Suunto Announces Race 3S Smartwatch and AI Coach Subscription Amid Pricing Scrutiny

Suunto has officially unveiled its latest wearable device, the Suunto Race 3S, introducing a small-form-factor sports watch paired with a significant price increase. Alongside the new hardware release, the company has launched a subscription service called Suunto AI Coach, which serves as a new hub for advanced Suunto App features. Following weeks of rigorous real-world testing across varied athletic activities, the launch highlights a stark contrast between hardware upgrades and competitive market positioning.

The Suunto Race 3S arrives with several hardware and software refinements that were absent from the existing Race S model released earlier. Notable hardware updates include a significantly brighter display, expanded internal storage, and a shift in premium materials from a stainless steel bezel to a titanium bezel. While the updates are welcome additions for endurance athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, the substantial jump in retail price has raised questions about how the device stacks up against competing products currently available in the marketplace.

What’s New in the Suunto Race 3S

Positioned as an upgrade to the existing Suunto Race S rather than an entirely new generational line, the Race 3S brings several technical improvements. The hardware changes focus heavily on durability, visibility, and performance under demanding conditions. Peak display brightness has been doubled from 1,000 nits to 2,000 nits, and the lens cover material has been upgraded from Gorilla Glass to sapphire crystal glass. The bezel material has transitioned to titanium, and the watch features an upgraded optical heart rate sensor paired with a faster Apollo 510 processor.

Battery performance has also seen notable gains. GPS tracking time has increased from 30 hours to 38 hours in dual-frequency mode, and up to 45 hours in single-frequency mode. Daily smartwatch battery life has risen from nine days to twelve days. Internal storage has doubled from 32GB to 64GB, enabling support for offline music playback via MP3 file transfers, though the device lacks support for third-party streaming services. Additionally, the number of concurrent SuuntoPlus apps allowed in a single profile has increased from two to three, the official case size has shifted slightly from 45mm to 46mm, and the overall weight has decreased from 60 grams to 56 grams.

These hardware enhancements come with a major shift in pricing. The retail price has climbed significantly from the original $349 USD to $599 USD, and from 349 EUR to 499 EUR. While regional specifications include NFC support exclusively for the Chinese market, contactless payment integration is unavailable elsewhere. Software updates introduced on the device include a new Tide Widget, expanded map labels featuring road names, water features, and mountain peaks, and Ascent as a new exercise target. Suunto has also announced that a "Race Planner" feature will arrive later in the year through a future update. The watch is available in three distinct color options: purple, white, and black.

In the Box and Basic Usability

The retail packaging follows Suunto’s established design aesthetic for recent watch releases. Inside the box, users will find the watch pod, standard band straps, a braided magnetic charging cable, and introductory documentation. The magnetic charging cable marks an improvement over the charging mechanism used in the original Suunto S model, which was prone to occasional misalignments. Assembly involves a brief attachment process to connect the straps to the watch pod.

Operating the Suunto Race 3S relies on a three-button layout combined with a responsive touchscreen interface. The upper right button opens the sport menu and workout panel, the middle digital crown scrolls through screens and accesses pinned widgets, and the bottom button functions as a back and escape control. The 2,000-nit touchscreen remains clear and legible in bright sunlight and shaded environments alike. However, power-saving algorithms tend to dim the display aggressively within seconds of a wrist-raise gesture, a behavior that could benefit from further optimization.

Unlike the Suunto Vertical 2, which maintains an identical $599 price point, the Race 3S lacks a physical LED flashlight, relying instead on a screen-based illumination feature. Widget navigation provides quick access to customizable data summaries, though minor interface lag remains noticeable during daily menu scrolling despite the inclusion of the faster processor. Sleep tracking and heart rate variability metrics align closely with industry standards, while optical heart rate measurements show substantial improvements over previous iterations.

Sports Usage and Mapping Performance

Accessing sport modes involves selecting workouts via the upper right button, which automatically initiates GPS signal acquisition and heart rate locking while connecting to paired external sensors. Users can configure up to three concurrent SuuntoPlus apps within a single sport profile, alongside training guides and structured workouts. Exercise settings allow for granular adjustments, including the newly added Ascent target for tracking vertical gain during training sessions.

Offline mapping functionality requires users to download specific regional maps via Wi-Fi through the Suunto mobile app. While map rotation and orientation updates occur smoothly without rendering gaps, zooming in and out frequently produces temporary black square tiles while detailed cartography loads. Navigation alerts provide clear audio and visual cues for upcoming turns and off-course deviations. Post-workout summaries display comprehensive metrics directly on the watch face and sync seamlessly to the Suunto mobile app for automatic export to third-party fitness platforms like Strava and TrainingPeaks.

Accuracy of Heart Rate and GPS Tracking

The inclusion of a new optical heart rate sensor—featuring six LEDs and four photodetectors behind 2.5D curved glass—delivers marked performance improvements during active use. Field testing across varied workouts, including steep descents, rolling hills, and technical trail runs, demonstrates high fidelity when compared against chest strap telemetry. Optical sensors typically struggle with sudden cadence shifts and rapid descents, but the Race 3S maintains reliable tracking across both running and cycling sessions with minimal deviation.

GNSS and GPS performance remains consistent with contemporary multi-band standards. Urban environments featuring dense clusters of tall buildings present challenges for all modern wearables, resulting in minor tracking drift and corner-cutting across multiple competing devices. Once clear of urban canyons, tracking stabilizes immediately. Elevation profiles mirror expected topographical data closely, and battery consumption during active multi-band tracking with navigation enabled aligns closely with manufacturer specifications.

The Suunto AI Coach Subscription Service

Suunto has introduced the Suunto AI Coach subscription service, designed to leverage current and historical training data to deliver personalized race planning and advanced analytics. While the feature launches alongside the Suunto Race 3S, it operates entirely within the mobile application environment without an on-device component.

New buyers of the Suunto Race 3S receive a three-month complimentary trial to the service, though Suunto has not yet finalized pricing details for subscriptions once the trial period concludes. This approach has drawn scrutiny from users concerned about ongoing software costs. Meanwhile, Suunto has also announced a free Suunto MCP platform for all existing users, aligning with broader industry trends toward accessible fitness analytics.

Conclusion

The launch of the Suunto Race 3S presents a complex value proposition. While the device benefits from a brighter display, premium titanium materials, extended battery life, and a vastly improved optical heart rate sensor, the substantial price increase positions the watch against significantly more advanced competitors in the current market. Despite strong performance in core athletic tracking and navigation, the absence of modern hardware conveniences found in competing models at lower price points leaves the Suunto Race 3S facing a challenging competitive landscape.