Compare Suunto Race S vs Suunto Vertical 2

Blood oxygen tracking was only clearly evaluated in one review, and that reviewer called the nighttime SpO2 results poor.

Blood oxygen evidence was limited but positive, tied to a redesigned sensor that improved stability during demanding outdoor use.

Safety features received limited but positive evidence, especially Find Back/navigation support that added peace of mind.

Safety features were mixed: the flashlight helped, but one reviewer criticized the lack of a true SOS function.

Charging convenience is more mixed because reviewers liked quick charging but disliked the proprietary pad, alignment, or travel requirement.

Charging convenience was a major improvement, with reviewers praising the stronger magnetic charger, better clip, and reliable connection.

Size options are useful but not universally ideal; some reviewers liked the midsize case, while one found it still suited to thicker wrists.

Size options were a weakness because one reviewer specifically criticized the single-size approach.

The app ecosystem was praised for useful SuuntoPlus tools, though one review said Suunto still lags Garmin on ecosystem depth.

The app ecosystem was a weakness relative to Garmin, with reviewers calling out a lack of deeper training ecosystem or rich smart features.

A scientific review treated the broader health measurements as weak, especially because heart-rate and sleep-related results were not strong.

Reviewers found the broader health metrics generally usable, with one calling the data accurate enough and another seeing solid performance across navigation, sleep, and heart-rate measurements.

Sleep tracking drew mostly negative or cautious evidence, with reviewers reporting underreported sleep, inaccurate stages, or a lack of confidence in the data.

Sleep tracking drew mixed feedback: several reviewers found it accurate or improved, but others noted hit-or-miss results, missed wake periods, or quirks.

Charging speed is consistently praised, with several reviewers reporting fast full charges or quick top-ups.

Charging speed was acceptable rather than impressive, with one reviewer calling the roughly 90-minute charge adequate but not great.

Button controls are mixed, with several reviewers finding the digital crown fiddly, delayed, awkward, or unpredictable despite useful physical input.

Button controls were broadly praised for glove use and tactile feedback, though some reviewers still preferred a crown or different interface logic.

Flashlight usefulness is limited because it is screen-based, though one reviewer still found it functional for basic low-light tasks.

The flashlight was widely considered useful or even essential, but several reviewers criticized early software behavior, access flow, or clunky controls.

Smartwatch features are intentionally limited: some reviewers liked the cleaner sports-watch focus, while others wanted a fuller smartwatch experience.

Smartwatch features were considered limited; reviewers treated the watch as an outdoor tool rather than a full everyday smartwatch.

General fitness tracking was praised for workout capture in one review, but another scientific test found the accuracy only middling versus better devices.

Sports tracking was described as solid overall, with accuracy tied to GPS performance and getting the watch fit right.

The operating system experience is mixed-positive: reviewers saw a basic, sports-first platform that improved in responsiveness but is not a rich smartwatch OS.

The operating system experience was praised as fast and efficient in the available review evidence.

Reliability is mostly positive for workout operation and GPS logging, but one scientific review and one software-focused review noted broader metric concerns.

Reliability evidence was limited but positive, centered on performance data, durability, and route reliability.

Smartphone notifications generally worked, though reviewers framed them as basic and often noted limited interaction beyond reading alerts.

Notification handling was mixed: alerts could arrive reliably, but reviewers repeatedly noted read-only limits, short previews, no images, or reduced iPhone behavior.

The companion app was broadly praised for route planning, maps, layout, reliability, and modern design.

Companion app quality was mixed: several reviewers liked its clean, digestible dashboard, but others found it less glanceable, overloaded, or inconsistent in background syncing.

Third-party app support is useful but not fully baked in, with praise for the app store offset by criticism that some tools should be native.

Third-party app support was positive where discussed, especially clean syncing with Strava, TrainingPeaks, and health-app workflows.

Wellness insights were polarizing; one reviewer liked the quieter data approach, while another thought Suunto’s resource-style metric lagged Garmin-like alternatives.

Wellness insights were seen as meaningful but fairly lean, especially the Resources-style daily energy framing.

Water resistance received limited opinionated evidence; one reviewer judged 50 meters acceptable for most but a downgrade for deeper use.

Water resistance evidence was positive but limited, with one reviewer calling it fully waterproof and happy in the pool.

Durability is mostly positive, with strong scratch/impact evidence in one test, although Gorilla Glass and reduced water rating were noted as downgrades from larger models.

Durability evidence was strong, with reviewers reporting protective construction, resistance to scratches, and a solid feel after rough use.

Comfort is generally strong, with reviewers praising all-day wear, unobtrusive feel, and smaller case comfort, though some disliked bulk at night.

Comfort was mixed: reviewers often found it wearable or balanced for its size, but the heavy, bulky case was a recurring caveat.

Recovery insights are useful when presented clearly, especially HRV and Progress-style metrics, but some reviewers found the packaging weak or the conclusions discouraging.

Recovery insights were generally useful, with reviewers saying advice or training-state feedback aligned with how they felt and helped track progress.

Pairing reliability had one clearly positive review, with setup and app pairing described as simple and straightforward.

Pairing and sync reliability was split: one reviewer had no connection or syncing issues, while another found background activity inconsistent.

Wi-Fi connectivity was evaluated mainly through map downloads, which work but were criticized for slow transfer behavior.

Wi-Fi connectivity was mainly discussed through map downloads, where reviewers ran into a fiddly process or setup failures.

Software smoothness improved across reviews, with several reviewers calling the UI faster or fluid, though a few still saw polish issues or minor lag.

Software smoothness was much improved versus older Suunto models, with reviewers calling the UI faster, smoother, and more responsive.

Heart-rate accuracy is the most divided attribute: several reviewers found the updated sensor solid or precise, while others reported poor readings and recommended an external strap.

Heart-rate accuracy was mixed-positive: many reviewers saw accurate or much-improved readings, while others reported startup wobble, high-intensity drift, fit sensitivity, or inconsistent results.

Battery life is strong overall for an AMOLED sports watch, but reviews vary from excellent to shorter-than-claimed depending on always-on display and navigation use.

Battery life was the strongest point of agreement: reviewers repeatedly called it class-leading or excellent for AMOLED, with a few real-world caveats versus claims.

Menu navigation takes practice; reviewers liked short paths after learning the logic but criticized confusing menus and less-smooth swiping.

Menu navigation was mixed: reviewers liked the clearer flow, but some found the touch-centric interface or long scrolling awkward.

Watch faces are improved and customizable, but one reviewer found accidental customization in the shower slightly annoying.

Watch-face quality was generally liked, especially the clear default face and useful data, though one review noted dim-state readability issues elsewhere.

Build quality is a strength, with reviewers praising the watch and strap construction, premium feel, and high-quality form factor.

Build quality was repeatedly described as intentional, solid, tank-like, and suited to hard outdoor use.

Customization is useful for routes, sport modes, complications, and modes, though it is not presented as a deep smartwatch-level customization system.

Customization was praised for watch-face and data flexibility, with reviewers appreciating how much the display could be tailored.

Value for money is the clearest consensus strength, with nearly every reviewer framing the Race S as aggressively priced for its mapping, GPS, AMOLED, and training feature set.

Value for money was generally positive because the watch delivers strong outdoor performance at less than some Garmin rivals, though some reviewers flagged competition and higher titanium pricing.

Fit is praised for smaller wrists and secure sport use, especially where reviewers noted stable wear during activities.

Fit was generally secure when adjusted correctly, but reviewers stressed that sensor accuracy and stability depend on placement.

Materials quality is highly regarded, especially the premium wrist feel, titanium option, and quality materials.

Materials quality was praised through the metal casing and sapphire-glass construction.

Outdoor visibility is strong; reviewers reported readability in midday sun, normal sunlight, forest shade, and other outdoor conditions.

Outdoor visibility was excellent across the evidence, especially in sun, low light, and map use.

Step counting was mixed: one review found totals similar to comparison devices, while another found counts far enough off to be noticeable.

Step counting had a minor accuracy concern, with one reviewer saying the watch frequently overcounted steps.

GPS accuracy received the strongest overall praise, with many reviewers calling tracks precise, strong, pristine, or among the best they had tested.

GPS accuracy was one of the strongest themes, with reviewers repeatedly calling land-based tracking accurate, rock-solid, spot-on, or near-perfect.

Workout variety is a clear strength, with reviewers praising the broad sport-mode support for running, cycling, swimming, triathlon, MTB, and many other activities.

Workout variety was a clear strength, with reviewers repeatedly praising the very broad set of sport modes and activity profiles.

Mapping and navigation are standout strengths, with repeated praise for offline maps, route planning, responsiveness, and trail usefulness, despite setup and routability limits.

Mapping and navigation were usually praised for clear, useful offline maps and route guidance, but reviewers noted setup friction, manual toggles, route limits, or Garmin’s easier experience.

The user interface ranged from confusing at first to quick and easy once learned, with touch and app-driven navigation often helping.

The user interface was viewed as more intuitive than earlier Suunto releases, though evidence was limited.

Coaching features are capable but uneven, with praise for structured workouts and training planning but criticism for missing Garmin-style suggested workouts and weaker presentation.

Coaching features were useful for structured progress, though one advanced pacing feature was less convenient because it required a chest strap.

Touchscreen responsiveness is mostly positive after improvements, though moisture sensitivity and a less-slick feel kept scores from being perfect.

Touchscreen responsiveness was mostly positive, but reviewers noted wet-screen confusion and occasional lag.

Style and design are among the strongest attributes, with reviewers repeatedly calling the Race S sleek, attractive, premium, or one of the best-looking sports watches.

Style and design were praised as rugged, sleek, good-looking, and more refined than earlier models.

Onboard music storage is a notable weakness, with multiple reviewers calling out the absence of music downloads or internal playback.

Onboard music storage was repeatedly criticized or marked absent, with reviewers noting no offline music despite the available storage.

Brightness is consistently praised, with reviewers describing the screen as bright, vibrant, and easy to view in demanding conditions.

Brightness was strongly praised, with reviewers emphasizing the 2,000-nit output and easy readability in bright conditions.

Music controls worked adequately for phone playback, but reviewers consistently treated them as basic controls rather than a full music solution.

Music controls were serviceable to good for phone playback, but reviewers framed them as limited controls rather than a full music experience.

Display quality is a consistent strength, with repeated praise for the sharp AMOLED panel, color, clarity, and readability.

Display quality was one of the strongest positives, with reviewers repeatedly praising the AMOLED screen as bright, sharp, vibrant, clean, and modern.

Band quality is mixed-positive, with comfort and secure designs praised but some straps criticized for tacky branding, stickiness, or glow-at-night drawbacks.

Band quality was mostly positive for softness and security, though reviewers also noted fiddly clasps, stiffness, or awkward break-in.

Contactless payments were clearly treated as missing in one review, making this a low-scoring feature for users who expect payments on-wrist.

Contactless payments were a clear missing feature and one reviewer explicitly docked the product for no tap-to-pay wallet.

Bluetooth connectivity is mostly discussed through sensor support, where reviewers criticized Suunto’s one-sensor limitations and weak pairing model.

Call handling is limited to alerts and message/call visibility, with one reviewer wishing reply functionality were available.

Calorie estimates were questioned by one reviewer, who said the watch tended to overestimate calories burned.

Cross-platform compatibility had an iPhone caveat, with one reviewer noting reduced notification and response behavior when paired to iOS.