Let me start with an acknowledgment that the cost of top-tier multisport GPS smartwatches is eye-watering, yet this new Coros Pace Pro manages to bring the best tech and genuinely long battery life a bit more into reach. The generally more affordable Coros Pace family of GPS-tracking multi-sport smartwatches goes Pro with a new top model promising an improved display, faster processor, and all-around improved performance. Plus, it keeps the Coros core of super long battery life – up to 38 hours of GPS activity tracking or 20 days of regular smartwatch use – light weight from just 37g, and affordability…
Well at $350, at least it’s relatively affordable compared to the top-tier multi-sport watches from trusted brands…
Coros Pace Pro affordable premium GPS smartwatch
A year ago, I only really knew of Coros anecdotally as a smartwatch brand used by ultra-distance runners because of the watches’ light weight, GPS accuracy, and super-long activity-tracking battery life, and their relative low-cost compared to the legacy names in sport trackers.
Then we heard at the start of 2024 that Coros was preparing to bring their low-cost, lightweight & super long runtime strategy to cycling, my interest was piqued. Even before we got any details on what would become their $250 Dura GPS cycling computer with awesome 120-hour battery life. So I wanted to try out their Pace family of smartwatches to see how they worked on- and off-the-bike.
So, I strapped a Pace 3 around my wrist and have pretty much not used another smartwatch since. Its in-app and on-watch menu navigation took me a while to get used to (mostly because these days new devices don’t come with much in the way of explanatory operating instruction manuals). But once I figured it out (and flipped the watch’s band & its electronic face around 180° so that my wrist didn’t accidentally press the pause button during activities), I’ve been perfectly happy with the Pace for tracking runs, mountain bike rides, hikes, XC skiing & spilt-boarding. Plus, generally tracking my fitness, sleep & recovery when I want to know more.
And now, there’s a faster, brighter, more powerful Pace Pro that does everything I already love with the regular Pace 3 better, plus the mapping capabilities of smartwatches more than 2x as expensive.
Comparing it to the Pace 3
I know you might not know the $230 Pace 3 that I already use, but it has excellent GPS tracking capabilities. It is thin, smooth-edged & weighs just 40g. And I only have to charge it really once-a-week when I use it to track rides, or could go 2 weeks when I am tracking cycling activity with by Wahoo Elemnt Roam or more recently with the Coros Dura (which coincidentally has the same display just with touch added). Really, I usually stick it in the charger every other time I hop in the shower for 15 minutes or so, and it is always charged.
So what’s new?
So, now the more powerful Pace Pro gets a 3x better resolution AMOLED vs. LCD that is also brighter and can be always on. It has a 2x faster processor, 3x more RAM, 8x bigger memory, 3x faster WiFi up/download speeds, and new full mapping & navigation capabilities.
Plus, it still has the same 38-hour GPS-tracking runtime, but now with all GPS systems tracking at the same time for increased accuracy thanks to a 46% higher capacity battery. That also means that everyday use tracking lasts 33% longer for 20 days of regular stress & sleep tracking between charges. Coros says the Pace Pro is 4mm bigger in diameter, half a millimeter thicker, and 7g heavier (10g heavier comparing the standard silicone watchbands) – all minimal enough changes to probably feel the same around your wrist. Although, I do hope to test out the new watch soon to see how I like the updates.
One other upgrade from Coros’ more-premium Vertix expedition family of watches is a new ECG sensor, presumably for better exercise recovery analytics. And with that, I think the only thing that the $700 Vertix 2S does better than this Pace Pro would be its much longer runtime.
Lastly, the Pace Pro upgrades to a new USB-C charging cable with a dongle that will fit on a keychain, for what appears to be another new proprietary charging interface, but an improved port for better connection.
Ultra-long runtimes
- 345mAh battery
- All GPS systems active battery life: 38 hours, 28hr with Always-On display, 10hr with Always-on & offline music playing
- Dual Frequency GPS tracking reduces to 31hr, 24hr & 10hr, respectively
- Daily Use & Sleep Tracking battery life: 20 Days or 6 Days with Always-On display
- Less than 2hr complete charging time
Tech details
- 1.3” 416x416px always-on full-color AMOLED Display, 1500 Nit auto-adjusting brightness
- Scratch-resistant mineral glass screen
- Fiber-reinforced polymer bezel & body
- stainless steel Digital Dial control button & separate back button
- All-Satellite Dual-Frequency GNSS Chipset for tracking (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou, QZSS)
- 5 LED 4 photodetector optical Heart Rate sensor
- optical Pulse Oximeter for blood oxygen level tracking (SPO2)
- barometric altimeter, accelerometer, gyroscope, 3D-compass, environmental thermometer, and new Electrocardiogram sensor
- downloadable Global Landscape maps or Regional Topo maps for navigation
- Compatible with 3rd Party Apps: Strava, Komoot, Training Peaks, Apple Health, Ride with GPS, Rouvy, and 40+ more including many running training apps
- Bluetooth & WiFi connectivity, with over-the-air updates
- 32GB internal memory (1200hr of Activity tracking)
- water-resistant to 5ATM (50m depth)
- 46mm diameter crown x 12.25mm thick
- 22mm quick-release band
- 49.1g typical weight with standard silicone watchband (just 37.1g with nylon band)
Coros Pace Pro – Pricing, options & availability
Again, smart GPS multi-sport watches with a full suite of sensors and full mapping capabilities are expensive. The top Garmin Epix, Polar Grit X2 Pro, Suunto Vertical, or even Apple Watch Ultra 2 all start at over $800. So while not exactly cheap, Coros’ new Pace Pro is certainly more in-reach for someone looking for a do-it-all smartwatch.
The new Coros Pace Pro multi-sport GPS smartwatch sells for $350 / 400€ direct from Coros with a silicone band standard, in your choice of black, light gray, or navy blue. It is available not, although only in black, with the other colors and optional $29 matching lightweight nylon watchbands shipping later this month.
