Measure the calories of activity on extended trips and on vacation, keep track of your daily sport workout at home and wear a smart wristwatch on your wrist in everyday work - that's what most wearers of smartwatches mean by now. Many multisport watches are real all-rounders and are completely crammed with sensors and functions - and most of them are quite big blocks on the wrist. The Polar Unite is more of a fitness watch for those who don't want to feel their timepiece at all. We took a close look at the smartwatch in our Polar Unite test and introduced you to all the key strengths and weaknesses of the wearable.

A wristwatch is a status symbol, especially for men. This also applies to electronic ones Sports Watches, which are now not only worn in sports, but in every situation Journeys, at exclusive dinners with friends as well as at home and in the office, the Sport-Watch has to look good and may have the largest possible case. The Polar Unite is very different - quite different from the larger one Polar Grit, which has significantly more functions and a much larger housing.

The small Unite fitness watch is a delicate and feather-light alternative for everyone who doesn't want to make a big splash with their watch and is still the most important one Sports Watch features want to use. A smartwatch for people who want to get fitter, slow down and seek more balance in their lives - a “personal assistant on the way to more fitness,” writes the manufacturer.

Video – Polar Unite Test

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For 100 different sports

While over 100 different sports can be selected to improve fitness, the watch is aimed very much at wellness fans. The Fitness Watch helps users relax with breathing exercises. The comprehensive sleep analysis is intended to help give the wearer more information about their sleep and to help improve sleep quality in the long term. Overall, the small and light smartwatch includes a surprising number of functions and is therefore suitable for numerous areas of application, as our Polar Unite test showed.

Personal assistant on the way to more fitness

manufacturer's instructions

Is the watch suitable for you?

Whether the sports smartwatch is suitable for the respective user depends entirely on the wearer's preferences. On the one hand, you can use the sports watch independently without setting it up on your smartphone, which many users appreciate. On the other hand, the range of functions is then significantly limited. A major disadvantage, which is probably due to the compact design, is that the Smartwatch does not have an integrated GPS, but uses GPS via smartphone to determine speed, distance and route.

For example, something like this doesn't bother me at all because I always carry my smartphone with me anyway. Other carriers, for example, would like to go without a cell phone to go jogging want - then the recording with the Fitness Watch would be inaccurate. What else I noticed about the multisport watch, you will learn in the further course of my Polar Unite test. All strengths and weaknesses of the Wearables can be found below.

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The most important features and functions of the Polar Unite

A quick overview

• the Polar Unite is a small and light fitness smartwatch with pulse measurement on the wrist and sleep tracking
• Despite the extremely compact design, the sports watch offers numerous current functions
• The most important features of the Polar Unite at a glance
  • optical pulse measurement on the wrist
  • Sports profiles for recording over 100 sports
  • detailed sleep tracking
  • Breathing exercises with animations
  • Calorie consumption, recovery monitoring, fitness test
  • Training instructions
  • particularly slim design
  • GPS via smartphone
  • Notifications from your smartphone

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First impression – Polar Unite in the test

The manufacturer didn't promise too much with the Sport Watch: Above all, the Polar Unite is small and light and fits well in the hand and on the wrist. The first thing I notice is the very high-quality bracelet, which is made of silicone like many other smartwatches, but has a push-button clasp and an attractive surface structure.

The Polar Unite itself is very flat, the housing is black and the sensor on the back looks - similar to the Polar Grit X, different from other manufacturers - somehow more futuristic. Exciting so far.

After switching on, the sports watch can be set up within seconds using the Polar Flow app. The watch's software is also updated first - this is always a good sign, because it usually means that the manufacturer releases frequent firmware updates to keep the watch up to date.

After a few minutes the fitness watch is ready to go. And my first walk through the menu is also quite promising. In no time I figured out the navigation and found my way around the clock. Also positive: the heart rate is recorded continuously. When compared to my reference device, it is very precise and hardly deviates. All in all, the fitness smartwatch leaves a very positive first impression.

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Who is the Polar Unite for?

The Polar Unite is an entry-level smartwatch for anyone who wants to improve their fitness and do more for their well-being. It is ideal for anyone who exercises regularly and wants to record their activities in the office and at home. After all, exercise is also important for anyone who has to sit a lot in everyday life. The watch is small, light and inconspicuous. It is therefore ideal for everyone who does not want to use a wristwatch as a status symbol, but because of its versatile functions.

It is also aimed at everyone who wants to increase their well-being and want more wellness in their life - the breathing exercises and sleep analysis are intended to help the wearer feel significantly more comfortable in their own skin. It is therefore clear which trips the sports watch is best suited for: wellness holidays and beach holidays are the preferred travel themes. The Fitness Watch is of course also ideal for jogging on the beach or for counting steps on a city trip.

Active holidays and adventure holidays with hiking, mountaineering and climbing are of course also conceivable, but in such cases I would recommend the Polar Grit X, which we also tested. Basically, the watch is suitable for many purposes, as I found in this Polar Unite test report.

Strengths and weaknesses of the Polar Unite

In my Polar Unite test, the fitness smartwatch showed many strengths and also some weaknesses. The watch's light and delicate casing was particularly impressive in the test. When you wear the smartwatch, it's hardly noticeable; it's easy to forget that you're even wearing it. At the same time, a surprising number of sports are supported by the watch. Over 100 different sports modes are available to users. Functionality often suffers, especially with small and inexpensive smart watchers - especially heart rate measurement.

It's all the more pleasing that the Polar Unite offers reliable heart rate measurement directly on your wrist - around the clock. The second important feature is the extensive sleep analysis, which offers wearers various evaluation options and enables them to improve sleep quality in the long term. The fitness smartwatch also offers guided breathing exercises for wellness fans and anyone looking for more relaxation.

The overall package is perfect with this Sport Watch, as all of these functions are available at a comparatively low starting price, which was recently less than 150 euros at some retailers. This makes this model from the manufacturer Polar an ideal entry-level sports watch.

However, the quite solid strengths are also offset by some weaknesses. For example, the smartwatch does not have OLED or AMOLED. The menu navigation on the small clock is quite good, but it could be a little clearer for some users and perhaps offer a few more setting options. On the other hand, the fitness watch does not have a pulse oximeter, so the oxygen saturation in the blood is only estimated. I also think that the Polar Flow app could use a visual update.

However, their functionality is generally fine – at least under iOS 13 and 14 with an iPhone. What is generally pleasing is that you can set up this smartwatch completely without a smartphone. However, if you want to use the watch's full functionality, it must be used with your smartphone, the Polar Flow app and a Polar account. The procedure is actually similar for all major manufacturers. Overall, the Polar Unite made a very solid impression in the test - especially in view of the exciting pricing.

Power

• lightweight and filigree fitness watch with high-quality housing
• many supported sports
• reliable measurement of the heart rate directly on the wrist
• an extensive sleep analysis
• guided breathing exercises
• a comparatively low starting price
• ideal sports watch for beginners

weaknesses

• no OLED or AMOLED display
• the menu navigation could be a bit clearer and the setting options are quite limited
• no pulse oximeter - blood oxygen saturation is only estimated
• the Polar Flow app could use an optical update
• you have to create a Polar account to set up and use the watch fully (this is also the case with many other manufacturers)

Rating – Polar Unite in the test

Processing, materials and optics

Display and operation

Features

Precision of the measurement results

Versatility of application areas

Value for money

overall impression

Average rating 7,7

The evaluation is purely subjective and only reflects my own experience with the smartwatch.

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Technical data table – Polar Unite

	Technology used
Main material	Glass fiber reinforced polymer housing - material: 43,4 x 43,4 x 10,4 mm
Cover glass material	Asahi glass cover slip
Bezel material	no bezel - stainless steel button
Bracelet material	Silicone, optional: woven bracelets
Display	Color touch display (IPS TFT) with ambient light sensor (ALS) and 240x240 resolution
Touchscreen	Ja
Color variants of the smartwatch	Black with different colored bracelets
Clock functions	Time and date, alarm clock with snooze function, stopwatch and countdown timer
Fitness tracking	Recovery analysis, training, sleep analysis, pedometer, calorie consumption
Activity features	Training instructions, breathing exercises, training diary via the Polar Flow app
Focus	Multisport with over 100 sports programs - running, swimming, cycling and many more
Indoor tracking functions	All common indoor training such as strength training, cardio training and cross trainer training, yoga, Pilates and breathing exercises
Heart rate measurement on the wrist	Optical heart sensor
Pulse oximeter	No
water resistance	Waterproof to a depth of 30 meters (ISO 22810) - suitable for showering, swimming and snorkeling
Battery Life	Up to 50 hours in training mode and up to four days in watch mode
Position tracking	GPS via smartphone
Sensors	Optical heart rate sensor
SmartWatch features	Notifications
Compatibility	iPhone, Android
Connections	Bluetooth Low Energy
Weight	32 grams
Features	Standalone mode - usable without setup on the smartphone. However, a smartphone, the Polar Flow app and a Polar customer account are required to use the wearable in full

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Polar Unite – delicate fitness smartwatch for everyday life and travel?

My conclusion

For all those who don't want to have a big smartwatch block on their wrists and don't need an electronic sports watch that is packed to the brim with the latest functions, the light and filigree Polar Unite is exactly the right fitness watch. The small smartwatch is an all-rounder that with its numerous fitness functions, sleep analysis and a focus on Recovery scores. The sports watch is also the ideal companion when traveling and is perfect for doing your rounds on vacation, cycling, swimming or just doing the right thing Destination to discover.

If you want to practice more demanding sports and go climbing, mountaineering or hiking on an active holiday or adventure holiday, you should take a look at the large and often slightly more expensive outdoor watches. Most average athletes who are looking for a stylish multisport watch for everyday use are well served by the small United. The watch performed solidly in our Polar Unite test and can definitely be recommended for purchase.

I bought the tested model myself. My Polar Unite review is therefore independent and based on the experience I had with the sports watch when trying it out. 

Polar Unite review - are you already using a fitness smartwatch or are you planning to purchase one? Share your experience in the comments.

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