Comparison summary

There Garmin Forerunner 255 is more complete for versatile athletes: double band GPS, advanced health monitoring, longer autonomy. It shines with its solid ecosystem and its precision. (»See the test here, from the Garmin Forerunner 255)

There Polar Pace Prolighter and finer, excels for demanding runners. Its race analysis is more advanced, its minimalist ergonomics appeal to purists. It is also more affordable. (»Discover, our test of the Polar Pace Pro)

Comparison by categories

1. Design & Comfort

• Form: Round for both
• Case size: Garmin 41/46 mm, thriller 45 mm
• Thickness: Garmin 12.9 mm, thriller 11.5 mm
• Weight: Garmin 39g/49g, thriller 41g
• Box material: reinforced polymer vs reinforced plastic
• Bracelet: interchangeable silicone on both
• Glass: Gorilla Glass 3 on both

2. Screen

• Size: Garmin 1.3 ″ (m), polar 1.2 ″
• Technology: Transflective Mip on both
• Resolution: Garmin 260x260, thriller 240x240
• Always-on: yes on both
• Tactile: No on both

3. Sensors

• Cardio Optics: Yes
• Sppo2: Garmin yes, polar no
• Altimeter: yes on both
• Bousson: yes on both
• Gyroscope & Accelero: Yes on both

4. Sports functions

• Sports profiles: Garmin +30, Polar ~ 20
• Training programs: Yes
• VO2max: Yes
• Stride analysis: basic garmin, advanced thriller
• Wrist power: thriller only

5. Health

• Sleep: yes
• Stress & breathing: Garmin only
• Menstrual cycle: Garmin only
• Body Battery VS Recovery Pro: Garmin & Polar respectively

6. Navigation & GPS

• GPS: Double band garmin, simple thriller
• GNSS: the two very complete
• Navigation turn: Polar only
• GPX: Yes

7. Connectivity

• Bluetooth: Yes
• Wi-Fi: no
• Ant+: Garmin only
• NFC: None

8. Autonomy

• Watch mode: Garmin 14J, thriller 7d
• GPS: Garmin 30h, Polar 35h
• Complete recharging: Garmin ~ 1h45, Polar ~ 2h

9. Notifications & Smart

• Notifies calls/SMS: Yes
• Quick responses: Garmin Android only
• Voice assistant: no

10. Interface & personalization

• Watchfes: Yes
• Navigation: 5 buttons
• Language FR: Yes

11. Resistance

• Waterproofing: 5 ATM
• Outdoor use: very good on both

12. Ecosystem & App

• App: Garmin Connect vs Polar Flow
• Third -party apps (Strava, Komoot): Yes

13. Price

• Public price: Garmin 349 €, Polar 299 €
• Real price 2025: Garmin ~ 299 €, Polar ~ 229 €
• Quality/price ratio: Polar advantage