{"id":19545,"date":"2024-02-21T16:57:16","date_gmt":"2024-02-21T15:57:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fitness-tracker-test.info\/?p=19545"},"modified":"2024-05-16T20:57:58","modified_gmt":"2024-05-16T18:57:58","slug":"coros-heart-rate-monitor-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fitness-tracker-test.info\/en\/coros-heart-rate-monitor-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Coros Heart Rate Monitor Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Coros is well-known for its sports watches and unveiling a HR monitor for the upper arm came at a surprise. Though the kind of wearable is not entirely new, it constitutes a new product line at Coros. I had the opportunity to review the Coros Heart Rate Monitor.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Coros Heart Rate Monitor lying on a table<\/a>

Coros Heart Rate Monitor<\/p><\/div>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Unboxing and First Impression<\/h2>\n

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.<\/p>\nA hand holding the box of the Coros Heart Rate Monitor<\/a>\n

Unsurprisingly, the package contains the Heart Rate Monitor, a USB charging cable, and some paperwork.<\/p>\nThe heart rate monitor connected to the USB charging cable<\/a>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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…<\/p>\nCoros heart rate monitor band<\/a>\n

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.<\/p>\nCoros Heart Rate Monitor turned to one side to depict the slim profile<\/a>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

In the end, this does not affect the performance of the product.<\/p>\n

Coros Heart Rate Monitor – First steps<\/h2>\n

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.<\/p>\nBackside of the Coros Heart Rate Monitor showing the PPG sensors<\/a>\n

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.<\/p>\n

If the sensor is removed from the skin, the Heart Rate Monitor goes into standby mode shortly after.<\/p>\n

Comfort<\/h3>\n

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.<\/p>\nEnds of the armband with velcro to easily open and close<\/a>\n

Once the strap is in place, it stays there. Even during intense physical activity – the strap neither slips nor twists.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

For better comparison of size, I placed alternative products from Wahoo, Polar, and Scosche next to it:<\/p>\n

Comparison with other HR optical bands | Front sides<\/a>

Comparison with other HR optical bands | Front sides<\/p><\/div>\n

Comparison with other HR optical bands | Back sides<\/a>

Comparison with other HR optical bands | Back sides<\/p><\/div>\n

Connection via Bluetooth LE<\/h3>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The same applies to various apps on iOS or Android: The Coros HRM is recognized without any issues.<\/p>\n

Seamless pairing via Bluetooth LE<\/a>

Seamless pairing via Bluetooth LE<\/p><\/div>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/a>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Battery Life of the Coros HRM<\/h3>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

In terms of battery life, this shouldn’t be a major drawback, but it’s something to be aware of.<\/p>\n

Accuracy in Heart Rate Measurement<\/h2>\n

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:<\/p>\n