Compare Suunto Race S vs Coros Apex 2

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

Blood oxygen tracking was lightly praised as part of altitude mode, but only one review gave a clear positive judgment.

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

Bluetooth connectivity worked well for phone and sensor pairing in some reviews, but the Bluetooth-only sensor approach was also criticized for dropping ANT+ support.

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

Watch faces were criticized for bugs and poor visual design, making this one of the weaker software areas.

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

Sleep timing was often praised as accurate, but sleep-stage confidence was weaker, creating a mixed accuracy picture overall.

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 the most common tradeoff: maps were useful and sometimes enhanced, but missing routable guidance, small-screen use, weak route planning, and lagging Garmin-like features limited it.

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

Health metrics were broadly useful for trends, but reviewer confidence was mixed because some HRV-style readings appeared unreliable or needed more testing.

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

Button controls were generally strong, with praise for buttons, haptics, lockout, and the larger dial, though one reviewer found the crown fiddly during runs.

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

Step tracking was described as generally accurate or consistent with other devices in the two reviews that evaluated it.

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

Brightness was mixed: the backlight worked well, but some reviewers found the screen naturally dark or merely functional.

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 was highly context-dependent: some reviewers called it a bargain or better value, while others criticized pricing against better-featured competitors or the Pro model.

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

Display quality was readable and clear for many users, but reviewers repeatedly noted dimness, muted colors, or AMOLED comparisons.

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

Call handling was a clear smartwatch limitation because the reviewer noted the watch cannot answer calls or texts.

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 smartwatch feature in the review evidence.

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

Wi-Fi was praised as a nice addition for direct updates, though evidence was limited.

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 useful for overall trends and day-to-day decisions, especially when combined in app views and biometrics.

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 mixed: some reviewers found it great or close to measured routes, while others saw corner cutting, drift, weak open-water recovery, or merely good-not-great performance.

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 mixed-to-positive: some reviewers liked the subtle, compact look, while others felt the watch lacked appealing daily-wear design.

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 was strongly praised, with reviewers reporting no marks after hard knocks, no visible trail damage, and confidence in sapphire construction.

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

Menu navigation was mostly intuitive but still took some exploration because of deeper submenu structure.

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

Onboard music was repeatedly limited by MP3-only loading, no streaming, slow or old-school transfers, and competition for storage space.

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

Touchscreen usefulness was mixed: it worked well for maps in some cases, but other reviewers found it limited, less usable, or not especially impactful.

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

The app ecosystem around the watch was praised for the amount of information and options available through the COROS app.

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

Reviewers liked the broad sport coverage, with multiple activity modes and added sport-specific options making the watch versatile.

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

Customization was a strength, with one reviewer praising how easy it was to change numerous watch functions.

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.

Training and coaching features were seen as increasingly comprehensive and data-rich, though insight depth sometimes depended on unlocking EvoLab or using the app.

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 mixed: nylon comfort and durability earned praise, while the loop design, cheap feel, scratchiness, and aesthetics drew complaints.

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

Music controls were usable once set up, but the experience was only described as pretty good rather than modern or seamless.

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 a strength where reviewed, with responsive interactions, little waiting, and smoother interface animations.

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 experience was described as fast and functional in positive reviews, especially once users adapted to the watch.

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 one of the strongest consensus positives, repeatedly described as impressive, excellent, commendable, and better than some comparable watches.

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

Smartwatch features were limited compared with true smartwatches, though reviewers still considered the watch a strong multisport or fitness-focused device.

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

Materials were a strong point, especially sapphire glass and titanium, though one review described them simply as solid rather than exceptional.

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

Reliability was generally positive, with reviewers calling it bug-free, solid, useful, or reliable despite scattered feature-specific caveats.

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 the most split sensor result: several reviewers saw good steady-state or workout responsiveness, while others saw lag, spikes, drops, or larger BPM differences.

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

Pairing reliability was a strength, with reviewers reporting easy setup, quick syncing, and no sensor-pairing issues.

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

Comfort was a major strength: reviewers repeatedly called the Apex 2 light, unobtrusive, less cumbersome, and comfortable enough for long wear or sleep.

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

Charging convenience was mixed: one cable was secure, but several reviewers complained about loose, finicky, or non-USB-C charging hardware.

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

Notifications worked overall, but the alert strength was not especially noticeable during movement.

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

Workout tracking was generally considered capable for runs and everyday training, but strength-training rep tracking and some accuracy fundamentals drew criticism.

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

Fit was praised for adjustability, small-wrist suitability, glove clearance, and a generally secure comfortable feel.

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

Water resistance was adequate for showers, rain, swimming, and shallow use, but reduced 5 ATM depth versus older models was a caveat.

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 divided reviewers: several found it easy or refreshingly simple, while one found it poor until habits formed.

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

Charging speed was consistently positive, with reviewers reporting fast full charges and measured times under two hours.

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

The companion app was one of the strongest areas, often described as easy, elegant, informative, visually clear, or data-rich, though one review wanted more personalized insight.

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

Outdoor or low-light visibility was praised in one review where the workout screen was easy to read in early-morning conditions.

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

Build quality was consistently praised, with reviewers calling the watch well-built, robust, solid, and durable.

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 guidance was useful for one reviewer and felt body-aware, though another found COROS recovery metrics too runner- and flat-run-focused.

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

The resume-later feature was strongly praised by a backpacking reviewer who used it to pause overnight tracking.

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

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

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.