How to find the right product for you
This Product Comparison Calculator will allow you to compare products in one of two ways. Choose from the two dropdown menus below to auto-populate the product boxes with results, or click on the product boxes to activate your own personalized choices. Once the product boxes are shaded per your liking, click the “COMPARE NOW” button to retrieve a customized product comparison graph.
Currently there are eight product types:
– Watches (and bike computers!!!!)
– Trainers (for cycling indoors)
– Activity monitors (things like Fitbits and step counters)
– Power meters (for cycling)
– Action Cams (things like GoPro’s and the like)
– Heart Rate Sensors (Straps and Optical sensors that measure HR)
– Trainer Apps (for cycling indoors on trainers)
– Drones (primarily sport focused options)
For trainers, the focus is primarily on computer-integrated trainers that provide resistance control. Additionally, like the watches I only include units that I’ve personally reviewed and/or used.
Select product use/budget for a comparison from the drop down menus:
Note: While many running watches have a basic bike mode, only running units that are multi-sport focused are also included in the bike-only results (in addition to bike-specific units). Hiking units are those that include a Barometric Altimeter, Magnetic Compass and navigational functions.
Or select products for comparison by clicking the product boxes below:
Comparison Results:
Function/Feature | Garmin Forerunner 735XT | Garmin Forerunner 935 | Polar M400 | Polar Vantage V |
---|---|---|---|---|
Copyright DC Rainmaker - Updated November 17th, 2022 @ 10:06 am New Window | ||||
Price | $349 | $499 | $179 | $499 |
Product Announcement Date | May 11th, 2016 | Mar 29th, 2017 | Sept 25th, 2014 | Sept 13th, 2018 |
Actual Availability/Shipping Date | May 11th, 2016 | Mar 29th, 2017 | October 2014 | Late October 2018 |
GPS Recording Functionality | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Data Transfer | USB/Bluetooth Smart | USB/Bluetooth Smart/WiFi | USB, BLUETOOTH SMART | USB, BLUETOOTH SMART |
Waterproofing | Yes - 50m | Yes - 50m | Yes - 30m | Yes - 30m |
Battery Life (GPS) | 14 hours in GPS-on | Up to 24hrs in GPS-on, up to 50hrs in UltraTrac GPS | 8 hours | Up to 40 hours |
Recording Interval | 1S OR SMART | 1S or Smart | 1-second | 1s |
Alerts | Vibrate/Sound/Visual | Vibrate/Sound/Visual | Sound/Visual | Vibrate/Sound/Visual |
Backlight Greatness | Good | Great | Great | Great |
Ability to download custom apps to unit/device | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Acts as daily activity monitor (steps, etc...) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Music | Garmin Forerunner 735XT | Garmin Forerunner 935 | Polar M400 | Polar Vantage V |
Can control phone music | Yes | YEs | No | No |
Has music storage and playback | No | No | No | No |
Streaming Services | No | No | Payments | Garmin Forerunner 735XT | Garmin Forerunner 935 | Polar M400 | Polar Vantage V |
Contactless-NFC Payments | No | No | Connectivity | Garmin Forerunner 735XT | Garmin Forerunner 935 | Polar M400 | Polar Vantage V |
Bluetooth Smart to Phone Uploading | Yes | YEs | Yes | Yes |
Phone Notifications to unit (i.e. texts/calls/etc...) | YEs | Yes | Yes | Feb 2019 |
Live Tracking (streaming location to website) | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Group tracking | Yes | No | No | |
Emergency/SOS Message Notification (from watch to contacts) | No | No | No | No |
Built-in cellular chip (no phone required) | No | No | No | No | Cycling | Garmin Forerunner 735XT | Garmin Forerunner 935 | Polar M400 | Polar Vantage V |
Designed for cycling | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Power Meter Capable | Yes | YEs | No | Yes |
Power Meter Configuration/Calibration Options | YEs | Yes | N/A | Yes |
Power Meter TSS/NP/IF | Yes | YEs | N/A | No |
Speed/Cadence Sensor Capable | Yes | YEs | No | Yes |
Strava segments live on device | Yes | Yes | No | TBD Future Update |
Crash detection | No | No | No | No | Running | Garmin Forerunner 735XT | Garmin Forerunner 935 | Polar M400 | Polar Vantage V |
Designed for running | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Footpod Capable (For treadmills) | Yes | YEs | Yes | Yes |
Running Dynamics (vertical oscillation, ground contact time, etc...) | YEs | WITH RD POD, HRM-TRI OR HRM-RUN (NOT VIA OPTICAL HR) | No | No |
Running Power | WITH RD POD, HRM-TRI OR HRM-RUN (or 3rd party Stryd/RunScribe) | yes (built-in) | ||
VO2Max Estimation | Yes | Yes | Sorta | Yes |
Race Predictor | YEs | Yes | Can estimate finish time during race | No |
Recovery Advisor | Yes | YEs | No (only if you have V800 too) | Yes |
Run/Walk Mode | YEs | Yes | No | No | Swimming | Garmin Forerunner 735XT | Garmin Forerunner 935 | Polar M400 | Polar Vantage V |
Designed for swimming | Yes | YEs | No | Yes |
Openwater swimming mode | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Lap/Indoor Distance Tracking | Yes | Yes | N/A | Yes |
Record HR underwater | WITH HRM-TRI/HRM-SWIM | WITH HRM-TRI/HRM-SWIM (Not with optical HR) | No | Yes |
Openwater Metrics (Stroke/etc.) | Yes | Yes | N/A | Yes |
Indoor Metrics (Stroke/etc.) | Yes | Yes | N/A | Yes |
Indoor Drill Mode | Yes | Yes | N/A | No |
Indoor auto-pause feature | No | No (it'll show rest time afterwards though) | N/A | Yes |
Change pool size | Yes | YEs | N/A | Yes |
Indoor Min/Max Pool Lengths | 17M/18Y TO 150Y/M | 14M/15Y TO 150Y/M | N/A | 20M/Y to 250 m/y |
Ability to customize data fields | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Captures per length data - indoors | YEs | Yes | N/A | Yes |
Indoor Alerts | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | Triathlon | Garmin Forerunner 735XT | Garmin Forerunner 935 | Polar M400 | Polar Vantage V |
Designed for triathlon | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Multisport mode | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Workouts | Garmin Forerunner 735XT | Garmin Forerunner 935 | Polar M400 | Polar Vantage V |
Create/Follow custom workouts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
On-unit interval Feature | Yes | YEs | Yes | No |
Training Calendar Functionality | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Functions | Garmin Forerunner 735XT | Garmin Forerunner 935 | Polar M400 | Polar Vantage V |
Auto Start/Stop | YEs | YEs | Yes | |
Virtual Partner Feature | Yes | YEs | Via Race Estimator | No (but can give out of zone alerts) |
Virtual Racer Feature | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Records PR's - Personal Records (diff than history) | Yes | YEs | Yes | No |
Tidal Tables (Tide Information) | No | No | No | No |
Weather Display (live data) | Yes | Yes | No | No | Navigate | Garmin Forerunner 735XT | Garmin Forerunner 935 | Polar M400 | Polar Vantage V |
Follow GPS Track (Courses/Waypoints) | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Markers/Waypoint Direction | Saved locations only | YEs | No | No |
Routable/Visual Maps (like car GPS) | No | No | No | No |
Back to start | Yes | Yes | Yes | Feb 2019 |
Impromptu Round Trip Route Creation | No | No | No | No |
Download courses/routes from phone to unit | Yes | Yes | No | No | Sensors | Garmin Forerunner 735XT | Garmin Forerunner 935 | Polar M400 | Polar Vantage V |
Altimeter Type | GPS | Barometric | GPS | Barometric |
Compass Type | GPS | Magnetic | GPS | N/A |
Optical Heart Rate Sensor internally | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
SpO2 (aka Pulse Oximetry) | No | No | ||
Heart Rate Strap Compatible | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
ANT+ Heart Rate Strap Capable | Yes | Yes | No | No |
ANT+ Speed/Cadence Capable | Yes | Yes | No | No |
ANT+ Footpod Capable | Yes | Yes | No | No |
ANT+ Power Meter Capable | Yes | Yes | No | No |
ANT+ Lighting Control | Yes | Yes | No | No |
ANT+ Bike Radar Integration | Yes | Yes | No | No |
ANT+ Trainer Control (FE-C) | No | No | nO | No |
ANT+ Remote Control | No | No (can control VIRB though) | No | No |
ANT+ eBike Compatibility | No | No | No | No |
ANT+ Gear Shifting (i.e. SRAM ETAP) | YEs | No | No | |
Shimano Di2 Shifting | Yes | YEs | No | No |
Bluetooth Smart HR Strap Capable | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Bluetooth Smart Speed/Cadence Capable | NO | YEs | No | Yes |
Bluetooth Smart Footpod Capable | nO | YEs | Yes | Yes |
Bluetooth Smart Power Meter Capable | nO | YEs | No | Yes |
Temp Recording (internal sensor) | No | YEs | No | Yes |
Temp Recording (external sensor) | Yes | Yes | No | No | Software | Garmin Forerunner 735XT | Garmin Forerunner 935 | Polar M400 | Polar Vantage V |
PC Application | Garmin Express | Garmin Express | Polar Flowsync | Polar Flowsync - Windows/Mac |
Web Application | Garmin Connect | Garmin Connect | Polar Flow | Polar Flow |
Phone App | iOS/Android/Windows Phone | iOS/Android/Windows Phone | iOS/Android | iOS/Android |
Ability to Export Settings | No | No | No | No | Purchase | Garmin Forerunner 735XT | Garmin Forerunner 935 | Polar M400 | Polar Vantage V |
Amazon | Link | Link | Link | Link |
REI | Link | Link | DCRainmaker | Garmin Forerunner 735XT | Garmin Forerunner 935 | Polar M400 | Polar Vantage V |
Review Link | Link | Link | Link | Link |