The COROS PACE Pro is the brand new mid-range operating watch to beat

The COROS PACE Pro’s standout function is its new AMOLED show, but it surely additionally added a brand new satellite tv for pc chipset, redesigned Global Positioning System antenna, and an “improved watch physique design for extra correct HR” than previous COROS watches. I made a decision to place these Global Positioning System and HR enhancements to the take a look at towards a high-end Garmin watch and a Polar H10 chest strap.

The COROS PACE Pro has different upgrades over the PACE 3, equivalent to a sooner CPU, greater buttons, higher maps, and considerably longer battery life. However, the accuracy upgrades matter extra to me: In my low-cost health watch accuracy take a look at, the PACE 3 misplaced to the Garmin Forerunner 165 considerably for Global Positioning System accuracy and barely for HR accuracy.

I gave the finances PACE 3 a go, however the PACE Pro competes instantly towards extra mainline operating watches just like the Garmin Forerunner 265, Suunto Race, and Polar Vantage M3 — with AMOLED shows and different area of interest perks COROS lacks — so there’s much less room for error.

Thankfully, the COROS PACE Pro (largely) lived as much as the problem, holding its personal towards the rather more costly Garmin Fenix 8.

COROS PACE Pro accuracy take a look at abstract

Since I’m reviewing the Garmin Fenix 8 and COROS PACE Pro concurrently, I accomplished a number of lengthy runs sporting each in low-signal areas, observe runs at near-max coronary heart charges in particular lanes, and tree-occluded hikes with loads of elevation modifications.

For Global Positioning System accuracy, Garmin watches with multi-band Global Positioning System have historically carried out excellently, profitable my Coros vs. Garmin vs. Polar health take a look at. The Garmin Fenix 8 is predictably correct, however I have never discovered it extra correct than the $450 Forerunner 265 or $350 Forerunner 255. So, the high-priced Fenix 8 is a good Global Positioning System baseline for the $350 PACE Pro to match.

For HR accuracy, I sometimes use my COROS HRM as an optical baseline, however because it pairs mechanically to COROS watches on the identical account, I used my Polar H10 chest strap paired to my Fenix 8 to check the PACE Pro. I’ve fewer factors of HR comparability than Global Positioning System as a result of I paired the COROS HRM to the PACE Pro for just a few runs to organize for my Fenix 8 overview.

I’ll go extra in-depth in each areas under, however should you’re in a rush, listed below are my fundamental impressions: I see a particular enchancment in Global Positioning System accuracy, bringing it functionally in vary of Garmin in order that nobody will thoughts the hole. For HR accuracy, I do not see a major distinction, and I’d in all probability purchase the COROS HRM if I wanted the absolute best HR precision.

COROS PACE Pro Global Positioning System accuracy

For customary runs on metropolis streets, the COROS PACE Pro (largely) did very effectively. In the gallery under, you will see how the PACE Pro (blue) does higher than the Fenix 8 (orange) at matching my path on sidewalks or bike lanes throughout a protracted 12-mile run — however has just a few moments afterward the place COROS has me operating by means of lawns whereas Garmin has my appropriate sidewalk place.

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In one occasion, you may see how each watches captured me operating into a little bit park to take a photograph of a cool John Muir statue earlier than backtracking a bit. COROS has me wandering into the road on the best way out, whereas Garmin has extra bother on the return journey. In different phrases, neither is ideal, however each do excellently at discovering me in tree cowl and by no means lose me for lengthy.

During a second metropolis run, COROS (now the orange line) loses extra visibly to Garmin, persistently exhibiting me barely misaligned from my precise path or sidewalk place. It did not have any actual affect on my tracked distance, nevertheless, with no wobbling location or misplaced sign such as you sometimes see with poorer connections.

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Hikes might be essentially the most difficult for monitoring: tree cowl and close by hills can block or redirect alerts, and any mistaken traces can mess together with your elevation monitoring. Thankfully, each watches did effectively throughout an 8.5-mile hike. In the gallery under, you may see how COROS (blue) and Garmin (orange) overlap each other in uncovered areas and keep parallel and on-path in occluded areas. Their total altitude acquire was solely 4m aside, too.

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Overall, it is clear that COROS’ redesigned antenna and new Global Positioning System chipset paid off. COROS’ Global Positioning System accuracy on previous watches has been good however not the perfect. With these checks, COROS has carried out exceptionally effectively or has carried out effectively sufficient to remain in lockstep even when the outcomes aren’t fairly good.

COROS PACE Pro HR accuracy

The newest COROS watches have 5 LEDs and 4 photodiodes, meant to seize a large swath of your wrist for dependable HR knowledge. In this case, COROS mentioned the PACE Pro would have improved accuracy because of a redesigned physique, however the outcomes themselves look pretty corresponding to previous COROS watches.

I used my Polar H10 chest strap for comparability. Even although I’ve had points with its accuracy prior to now, I’m hoping it offered a dependable baseline.

The first chart above exhibits an easy 3-mile run. The COROS PACE Pro stays pretty near the Polar H10 — which is related to my Garmin Fenix 8, therefore the label — however should you look intently, you may see how the COROS’ optical monitor lags barely behind Polar’s electrocardiogram, not catching each minor change and exhibiting barely decrease. That’s regular for an optical vs. ECG comparability; up to now, so customary.

For my lengthy hike, there are lengthy stretches the place the COROS watch and Polar strap are in close to lockstep with each other. Then you might have moments the place COROS measures a coronary heart fee about 10–20 bpm above what the chest strap measures. I’ve had points with my chest strap dropping my sign prior to now, dipping my HR to unlikely lows, so I’m unsure if that is the fault of COROS or Polar right here. The total HR common was just one bpm off throughout a 2.5-hour exercise, so I tentatively chalk this up as a strong entry for COROS.

The observe exercise is, predictably, the place the issues come up. The COROS PACE Pro struggles to seize fast modifications in coronary heart fee, falling anyplace from 1 bpm to eight bpm brief always.

This is a reasonably frequent weak level for many watches — a scarcity of responsiveness when operating in a high-aerobic or anaerobic HR zone — however I hoped COROS would enhance on this space. Instead, you get a 2 bpm hole in common for a comparatively brief exercise.

That’s why, as I mentioned above, I’d in all probability advocate shopping for the COROS armband to pair with this should you want the absolute best outcomes. For on a regular basis runners who aren’t doing that many dash actions or simply must know usually what coronary heart fee zone you are in, the PACE Pro will get my stamp of approval for being usually dependable for coronary heart fee.

And to be truthful to COROS, different watches I’ve examined throughout observe runs do considerably worse for anaerobic accuracy, even when it is not the perfect I’ve seen.

The COROS PACE Pro deserves your consideration

When it involves selecting a operating watch, each model has its strengths and weaknesses. The COROS PACE Pro will not change your thoughts should you already dislike COROS as a result of the software program is basically unchanged. It’s a {hardware} improve meant to catch as much as the pack in some areas and enhance its lead in others.

The AMOLED facelift aligns with the industry-wide abandonment of MIP, making it lengthy overdue. The accuracy increase can also be an essential one, concentrating on the sorts of runners (like me) that do not take a watch’s exercise outcomes on blind religion; we discover when the outcomes are mistaken, and so COROS is taking Global Positioning System and HR accuracy critically.

On the software program entrance, COROS has the necessities: a goal weekly coaching load primarily based in your present health degree, a month-to-month distribution of simple/medium/onerous effort, a operating health take a look at to find out your lactate threshold, and downloadable coaching plans.

It nonetheless has weak spots, however COROS updates all of its watches with new options as long as the CPU can assist them; because the PACE Pro has a brand new CPU and additional RAM, it ought to obtain assist for years to return. Though for now, the absence of music streaming apps or contactless funds could also be deal-breakers for some runners.

While I nonetheless want one other week or two to completely take a look at the PACE Pro for its overview, I’m feeling very captivated with its upgrades. It’s pricier than the PACE 3 however nonetheless on a budget facet in comparison with different operating watches. Frugal “execs” ought to critically take into account it.