CHF217.–
Polar Ignite 3
43 mm
Product ratings
Pros
Cons
22 reviews
Good hardware, garbage firmware
Replaced my old Forerunner 35 with this watch. Also have an Apple Watch as a comparison.
Hardware-wise no complaints except for the strap that has a funny texture on the outside that immediately collected all dust on the table and all loose skin particles from the arm. It is comfortable, just doesn't look as clean after 10 seconds of use.
However the firmware is ... raw, to put it mildly.
*** An update, 07.2024, a year after the purchase ***
In short - I would not buy it again and will advice everyone against buying it.
1. Swim tracking is completely broken. 2 km swim in 50 m pool can be tracked as anything between 1.6 and 4.2 km.
2. Run tracking is also broken. Running several km and arriving at the same point shows 50 m elevation gain. The watch will also sometimes report 800 m distance as a kilometer. Both with full GPS lock.
3. The UI is laggy and really finicky. Selecting anything while running is next to impossible, because screen taps are registered as attempts to scroll the screen. "Lift arm to switch on the screen" doesn't work reliably. Absolutely glaring usability issues that should've been fixed well before they shipped the watch.
3b. The UI lacks polish and attention to detail. So much so that one of the default screens has hour and minute digits overlapping.
4. Tech support is awful. Average reply time is 2-3 months and when they do reply it's a templated answer.
5. Software updates are shipped 2-3 times a years. They keep piling up some random features, but they never fix any existing issues.
Additionally, if you read around the Internet, it's clear that the company is not doing well in general. Hence all the issues. I'd strongly encourage you to stay away and look at other vendors.Pro
- Very light
- Excellent screen
- Excellent HR sensor
Contra
- Garbage firmware
- Laggy user interface
- Tap interface is a disaster
- Some of core functions don't work reliably
- Feels like the developers never bothered to actually use the watch
This review was created for a different variant: Ignite 3 (43 mm)
not recommended
Basically good for a sports watch. Some cool features: Battery lasts well (approx. 5-7 days when training 4 times a week). The integrated training sessions are interesting and OK. Body temperature measurement OK. Nightly recharge OK. (uncomfortable for sleeping). Reminder to exercise. No extras, depends on what you need. The synchronisation with the iPhone never worked right from the start and it only helps to switch the watch off completely and then on again, after which you can synchronise it, so very tedious and time-consuming. The touchscreen is also not good, sometimes it doesn't recognise touches at all or simply slips. Pairing with a device is also very laborious and only worked after several attempts. Not suitable for swimming (crawl swimming), it doesn't recognise the lanes, the sensor only recognises them if every movement is exactly the same. If I hadn't had a discount code, I wouldn't have bought it. I don't really recommend this watch, you need a lot of nerve to be able to use it.
Pro
- Activity profile
- Waterproof
- Screen size
Contra
- Very poor synchronisation
- Poor sensor when swimming
- Touch screen
- uncomfortable
This review was created for a different variant: Ignite 3 (43 mm)
Good sports watch
If you are looking for a good sports watch and don't want to pay for the top model, this watch is a good choice.
Pro
- Price-performance ratio
- Pleasant to wear
- Many functions
- Really records everything
Contra
- None
Good product
Super good, like the predecessors, only the recording of sleep can sometimes not correspond to reality (I sometimes collect steps - that can't be).
Polar ignite 3
Clear image clear icons
Pro
- Fine smartwach
- Waterproof
- Clear screen
Contra
- Miss some icons
Watch good, app poorly implemented
Pro
- Elegant design
- Bracelets last for a while
- Measurements are very accurate
Contra
- The app is not very sophisticated
- No payment with clock possible
- the selection of dials is a little poor
- Many functions which I don't need at all
- Incorrect synchronisation with Google Fit
Polar Ignite 3
Would like to have a view with only hart rate monitoring with big numbers for quick viewing. With that I would give 5 starts rating.
Pro
- Very nice display
- Battery life
- Bluetooth connecting is good
- Price
Contra
- Internal heart rate monitor not accurate, need external sensor for training.
- Hart rate monitor view have too small numbers for quick viewing.
Simple but good
Offers the functions of a smartwatch that I really need, but is primarily a sports watch.
Pro
- good readability
- decent battery life
Contra
- No payment function
This review was created for a different variant: Ignite 3 (43 mm)
Super delivery service - perfect
Pro
- Very light, uncomplicated
Contra
- Connection to smartphone does not work properly
This review was created for a different variant: Ignite 3 (43 mm)
Good product, good price/performance ratio
Beautiful watch
Good price. Purchase is recommended.
Pro
- With all the bells and whistles
Contra
- None
This review was created for a different variant: Ignite 3 (43 mm)
Function good, Displey always dims (annoying economy mode)
The dimming of the display when stopping the time is very annoying.
Display dims within 3 seconds.Pro
- Simple setting
Contra
- Permanent dimming of the display
- Time display is very dark (when in standby mode)
This review was created for a different variant: Ignite 3 (43 mm)
Quite good for friends of comprehensive biofeedback
This review was created for a different variant: Ignite 3 (43 mm)
Very high number of steps
Visually very nice. In my opinion, it counts a very high number of steps. During the night it indicates 20-30 steps, the next time I go to the toilet another 200...in reality it is about 15 steps...I have made an enquiry to Polar. Answer still in progress.
Pro
- Visually very attractive, relatively simple operation
Contra
- Counts a very high number of steps
This review was created for a different variant: Ignite 3 (43 mm)
I'm happier with the Fitbit that costs half as much
I wanted to buy a better fitness watch and therefore decided in favour of Polar. Unfortunately, it was the wrong product for me. I have now switched back to Fitbit.
Pro
- Simple operation
Contra
- Expensive
- Poor battery life
- Inaccurate information
This review was created for a different variant: Ignite 3 (43 mm)
Beautiful product, works well but syncronication is a nightmare
The synchronization with the phone (iphone) is terrible. The troubleshooting is time-consuming. You need to remove the app and reinstall, login, and Bluetooth back and forth. And the only thing you want to do is to sync your watch with your phone, which is a daily activity. I also have a polar vantage 2. The synchronization is not the easiest; sometimes, you may need to run several attempts to get it, but it is far better than with this product. Besides that, it is a beautiful and well-functioning sports watch.
Pro
- Very attractive
- Function well
- Deliver what expected from this device
Contra
- Syncronication with the phone is a constant nightmare.
Tiptop
Nothing to complain about!
polar Ignit3
Pro
- does its job
- light
- pretty screen
Contra
- price
This review was created for a different variant: Ignite 3 (43 mm)
Very good product and Galaxus is top notch👍
This review was created for a different variant: Ignite 3 (43 mm)
Top, but .....
I've always had a Fitbit Versa, but it's not really waterproof (despite being suitable for swimming). Each one was defective at some point. So I needed a new version. Polar also seemed like a good choice visually. I now have more functions and a lot of analyses - that's great! However, the Ignite 3 doesn't count the lanes correctly when swimming - despite presetting the lane length. I can (still) live with this, as I'm not incredibly ambitious. But it would be nice if Polar could get this under control, because otherwise the watch is a great alternative to many trackers out there.
Pro
- Many analyses
- beautiful design
- Long battery
- Lightweight and comfortable to wear
Contra
- the lanes are not counted correctly when swimming
Polar Ignite 3
Best watch I have so far.
Designed for hobby athletes and fitness-conscious people.
It has many functions that you need in your fitness life.
Powerful and sharp display, easy to use.
I'm very happy with it.
Can only recommend it.This review was created for a different variant: Ignite 3 (43 mm)
