Function/FeatureGarmin Fenix 5 (5/5S/5X)Garmin Forerunner 935Polar M430Polar V800Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HRSuunto Spartan Trainer Wrist HR
Copyright DC Rainmaker - Updated September 12th, 2021 @ 3:29 pm
Price$599$499$229$449$499$279 ($329 for metal bezels)
Product Announcement DateJan 4th, 2017Mar 29th, 2017April 6th, 2017Jan 6th, 2014Jan 4th, 2017August 10th, 2017
Actual Availability/Shipping DateMarch 2017Mar 29th, 2017June 2017May 2014Mar 31st, 2017August 30th, 2017
GPS Recording FunctionalityYesYesYesYesYesYes
Data TransferUSB/Bluetooth Smart/WiFi (Sapphire only)USB/Bluetooth Smart/WiFiUSB, Bluetooth SmartUSB, BLUETOOTH SMARTUSB & Bluetooth SmartUSB & Bluetooth Smart
WaterproofingYes - 100mYes - 50mYes - 30mYes - 30mYes - 100mYes - 50 meters
Battery Life (GPS)Up to 24hrs in GPS-on, up to 75hrs in UltraTrac GPSUp to 24hrs in GPS-on, up to 50hrs in UltraTrac GPS8hrs regular, Up to 30hrs GPSUp to 50 hoursUp to 50 hoursUp to 30 hours
Recording Interval1S or Smart1S or Smart1-second/variable1sVariableVariable
AlertsVibrate/Sound/VisualVibrate/Sound/VisualVisual/VibrateVibrate/Sound/VisualSound/Visual/VibrateVisual/Vibrate
Backlight GreatnessGreatGreatGreatGreatGreatGreat
Ability to download custom apps to unit/deviceYEsYesNoNoNoNo
Acts as daily activity monitor (steps, etc...)YesYesYesYesSteps only (not distance/sleep)Yes
MusicGarmin Fenix 5 (5/5S/5X)Garmin Forerunner 935Polar M430Polar V800Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HRSuunto Spartan Trainer Wrist HR
Can control phone musicYesYEsNoNoNoNo
Has music storage and playbackNoNoNoNoNoNo
Streaming ServicesNoNoNo
PaymentsGarmin Fenix 5 (5/5S/5X)Garmin Forerunner 935Polar M430Polar V800Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HRSuunto Spartan Trainer Wrist HR
Contactless-NFC PaymentsNoNoNo
ConnectivityGarmin Fenix 5 (5/5S/5X)Garmin Forerunner 935Polar M430Polar V800Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HRSuunto Spartan Trainer Wrist HR
Bluetooth Smart to Phone UploadingYesYEsYesYesYesYes
Phone Notifications to unit (i.e. texts/calls/etc...)YesYesYesYesYesYes
Live Tracking (streaming location to website)YesYesNoNoNoNo
Group trackingYesYesNoNoNoNo
Emergency/SOS Message Notification (from watch to contacts)NoNoNoNoNoNo
Built-in cellular chip (no phone required)NoNoNoNoNoNo
CyclingGarmin Fenix 5 (5/5S/5X)Garmin Forerunner 935Polar M430Polar V800Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HRSuunto Spartan Trainer Wrist HR
Designed for cyclingYesYesYesYesYesYes
Power Meter CapableYesYEsNoYesYesYes
Power Meter Configuration/Calibration OptionsYesYesN/AYesYesYes
Power Meter TSS/NP/IFYesYEsN/ANPNoNo
Speed/Cadence Sensor CapableYesYEsNoYesYesYes
Strava segments live on deviceYesYesNoYesNoNo
Crash detectionNoNoNoNoNoNo
RunningGarmin Fenix 5 (5/5S/5X)Garmin Forerunner 935Polar M430Polar V800Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HRSuunto Spartan Trainer Wrist HR
Designed for runningYesYesYesYesYesYes
Footpod Capable (For treadmills)YesYEsYesYesYesYes
Running Dynamics (vertical oscillation, ground contact time, etc...)WITH RD POD, HRM-TRI OR HRM-RUN (NOT VIA OPTICAL HR)WITH RD POD, HRM-TRI OR HRM-RUN (NOT VIA OPTICAL HR)NoNoNoNo
Running PowerWith extra sensorWITH RD POD, HRM-TRI OR HRM-RUN (or 3rd party Stryd/RunScribe)With extra sensor
VO2Max EstimationYEsYesYesYesYesYes
Race PredictorYesYesCan estimate finish time during raceYes, via Race PaceNoNo
Recovery AdvisorYesYEsNoYesYesYes
Run/Walk ModeYesYesNoYes, via timersNoNo
SwimmingGarmin Fenix 5 (5/5S/5X)Garmin Forerunner 935Polar M430Polar V800Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HRSuunto Spartan Trainer Wrist HR
Designed for swimmingYesYEsSortaYesYesYes
Openwater swimming modeYEsYesNoYesYesYes
Lap/Indoor Distance TrackingYesYesNoYesYesYes
Record HR underwaterWITH HRM-TRI/HRM-SWIM (Not with optical HR)WITH HRM-TRI/HRM-SWIM (Not with optical HR)YesWith Certain Polar StrapsYesYes
Openwater Metrics (Stroke/etc.)YesYesNoYesYesYes
Indoor Metrics (Stroke/etc.)YEsYesN/AYesYesYes
Indoor Drill ModeYesYesN/ANoNoNo
Indoor auto-pause featureNo (it'll show rest time afterwards though)No (it'll show rest time afterwards though)N/AYesNoNo
Change pool sizeYEsYEsN/AYesYesYEs
Indoor Min/Max Pool Lengths14M/15Y TO 150Y/M14M/15Y TO 150Y/MN/A20M/Y to 250 m/y15m/y to 1,200m/y15m/y to 1,200m/y
Ability to customize data fieldsYesYesYesYesYesYes
Captures per length data - indoorsYesYesN/AYesYesYes
Indoor AlertsYesYesN/AN/ANoNo
TriathlonGarmin Fenix 5 (5/5S/5X)Garmin Forerunner 935Polar M430Polar V800Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HRSuunto Spartan Trainer Wrist HR
Designed for triathlonYesYesNoYesYesYes
Multisport modeYesYesNoYesYesYes
WorkoutsGarmin Fenix 5 (5/5S/5X)Garmin Forerunner 935Polar M430Polar V800Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HRSuunto Spartan Trainer Wrist HR
Create/Follow custom workoutsYesYesYesYesNoNo
On-unit interval FeatureYEsYEsYesYesYesYes
Training Calendar FunctionalityYesYesYEsYesYesYes
FunctionsGarmin Fenix 5 (5/5S/5X)Garmin Forerunner 935Polar M430Polar V800Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HRSuunto Spartan Trainer Wrist HR
Auto Start/StopYesYEsYesYesYesYes
Virtual Partner FeatureYEsYEsVia Race EstimatorYesNoNo
Virtual Racer FeatureYesYesNoNoNoNo
Records PR's - Personal Records (diff than history)YesYEsYesNoNoNo
Tidal Tables (Tide Information)NoNoNoNoNoNo
Weather Display (live data)YesYesNoNonoNo
NavigateGarmin Fenix 5 (5/5S/5X)Garmin Forerunner 935Polar M430Polar V800Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HRSuunto Spartan Trainer Wrist HR
Follow GPS Track (Courses/Waypoints)YEsYesNoYesYesYes
Markers/Waypoint DirectionYesYEsNoYesYesYes
Routable/Visual Maps (like car GPS)Yes (5X Only)NoNoNoNoNo
Back to startYesYesYesYesYesYes
Impromptu Round Trip Route CreationYes (5X Only)NoNoNoNoNo
Download courses/routes from phone to unitYesYesNoYesYesYes
SensorsGarmin Fenix 5 (5/5S/5X)Garmin Forerunner 935Polar M430Polar V800Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HRSuunto Spartan Trainer Wrist HR
Altimeter TypeBarometricBarometricGPSBarometricGPSGPS
Compass TypeMagneticMagneticGPSMagneticMagneticN/A
Optical Heart Rate Sensor internallyYesYesYesNoYesYes
SpO2 (aka Pulse Oximetry)NoNo
Heart Rate Strap CompatibleYesYesYesYesYesYes
ANT+ Heart Rate Strap CapableYesYesNoNoNoNo
ANT+ Speed/Cadence CapableYesYesNoNoNoNo
ANT+ Footpod CapableYesYesNoNoNoNo
ANT+ Power Meter CapableYesYesNoNonoNo
ANT+ Lighting ControlYesYesNoNoNoNo
ANT+ Bike Radar IntegrationYesYesNoNoNoNo
ANT+ Trainer Control (FE-C)NoNoNoNoNoNo
ANT+ Remote ControlNo (can control VIRB though)No (can control VIRB though)Nono (but can control GoPro)NoNo
ANT+ eBike CompatibilityNoNoNoNoNoNo
ANT+ Gear Shifting (i.e. SRAM ETAP)YesYEsNoNoNoNo
Shimano Di2 ShiftingYesYEsNoNoNoNo
Bluetooth Smart HR Strap CapableYesYesYesYesYesYes
Bluetooth Smart Speed/Cadence CapableYesYEsNoYesYesYes
Bluetooth Smart Footpod CapableYesYEsYesYesYes (+ Stryd Running Power Meter)Yes (+ Stryd Running Power Meter)
Bluetooth Smart Power Meter CapableYEsYEsNoYesYesYes
Temp Recording (internal sensor)YesYEsNoYesYesNo
Temp Recording (external sensor)YesYesNoNoNoNo
SoftwareGarmin Fenix 5 (5/5S/5X)Garmin Forerunner 935Polar M430Polar V800Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HRSuunto Spartan Trainer Wrist HR
PC ApplicationGarmin ExpressGarmin ExpressPolar FlowSync (PC/Mac)Polar Flowsync - Windows/MacPC/MacPC/Mac
Web ApplicationGarmin ConnectGarmin ConnectPolar Flow (Web)Polar FlowSuunto MovescountSuunto Movescount
Phone AppiOS/Android/Windows PhoneiOS/Android/Windows PhoneiOS/AndroidiOS/AndroidiOS/AndroidiOS/Android
Ability to Export SettingsNoNoNoNoNoNo
PurchaseGarmin Fenix 5 (5/5S/5X)Garmin Forerunner 935Polar M430Polar V800Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HRSuunto Spartan Trainer Wrist HR
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DCRainmakerGarmin Fenix 5 (5/5S/5X)Garmin Forerunner 935Polar M430Polar V800Suunto Spartan Sport Wrist HRSuunto Spartan Trainer Wrist HR
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