8.7Staff pick
Garmin
Forerunner 970
$750AMOLED, offline maps, a flashlight and training metrics you'll actually read.
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GPS Watches · Coros
Pace 3
Featherlight, dual-band GPS and two weeks of battery for a couple hundred bucks.
8.4 Strong
Runsletter Score out of 10. Excellent, with a trade-off or two worth knowing.
Buy it if
- Dual-band GPS at a budget price
- Battery that lasts for weeks
- Barely there on the wrist
- Simple, fast companion app
Skip it if
- MIP screen looks dated
- No onboard maps
$229
List price; often discounted in seasonal sales
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Staff pick
- Battery
- Up to 15 days
- Display
- MIP
- Maps
- Breadcrumb only
The verdict
The Pace 3 is the watch that made budget running watches embarrassing for everyone else. It's featherlight, has dual-band GPS and runs for weeks between charges, for a couple of hundred dollars.
It's for runners who care about accurate tracking and long battery, not smart features. Against the Forerunner 165 it has the better GPS and battery but a plainer screen; against the Pace Pro it skips maps and AMOLED to save money and weight.
Dual-band GPS is accurate and quick to lock, the battery lasts around two weeks of normal use, and you'll forget it's on your wrist. The screen is clear outdoors but won't win any beauty contests.
“The value pick that embarrasses watches twice its price.”
Specs
| Battery | Up to 15 days |
|---|---|
| Display | MIP |
| Maps | Breadcrumb only |
| Weight | 30 g |
| GPS | Dual-band |
| Heart rate | Optical, Coros sensor |
| Water rating | 5 ATM |
| Lens | Mineral glass |
| Case | Fibre-reinforced polymer |
| Music | Onboard MP3 storage |
| Strap | Nylon or silicone |
We may earn a commission if you buy through our links. Scores are sample editorial data.
How it stacks up
Compare side by side →| Product | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Coros Pace 3 · this one | 8.4 Strong | $229 |
| Garmin Forerunner 970 | 8.7 Elite | $750 |
| Garmin Forerunner 570 | 8.3 Strong | $550 |
| Coros Pace Pro | 8.2 Strong | $350 |
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