes | Yes (as of Oct 17th, 2013) |
| Training Calendar Functionality | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
Functions | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 610 | Polar RC3 | Suunto Ambit2 R | Timex Run Trainer GPS 2.0 | TomTom Runner | | Auto Start/Stop | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Virtual Partner Feature | Yes | Yes | No | Sorta (specify intensity) | No | Yes |
| Virtual Racer Feature | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| Records PR's - Personal Records (diff than history) | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Tidal Tables (Tide Information) | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Weather Display (live data) | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Navigate | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 610 | Polar RC3 | Suunto Ambit2 R | Timex Run Trainer GPS 2.0 | TomTom Runner | | Follow GPS Track (Courses/Waypoints) | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Markers/Waypoint Direction | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Offline Maps | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Back to start | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Impromptu Round Trip Route Creation | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Download courses/routes from phone to unit | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Sensors | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 610 | Polar RC3 | Suunto Ambit2 R | Timex Run Trainer GPS 2.0 | TomTom Runner | | Altimeter Type | GPS | GPS | GPS | GPS | GPS | GPS |
| Compass Type | GPS | N/A | GPS | Magnetic | N/A | N/A |
| Heart Rate Strap Compatible | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ANT+ Heart Rate Strap Capable | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| ANT+ Speed/Cadence Capable | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| ANT+ Footpod Capable | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No, has internal accelerometer |
| ANT+ Power Meter Capable | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| ANT+ Remote Control | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| ANT+ eBike Compatibility | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Shimano Di2 Shifting | | | | | No | |
| Bluetooth Smart HR Strap Capable | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Smart Speed/Cadence Capable | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Bluetooth Smart Footpod Capable | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Bluetooth Smart Power Meter Capable | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Temp Recording (internal sensor) | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Temp Recording (external sensor) | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Software | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 610 | Polar RC3 | Suunto Ambit2 R | Timex Run Trainer GPS 2.0 | TomTom Runner | | Desktop Application | GTC/ANT Agent | GTC/ANT Agent | PPT/Websync | Moveslink Agent | Training Peaks Agent | MySports Connect |
| Web Application | Garmin Connect | Garmin Connect | PPT.com | Movescount | Training Peaks | TomTom MySports |
| Phone App | Garmin Fit | Garmin Fit | Polar Beats | Movescount (does not connect from watch to phone) | Training Peaks (iOS/Android) | iOS (Android Sept 2014) |
| Ability to Export Settings | No | No | No | Yes (online) | Yes | No |
Purchase | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 610 | Polar RC3 | Suunto Ambit2 R | Timex Run Trainer GPS 2.0 | TomTom Runner | | Amazon | Link | Link | Link | Link | Link | Link |
DCRainmaker | Garmin Forerunner 310XT | Garmin Forerunner 610 | Polar RC3 | Suunto Ambit2 R | Timex Run Trainer GPS 2.0 | TomTom Runner | | Review Link | Link | Link | Link | Link | Link | Link |