Suunto Unveils Race 3S Smartwatch Alongside New AI Coach Subscription Service

Suunto has officially announced the launch of its latest wearable device, the Suunto Race 3S. Designed with a smaller form factor, the new sports watch arrives alongside a significant price increase and a brand-new subscription service called Suunto AI Coach, which serves as a new hub for upcoming Suunto App features. Following several weeks of hands-on testing across a variety of outdoor activities and athletic disciplines, reviewers and consumers are left examining how the device operates and whether the Finnish brand can justify its elevated cost in an increasingly competitive market.

The Suunto Race 3S introduces several iterative improvements over its predecessor, including a brighter display panel, expanded internal storage capabilities, and software updates that were previously omitted from the existing Race S model earlier in the year. Hardware materials have also seen an upgrade, transitioning from a traditional stainless steel bezel to a lighter, more durable titanium bezel. While these refinements are welcome additions to Suunto’s wearable lineup, they represent an evolutionary step rather than a complete generational overhaul.

What’s New: Hardware, Software, and Pricing Updates

As an upgrade to the existing Suunto Race S, the new Race 3S arrives with a curious naming convention, given that there was no intermediate Race 2S released, nor is there a larger companion Suunto Race 3 model available at launch. When questioned about the absence of a standard larger variant, company representatives declined to comment, leaving consumers to ponder future product ecosystem plans.

Looking specifically at the physical and internal hardware modifications, the Suunto Race 3S brings a substantial list of changes compared to the original model:

• Peak display brightness has been upgraded from 1,000 nits to 2,000 nits.
• The lens cover material has been switched from Gorilla Glass to Sapphire Crystal glass.
• The bezel construction shifts from stainless steel to titanium.
• The optical heart rate sensor has been completely overhauled.
• A faster Apollo 510 processor has been integrated under the hood.
• Dual-frequency GPS battery life increases to 38 hours, while single-frequency mode reaches 45 hours.
• Daily smartwatch battery life extends from 9 days to 12 days.
• Internal storage capacity doubles from 32GB to 64GB.
• Support has been added for offline MP3 music playback, though streaming services remain unsupported.
• Users can now run up to three simultaneous SuuntoPlus apps in a single sports profile, up from two.
• The official case size expands slightly from 45mm to 46mm, while overall weight decreases from 60 grams to 56 grams.
• The retail price jumps significantly from $349 USD to $599 USD, and from 349 EUR to 499 EUR.

Industry observers should note that while Near Field Communication (NFC) is listed on certain regional spec sheets, contactless payment integration is restricted exclusively to the Chinese market and is unavailable elsewhere. On the software front, the watch inherits features previously rolled out to other devices earlier in the year, such as a new Tide Widget, expanded map labels featuring clearly designated road names, water bodies, and mountain peaks, and Ascent as a selectable exercise target.

Suunto has also confirmed that a new "Race Planner" feature will arrive via a software update later in the year. This upcoming tool aims to incorporate weather considerations—including historical training temperatures versus anticipated race-day conditions—into athletic preparation without requiring the paid AI Coach subscription. Upon release, the watch will be available in three distinct color options: purple, white, and black.

In the Box and Basic Operations

The unboxing experience follows the standard retail packaging design seen across recent Suunto product releases. Inside the box, users will find the watch pod separated from the band, a braided magnetic charging cable, and introductory documentation. The updated magnetic charging cable represents a notable improvement over the connection mechanism found on the original Suunto S model, which frequently suffered from physical misalignment. Assembling the watch requires a brief strap-attachment process before the device is ready for daily wear.

Navigating the user interface relies on a traditional three-button layout combined with a responsive touchscreen. The upper-right button opens the sport menu, the central Digital Crown enables scrolling and accesses pinned widgets during standard smartwatch operation, and the bottom button functions as a back or escape command. The left edge of the case remains completely clean of buttons.

The 2,000-nit touchscreen remains legible under direct sunlight or deep shade conditions. However, the display panel sits somewhat behind the industry curve for 2026 releases, where many competing brands utilize panels reaching 3,000 to 3,500 nits at a lower price point. Furthermore, power-saving algorithms tend to aggressively dim the display within seconds of a wrist raise. Notably, the Race 3S lacks a physical LED flashlight, relying instead on a screen-based illumination method, which is a surprising omission given that the similarly priced Suunto Vertical 2 features dedicated physical lighting.

Daily health and activity tracking features operate reliably. Sleep duration tracking and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) metrics closely match comparative wearables within a narrow margin of error. The internal storage capacity of 64GB is primarily designated for offline music storage, as Suunto’s optimized maps require only a fraction of that space. Because third-party music streaming apps like Spotify are not supported due to long-standing industry restrictions, users must manually transfer owned MP3 files via a USB cable and pair a set of Bluetooth headphones to listen to music offline.

Sports Usage, Mapping, and Navigation

Accessing a workout profile requires a single press of the upper-right button to open the exercise panel. The interface automatically defaults to the previously used sport mode while simultaneously searching for an external heart rate lock, acquiring GPS satellite signals, and connecting to any paired sensors. Users can easily select from an extensive list of pre-configured sports profiles, load pre-planned navigation routes, or enable up to three concurrent SuuntoPlus apps.

Map management requires downloading specific regional files over Wi-Fi directly through the mobile companion app. While map rendering during rotation is instantaneous, zooming in and out frequently reveals temporary black square tiles while detailed data loads. Navigation alerts provide timely audio chirps and visual on-screen prompts for approaching turns, helping athletes stay on course during trail runs or unfamiliar urban workouts. Post-workout summaries are immediately accessible on the watch face before automatically syncing to the mobile app and third-party training platforms like Strava and TrainingPeaks.

Accuracy of Heart Rate and GPS

The inclusion of an updated optical heart rate sensor—featuring six LEDs and four photodetectors beneath curved sensor glass—delivers a noticeable performance leap over previous Suunto wearables. Field testing across varied terrain, including steep descents, rolling hills, and technical gravel cycling routes, demonstrates strong alignment with dedicated chest strap monitors. The optical sensor successfully tracks sudden spikes and drops in exertion without significant lag.

GNSS and GPS performance remains consistent with multi-band tracking capabilities. During open-road and trail testing, the device maintains tight path fidelity alongside competing hardware. While dense urban environments surrounded by tall buildings present inevitable tracking challenges for all modern wearable devices—causing minor deviations as signals bounce between structures—open-sky performance returns to high accuracy immediately upon exiting city centers. Elevation tracking remains steady, and battery consumption closely mirrors official specifications when operating in multi-band GNSS mode with navigation enabled.

The Suunto AI Coach Subscription

Alongside the hardware launch, Suunto introduced the Suunto AI Coach, a new subscription-based platform designed to analyze current and historical training data to provide advanced race planning and personalized coaching insights. At launch, Suunto Race 3S purchasers receive a complimentary three-month trial of the service. However, the company has not yet finalized or announced the ongoing subscription fee once the trial period concludes, a strategy that has drawn scrutiny from users concerned about recurring software costs.

In parallel with the paid coaching tier, Suunto announced a free analytics initiative for all existing users, aligning with similar free offerings in the wider sports technology market. Specific implementation details for this complimentary tier remain limited, but the dual approach indicates the brand’s broader strategic shift toward software-as-a-service integration.

Wrap-Up

The Suunto Race 3S enters the market following a period of strong product momentum and consistent software updates from the manufacturer. However, the device’s positioning is complicated by its retail price point of $599 USD. Representing a substantial price increase over the launch cost of the original Suunto Race S, the new watch struggles to fully justify its premium tier purely through iterative hardware adjustments.

While the inclusion of a brighter display, titanium bezel, and a vastly improved optical heart rate sensor elevate the overall user experience, the lack of cutting-edge panel technology, integrated streaming music support, or physical hardware additions like a dedicated flashlight leaves the device facing stiff competition from lower-priced alternatives.