Polar Ignite 3 review

The Polar Ignite 3 could be a top sports watch that impresses with its design and intelligence. But unfortunately, sluggish software, some known performance issues, and durability issues overshadow its performance.

New watch from Polar, the Ignite 3, was just unveiled. They’ve gone ahead and integrated their most cutting-edge technology to date into it, despite the fact that it is a watch that is generally targeted at the mid-range price category. In addition to having a multiband/dual-frequency GNSS, which makes the Ignite 3 the first Polar product to have it and puts it on par with Apple, Garmin, COROS, and others, it has a wonderfully attractive AMOLED display with Gorilla Glass 3. you can buy this product from amazon.

Beyond that, Polar has made a limited number of upgrades and modifications, many of which have been long-requested by Polar Ignite model predecessors. These include adding manual laps using the “Slap to lap” method, the Running Test, and the Walking Test.

Further improvements include a faster CPU, customizable watch faces, and an always-on display. Polar will introduce two new features later this month, including “SleepWise,” which it describes as a study of how last night’s sleep will affect the next day, including a prediction of “daytime alertness levels.” The second function is auditory guidance for when you’re training and wearing headphones or utilising the speaker on your phone.

This watch is a media loaner as usual, and it will be returned to Polar. This review is not sponsored, and no corporation has the opportunity to preview anything I assess. I also do not accept advertising fees from the businesses I evaluate. And as frequent readers are aware, regardless of the brand, if something is bad, I’m going to say it like it is. When this unit is returned, I’ll go out and buy my own for any additional testing requirements. If you found this review helpful, you can use the links at the bottom or think about becoming a DCR Supporter, who will gain access to a generally weekly video series that goes behind the scenes at the DCR Cave and keep the site ad-free. You become wonderful as a result, of course.

Polar Ignite 3 review: Design and display

The Polar Ignite 3’s design is what people initially notice about it. With a round face and a detachable strap, it has a generally elegant and fashionable appearance. The watch is available in a variety of colours, but for this review, we’re focusing on the black version. The watch looks fine on most wrists because of its generally thin and light shape. Unfortunately, there is just one size available, so if you have smaller wrists, you might want to choose an alternative.

The significantly enhanced display is the big announcement with the Ignite 3. Given that it has an AMOLED display, you may anticipate vivid colours and deep blacks. You may select from a variety of lighting options as well, but if you plan to use the watch outside, we advise choosing the option with the most brightness. Given that it has a resolution of 416 × 416 pixels, most jobs should be easily accomplished.

Polar Ignite 3 review: Performance

Performance issues plagued Polar’s watches that debuted in 2021, including the Ignite 2. Whatever components Polar packed into its watches, they couldn’t produce the kind of seamless software interactions you’d hoped for. The Ignite 3 promises to address those latency issues similarly to the Polar Pacer Pro by boosting processing power, switching from a 120MHz CPU speed arrangement to a speedier, 192 MHz one in comparison to what was included in the Ignite 2. In terms of memory, it has improved matters by going from 0.64MB to 5MB of RAM.

Do the upgraded internals actually make a noticeable difference Sadly, we have to say no. Swiping to view our notification stream still results in some fairly grating lag. Additionally, the physical button, which is now located more in the middle of the case, responds slowly to software input. Additionally, it can take a while for workouts to be saved, and the watch has at least once unexpectedly rebooted on us.

There is a glaring disparity with how smooth such interactions are when it comes to certain features, like swiping between widgets, which feel relatively smooth. It might not seem like a major deal when considered separately, but when taken as a whole, it makes using the Ignite 3 difficult.

Polar Ignite 3 review: Tracking and features

Polar refers to this as a fitness watch, but it is actually a multisports watch that contains profiles for more than 150 different sporting activities and can track runs, cycles, and swims. With less to provide in terms of navigation, it also has many of the training capabilities found in Polar’s Pacer series of watches.

One unexpected addition is the dual-frequency GPS option, which makes it the first Polar watch to include one. This mode offers more precise positional data while tracking close to tall buildings or during severe weather, when satellite interference might rise.

In terms of performance, we’d say that dual-frequency GPS mode did alright overall, though it didn’t quite measure up to comparable modes on Apple and Amazfit dual-frequency GPS smartwatches. Core metrics like distance tracking and average pace were well matched against the multiband mode on Garmin’s Epix 2 and Marq Athlete Gen 2 watches. The Ignite 3 did still have our GPS traces going through structures in those more difficult regions that were more likely to experience satellite interference.

Polar features the same Precision Prime optical heart rate sensor technology seen in its earlier Ignite watch outside of that dual-frequency GPS mode, although the findings were not always accurate. Average heart rate and maximal heart rate values during several activities were significantly out of sync with an external heart rate monitor. If you’re interested in learning more about your heart rate, you can wirelessly link the watch to an external heart rate monitor.

Additionally, Polar has made features for beginners in fitness. Depending on your prior workout experience, it still offers its fantastic FitSpark advised regimens built around strength, cardio, and supporting activities. It now has voice assistance, which is hardly groundbreaking and mainly just updates you on your workout’s progress. Additionally, you now receive more Polar performance evaluations, which now include walking and running tests to more accurately determine your level of fitness.

Polar Ignite 3 review: Battery life

Based on our testing period, Polar hasn’t changed its mind on the up to 5-day battery life it promised on the first two Ignite watches. The battery drain does average out to be about 20% per day if the screen isn’t set to always-on. The majority of such battery loss occurs during night as a result of the extensive sleep tracking. You will only get little more than a day’s worth of battery life here when the screen is set to always-on.

Polar claims that you can obtain up to 30 hours of GPS battery life while in tracking mode. Battery loss of 5% was seen during an hour of outdoor running while using the highest GPS setting. That would equate to almost 20 hours. You will undoubtedly get closer to the stated 30-hour mark if you switch to the less precise GPS option.

Final Words

Every few years, businesses claim to have created the “thinnest” GPS watch they can. The first Vivoactive from Garmin was popular years ago; this time around, it appears to be Polar’s Ignite 3. Although they primarily emphasise its lightweight design, we doesn’t believe they are specifically claiming that it is the “thinnest GPS watch ever”.

Polar’s robust fitness features, including its 150+ sport modes and, more importantly, its FitSpark capabilities, which offer automatic daily workout suggestions and even secondary suggestions following your primary workout, must strike a balance with all of that. Of course, the price was then balanced.

In terms of battery life, it essentially gets 1.5 days of use in always-on mode. roughly comparable to how an Apple watch, Samsung, or Google Watch would be used in everyday life. Of course, those also offer music, cellular service, app shops, and more at comparable prices (or less). You can get up to 5 days in non-always-on mode, but I haven’t really utilised that setting much.

Dian Erwin
Dian Erwin
Dian Erwin is a review writer for Bollyinside, covering topics related to computing, such as laptops, tablets, phones, and other hardware. Dian spends much too much of his free time on Twitter, reading speculative fiction novels, playing video games, and reading comic books. He also enjoys reading video game manuals.

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This is a good watch, it looks good and wears well as it is a lightweight, small format watch. The screen is amazing and it really makes the most of the Polar menu system and watch faces, which somehow look better on this watch than on any other Polar Watch.Polar Ignite 3 review