To help you decide, we’ve put together a side-by-side comparison of the Polar Grit X Pro and Garmin Forerunner 945.
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Table of Contents
Polar Grit X Pro VS Garmin Forerunner 945: General Comparison:
| Product Name | Polar Grit X Pro | Garmin Forerunner 945 |
| Price | About $500 | About $600 |
| Predecessor | Polar Grit X | Forerunner 935 |
| Models | 47mm | Polar Grit X Pro, Titan | 47mm | Forerunner 945, Forerunner 945 LTE |
| Release Date | October 2021 | April 2019 |
| Parent Company | Polar | Garmin |
| Operating System | Proprietary OS | Garmin OS |
| Compatibility | Android, iOS | Android, IOS |
| Competition | Suunto 9, Garmin Forerunner 935 | |
| Suitable For | Fitness/Sport smartwatch | Primarily Sports |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, Gyro, Barometer, HRM, Ambient Light, Altimeter, Compass, Calories, running cadence and power sensors, cycling speed, cadence and power sensors | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, Garmin Elevate™ Wrist Heart Rate Monitor, Barometric Altimeter, Compass, Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Thermometer, Pulse Ox Blood Oxygen Saturation Monitor |
Polar Grit X Pro VS Garmin Forerunner 945: Price
When it comes to price, the Polar Grit X Pro is more affordable than the Garmin Forerunner 945. The Grit X Pro is now discounted to its lowest price yet, with savings of up to $100 on the device.
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However, Forerunner 945 would almost cost almost $600 whereas the Grit X Pro would only cost about $500. So, if you’re looking for a GPS running watch and price is a consideration, the Grit X Pro is a better option.
Polar Grit X Pro VS Garmin Forerunner 945: Design and Display
| Polar Grit X Pro | Garmin Forerunner 945 | |
| Dimensions, Weight | 47 x 47 x 13 mm | Total Weight: 79g, Without Wristband: 47g | 47 x 47 x 13.7 mm, 50 g |
| Band Size | 22mm | 22 mm |
| Build materials | Stainless steel case (with diamond-like carbon coating on Black DLC version), FKM Fluoroelastomer strap | fiber-reinforced polymer |
| Colors | Black, Green+black, Green+silver, White | Black |
| Waterproofing | 10ATM | 5 ATM |
| Display Size | 1.2 inch | 1.2″ (30.4 mm) diameter |
| Screen Type & Resolution | sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) |240×240 | sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP), 240 x 240 pixels |
| Pixel Per Inch | 282.8 PPI | 283 PPI |
| Screen Protection | Sapphire glass lens with anti-fingerprint coating | Corning Gorilla Glass DX |
| Always-on Display | Yes | Yes |
| Rotating Bezel | No | No |
When it comes to design, the Polar Grit X Pro and Garmin Forerunner 945 are very similar. Both watches have a 47mm case and a 22mm band. The Grit X Pro is available in four different colors, while the Forerunner 945 is only available in black.
The Grit X Pro is made of stainless steel, while the Forerunner 945 is made of fiber-reinforced polymer. The Grit X Pro has a diamond-like carbon coating on the Black DLC version, and the Forerunner 945 does not.
The Grit X Pro is waterproof up to 10ATM, while the Forerunner 945 is only waterproof up to 5ATM.
When it comes to design, the Grit X Pro is a better option. It is available in more colors, has a higher waterproof rating, and is made of more durable materials.
The Grit X Pro and Forerunner 945 have the same display size, resolution, and PPI. Both feature a 1.2-inch Display size, 240 x 240 pixels resolution, and 283 PPI.
Both watches have sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) displays which help them conserve battery.
The Grit X Pro has an advantage when it comes to screen protection. It has a sapphire glass lens with an anti-fingerprint coating. The Forerunner 945 is protected by Gorilla Glass.
However, both watches do not come with a rotating bezel like the Samsung smartwatches.
Polar Grit X Pro VS Garmin Forerunner 945: Smartwatch Features
| Polar Grit X Pro | Garmin Forerunner 945 | |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth | Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi |
| Companion App | Polar Flow app | CONNECT IQ |
| Storage | N/A | Up to 1000 songs |
| Processor | N/A | N/A |
| RAM | N/A | N/A |
| Notification Alert | Yes | Yes |
| Calendar, Weather | Yes | Yes |
| Offline Spotify | No | Yes |
| Timer & Alarm | Yes | Yes |
| Customizable Watch Faces | Yes | No |
| Voice Assistant | No | No |
| Music Storage, Control | No | Yes |
| Third-Party Apps | Yes | Yes |
| Make calls, send texts & Emails | No | Yes |
| Browse Web | No | N/A |
| Contactless Payment | No | Yes (Garmin Pay) |
The Grit X Pro has some basic smartwatch features like the ability to connect to Bluetooth, the Polar Flow app, notifications, weather, and a timer. However, it does not have features like music storage, control, or the ability to make calls and send texts.
The Forerunner 945 has all of the same features as the Grit X Pro, plus some additional features like music storage, the ability to make calls and send texts, and contactless payment.
If you’re looking for a smartwatch with more features, the Garmin Forerunner 945 is the better option. However, if you don’t need all of the bells and whistles, the Grit X Pro is a more affordable option.
Polar Grit X Pro VS Garmin Forerunner 945: Health and Fitness Feature
| Polar Grit X Pro | Garmin Forerunner 945 | |
| Built-in GPS | Yes (GPS, GLONASS,Galileo, QZSS) | Yes (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo) |
| Heart Rate Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep | Yes | Yes |
| Stress | Yes | Yes |
| Blood Oxygen | No | Yes |
| ECG | No | No |
| Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis | No | No |
| Steps, Calories | Yes | Yes |
| Menstrual cycle | Yes | Yes |
| Sport Mode | 20+ | Yes |
| Sync Data With Strava, Apple Health | Yes | Yes |
The Grit X Pro and Forerunner 945 have similar health and fitness features. Both watches have built-in GPS, heart rate tracking, sleep tracking, stress tracking, and the ability to sync data with Strava and Apple Health.
The Forerunner 945 has an advantage when it comes to blood oxygen tracking. It is the only watch of the two that has this feature. However, both smartwatches do not have ECG or Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis.
Polar Grit X Pro VS Garmin Forerunner 945: Battery Life
| Polar Grit X Pro | Garmin Forerunner 945 | |
| Battery Performance | Training mode: up to 40h (with full GPS and wrist-based HR tracking), Watch mode: up to 7 days (with continuous activity and wrist-based HR tracking), Power-save modes in training: up to 100h | Smartwatch Mode: Up to 2 weeks GPS mode with music: Up to 10 hours, GPS mode without music: Up to 36 hours |
| Battery Size | 346 mAh | Not specified |
| Charger Type | Charging dock | USB Type-A Port |
| Fast Charging | Yes (an hour or 45 minutes to fully charge) | No(Takes 2 hours) |
When it comes to battery performance the Polar Grit X Pro has three modes: training, smartwatch, and power-save. In training mode, the watch can last up to 40 hours with full GPS and wrist-based HR tracking.
In smartwatch mode, the watch can last up to 7 days with continuous activity and wrist-based HR tracking. The power-save mode can last up to 100 hours.
Whereas, the Garmin Forerunner 945 has two modes: smartwatch and GPS. In smartwatch mode, the watch can last up to 2 weeks. In GPS mode with music, the watch can last up to 10 hours. And in GPS mode without music, the watch can last up to 36 hours.
Moreover, the charger type of Grit X Pro is a charging dock while Forerunner 945 uses a USB Type-A port. Lastly, the Grit X Pro can be fully charged in an hour or 45 minutes while it takes 2 hours for the Forerunner 945.
Final Words
The Polar Grit X Pro is a great smartwatch for those who are looking for a durable watch with basic smartwatch features. It is also a more affordable option than the Garmin Forerunner 945.
The Forerunner 945 is the better choice for those who are looking for a smartwatch with more features like music storage and the ability to make calls and send texts. It also has a longer battery life in GPS mode. Also, the watch has more health and fitness features like blood oxygen tracking.