Hands-On with the New COROS PACE Pro

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I’ve been wearing the brand-new COROS PACE Pro on my wrist for a week now, and it’s clear COROS has truly stepped up their game. After putting this watch through a variety of workouts, I have some solid insights to share. So, grab your favorite post-workout smoothie, and let’s dive into a piece of tech that just might shake up the GPS sport watch competition.

In my week with the COROS PACE Pro, I found the accuracy in activity tracking to be impressive, and the new display stays sharp and easy to read, even in bright sunlight. The battery life is another standout feature, not even under 50% battery after a week. While many fitness watches promise it all, the PACE Pro focuses on delivering where it counts most. I tested it across activities—from treadmill runs to outdoor cycling, gym workouts to outdoor runs—and the experience has been smooth and consistent. Offering premium features without the premium price, this watch is a serious contender for fitness enthusiasts.

Unboxing and First Impressions

This isn’t your average fitness watch – I realized that immediately when I picked up the PACE Pro from its box. The watch’s weight surprised me, coming it at just 49 grams with its silicone band, which seems remarkably light for a 46mm watch. The charging setup impressed me with its modern design that features a small dongle that snaps onto the charging port and connects to a USB-C cable. Finally, a charging solution that doesn’t feel like it is going to wear out after a year of use!

Several specifications stood out off the top of my head:

• 1.3-inch display with 416 x 416 pixel resolution
• 32GB of internal storage
• Waterproof up to 50m depth
• Charging Time Less Than 2 Hours

Setting Up and Getting Started with the COROS PACE Pro

The PACE Pro setup process was straightforward. The COROS app installation and QR code scan on the watch face triggered the Bluetooth pairing automatically. The setup guides users through notification priorities, activity goals, and menu options. The process was user-friendly and offered extensive customization options from the start.

A Visual Feast: The AMOLED Display

The gorgeous screen represents COROS’s first step into AMOLED territory, and they absolutely nailed it! The 1,500-nit display transforms the user experience, especially when you have outdoor activities. The screen remained crystal clear during all my testing.

With a whopping 1500 nits of brightness, this screen is like having a mini sun strapped to your wrist. Whether you’re out for a moonlit jog or crushing a midday workout under the blazing sun, you’ll have no trouble reading your stats. I took it out for a early morning run yesterday, and let me tell you, it was like having a personal light show on my wrist. No more fumbling with buttons or squinting to see your pace – everything is crystal clear, all the time.

But it’s not just about brightness. The colors on this display pop like fireworks on the Fourth of July. Your heart rate zones, pace charts, and route maps come to life in vivid detail. Coming from a MIP display watch, it’s like going from watching your favorite sports team on an old black-and-white TV to suddenly having courtside seats. The difference is night and day, and once you’ve experienced it, there’s no going back.

Speed Demon: More Processing Power

Now, let’s talk about what’s under the hood. The COROS PACE Pro isn’t just a pretty face – it’s got the brains to match. We’re talking about a processor that’s more than twice as powerful as its predecessor. In layman’s terms? This watch is faster than my witty comebacks (and those are pretty darn quick).

I put this speed to the test during a HIIT session at the gym. Switching between screens, starting and stopping intervals, it was all instantaneous. No lag, no delay, just smooth sailing. It’s like the watch is reading your mind, always one step ahead.

But where this processing power really shines is in the map navigation. I took a detour on my usual trail run to test it out, and boy, was I impressed. Zooming in and out of maps is now three times faster than before. It’s so quick, you might just find yourself playing with the maps for fun (not that I did that… much).

This speed isn’t just about bragging rights – it’s about enhancing your workout experience. When you’re in the zone, the last thing you want is to be pulled out of it by a sluggish interface. With the PACE Pro, everything is right there when you need it, as fast as you can think of it.

Comfort is King: Lightweight Design

When it comes to sports watches, comfort is key. After all, what good is all that fancy tech if you can’t stand wearing the thing? Well, good news – the COROS PACE Pro is so light, you might forget you’re wearing it.

Tipping the scales at just 49 grams with its silicone band (or 37 grams with the nylon band), this watch is a featherweight champion. I’ve worn heavier friendship bracelets!

During my testing, I wore it for everything from strength training sessions to long-distance runs, and even while sleeping. Not once did I feel weighed down or uncomfortable. It’s particularly noticeable during high-intensity workouts or when you’re really working up a sweat. There’s none of that annoying sliding around that you sometimes get with bulkier watches.

The lightweight design isn’t just about comfort during exercise, though. It’s also great for everyday wear. Whether you’re typing away at your desk or gesticulating wildly while telling a story (guilty as charged), you barely notice it’s there. It’s the kind of watch you can wear 24/7 without any issues..

COROS PACE Pro Performance Across Various Activities

I tested the COROS PACE Pro in activities of all types and found some really cool things about what it can do. Let me break down how this watch performed in different workout scenarios.

Strength Training: Lifting Weights

The PACE Pro amazed me with its complete strength training features. Building workouts is surprisingly intuitive – I set up a descending-rep squat routine quickly in less than two minutes. The watch comes packed with excellent weightlifting features:

• Auto-rep counting (requires at least 4 reps to work accurately)
• Customizable rest intervals
• Training load tracking
• Weekly muscle heat map

Pro tip: The watch will count reps more accurately when you add arm movements during leg exercises. The device handles traditional strength training exercises pretty well, though its movement library isn’t quite as extensive as it could be – but you can create custom movements to fill in the gaps.

Indoor Running: Treadmill Tests

The PACE Pro showed its true potential during my treadmill sessions. Its manual speed adjustment feature changed my indoor running experience completely – I could match the treadmill’s exact pace through quick setting adjustments during runs. The watch employs a smart cadence-to-pace model that adapts to your running style. I found the distance tracking to be almost spot-on after just one calibration session.

Outdoor Adventures: Running and Cycling

The PACE Pro really shows its worth in the outdoors. My outdoor run proved the dual-band GPS tracking matched my premium Garmin step by step. The heart rate monitor worked great too – readings from my chest strap showed almost identical numbers.

Cyclists will love that this watch has five different cycling profiles: road, gravel, MTB, mountain e-bike, and indoor cycling. The built-in FTP test feature adds value for serious riders. The watch tracked elevation data well and managed to keep solid GPS signals under tree cover during my long rides.

The watch’s ability to sync with Strava and TrainingPeaks apps made me happy. No more post-workout data wrestling matches! The complete training analysis gives you clear insights about your progress with running fitness estimates and cycling power metrics for all activities.

COROS PACE Pro Standout Features and Daily Use

After a week of rigorous testing, let’s delve into the features that make the COROS PACE Pro exceptional. The specifications might look great on paper, but ground performance matters most.

GPS Accuracy and Speed

This GPS watch stands out among the many I’ve tested. The PACE Pro’s dual-frequency GPS mode tracked my runs and rides with accuracy even through dense tree cover. The satellite connection speed impressed me at under 10 seconds most times.

Battery Life: A Pleasant Surprise

A lot of smart watches need to be charged every other day, the PACE Pro proves this practice obsolete. The battery displayed 56% remaining after seven days of rigorous testing that included smart notifications and 1-2 daily activity tracks with raise to wake screen gesture on. Likely proving very close to the expected durations:

• Standard Mode: 20 days of regular use
• Always-On Display: 6 days of battery life
• GPS Mode: 38 hours with all systems active

Sleep Tracking: Hit and Miss

Sleep tracking on this device hasn’t quite lived up to expectations. The watch gives you a complete sleep stage analysis and detects REM sleep, but there are some issues worth noting. My testing revealed a couple of gaps where it stopped recording for a few hours – though my sleeping position might have caused this. You’ll get readings for various sleep metrics including HRV, plus a sleep quality score that matches up well with how refreshed you feel when you wake up (when it manages to track the entire night).

The PACE Pro really excels at activity tracking. The sleep tracking works fine for capturing time to sleep and time to wake, but you shouldn’t base your buying decision on it alone. Anyone who needs highly accurate sleep data might want to look at specialized sleep tracking devices instead.

For me this watch stands out thanks to its stunning 1,500-nit AMOLED display and remarkable battery life – a rare combination at this price. Navigation becomes effortless with offline maps that run smoothly on the watch’s quick processor and 32GB storage. And the responsive digital dial makes everything even better.

The Verdict on the COROS PACE Pro

The COROS PACE Pro has proven to be a remarkable achievement in fitness wearable technology after seven days of thorough testing. This capable GPS watch delivers premium features that include dual-frequency GPS tracking, a brilliant AMOLED display, and marathon-ready battery life – all in a package that performs well above its price point. The watch excels at its core purpose by providing accurate and reliable fitness tracking across multiple activities.

The PACE Pro hits all the right notes for fitness enthusiasts who need a dependable training companion. A combination of impressive accuracy, user-friendly design, and outstanding battery life makes this watch a worthy competitor to pricier alternatives. The COROS PACE Pro shines as a versatile fitness tool that exceeds expectations, whether you’re crushing strength training sessions, conquering trail runs, or clocking miles on your bike. For more information or to check one out for yourself, visit rei.com or amazon.com.