Sunday Runday
On this weekly column, Android Central Wearables Editor Michael Hicks talks in regards to the world of wearables, apps, and health tech associated to operating and well being, in his quest to get sooner and healthier.
The COROS PACE Professional’s standout function is its new AMOLED show, but it surely additionally added a brand new satellite tv for pc chipset, redesigned GPS antenna, and an “improved watch physique design for extra correct HR” than previous COROS watches. I made a decision to place these GPS and HR enhancements to the take a look at in opposition to a high-end Garmin watch and a Polar H10 chest strap.
The COROS PACE Professional has different upgrades over the PACE 3, comparable to a sooner CPU, larger buttons, higher maps, and considerably longer battery life. Nonetheless, 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 GPS accuracy and barely for HR accuracy.
I gave the price range PACE 3 a cross, however the PACE Professional competes immediately in opposition to 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.
Fortunately, the COROS PACE Professional (principally) lived as much as the problem, holding its personal in opposition to the rather more costly Garmin Fenix 8.
COROS PACE Professional accuracy take a look at abstract
Since I am reviewing the Garmin Fenix 8 and COROS PACE Professional concurrently, I accomplished a number of lengthy runs carrying each in low-signal areas, observe runs at near-max coronary heart charges in particular lanes, and tree-occluded hikes with loads of elevation adjustments.
For GPS accuracy, Garmin watches with multi-band GPS have historically accomplished 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 GPS baseline for the $350 PACE Professional to match.
| Exercise | COROS PACE Professional | Garmin Fenix 8 |
|---|---|---|
| 10/27 (run) | 7.00 miles | 7.01 miles |
| 10/31 (jog) | 3.02 miles | 3.01 miles |
| 10/31 (observe run) | 3,240 meters | 3,210 meters |
| 11/2 (run) | 12.01 miles | 12.03 miles |
| 11/6 (jog) | 3.12 miles | 3.11 miles |
| 11/6 (observe run) | 3,220 meters | 3,240 meters |
| 11/7 (hike) | 8.58 miles, 672m ascent | 8.60 miles, 676m ascent |
For HR accuracy, I sometimes use my COROS HRM as an optical baseline, however because it pairs routinely to COROS watches on the identical account, I used my Polar H10 chest strap paired to my Fenix 8 to check the PACE Professional. I’ve fewer factors of HR comparability than GPS as a result of I paired the COROS HRM to the PACE Professional for just a few runs to arrange for my Fenix 8 overview.
| Exercise | COROS PACE Professional | Garmin Fenix 8 / Polar H10 |
|---|---|---|
| 11/6 (jog) | 146 bpm / 157 max | 146 bpm / 158 max |
| 11/6 (observe) | 172 bpm / 185 max | 174 bpm / 186 max |
| 11/7 (hike) | 130 bpm / 170 max | 129 bpm / 171 max |
I am going to go extra in-depth in each areas under, however when you’re in a rush, listed below are my primary impressions: I see a particular enchancment in GPS accuracy, bringing it functionally in vary of Garmin in order that nobody will thoughts the hole. For HR accuracy, I do not see a big distinction, and I would in all probability purchase the COROS HRM if I wanted the absolute best HR precision.
COROS PACE Professional GPS accuracy
For traditional runs on metropolis streets, the COROS PACE Professional (principally) did very effectively. Within the gallery under, you may see how the PACE Professional (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 in a while the place COROS has me operating by means of lawns whereas Garmin has my appropriate sidewalk place.
Picture 1 of 7
In a single occasion, you may see how each watches captured me operating into a 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 hassle 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.
Throughout a second metropolis run, COROS (now the orange line) loses extra visibly to Garmin, constantly exhibiting me barely misaligned from my precise path or sidewalk place. It did not have any actual influence on my tracked distance, nevertheless, with no wobbling location or misplaced sign such as you sometimes see with poorer connections.
Picture 1 of 3
Hikes may be probably the most difficult for monitoring: tree cowl and close by hills can block or redirect indicators, and any mistaken traces can mess along with your elevation monitoring. Fortunately, each watches did effectively throughout an 8.5-mile hike. Within 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 general altitude acquire was solely 4m aside, too.
Picture 1 of 6
General, it is clear that COROS’ redesigned antenna and new GPS chipset paid off. COROS’ GPS accuracy on previous watches has been good however not the perfect. With these assessments, COROS has accomplished exceptionally effectively or has accomplished effectively sufficient to remain in lockstep even when the outcomes aren’t fairly excellent.
COROS PACE Professional 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. On this case, COROS stated the PACE Professional would have improved accuracy due to a redesigned physique, however the outcomes themselves look pretty similar to previous COROS watches.
I used my Polar H10 chest strap for comparability. Although I’ve had points with its accuracy up to now, I am hoping it offered a dependable baseline.
The primary chart above reveals an easy 3-mile run. The COROS PACE Professional stays pretty near the Polar H10 — which is related to my Garmin Fenix 8, therefore the label — however when 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 is regular for an optical vs. ECG comparability; to date, 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 could 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 up to now, dipping my HR to unlikely lows, so I am unsure if that is the fault of COROS or Polar right here. The general HR common was just one bpm off throughout a 2.5-hour exercise, so I tentatively chalk this up as a stable entry for COROS.
The observe exercise is, predictably, the place the issues come up. The COROS PACE Professional struggles to seize fast adjustments in coronary heart fee, falling wherever from 1 bpm to eight bpm brief always.
It is a fairly 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. As an alternative, you get a 2 bpm hole in common for a comparatively brief exercise.
That is why, as I stated above, I would in all probability suggest shopping for the COROS armband to pair with this when you want the absolute best outcomes. For on a regular basis runners who aren’t doing that many dash actions or simply have to know usually what coronary heart fee zone you are in, the PACE Professional 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 Professional deserves your consideration
On the subject of selecting a operating watch, each model has its strengths and weaknesses. The COROS PACE Professional will not change your thoughts when you already dislike COROS as a result of the software program is basically unchanged. It is 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 vital 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 GPS and HR accuracy severely.
On the software program entrance, COROS has the necessities: a goal weekly coaching load based mostly in your present health degree, a month-to-month distribution of straightforward/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; for the reason that PACE Professional has a brand new CPU and further RAM, it ought to obtain assist for years to come back. Although for now, the absence of music streaming apps or contactless funds could also be deal-breakers for some runners.
Whereas I nonetheless want one other week or two to completely take a look at the PACE Professional for its overview, I am feeling very passionate about its upgrades. It is pricier than the PACE 3 however nonetheless on a budget facet in comparison with different operating watches. Frugal “execs” ought to severely take into account it.
Giving Garmin a run for its cash
If you happen to’re on the lookout for an amazing health watch, the COROS PACE Professional is a superb match for somebody not seeking to spend an excessive amount of on a Garmin watch. It has nice health monitoring capabilities whereas being extra inexpensive than a lot of the competitors.
