Comparing Polar’s RCX5 with Garmin’s FR610
The search for the best sports watch just became more difficult with the introduction of two impressive multi-sports watches in the Polar RCX5 and the Garmin Forerunner 610. Most Polar RCX5 reviews are unanimous in listing the benefits of the Polar RCX5 but the Garmin 610 Forerunner reviews aren’t far behind either. In the end, it boils down to the specific preferences of the clients and how each watch adequately fills these needs and in that regard there is a need to research the features of both these watches in detail so you can buy the product that’s best for your needs.
In terms of general expectations related to sports watches, both products are more than sufficient. Polar RCX5 reviews appreciate the major improvements Polar has made in the area of GPS accuracy and reliability and marrying it into Polar’s long standing expertise in the heart rate monitor department. On the other end of the spectrum is Garmin’s obvious and continuing dominance in GPS signal delivery and the addition of Garmin’s Hotfix technology which improves GPS signal acquisition by leaps and bounds only serves to highlight that streak. Considering both GPS and Heart Rate Monitor functions, we give the slight edge to the Garmin Forerunner 610 but only because we’re the kind of people that hate having to wait for a watch to be ready for a run. Those extra 20 seconds that Garmin saves in GPS signal acquisition is a definite winner but to be honest, not much separates these two watches in terms of GPS and heart rate monitoring functions.
The next area of consideration are the accessories included in the base package; while both Garmin FR610 and Polar RCX5 sell for $400 a piece, they do not necessarily contain the same kinds of accessories for the standard offer. Polar RCX5 reviews support that Polar offers the watch, the G5 GPS sensor, the stride sensor, the wireless USB download stick and the heart rate monitor in the introductory box while the Garmin 610 Forerunner only includes the watch, the USB stick, the heart rate sensor and the charging cord. In this regard we give the slight edge to the Polar RCX5. However, except for the absence of the stride sensor we feel that Garmin didn’t give up anything in this regard so that’s a conclusion we’ll best leave to the reader. Besides, the extra $50 you spend on buying a Garmin stride sensor can also be realistically spent elsewhere had it been included in the base package.
As a last point of comparison, we look at two of the most recent additions to the Garmin and Polar watches. The Garmin 610 Forerunner is fully touch screen capable even if you wear thick winter gloves. It’s the first of its kind in the sporting watch industry. The Polar RCX5 counters with a hands-free navigation system which is limited in some respects; you only need to put the watch close to the heart rate sensor and if flips the data pages accordingly. It’s nifty but we don’t think it has the necessary juice to compare to the Garmin 610 Forerunner. Of course, Polar is also clever enough to eliminate the need for battery charging instead opting for a battery that lasts 8 to 11 months before needing replacement. Compared to the Garmin’s incessant need for juice, this is a definite plus.
We leave everything to the informed reader to make a conscious and personal decision. Regardless of your choice, we are confident you can never go wrong with any of these selections.
