Coros Pace 3 – Great sports watch is likey to get even better
Coros is going to release the Pace 3 on August 29th. After weeks of sparse rumors, Coros has not only teased the launch date but FCC filings allow for a first glimpse on the new product.
Compared to Garmin, Polar and Suunto, the Chinese company Coros is lesser-known for sports watches. This lack of recognition is unjustified, as Coros offers great products such as the Pace 2, Apex 2, Apex 2 Pro, and Vertix 2, which can compete with the likes of Garmin and Polar.
With the Pace 3, Coros is about to introduce the successor to its popular entry-level sports watch. As a reminder, the Pace 2 costs just under €200 but offers features, e.g. wrist-based power measurement and native integration of the Stryd sensor, which are usually found in much more expensive products only.
Coros Pace 3 – Everything that is known so far
The Pace 3 has been teased by Coros only, thus there are no official specs from Coros yet. With the appearance of documents at the FCC, the watch is being revealed to the public for the first time, and a few details can also be gleaned from the teaser video.
Coros Pace 3 resembles its predecessor
The FCC filings feature photos of the Pace 3, confirming that the Coros Pace 2 and Pace 3 will resemble eachother. In line with its relatively affordable entry-level price, the watch body is constructed from plastic.
The exact size isn’t explicitly shown in the documents, but it’s likely to be around 43 x 43 mm (compared to the Pace 2’s 42 x 42 mm). The teaser video hints that the weight has increased by only 1 gram compared to the Pace 2, making it around 30-31 grams – an ultralightweight.
The teaser video features nylon and silicon straps.
New and noteworthy
Both the documents at the FCC and the teaser video provide initial insights into the new and improved features of the Coros Pace 3. It’s mainly the video that offers these hints.
Please note that the information given is based on the available details, and there might be further updates or changes upon the official release of the Coros Pace 3.
Enhanced PPG Sensor
A look at the back of the watch reveals a new sensor array. Its structure resembles that of the Apex 2. Both watches use the GH3220 chip from Goodix, suggesting analog performance.
The sensors measure heart rate, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), heart rate variability, and pulse wave transit time (PWTT). However, the use of the PWTT metric by the Pace 3 remains uncertain.
Dual-Band GPS
For GNSS-based location services, the Coros Pace 3 utilizes the AG3335M chipset from Airoha. The associated support for Dual-Band GPS is also indicated on the back of the watch. In addition to GPS, the watch supports GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, and QZSS.
Touchscreen
The teaser video hints that the Pace 3 might feature a touchscreen. Otherwise, it seems that Coros has stuck with the transflective MIP display.
Wi-Fi and Music
The video also provides hints about music storage and playback capabilities. The watch is unlikely to have more than 4 gigabytes of storage available. Depending on how much space the watch’s small operating system requires, the usable storage might be less.
The sports watch’s Wi-Fi capabilities are likely to be mainly used for transferring media content. The use of mapping features remains reserved for Coros’ higher-end watches.
The Pace 3 is water-resistant up to a pressure of 5 ATM, making it suitable for swimming.
Prices and Availability
As of now, there isn’t a lot of information available regarding the prices. While the Pace 2 currently sells for just under €200, the inclusion of features like Dual-Band GPS, a touchscreen, and music playback is likely to result in a moderate price increase. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Pace 3 is priced somewhere between 229 € and 249 €.
The official product launch is scheduled for August 29th at 9:00 PM. It can be assumed that following the launch, the Pace 3 will be available for ordering through the manufacturer’s website.
