Polar Street X Review: Accurate GPS Held Back by Clunky Design and Poor Interface

TechRadar said the Street X succeeds in delivering a number of high-end features, though that implementation is not solid across the board. The reviewer found the interface disappointing and said navigating menus with the buttons was unintuitive and difficult. TechRadar said the rather basic design and poorly implemented interface stand in contrast to sleek alternatives such as the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 8. On the positive side, the watch provides an extensive set of training and health metrics, and its GPS matched the publication’s benchmark during testing. TechRadar added that it wished the GPS locked on more quickly.

The Street X sits alongside Polar’s cheaper Pacer range rather than its more expensive Vantage and Grit series. It is significantly cheaper than the Pacer Pro and only a little more expensive than the Pacer, and it ships in Night Black, Snow White and Forest Green. The device measures 45mm wide and 13.8mm thick, weighs 48g with its strap and 28g without it, and uses a bio-based plastic case and bezel. It has a 1.28-inch AMOLED display protected by Gorilla Glass, supports GPS, Galileo, BeiDou and QZSS, connects over Bluetooth LE and carries a WR50 water-resistance rating. Polar rates battery life at 43 hours in performance training mode and 10 days in smartwatch mode.

TechRadar described the design as a classic shockproof, G-Shock-style watch with a five-button configuration similar to the best Garmin watches. It called the buttons chunky and clunky, and said reaching the top left-side button to move backwards through menus is awkward for a right-hander wearing the watch on the left wrist. Long button presses required to avoid accidental presses were also frustrating, running a second or two longer than needed. Durability credentials include 50-meter water resistance and MIL-STD-810H testing for high and low temperatures, rain, sand, dust and vibration.

The AMOLED display is not large, and the 1.28-inch diameter felt restrictive to TechRadar, particularly because the interface fails to take advantage of the full screen. The watch does include mapping tools for route navigation and mixed-terrain training, although GPS tracking often takes upwards of a minute to lock in. TechRadar said that delay is frustrating at a time when users expect instant results, and that, accuracy aside, the Street X’s running features cannot keep up with Garmin’s dedicated offerings. The publication said it does not expect the watch to feature in its best smartwatches guide.

Among alternatives, TechRadar pointed to the Amazfit Active 3 Premium, which has an AMOLED display and onboard GPS and costs $169.99 / £169.90. The publication awarded it five stars. For Garmin fans, the slightly pricier Forerunner 170 at $299 / £259.99 / AU$479 is worth a look; TechRadar found it “extremely accurate” during treadmill tests despite packing Garmin’s older heart rate sensing technology. The Street X received a value score of 4 out of 5.

Editor's Summary

TechRadar’s review of the Polar Street X finds an accurate GPS, robust design and solid activity and heart-rate tracking in a $249.99 urban smartwatch. The publication says the watch is held back by a poorly designed user interface, clunky buttons and slow GPS lock-on. It places the Street X against cheaper alternatives such as the Amazfit Active 3 Premium and the slightly pricier Garmin Forerunner 170.