Today, we’ll be giving you a comprehensive review of the Coros Pace 3 running watch. I’ll be diving into the pros and cons, new features, and everything you need to know to decide if this watch is the right pick for you.
COROS is a company known for its competitive pricing. Three iterations ago, they introduced their breakthrough product, the original COROS Pace, which garnered worldwide attention. Despite being priced lower than its competitors, the COROS Pace 1 offered features that surpassed watches double its price.
Now, with the Pace 3, this trend continues. Compared to the original COROS Pace (1) released almost 6 years ago, the price increase is minor, especially considering the constant rise in watch and product prices. COROS has once again managed to incorporate features that outshine many more expensive watches. Additionally, they have improved accuracy, even surpassing their own higher-end products.
Price from £218 (UK) / $186 (USA)
The Coros Pace 3 stands out as an excellent choice for a budget-friendly GPS watch. It offers great value and caters to a wide range of users with varying budgets. Notably, its exceptional battery life and impressive screen make it a top contender in various conditions. The Pace 3’s simplicity is particularly appealing to those who prefer a streamlined experience without unnecessary smartwatch distractions. Its ultralight design ensures it won’t hold you back, and we’re confident that most users will be more than satisfied with this affordable model. With improved battery life and additional sensors, this watch is perfect for runners and individuals seeking comprehensive health tracking throughout the day. Moreover, it comes at an affordable price without compromising on quality.
Coros has raised the bar with the introduction of impressive new features in the Pace 3, surpassing its predecessor, the Pace 2 – worn by Eliud Kipchoge.
Let’s explore what has changed in comparison to the Pace 2:
In terms of battery life, the Pace 3 offers the following durations:
In regards to features such as sport modes, they remain unchanged, assuming the Pace 2 has the latest firmware updates. The plastic case also remains the same.
The Coros Pace 3 remains a top contender because of its entry-level price range. If we had to recommend just one product that caters to a wide range of users and budgets, it would be this one. It boasts exceptional battery life despite its ultralight and compact design. With approximately 30+ hours of GPS time or two weeks of normal daily use, you won’t have to worry about charging frequently. The simplicity of the Pace 3 is particularly appealing for those who prefer minimal distractions on their wristwatch. It offers a comprehensive range of data metrics, making it suitable for a diverse user base, including serious athletes who will appreciate the long-lasting GPS tracking capabilities. Additionally, individuals focused on daily health tracking will find value in its various metrics such as sleep stats, daily steps, and resting heart rate.
While the Pace 3 may not feature premium materials due to its entry-level price, we were still impressed by its durability. It’s important to note that a rugged design often comes with a higher price tag in the GPS watch market. Although the route navigation feature on the Pace 3 is useful, we personally prefer relying on a cellphone for most of our navigation needs. The touch screen addition is a nice touch, but we still find a rolling crown and dedicated buttons to be more user-friendly overall. Nevertheless, if you’re in the market for a GPS watch with a current yet minimal feature set, without wanting to spend a fortune, the Pace 3 is the perfect match for you.
Obviously, if you’re getting the COROS Pace 3, it’s undoubtedly to do something sporty with it. The Coros Pace 3 has expanded its sports modes, allowing you to track your progress for activities such as swimming, cycling, and of course, running. The watch also has basic navigation capabilities, allowing you to set waypoints and follow a breadcrumb trail back to your starting point. The Pace 3 also now offers a new feature that displays POIs (points of interest) around you.
COROS has dedicated significant time to antenna design for the Pace 3, resulting in a remarkable improvement in GPS accuracy. The Pace 3 boasts an upgraded GPS chipset, enabling faster satellite acquisition and enhanced precision while maintaining your running pace. When it comes to GPS accuracy for land-based activities at this price point, the COROS Pace 3 is hard to beat, surpassing even their higher-priced offerings. With such a clear improvement in GPS performance, it is encouraging to see COROS potentially implementing this in future watches.
Additionally, the heart rate monitor of the Pace 3 demonstrates greater precision compared to previous Coros models, consistently providing accurate readings even during intense workouts.
The Coros Pace 3 offers comprehensive health tracking throughout the day, including detailed sleep stats, daily steps, and resting heart rate. It also has a new blood oxygen (SpO2) sensor, which measures the percentage of oxygen in your blood. This feature is particularly useful for people who engage in high-altitude activities where the air is thinner.
We are truly impressed by the elegant simplicity of the Pace models. The latest version, the Pace 3, introduces exciting new features such as a touch screen, music downloads, and breadcrumb mapping. The lineup continuously receives significant software updates, providing access to features that were previously exclusive to higher-end models.
However, during our testing, it became apparent that the emphasis is not solely on the feature set. Coros primarily focuses on exceptional build quality and remarkable battery life. By prioritising simplicity over software features, Coros has managed to keep the price affordable, making the Coros Pace 3 a remarkable choice for a GPS watch with a low entry point. In contrast, Garmin and Apple place greater emphasis on software, which inevitably drives up the cost of their watches.
The standout features of the Coros Pace 3 are undoubtedly its health and GPS tracking capabilities, as well as its impressive battery life. While using this watch, we occasionally find ourselves missing certain features found in more premium watches, such as contactless payment, music controls, a flashlight, and Spotify integration. However, if your primary focus is extended battery life and accurate GPS tracking, and you value little else, then this watch is likely the perfect fit for you.
The Pace 3 has an impressive battery life of up to 30 hours in GPS mode and 20 days in regular mode, making it perfect for long races and extended training sessions. Coros excels in battery life, and even with its smaller case size, the Pace 3 still offers more than 30 hours of continuous GPS tracking. This means that budget-minded ultra-endurance athletes can have multi-day life, assuming they rest where the GPS is off. Unlike most entry-level watches, the Pace 3 provides a substantial amount of hours, regardless of the cost. Additionally, you can continue to record while charging the watch if needed.
The Pace 3 doesn’t have any low-power modes, mainly because it’s not necessary, and the only outcome would be a decrease in accuracy. We tested this watch in various environments and found that the battery wasn’t affected. Furthermore, the watch charges quickly, taking less than 2 hours, depending on the charging setup. Coros prioritises hardware performance over battery-draining software features, making the Pace 3’s battery life an excellent example of this approach.
The Coros Pace 3 presents a user-friendly experience, boasting an intuitive interface and customisable buttons that allow for quick access to specific functions. While the touch screen is a nice addition, we find ourselves leaning towards the physical buttons and crown for navigation. Additionally, the watch offers haptic feedback, which can be toggled on or off based on personal preference. One minor drawback we’ve noticed is that the screen can sometimes be challenging to read in direct sunlight.
Using the watch is straightforward, thanks to its simplistic design. Customisation options are available within the companion app, which is well-designed and easy to navigate. In comparison to the Garmin Connect app, the Coros app proves to be more user-friendly and less cluttered, giving it a modern feel. The scroll wheel and touch screen are versatile and can be utilised throughout the device. Furthermore, the singular dedicated backlight button is highly functional, with a long press revealing various tools. It’s worth noting that the user interface remains consistent across all Coros watches, making the transition seamless for those upgrading from a previous model.
As mentioned before, the Coros Pace 3 excels in GPS and heart rate accuracy. The watch utilises both GPS and GLONASS satellite systems to ensure accurate tracking on outdoor runs, as well as ABC (altimeter, barometer, compass) sensors for elevation data. During our testing, we found that the Pace 3 provided consistent and precise readings for distance, pace, and heart rate. Additionally, the breadcrumb mapping feature proved to be handy when navigating through unfamiliar routes.
The heart rate monitor of the Pace 3 has also shown significant improvement compared to previous Coros models. It consistently provided accurate readings even during intense workouts, making it a reliable tool for tracking fitness progress.
The Coros Pace 3 has a sleek and sporty design and a sturdy construction that can withstand harsh environments. Despite its lightweight build, the watch is comfortable to wear for long periods without causing discomfort. It weighs only 1.5 ounces, so you won’t even feel it on your wrist. The case is made of plastic but still feels robust and durable. The watch is water-resistant up to 50 metres, making it suitable for swimming or other water sports. The screen has a display that works great in direct light, providing excellent contrast and readability. However, the backlight is less powerful than higher-end models, and the screen is not very visible in low-light conditions.
The Coros Pace 3 comes with a comfortable and easily cleanable silicone band, which has quick-release pins, enabling you to switch between different straps effortlessly. The watch offers only three colour options for the case (black, blue, and white), but there are various strap colours available for purchase. You can also purchase a premium silicone band that offers better ventilation and comfort, suitable for intense workouts.
Overall, the strap is well-designed and ideal for everyday use. his watch has a simple design, and you can choose between nylon or silicone straps (22mm thick), making it stand out. The tooless strap design increases in width by 2mm, which is a significant improvement as the previous model felt a little thin. However, it still has a double-sided clasp, which is a bit annoying as we would prefer having to thread the strap only once. The white straps have a drawback which is that they tend to look a little grubby, especially with everyday wear. But you can take the strap off, wash it and put it back on with ease using Coros’ quick-release pin method, which is very convenient.
The Coros Pace 3 watch boasts a compact 42mm case, setting it apart from other models. Despite its size, it still offers a decent screen size and resolution of 240 x 240 pixels. The always-on display feature ensures excellent visibility in bright sunlight, but it does come at the expense of battery life. However, you have the option to disable the always-on display, which significantly extends the battery life. With its slim 41.9 x 41.9mm watch face and 11.7mm thickness, it fits comfortably on the wrist. It is remarkably lightweight at just 30g with the nylon band (39g with the Silicone band), it’s easy to forget it’s even there. Ideal for longer distances and everyday wear.
Additionally, the watch case features four physical buttons and a digital crown for easy navigation. These buttons are conveniently responsive, even when wearing gloves, delivering a satisfying click response. The digital crown serves as a smooth and precise tool for scrolling through menus and options on the touch screen, enhancing the overall user experience.
Featuring a 1.2-inch transflective Mineral Glass display, this device exudes durability. It is not only robust but also highly resistant to scratches. Although the graphics appear somewhat outdated compared to its competitors, the blocky design doesn’t compromise its performance. While lacking fancy visuals, it excels in the areas that truly matter.
The watch interface offers effortless navigation with the Digital Crown and side button. Scrolling through menus, starting workouts, and checking stats is a breeze. While the touch screen is responsive, it might take a bit of time to get accustomed to the scrolling feature. Occasionally, we experienced accidental taps instead of scrolling, which can be initially frustrating for those who prefer buttons. However, with practice, mastering the controls is achievable.
The watch provides various navigation options, all options are highly responsive, even in water. If you prefer, there is an option to disable the touchscreen during workouts. By default, the screen auto-locks during activity to minimise the risk of accidental taps or interactions.
To unlock the watch, simply press and hold the crown for three seconds (it counts down for you) when the backlight is off. This action is also required to officially end your workout or run.
To access the workout profiles or menus, simply click the crown. The button below functions as a back button. However, holding down the button takes you to a system menu where you can access settings, music, notifications, and more.
When we first attempted navigation, it proved to be quite frustrating. Whether you’re trying to find your way back to the starting point during a run or simply want to follow a specific route, it’s not easily accessible.
To navigate, you need to start an activity, then press and hold the down button, select “navigation,” and choose either “course” or “back to start” via breadcrumb navigation. Unfortunately, this process is not abundantly clear. However, once we got the hang of it, the breadcrumb navigation worked flawlessly. It provided clear instructions, such as “keep right,” and the deviation alert kicked in after approximately 30-45 seconds of going off course. Even while navigating through the forest trails, we were promptly alerted by the deviation notification. The deviation alert consists of a bleep, followed by the distance you deviate from the route. Additionally, the arrow indicates whether you’re heading in the correct direction. It is truly impressive.
During your run, you can choose from four pre-set activity faces:
All of these can be customised through the app. Each workout screen can be tailored to suit each activity.
After your run, the Coros app comes in handy for accessing detailed data and tracking your progress over time. Additionally, the watch offers Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity, enabling you to pair it with other fitness devices like heart rate monitors or bike sensors.
The post-run data is impressive, providing insights into training load aerobic and anaerobic scores, best mile pace, average mile splits with accompanying graphs, and heart rate information. It also includes power output, elevation stats, cadence, stride length, calories burned, time, and predicted recovery time. However, the calculation of rest hours solely relies on data related to training level, training load, and running performance from the previous run, omitting crucial factors like sleep and resting heart-rate data. This oversight can lead to inaccuracies.
We encountered a minor user error when we attempted to import every exercise from a tough gym workout, which would have required excessive manual input. Understandably, we would not chose not to invest hours inputting each move into the watch, especially when attending a class.
Our verdict: 9 out of 10
Overall, the Coros Pace 3 offers impressive features and accuracy for runners. While it may not have all the bells and whistles of other high-end running watches, its simplicity and focus on core running functions make it a great choice for dedicated athletes. Priced at £219, this product offers great value for money compared to its competitor, Garmin running watches.
So, is this the ultimate timepiece for runners? It’s definitely a strong contender. If you’re a serious runner looking for an accurate and reliable GPS watch, the Coros Pace 3 is definitely worth considering. With its improved features, solid performance, and comfortable design, it’s a great option for those prioritising running-specific functionalities.
However, if you’re someone who enjoys listening to music during your runs or wants more advanced third-party integration, you may want to explore other options.
Overall, the Coros Pace 3 is a solid choice for any runner looking for a reliable and accurate training partner. So why not give it a try and elevate your running game? You can purchase the Coros Pace 3 on Sports Shoes today.
About this review:
We purchased these products with our own money. Our review contains affiliate links, where we may earn a small fee from a purchase. All our reviews are honest and fair.
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