Though the black or white options would likely make it less of an eyesore, it’s still not a device that hides itself well. They weren’t wrong - it isn’t a normal watch. While wearing it as our out-and-about watch, strangers never hesitated to comment on the fact that it wasn’t exactly normal-looking. Polar sent us its new green color, and while we like the aesthetic, that particular color makes the watch even more obvious. In other words, its size is notable on normal-sized wrists. It’s 12 millimeters tall, and stands proud from your wrist while being worn.
During the day, it was easy to forget it was even there. Aside from the hardened top and bottom, the straps are soft and shouldn’t cause discomfort, even when tightened for physical activity - something Polar recommends for accurate heart rate tracking. That said, this isn’t a device that’s meant to spend hours on a charger, and despite its plastic construction, it’s very comfortable to wear. It’s clear from a glance that Polar wasn’t intending the M430 to be a pillar of fashion.
If you’re looking for something that’s subtler and could pass for a regular watch, you may want to look at options like the Fitbit Versa or the Apple Watch Series 3. The design calls back to an older breed of GPS fitness trackers, and it’s not afraid to show it. Perhaps Polar’s place is more secure among its peers than we thought. To truly test it of its competence, we spent a few weeks putting the M430 through its paces. Even modern smartwatch brands are in on the action, as well, with the Apple Watch Series 3 providing good fitness tracking in a smartwatch shell.īut with all these options readily available, does a dedicated fitness tracker from industry veteran Polar stand a chance? With limited options for smartwatch-style notifications, but a huge suite of fitness tracking tools, the Polar M430 makes a compelling case for deserving a permanent home on your wrist. Samsung, Fitbit, and Garmin all offer great devices for a wide variety of budgets. Modern shoppers are spoiled for choice when it comes to fitness trackers.