Compare Suunto Race 2 vs Garmin Lily 2 Active

The app ecosystem received positive evidence from SuuntoPlus, with one reviewer saying integrations made the watch feel less insular than rival fitness watches.

The app ecosystem is praised as comprehensive for wellness data and long-term health interpretation.

Band quality was mixed: some liked the stock silicone strap, while others disliked the pin fastening, fiddly buckle, or overall band feel.

Band quality is praised for comfort, quick-release swapping, and easy removal.

Battery life was one of the clearest strengths, with reviewers repeatedly praising endurance, long GPS runtime, and multi-day use.

Battery life is strongly praised, often beating or matching expectations and lasting around a week or more in real use.

One reviewer was very positive about Pulse Ox readings, saying the watch routinely matched their normal SpO2 range.

Bluetooth connectivity evidence was positive in one review, where phone pairing was described as simple.

Bluetooth connectivity is viewed positively because the watch pairs easily with phones and other devices.

Brightness received explicit praise, with one reviewer calling the display brightness unusually strong.

Brightness is generally acceptable, with one reviewer noting easy viewing, while another says the screen itself is not ultra-bright.

Build quality was strongly praised, with reviewers calling the hardware premium, sturdy, and well matched to smooth software.

Build quality draws criticism from one reviewer who dislikes the cheaper-material feel.

Button controls were mostly praised as clicky and usable during activity, though one reviewer had a sticky-button problem.

Button controls are a unanimous strength because they make workouts and navigation much easier than touch-only Lily models.

Call handling is useful for glancing at calls on the wrist without pulling out a phone.

Calorie tracking was criticized in one review for producing numbers that appeared much too high.

Charging convenience improved substantially, with reviewers praising the redesigned magnetic charger and more secure dock.

Charging convenience improves because the watch uses the standard Garmin cable rather than the older Lily clip style.

Charging speed was praised as fast enough for quick top-ups before long GPS days.

Coaching features were seen as helpful for interpreting training and recovery, especially for runners, though the evidence favored practical context over advanced smartwatch coaching.

Coaching features are well received, with reviewers praising Garmin Coach, adaptive plans, and guided structured workouts.

Comfort was mostly positive thanks to the thinner case, lighter feel and improved wrist fit, though size and strap choices still mattered.

Comfort is one of the most consistent strengths, with reviewers saying the small, light watch is easy to forget on the wrist.

The companion app was mixed but often useful: some praised route playback, readable analysis, streamlining and polish, while others saw mismatched stats or a basic app.

The companion app is useful for setup, coaching, and deeper tracking, with one reviewer preferring it for faster, clearer health logging.

Contactless payments were called out as missing, contributing to the watch's limited smartwatch feature set.

Garmin Pay is considered useful and easy to set up, though one reviewer notes its value drops if a phone is still needed for music.

Cross-platform compatibility was supported by positive evidence for importing and sharing workout data through services such as Strava.

Cross-platform compatibility is mixed because Android users get quick replies while iPhone users cannot reply from the watch.

Customization was uneven: reviewers liked some configurable widgets and screens but criticized limited watch-face options, sport-mode setup friction, and direct customization limits.

Customization is mixed-to-good: notifications and data views have useful controls, but watch-face flexibility is more limited than other Garmins.

Display quality was one of the strongest points, repeatedly described as bright, sharp, readable, stunning, and easy to use during training.

Display quality is divisive: reviewers like the contrast and hidden-display style, but some dislike the monochrome screen or limited visual richness.

Durability was praised, with reviewers describing the watch as hard to kill and resistant to visible wear during testing.

Durability is a concern for one reviewer, who connects the aluminum casing to easier scratching and reduced durability.

ECG is a clear limitation: a reviewer explicitly wished Garmin had included the hardware for ECG-related features.

Fit was positive in one review because the large watch still did not feel too large on the wrist.

Fit is excellent for the intended user, especially people who want a small watch that sits comfortably on smaller wrists.

One reviewer tied the improved sensors to more meaningful health and training feedback, suggesting better fitness-tracking usefulness than the older model.

Fitness tracking accuracy is a major strength, with multiple reviewers finding pace, distance, and overall workout data accurate.

The flashlight mode was strongly praised by one reviewer as unexpectedly handy and bright enough for real use.

GPS accuracy was generally strong, especially for land workouts, but several reviewers saw small errors, worse open-water results, or a slight step back from past Suunto performance.

GPS accuracy is one of the strongest themes, with reviewers repeatedly finding quick locks, solid routes, and close agreement with other devices.

One review raised broad tracking concerns, saying steps, calories and heart rate needed improvement rather than treating the watch as fully dependable for health metrics.

One review gives the broader health-tracking package a very strong assessment, describing fitness tracking as excellent within Garmin’s health ecosystem.

Heart-rate accuracy was the most debated upgrade: many reviewers called it a major improvement or accurate enough for training, while several still found unreliable readings in hard efforts or certain workouts.

Heart-rate accuracy is consistently praised, with reviewers noting only minor delays or brief misses during harder efforts.

Mapping and navigation were a major strength once maps were loaded, but reviewers also noted non-routable maps, slow downloads, and missing labels or POIs.

Mapping and navigation are mixed-to-weak: GPS mapping after workouts works, but reviewers note no detailed map display and no hiking profile.

Materials quality received positive evidence from the feel of the metal buttons and digital crown.

Materials quality is criticized by one reviewer for relying on cheaper materials.

Menu navigation was mixed: some controls were manageable after learning, while the sports menu and many submenus frustrated reviewers.

Menu navigation is viewed positively, with one reviewer describing swiping and app opening as smooth.

Music controls were considered acceptable for basic phone control, but not a deeper music experience.

Music controls work well for controlling phone playback from the wrist.

Onboard music storage was a repeated shortcoming, with reviewers noting that offline playback is not available despite expectations for a premium sports watch.

Onboard music storage is a repeated downside because the watch lacks local music even though it now has built-in GPS.

The operating system experience was praised in one review as one of the best fitness-first watch systems.

The operating experience may feel unusual to traditional Garmin users, but the reviewer says the approach makes sense for this type of watch.

Outdoor visibility was consistently excellent, with reviewers reporting easy readability in bright sun and direct sunlight.

Outdoor visibility is mostly strong in sunlight, although one reviewer found bright outdoor conditions could make it harder to read.

Pairing reliability was praised for easy external sensor connections and the ability to manage multiple sensors of the same type.

Pairing reliability is praised across sensor use, with reviewers noting easy sensor connections and appreciation for expanded external sensor support.

Recovery insights were mixed: reviewers liked the training context but criticized confusing TrainingPeaks terms, overly optimistic resources, and presentation that was hard to parse.

Recovery and readiness tools are praised for helping shape training decisions and fine-tune workouts.

Reliability was positive in one review that reported no lag, freezes, unexplained shutdowns, or transfer issues.

Reliability is positive in one review, with the reviewer saying GPS remained spot-on and did not drop.

Safety features drew a serious concern from one reviewer about exposed public activity start and end positions.

Safety features are praised as reassuring for solo runs and emergency-contact situations.

Size options were a caveat because reviewers noted the 49mm case can feel big for smaller wrists.

Sleep tracking drew split feedback, with some reviewers praising sleep timing or nap detection while others reported missed awakenings, hit-or-miss nights, or overly ambitious deep-sleep estimates.

Sleep tracking earns strong marks overall, especially for wake/sleep timing and presentation, though one reviewer wanted more refinement in stages.

Smartphone notifications were described as basic because the watch can display them but not respond from the wrist.

Smartphone notifications are considered helpful for quickly checking messages during outdoor activity.

Smartwatch features were consistently limited, with reviewers repeatedly noting that the Race 2 is training-first rather than a phone-like smartwatch.

Smartwatch features are mixed: some reviewers see a well-rounded compact device, while one finds the smart-feature set limited for the price.

Software smoothness was widely praised as improved, with reviewers noting slicker widgets, smoother scrolling, and little delay.

Software smoothness is positive, with reviewers noting smooth syncing and smooth navigation between widgets.

Step counting was a recurring weak spot in the evidence, with reviewers saying the Race 2 miscalculated steps or produced very low counts.

Step counting is described as close but slightly high, with limitations when the arm is not moving normally.

Stress-related HRV insight was viewed as underexplained, with one reviewer saying the daily average lacks enough context for new users.

Stress tracking is viewed as a useful interpretive metric, especially because it helps explain Body Battery changes.

Style and design were widely praised, with reviewers calling the Race 2 sleek, gorgeous, modern, robust, and premium-looking.

Style and design are major strengths, with reviewers repeatedly praising the fashionable, subtle, non-smartwatch look.

Third-party app support was mixed: SuuntoPlus integrations impressed one reviewer, while another found the two-app limit restrictive.

Third-party app support is positive, especially syncing workout data outward and broadcasting heart rate to other devices.

Touchscreen responsiveness was criticized in one review for being too sensitive and prone to accidental inputs.

Touchscreen responsiveness is split, with one reviewer finding it very sensitive and simple, while another calls the controls finicky.

User interface feedback was split, ranging from easy and sensible on runs to clunky, unintuitive, or difficult to get used to.

The user interface is praised as simple to learn and easy to swipe through.

Value was generally strong but price-sensitive: many reviewers found it competitive or worthwhile, while a few noted the price jump weakened the bargain angle.

Value is mixed-to-positive: many reviewers think the upgrades justify the price, while a few criticize the cost versus fuller smartwatches.

Watch faces were generally seen as basic or lightly customizable, with limited options compared with Garmin or COROS.

Watch face quality is mixed, with one reviewer liking the selection and another finding the options very limiting.

Water resistance was viewed positively, with one review highlighting serious waterproof credentials.

Wellness insights were useful but not universally trusted, with one reviewer valuing HRV and another finding resources too generous.

Wellness insights are a standout, especially Body Battery, women’s health context, sleep, stress, and overall body-awareness feedback.

Wi-Fi connectivity was a recurring map-download annoyance, with reviewers describing slow downloads, cumbersome syncing, or trouble on weak networks.

Workout variety was consistently praised, with reviewers highlighting broad sport-profile coverage and comprehensive tracking for mainstream and niche activities.

Workout variety is broadly praised because the Active adds many sports, workout modes, and training tools for a compact Lily watch.