Coros Pace Pro Lineup | Source: Coros

Coros Pace Pro – In Comparison

The key specifications primarily highlight the difference in the display: the Apex 2 Pro and Pace 3 feature a relatively low-resolution MIP display, which, due to its transflective properties, is not self-illuminating but guarantees high battery life.

New and Noteworthy

The Pace Pro offers several exciting new features and enhancements to existing functionalities:

• High-Res 1.3″ AMOLED Display

  The most striking update to the Pace Pro is its 1.3-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 416 x 416 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of 320 PPI. This delivers crystal-clear visuals, and even under direct sunlight, the maximum brightness of 1,500 nits ensures good readability.

  The display also increases the overall dimensions of the watch: the Pace Pro now measures 46 x 46 x 12.3 mm and weighs only 37 grams with the nylon strap.

• Larger Button / Digital Crown

  In addition to the display, the digital crown and back button have also increased in size. The crown is somewhat reminiscent of the one on the Apex 2 Pro, aimed at enhancing the user experience, particularly when using the watch with cold fingers or gloves.

• 32 GB Storage / Offline Maps

  The Pace Pro has also seen an upgrade in storage, growing from 4 GB to 32 GB. This increase was especially necessary for extensive offline map usage. This makes smartphone-free navigation possible, which is particularly appealing for hikers and adventurers.

  The storage can also be used to save MP3 files, which the Pace Pro can play via paired Bluetooth headphones.

• Improved Sensors / GPS

  Coros promises improvements to the PPG sensor, which primarily measures heart rate and heart rate variability, as well as monitors sleep. Additionally, the Pace Pro is ECG-capable, though it lacks the necessary certifications and cannot be used for Afib detection.

  According to Coros, the GPS chip and antenna design have also been revamped to provide more accurate location tracking.

Compared to the Coros Pace 3

Despite its numerous improvements, the similarity to the Pace 3 is undeniable. The Pace Pro is also made from lightweight but relatively simple plastic. This gives it a low weight, but it doesn’t always convey a premium appearance. When considering the features and setting aside the offline maps, the two models are nearly functionally identical.

The similarity should not obscure the fact that the Pace Pro is a new development in many respects and not just a Pace 3 on steroids.

Pricing and Availability

The Coros Pace Pro is now available and can be purchased directly from the Coros website as well as through authorized dealers. The MSRP has increased from €249.99 for the Pace 3 to €399.99 for the Pace Pro. This price jump is not unusual when comparing similar transitions from MIP displays to AMOLED displays among competitors.

Thus, the Pace Pro moves away from the incredibly attractive price-performance ratio of the Pace 3, yet the overall package at nearly €400 is not expensive.

Assessment

For those who are already satisfied with the Coros Pace 3 and value sports metrics, upgrading to the Pace Pro is not a necessity. However, for those seeking even more precision, offline maps, and a high-resolution AMOLED display, the Pace Pro presents a worthwhile option.

Coros Pace Pro

Coros

1.30 inch
AMOLED
416 x 416 pixels
320 PPI
max. 1,500 Nits

20days (Smartwatch)

38hours (GNSS all)

31hours (GPS - Multi)

12hours (GPS + Music)

46.0 × 46.0 × 12.3 mm

37 g (with strap)

Features

Display

Battery life

Total

Rating

Features

Compare Coros Pace Pro

• Features

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Activity Tracking
Steps
Calories
Floors
Sleep
Stress
Inactivity alert
Dynamic target
Information
Time / Date
Notifications
Weather
Calendar
Find phone
Music
Remote control
Playback via BLE
Phone calls
Calls (direct)
Calls (via Bluetooth)

• Sport programs / features

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Running

▪ Race time prediction

▪ Advanced running metrics

▪ Pairing footpod

▪ Training load / Recovery

▪ Running Power

Cycling

▪ Pairing power meter

▪ Pairing cadence sensor

Swimming

▪ SWOLF

▪ Distance

▪ Strokes

▪ Style

▪ Pace

Hiking

Golf

Rowing

Crosstrainer

Indoor running

Workout

• Sensors

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Acceleration / Gyroskop
PPG / Heart rate
Altimeter
Compass
Skin temperature
Temperature
ECG

• Location services

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GPS
GPS (Multiband)
Galileo
GLONASS
BeiDou
QZSS
Live tracking

• Connectivity

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Bluetooth LE
ANT+
Wi-Fi
NFC
LTE

• Other

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Interchangeable wristband

Der Beitrag Coros Pace Pro – GPS sports watch with bright AMOLED display unveiled erschien zuerst auf Fitness Tracker Test.

Coros Pace 3 in profile

Rating: 88%

Pros

• numerous sports functions
• fast multi-band GPS
• great value for money

Cons

• slow USB data transfer
• lots of plastic

Verdict

In my opinion, the Coros Pace 3 is currently the sports watch when it comes to value for money. I was particularly impressed by its long battery life, ease of use and extensive range of functions. The low weight makes the watch largely forgettable in everyday life – also because it keeps a low profile when it comes to smart features.

The simple choice of materials and the slow transfer of MP3 files are minor shortcomings of the watch but do not detract from the great product.

Coros is one of the lesser-known brands, especially on the European market. Wrongly so, as the company offers a range of sports watches that can easily compete with Garmin and Polar.

Coros offers entry-level models in the Pace series, while the current Vertix models cover the other end of the performance spectrum. In the entry-level segment in particular, Coros has launched a new model, the Coros Pace 3, which in many respects is similar to its predecessor, the Pace 2, but still offers a range of new features.

Coros Pace 3 vs. Pace 2 – What’s New?

Coros launched the Pace 2 in August 2020. It’s therefore not surprising that the Pace 3 does offer many new features:

• Multiband GPS

  Coros was one of the first companies to incorporate multi-band GPS into its watches. Meanwhile, the more robust method of positioning is not only found in the premium models but is also offered by the Pace 3.

• PPG Sensor with SpO2 Measurement

  A new feature is the enhanced PPG sensor on the back, which has 5 LEDs and four photodiodes. Compared to the Pace 2, the Pace 3 also offers SpO2 (peripheral oxygen saturation) measurement.

• HRV Tracking

  The measurement of heart rate variability (HRV) can also be attributed to the new PPG sensor. HRV is measured during the night and indicates physical stress deviations from the average values (e.g. due to exercise or illness).

• Touchscreen

  The 1.2-inch display of the Pace 3 has not increased in size or resolution compared to the Pace 2, but it does respond to tapping and swiping gestures.

• Music Storage and Playback

  The Pace 3 allows MP3 files to be stored on the watch and played on headphones or loudspeakers via Bluetooth. There is 4 GB of storage space available for this purpose.

• Wi-Fi

  The new Wi-Fi capabilities of the Pace 3 do not currently benefit the transfer of MP3 files, as they only serve to speed up the installation of firmware updates.

The smaller and more modern technology also improves battery life. More on this later…

Specifications

Package Contents

For those who have been following developments or already own a wearable, it’s no surprise that the contents of most product packaging are relatively predictable.

Coros Pace 3 – Package Contents

The Coros Pace 3 is no exception, and so after opening the box you’ll find:

• Coros Pace 3 sports watch
• 2x spare spring bars
• USB charging cable
• Safety/warranty information

Coros Pace 3 – Spare Spring Bars

Coros largely dispenses with plastic, only the protection on the display of the watch is made of plastic.

First Impression

When unpacking the Pace 3, I experienced a deja-vu moment because the Coros Pace 2 and the new Pace 3 are virtually identical.

Coros Pace 3 vs. Coros Pace 2

Admittedly, the strap of the Pace 3 is two millimetres wider, the markings on the bezel are different, and the shape of a button on the right-hand side of the case is slightly different, but all in such small dimensions that you have to look for the differences.

Otherwise, as with the Pace 2, the simple design and the simple, but by no means poor construction of the Pace 3 are striking.

The case continues to be made entirely of fiber-reinforced polymer, and the display is protected by chemically hardened glass.

Coros Pace 3 – PPG Sensors on the back

This has one decisive advantage, and that is the lower weight. At just 30 grams, the Pace 3 is only one gram heavier than the Pace 2 and is still an absolute lightweight.

Coros Pace 3 – Nylon Strap with Velcro Closure

The nylon strap contributes positively to this, but could be 1-2 cm longer to fit comfortably over large hands. It definitely shouldn’t be shorter for me.

Speaking of the strap: the Coros Pace 3 is available with a silicone or nylon strap. If you want to do something good for your skin, I really recommend the textile nylon strap, as it leads to significantly less skin irritation when the watch is worn constantly.

Display

The Pace 3 is still equipped with a 1.2″ transflective MIP display. It has a resolution of 240 x 240 pixels and can only display 64 colors, but it is extremely energy-efficient.

Because the display can do without a backlight in most situations, the watch’s battery can last up to 17 days with the display always on.

The display technology used has its advantages and disadvantages:

Even though AMOLED displays are now found in many sports watches, including the premium segment, I still find the advantages of MIP displays greater during outdoor sports than those of AMOLED displays, which otherwise demonstrate their advantages more clearly in all other situations.

Features

Let’s take a look at the features of the Pace 3, which I’ll divide into common and sports functions as usual. But let’s start with the basics of the Pace 3.

Coros Pace 3 – Watchface

When you look at the watch, it usually displays the watch face. These days it’s more than a dial and most often display the time and several other metrics.

Coros Pace 3 – Exchange and color design of watchfaces

By the way, Coros has extended the number of different watch faces alot so that there should be something suitable for everyone.

If you can’t do anything with the watch faces offered, you can create your own watch face via the app.

Starting from the watch face, you can switch to the widgets using the digital crown or swipe gestures. They are somewhat reminiscent of the Garmin widgets and display the daily readings in a short and concise form.

If you tap on a widget, the detailed view opens, in which the metrics are displayed in a little more detail. You can’t really get much out of the display, as in most cases it is a classification of the current day’s values compared to the previous days.

Coros Pace 3 – Widget with HRV status

I’ve shown this using the “HRV status” metric.

By swiping right or pressing the button below the digital crown, you can return to the widgets.

Overall, operation via the touchscreen is smooth and precise. However, as the display remains cleaner, I use the crown and the buttons almost exclusively on the Pace 3.

Common Functions

As Coros offers GPS sports watches across its entire product portfolio and not smartwatches, the range of functions in everyday life is rather limited. The focus is on sport.

Coros Pace 3 – Number of steps

The Pace 3 naturally records the steps you take throughout the day. It does this at a decent level, but is not directly comparable with other providers. Each brand uses its own algorithms.

Coros Pace 3 – Steps in the last few days

And to be honest, I don’t have to hit exactly 10,000 steps at the end of the day. If I want to increase my level of activity, I do it over a longer period of time. If the watch delivers values that deviate from reality, I don’t mind as long as it delivers these values consistently.

In addition, the Pace 3 records the calories burned, the number of floors climbed and the heart rate/variability in the background. It also records sleep duration and phases.

It can calculate sleep duration quite accurately, but when it comes to sleep stages, I don’t trust it any more than any other watch. If you need a detailed analysis, that’s what sleep labs are made for…

When the paired smartphone is nearby, the Pace 3 mirrors notifications so you know if it’s worth reaching for your smartphone.

Coros Pace 3 – Display of notifications from the paired smartphone

As with all Coros watches, some metrics can only be analysed on the watch and not in the app. You don’t always need this, but I would like to see the number of floors climbed over time.

Coros Pace 3 – Playback of MP3 files

The musical capabilities of the Pace 3 only impress me on paper. Yes, the watch can store and play up to 4 GB of MP3 files via Bluetooth. But since the transfer speed to the device is extremely slow, it’s no fun.

Finally, compared to the Pace 2, the Pace 3 can shine with a small new function: the weather forecast.

Coros Pace 3 – Weather forecast on the watch

This is based on the current location and shows:

• Temperature (current)
• Temperature (highs and lows)
• Temperature (wind chill)
• Precipitation probability
• Humidity
• UV index
• Wind speed/direction

It also includes forecasts for the next 6 hours and the next 7 days.

Sports Functions

When it comes to sports, the Pace 3 naturally has more to offer. Let me walk you through the range of functions step by step.

Pressing the crown opens the sports menu. Here, you can not only choose the sports you want to record but also find training plans, workouts, fitness tests, and a view of past recordings.

Coros Pace 3 – Sports menu

By default, Coros offers sports profiles for 23 sports. Since that may not be sufficient for everyone, you can add custom sports profiles. Let me briefly illustrate this using the example of my new sport, “Walking the Dog,” then we can explain the sports profiles in general.

A sports profile is a logical wrapper around a set of settings and includes:

• Profile name
• Icon representation
• Category
• Data pages (number and layout)
• Data fields (number)
• Data fields (assignment of metrics)
• Sport alarm

This repeats for each sports profile.

You can also change some of the details for existing sports profiles. The name and icon, as well as the category, cannot be changed. However, for the predefined sports profiles, you can define more than one data page where up to 8 data fields can be displayed.

For alarms, you can set threshold values or durations. When these values are reached, the watch notifies you with vibration and beeps. The values include:

• Distance
• Pace
• Cadence
• Heart rate
• Power
• Nutrition intake

Standard settings include notifications after every kilometer traveled. Because not all metrics make sense for all sports, they differ from profile to profile.

So much for the theoretical basics – let’s do some sports.

Coros Pace 3 – Selected sports profile just before recording

Before starting, you select the appropriate sports profile via the sports menu. While the Pace 3 searches for GNSS signals and paired sensors, you can quickly modify some settings, including intervals.

Coros Pace 3 – Ad-hoc interval training

When searching for satellite signals (e.g. GPS), the Pace 3 is among the very quick responders. Typically, a stable GNSS signal is available within a few seconds.

Coros Pace 3 – Data page with 6 data fields

During the activity, the watch displays the data pages stored in the profile. They can be switched by swiping or using the digital crown.

Coros Pace 3 – Heart rate with heart rate zones

After the activity, the sports watch displays a variety of metrics collected during the activity. If you don’t find the peace to review the values on the display immediately after the activity, you can also view the recording at a later time.

Coros Pace 3 – Insight into recorded data

After synchronizing, the data appears in the app in the same extent.

Connection with external sensors

If the built-in sensors are not sufficient, the Pace 3 seamlessly connects via Bluetooth with almost any external sensor.

The watch doesn’t really care whether it’s a chest strap heart rate monitor, optical wristband heart rate monitor, Stryd sensors, or similar devices. Owners of numerous accessories will be pleased to know that more than one sensor of a type can be stored in the watch.

By the way, the Pace 3 does not support ANT+ – but that’s not a big deal anymore.

GNSS accuracy

For many products, accuracy in location tracking and heart rate monitoring determines success or failure. Let’s start with location tracking. Some might say GPS accuracy, but this is only partially true.

In addition to GPS, the Pace 3 supports GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou, and QZSS. However, you can only choose from:

• GPS only
• all satellite systems
• all satellite systems + multiband

For my runs, the Pace 3 always had access to all GNSS and had to forego multiband because its use here in the outskirts of Berlin doesn’t add much value. At the same time, the deciduous forests in the area are sparse and don’t challenge the watch much.

From some distance, the Pace 3 and its competitors seem to perform quite similar. The Garmin Forerunner 245 is perhaps the one that deviates most. Admittedly, it’s the oldest model in the test field.

On closer inspection, the differences to the Forerunner 245 become clear, while the Pace 3 presents a very uniform picture. The straightness of the lines sometimes gives rise to the suspicion that Coros is smoothing out the values a little. Personally, I think it’s fine for watches to do this in order to compensate for inaccuracies when determining location.

In fact, in all areas of the run you can see how cleanly the sections are recorded by the Pace 3.

Another attempt, this time in direct comparison with the Pace 2. From a bird’s eye view, everything still looks quite uniform…

…but the differences become apparent when you take a closer look again. Once more, it’s the Forerunner 245 that takes different paths. But the Pace 2 also has to make do with a much older GPS chip, which is noticeable in the recorded data.

Here again, you can see how solid the route tracking of the Pace 3 is. Even the significantly more expensive Polar Vantage V3 doesn’t perform better. Coros seems to have successfully focused on the antenna design of the Pace 3. The plastic housing undoubtedly contributes positively to this.

No matter where you look at the corners and ends of the runs, the Coros Pace 3 delivers a great performance. Yes, it will certainly look different when running in the city centre, between narrow streets and tall buildings. But with a healthy mix of open spaces, terraced houses with a limited number of storeys and sections in the woods, the Pace 3 has nothing to hide.

Heart rate accuracy

To get an impression of the accuracy of the PPG sensor, the Pace 3 accompanied me during jogging, hiking, and on the ergometer. Let’s start with a steady 5 km run.

Like me, most products need some time to find their rhythm at the start of a run. This is not always characterised by precision in the first few metres, and the Polar H10 chest strap is not ideal either. However, this equalises out with all models after a short time.

Otherwise, all sensors cope well with the steady trend and seem to deliver identical values in terms of measurement accuracy. The deviations from the Polar H10 are very small. As a reminder: the more blue areas you see in the charts, the further apart the two devices are.

On the next attempt, the Coros Pace 2 stands out unpleasantly. This is actually something I haven’t experienced with it in recent years. Compared to the Polar H10 chest strap and the Polar Ignite 3, the gaps are smaller. However, there are still a few small outliers compared to the chest strap.

The deviations between the Pace 3 and the previous model are more erratic. Although they are only short periods, they come with large fluctuations.

The Pace 3 stumbling occasionally is evident in the first three intervals. However, it is in good company because the significantly more expensive Polar Vantage V3 shows the same issues in the following four intervals.

When only comparing the Pace 3 and the chest strap heart rate monitor as a reference, the outliers become a little clearer against an otherwise decent trend.

Subsequently, the blue area in the difference chart also increases.

The proximity to the chest strap heart rate monitor is also reflected in relatively high r² values. Only the Coros Heart Rate Monitor surpasses the Pace 3 with an r² value of 0.986, better than the Pace 3’s 0.953.

I could provide numerous such evaluations here; the picture is always the same: the Pace 3 demonstrates decent performance, even if the measurements here and there aren’t “spot-on”. Compared to the Pace 2, it seems to deliver more solid values.

Software

The Coros app is free for iOS and Android alike. While there may be more visually appealing apps, it stands out positively in terms of clarity and structuring.

Here and there the translations into German seem a little awkward, but nothing that you can’t accept with a smile. Especially for most readers here, who would probably choose the English language settings.

Battery Life

Coros claims a battery life of up to 17 days in smartwatch mode. This could be accurate considering the daily loss of about 6 percent.

Of course, I don’t wear a watch on my wrist for that long without exercising with it, so the battery runs out faster. The battery drains quickly when using all GNSS during sports, with GPS using both the L1 and L5 frequency bands, and additional music playback via Bluetooth.

Overall, the battery life seems very appealing to me. During the review, I had another, albeit older sports watch on my other wrist. This one demanded power much more frequently.

Coros Pace 3 - Verdict

Score: 88%

Pros

• numerous sports functions
• fast multi-band GPS
• great value for money

Cons

• slow USB data transfer
• lots of plastic

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With small but significant improvements, Coros has succeeded in giving the Pace 2 a worthy successor. Admittedly, the appearance is in need of improvement and does not reflect the inner values of the Pace 3.

At the same time, there is hardly a sports watch on the market that offers so many useful sports metrics and customisation options, coupled with a high level of connectivity.

The accuracy of the GNSS tracking is high, often even higher than that of significantly more expensive products. The Pace 3 also shows few anomalies in heart rate measurement and is pleasingly close to the chest strap heart rate monitor.

For me, the Pace 3 is definitely worth a recommendation, especially as the price of 249 euros is a challenge. The comparable Polar Pacer Pro and the Garmin Forerunner 255 are priced at €329 and €349 respectively (RRP). However, retail prices are already significantly lower, putting the Pace 3 under considerable pressure.

With Coros constantly updating older models with new features, the Pace 3 could be the more attractive choice. Polar and Garmin tend to remain more consistent with their mid-range products in terms of features.

Disclosure: The Coros Pace 3 to me by Coros, free of charge, at my request for testing. No conditions were attached to this review, and the opinions and experiences shared here reflect my entirely unbiased assessment of the product.

Der Beitrag Coros Pace 3 Review – Great value for money erschien zuerst auf Fitness Tracker Test.

Though Coros hasn’t gained as much market shares as Polar or Garmin, it is known for its sophisticated sports watches with extensive features at competitive prices. The Coros Pace 2 and now the Pace 3 are perhaps the most popular products.

Coros Heart Rate Monitor

With the Heart Rate Monitor, Coros introduced a new wearable in July ’23, designed to precisely measure heart rate. Since the Q4/23, the Coros HRM has also been available in Germany. A good reason to take a closer look at the product.

Unboxing and First Impression

Coros distributes the Heart Rate Monitor in a rather inconspicuous packaging, roughly the size of a Ritter Sport chocolate bar, but with a bit more depth, of course.

Unsurprisingly, the package contains the Heart Rate Monitor, a USB charging cable, and some paperwork.

The charging cable is quite short at 25 cm, with a USB-A plug at one end and a proprietary connector with two pins at the other end. Magnets integrated into the connector ensure that the charging cable adheres to the sensor during charging. I really like the kind of plug as it easily attaches to the sensor.

When I first got my hands on the HRM, a couple of questions arose the heart because the strap hasn’t properly attached to the sensor. But let’s take it step by step…

The Coros Heart Rate Monitor consists of a sensor unit and a flexible textile strap. The latter can be adjusted in width and is opened and closed using a Velcro fastener.

Thanks to the type of attachment, the sensor unit can be slid along the strap. But only if the Coros Heart Rate Monitor is attached as intended: When taken out of the box, it was clear right away that something was assembled incorrectly here. The inscription “Explore Perfection” was facing inward rather than outward and there was no opportunity for meaningful closure of the strap.

Not a big deal – with a little patience and the the press images at hand, I managed to set up the “correct” orientation of the strap.

In the end, this does not affect the performance of the product.

Coros Heart Rate Monitor – First steps

To start using the device, Coros couldn’t have made it any easier: The Heart Rate Monitor turns on as soon as it makes contact with the skin. As a result, Coros can omit buttons for turning the device on and off. But I’ll come back to some disadvantages of this approach.

Once activated the four green LEDs on the underside of the sensor unit light up. I know it’s five LED but the one in the middle never lid up. Additionally there is a small LED on the side that indicates the battery level when the device is turned on.

If the sensor is removed from the skin, the Heart Rate Monitor goes into standby mode shortly after.

Comfort

As the strap width often adjusts, the tricky part is putting the Heart Rate Monitor on. This might be different if you use the Velcro to open and close it. For simplicity’s sake, I just slip those straps over the upper arm.

Once the strap is in place, it stays there. Even during intense physical activity – the strap neither slips nor twists.

From my experience the comfort level is extremely high. At only 19 grams, the Heart Rate Monitor is very lightweight, with the sensor unit being flat and slim. So, during exercise, you hardly notice that the Coros HRM is constantly with you.

For better comparison of size, I placed alternative products from Wahoo, Polar, and Scosche next to it:

Comparison with other HR optical bands | Front sides

Comparison with other HR optical bands | Back sides

Connection via Bluetooth LE

The Coros HRM exclusively supports Bluetooth and requires it to share its data with smartphones, tablets, or computers. Because it lacks integrated storage, the device cannot run independently.

However, the Heart Rate Monitor supports up to three simultaneous Bluetooth connections, which can be useful, for example, when heart rate data is to be used in the Swift app and on the sports watch at the same time.

It’s noteworthy that the Coros HRM can be seamlessly paired with other devices and apps. Whenever I tried to pair with a Vantage V2/V3, a Grit X Pro, or a Ignite 3 from Polar, a Forerunner 245 and a Vivoactive 4 from Garmin, or many of the watches from Amazfit and Huawei, there were no issues with any of them.

The same applies to various apps on iOS or Android: The Coros HRM is recognized without any issues.

Seamless pairing via Bluetooth LE

If you own a Coros sports watch, you’ll find that after setting up the Heart Rate Monitor via the app, the sensor has already been added to the watch and only needs to be selected when needed.

Battery Life of the Coros HRM

Coros claims a battery life of up to 38 hours when the sensor is on and collecting data. In standby mode, however, the HRM lasts up to 80 days on a single charge.

I think these are realistic values, although I didn’t have to recharge during the weeks reviewing the HRM. Keep in mind that the battery charge is sufficient for more than a month with daily usage of one hour. However, there’s a small caveat: Because you can’t turn the Heart Rate Monitor off, it remains active much longer than the actual physical activity lasts.

When I go running, it takes me a while to get everything together, fulfill the last wishes of my little daughter, and finally leave the house. And even after exercising, I like to sit in the garden for about 15 minutes to cool down. During this time, the sensor is still active, even if the recording on the watch may have already stopped.

In terms of battery life, this shouldn’t be a major drawback, but it’s something to be aware of.

Accuracy in Heart Rate Measurement

Examining the HRM’s accuracy is perhaps the most interesting part of this review. To gain the most comprehensive picture possible, the Coros HRM had to compete with the following devices:

• Scosche Rhythm 24 (Test Report)
• Polar Verity Sense (Test Report)
• Wahoo TICKR Fit (Test Report)

As a reference for all optical heart rate sensors, I used the Polar H10 strap. It remains one of the best products on the market.

Let’s take a look at a few recordings, representative of pretty much all the experiences I’ve had with the Coros HRM.

It’s evident that none of the HR sensors show any weaknesses, even though it may seem like one or two devices are still settling in. By the start of the intervals, all products are on par.

If we focus on the comparison between the Coros HRM and the Polar H10 as a reference, it appears that the HR chest strap is lagging a bit behind in the recording. Experience shows that it should actually be the other way around. Perhaps the internal clocks of the Amazfit Cheetah Pro and the Garmin Forerunner 245 were not quite synchronized, as both devices were used to record heart rate data.

Looking solely at the difference between the Polar H10 and Coros HRM, there is indeed a slight time offset, but no significant deviating values.

The strong correlation between the Polar H10 and the Coros HRM is evident in the coefficient of determination of 0.968.

The Polar Verity Sense and the Scosche Rhythm 24 perform slightly better.

The accuracy during exercise on the ergometer doesn’t show any significant differences either. Here, all products are close together, if anything can be distinguished in the “curve mess” at all. Therefore, I’ve illustrated the deviations between the individual HR sensors.

Between the reference device Polar H10 and the Coros HRM, there are practically no differences. The curves are almost identical, and if there are any small deviations, they are in the correct order: the optical sensor of the Coros HRM is slightly slower than the HR chest strap.

This is also evident in the difference graph, where there is little blue area. Just as a reminder: The larger the blue areas between the two curves, the greater the differences between the two recordings.

In a direct comparison between the Coros wearable and Polar’s optical HR sensor, there is little to complain about. The minor deviations are temporary and are not significant in either ad-hoc or overall consideration.

Coros’s Heart Rate Monitor is on par with the Scosche Rhythm 24 to such an extent that I briefly wondered if I had made a mistake in the recording or assignment. But no, everything seems to be fine.

The difference from the Wahoo TICKR Fit is more pronounced.

The very good performance is evident again in the high values of R². With 0.991, the Coros HRM edges past the Polar Verity Sense. The Scosche Rhythm 24 is just a tad above with 0.998.

Another attempt and a well-known result: When running with a warm-up and a few intervals, the curves mostly align. Only during the warm-up phase, the HR sensors seem to warm up a bit themselves, and there are moments of baseline noise. Surprisingly, the Polar Verity Sense and the Scosche Rhythm 24 show two deviations during the intervals.

In a direct comparison between the HR strap and the Coros HRM, there’s nothing to complain about. The curves are almost identical, and highlighting the minimal differences would draw too much attention to discrepancies that aren’t significant.

For the first time, the Coros HRM also achieves the best value for the coefficient of determination, “following” the Polar H10’s values the best. Apart from the TICKR Fit, the other products are not far behind, and each of the strap has delivered very good performance so far.

Did I ever manage to trip up the Coros HRM in the test? Honestly, no! Even when looking for “worse” results, the competing products similarly showed some discrepancies, with most variations occurring in the first few minutes of recording.

Sometimes you can observe R² values as low as 0.95 which are still excellent.

To sum up: the Coros HRM performance is excellent, matching the Polar Verity Sense and the Scosche Rhythm 24 while outperforming the Wahoo TICKR Fit.

Coros Heart Rate Monitor - Verdict

Score: 88%

Pros

• precise heart rate measurement
• low weight
• slim

Cons

• no onboard memory
• there are better solutions for less money

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Accuracy is paramount for a heart rate sensor, and the Coros HRM excels in this regard. So far, I have not experienced any anomalies during the review – on the contrary, the Heart Rate Monitor competes on par with the established leaders, the Polar Verity Sense and the Scosche Rhythm 24, delivering essentially the same values as an HR chest strap.

Its small size and easy handling are positive aspects, disregarding the slight inconvenience of putting it on. The battery life is generous, and even with an empty battery, it can be fully charged within 2 hours.

However, the Coros HRM faces some challenges. In my opinion, this is primarily due to two factors:

• Lack of Memory

  Although it might seem like nitpicking, both the Verity Sense and the Rhythm 24 have integrated memory, allowing them to store HR data directly without the need for a sports watch or smartphone. This provides even more flexibility and enables their use in water activities.

• Price-Performance Ratio

  With a suggested retail price of €79, the Coros HRM’s price is reasonable. However, it cannot compensate for the lack of memory or the ecosystem provided by Polar. While the Polar Verity Sense has a suggested retail price of €99, it is already available in stores for around €70. The Scosche Rhythm 24 is currently available directly from the Scosche for as low as €49, although it seems to be a clearance price, and the Scosche’s app is not the best. Nevertheless, both of these options offer a more attractive price-performance ratio at the moment.

Overall, the Coros Heart Rate Monitor is still an intriguing product that won’t disappoint. If the prices in retail drop a bit more, the HRM will become even more appealing.

Disclosure: The Heart Rate Monitor to me by Coros, free of charge, at my request for testing. No conditions were attached to this review, and the opinions and experiences shared here reflect my entirely unbiased assessment of the product.

Der Beitrag Coros Heart Rate Monitor Review erschien zuerst auf Fitness Tracker Test.

Compared to Garmin, Polar and Suunto, the Chinese company Coros is lesser-known for sports watches. This lack of recognition is unjustified, as Coros offers great products such as the Pace 2, Apex 2, Apex 2 Pro, and Vertix 2, which can compete with the likes of Garmin and Polar.

With the Pace 3, Coros is about to introduce the successor to its popular entry-level sports watch. As a reminder, the Pace 2 costs just under €200 but offers features, e.g. wrist-based power measurement and native integration of the Stryd sensor, which are usually found in much more expensive products only.

Coros Pace 3 – Everything that is known so far

The Pace 3 has been teased by Coros only, thus there are no official specs from Coros yet. With the appearance of documents at the FCC, the watch is being revealed to the public for the first time, and a few details can also be gleaned from the teaser video.

Coros Pace 3 resembles its predecessor

The FCC filings feature photos of the Pace 3, confirming that the Coros Pace 2 and Pace 3 will resemble eachother. In line with its relatively affordable entry-level price, the watch body is constructed from plastic.

The exact size isn’t explicitly shown in the documents, but it’s likely to be around 43 x 43 mm (compared to the Pace 2’s 42 x 42 mm). The teaser video hints that the weight has increased by only 1 gram compared to the Pace 2, making it around 30-31 grams – an ultralightweight.

The teaser video features nylon and silicon straps.

New and noteworthy

Both the documents at the FCC and the teaser video provide initial insights into the new and improved features of the Coros Pace 3. It’s mainly the video that offers these hints.

Please note that the information given is based on the available details, and there might be further updates or changes upon the official release of the Coros Pace 3.

• Enhanced PPG Sensor

  A look at the back of the watch reveals a new sensor array. Its structure resembles that of the Apex 2. Both watches use the GH3220 chip from Goodix, suggesting analog performance.

  The sensors measure heart rate, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), heart rate variability, and pulse wave transit time (PWTT). However, the use of the PWTT metric by the Pace 3 remains uncertain.

• Dual-Band GPS

  For GNSS-based location services, the Coros Pace 3 utilizes the AG3335M chipset from Airoha. The associated support for Dual-Band GPS is also indicated on the back of the watch. In addition to GPS, the watch supports GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, and QZSS.

• Touchscreen

  The teaser video hints that the Pace 3 might feature a touchscreen. Otherwise, it seems that Coros has stuck with the transflective MIP display.

• Wi-Fi and Music

  The video also provides hints about music storage and playback capabilities. The watch is unlikely to have more than 4 gigabytes of storage available. Depending on how much space the watch’s small operating system requires, the usable storage might be less.

  The sports watch’s Wi-Fi capabilities are likely to be mainly used for transferring media content. The use of mapping features remains reserved for Coros’ higher-end watches.

The Pace 3 is water-resistant up to a pressure of 5 ATM, making it suitable for swimming.

Prices and Availability

As of now, there isn’t a lot of information available regarding the prices. While the Pace 2 currently sells for just under €200, the inclusion of features like Dual-Band GPS, a touchscreen, and music playback is likely to result in a moderate price increase. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Pace 3 is priced somewhere between 229 € and 249 €.

The official product launch is scheduled for August 29th at 9:00 PM. It can be assumed that following the launch, the Pace 3 will be available for ordering through the manufacturer’s website.

Der Beitrag Coros Pace 3 – Great sports watch is likey to get even better erschien zuerst auf Fitness Tracker Test.