The Race 1 was an amazing watch however suffered from some wrist HR inconsistencies early in runs for me and whereas wonderful its “early technology” AMOLED was not at all times as legible as an LCD in vivid daylight.
The Race 2 sits in a aggressive area of GPS sports activities and sensible watches dominated by Garmin in sports activities and Apple in multi-function sensible watches.
To face out, Suunto has staked out a give attention to simplifying its interface and going all in on legibility and value throughout actions and in on a regular basis use.
Its app continues to evolve with the watch and has a sublime and “easy” but extremely complete view of knowledge. At $499 within the stainless model and $599 for Titanium, I contemplate the Race 2 very competitively priced in comparison with Garmin and Apple sportswatches
The selection of a GPS or any watch is a extremely private one with options, match, makes use of, and elegance all parts to think about.
The Race 2 sees vital enhancements over the Race 1, not altering the “fundamentals” however clearly bettering probably the most key parts of sensor accuracy, pace and smoothness of interactions with the interface, weight, display screen dimension and any gentle situation legibility. Whereas its worth has gone up, its worth has too given the enhancements.
Particulars of Options and Enhancements
The show will increase from 1.43” to 1.5” in the identical 49mm case dimension and is clearly larger
The AMOLED show now has LPTO expertise with quicker refresh charges and which, in testing, was brighter and extra legible in vivid daylight than the Race 1’s or a Garmin Enduro 3.There isn’t any longer any penalty in vivid mirrored daylight vs LCD shows and it’s vastly extra seen in low gentle.
The Race 2 is now thinner at 12.5 mm (vs,13.3mm) and lighter 76g in Silicone Stainless (vs. 83g).and with the non-compulsory (s/m) cloth strap 63g. The Titanium checks in at 65g with Silicone, 51g with cloth strap
A brand new MCU processor is about 2x faster resulting in quicker response and smoother interactions in testing. Swiping is easy and fast and get up from darkish display screen nearly however not fairly instantaneous
Claimed 10% enchancment in battery life. In Efficiency Mode (notifications on) I noticed about 42-44 hours of battery life with on a regular basis battery lifetime of about 12 days
Upgraded HR sensor and sensor location results in positively improved leads to check with some silicone band consolation caveats and occasional (far lower than Race 1) excessive readings in chilly and/or on downhills.
GPS accuracy on par with every other latest watch.
Elevated on board reminiscence for maps, and many others..however music storage on the watch just isn’t obtainable.
Voice steering when paired with Suunto Wing 2 (RTR Evaluate) standalone with out a cellphone and through the app if the cellphone is with you and the app is open with notifications of adjustments in HR zone and mile splits (common HR, lap splits, elapsed time)
Improved charging cradle. Clearly wanted and now improved however nonetheless finicky to attach if not on a tough easy floor
Battery Life
The spec exercise battery life is as much as 55 hours. To attain this one should haven at all times on show off, elevate to wake off, and brightness low. Fairly frankly, whereas doable, these settings particularly elevate to wake off aren’t sensible for many actions.
I’m seeing a really respectable 42-44 hours of battery life with Elevate to Wake on, Efficiency mode monitoring, medium brightness and notifications.The newest Apple Watch the Extremely 3 ($800) has a 14 hour exercise battery life in its finest efficiency mode as does the comparably priced and 13 g lighter with a smaller display screen Garmin Forerunner 570. Win for Suunto on this class!
The “on a regular basis” battery life spec is as much as 16 days. With 24/7 HR monitoring, sleep monitoring, elevate to wake and notifications and with a forty five minute exercise tracked per day, I’m seeing about 12 days. Once more very cheap.
The charger puck is improved over the fairly unreliable Race 1 which might simply disconnect.
It has confirmed very dependable in sustaining charging connection however solely when face down on a tough floor.
On a lower than laborious floor it will possibly simply disconnect. Suunto ought to proceed to enhance with if potential a stronger magnetic connection.
GPS Accuracy
GPS acquisition is persistently inside lower than 10 seconds. That stated, when you have traveled a protracted distance, sync the watch to the app earlier than your run to stand up so far GPS satellite tv for pc location on board.
GPS accuracy is pretty much as good as any as most GPS watches and most share the identical Sony chipset with Suunto tuning for his or her specs.
DCAnalyer: Blue Suunto Race 2, Purple Garmin Enduro 3
You probably have a 3 or 4 years previous GPS watch and undergo from inaccuracies in distance (and poor battery life) time to maneuver on to a brand new watch as all watches have improved battery life.
Altimeter
DCAnalyer: Blue Suunto Race 2, Purple Garmin Enduro 3
The altimeter tracked very carefully to a Garmin Enduro 3 (about 2 x the worth of the Race 2) throughout a path run with greatest noticed distinction about 4 meters (middle of picture above)
Throughout a latest half marathon the Race 2 measured the identical distance because the Enduro 3, to the a centesimal of a mile (16 meters) with common race coronary heart fee inside one beat per minute.
Left: Suunto (observe additionally larger high quality maps however with out tempo shading of the Garmin abstract
HR Sensor
The Race 1 suffered from early in run overly excessive HR readings (cadence lock) in addition to additionally often throughout runs randomly. The Race 2 with its new sensor and bump out io its case is clearly improved in HR accuracy. Under HR from a path run, I do observe occasional larger spikes (however not loopy excessive above 170 as in Race 1) particularly early in runs and as within the instance under on downhills (see elevation profile above)
DCAnalyer: Blue Suunto Race 2, Purple Garmin Enduro 3
Through the highway half marathon on much less hilly terrain the HR sensing had no spikes and was on common inside one beat per minute of the Enduro 3.
There’s a caveat although. With the silicone strap (not probably the most comfy to start with however snazzy) the strap must be cinched nearly uncomfortably tight to get correct readings and particularly initially of runs.
The inventory strap’s consolation and pace of adjustability on the go just isn’t helped by its conventional clasp and steel pin to safe the unfastened finish of the strap. HR anomalies are vastly decreased as is consolation with textile straps, as I’ve discovered with most watches together with the Enduro 3
The lighter non-compulsory 22mm Athletic 7 Loop Textile Strap ($29 and contains two sizes) is way extra comfy and simpler to regulate, lightens the watch by 15g and produces higher HR outcomes. Whereas the silicone strap is basically cool and vivid wanting, I believe Suunto ought to have by default used a material strap.
Voice Steering
I do not need the Wing 2 bone conduction headphones (RTR Evaluate) which may be paired and provides voice steering without having to have a cellphone with you.
I did check voice steering with Race 2 paired to the Suunto app on my cellphone by turning it on. I used to be notified of my coronary heart fee and present coronary heart fee zone when the zone modified. Helpful, however on path programs with many pretty sharp brief hills corresponding to path operating a bit overdone with overly frequent alerts as I modified HR zones. Whereas I’ve not but examined operating intervals, I believe will probably be very helpful and informative there.
I used to be additionally notified at lap (mile) splits of my lap’s tempo, common coronary heart fee and whole exercise time . I discovered the voice steering surprisingly helpful. Be aware that so far there isn’t any voice steering for turns forward, on and off route in navigation for loaded routes you might be following.
Navigation/Mapping
Up forward the Lodge Weishorn on the Sierre Zinal course is clearly proven on the Race 2, above the grey line (display screen artifact typically captured by the digicam however not in any other case seen).
The Race 2 permits you to load routes you’ve got created within the app and observe them by default in “breadcrumb” mode or view the map with out a route at any time as proven above.
Maps have to be downloaded state by state through the app and a wifi connection on the watch. All the US map is 42Gb with the full reminiscence on board 32Gb. Ii was capable of load all of Switzerland as one obtain, Italy a much bigger nation is a number of.
They take time to obtain particularly bigger states so be ready to have your watch on wifi and related to the charger for a number of hours. Garmin watches with maps corresponding to my Enduro 3 have the whole US pre loaded by default.
In my testing, I included a Garmin Enduro 3 on the opposite wrist with its LCD display screen. What stood out was the unbelievable legibility of the Race 2’s maps even in very vivid solar (and for certain in comparison with the LCD Garmin and cluttered nearly crude maps) and in addition it has far simpler to navigate map interface than the Garmin’s.
The Suunto exhibits buildings principally completely with some exceptions with the app model displaying them however the watch not (completely different databases).
The home and several other on the opposite aspect of the road are lacking from the watch map view however seen within the app view of the identical (under) together with road and path names.
Suunto tells us completely different map databases are used for the watch and app views. Not an enormous deal though I hope sooner or later they are often completely synchronized because the context supplied by constructions is definitely fairly helpful.
The Race 2 notifies you of upcoming activates a loaded route. I seen variations between highway and path notifications of turns. Curiously, in my testing, trails turns in Park Metropolis
had been far nearer to correct than roads
The Race 2 notified through vibration and on display screen “off route” to its spec at 100 meters off a highway route (appears at a 90 diploma angle to the route) and the Garmin did the identical.
I say proper angle, as in the event you go off track at an angle it is not going to notify you till you are100 meters away from the right route which generally is a significantly better distance than 100 meters.
The Race 2 notifies you of return to route once you truly resume the right route it persistently says you might be 40-60 toes away from being again on route if you find yourself proper on the flip. Some wonderful tuning is required for highway flip by flip navigation.
On trails in Park Metropolis flip indications are nearer to being correct.
Related to navigation by routes, are screens for climbs forward and achieved on the route.
As with the maps themselves, they’re crystal clear, easy and simple to know.
Not good, but however very simple to make use of from route creation to on the go interactions and naturally with excellent legibility.
To create a Route you discover the final space and resolve if you wish to observe recognized roads and trails (or not) and simply click on in segments noting that it could attempt to route you in another way than meant in the event you aren’t zoomed in tight sufficient to click on as you would like. As proven under, your created new route will embrace not solely an elevation profile and particulars but in addition turns (blue arrows) the watch will warn you to. Then resolve if you wish to load to the watch. The synch is fast and dependable.
Tremendous simple and chic in comparison with apps corresponding to Komoot and just like Garmin.
Flashlight
The Race 2 has a flashlight which may be activated by assigning it to one of many buttons. A protracted press in my case on the high button turns it on. A click on on the middle crown dial turns it off. It’s sufficient for fast journeys to the lavatory at night time and strolling however just isn’t an alternative to a headlamp.
Music/Podcasts
You’ll be able to management music or podcasts from the watch to your cellphone however you’ll be able to’t presently retailer and play music instantly from the Race 2.
Sleep and Restoration. Coaching and Progress Standing
The sleep monitoring may be very correct by way of recording whole precise sleep and taking into consideration any wake ups in the course of the night time, even when considerably extended. I’ve by no means had it cease recording as my Garmin Enduro typically does if I get up for quite a lot of minutes and transfer round at night time..
