Garmin - MARQ Athlete (Gen 2) vs Polar - Grit X2 Pro

These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (45.3 vs 42.6). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.

Pick the MARQ Athlete (Gen 2) if you care most about smartwatch mode. The biggest gaps in its favor are smartwatch mode.

Pick the Grit X2 Pro if you care most about gps mode. Its strongest claims are gps mode.

Both ship with comparable multi-band gps, solar charging, ecg, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.

Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.