Suunto Race S vs Suunto Race
The Suunto Race has the edge: it lasts longer (16 days), has a bigger 49 mm case and is rated 10 ATM. The Suunto Race S still has a smaller 45 mm case and is lighter, so it's worth a look if that matters more to you.
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Key differences
-
Battery life
Suunto Race wins
The Suunto Race lasts up to 16 days against 9 days.
-
GPS
Evenly matched
Both have built-in GPS with similar features.
-
Display
Suunto Race wins
Both are AMOLED, but the Suunto Race's screen is bigger (1.43 in against 1.32 in).
-
Health
Evenly matched
Much the same health sensors.
-
Weight
Suunto Race S wins
The Suunto Race S is lighter: 60 g against 83 g.
Other differences
- Case size Depends on you
The Suunto Race has a bigger 49 mm case; the Suunto Race S is 45 mm, a better fit for smaller wrists.
- Water rating Suunto Race wins
The Suunto Race is rated 10 ATM against 5 ATM, better for snorkelling and water sports.
Which one should you choose?
Choose the Suunto Race S if…
- You have a smaller wrist: its case is the smaller one.
- You wear it to bed or have small wrists: it weighs 60 g.
- You want it to slide under a sleeve: it's 11.4 mm thick.
Choose the Suunto Race if…
- You hate charging: it's rated for up to 16 days in smartwatch mode.
- You want a bigger screen and larger buttons: its case is the larger one.
- You snorkel, surf or swim in open water: it's rated 10 ATM.
Full spec comparison
The Suunto Race leads on battery life; elsewhere the two are closely matched.
Green cells with a ✓ mark the better spec in that row. Tick "Show differences only" to hide the rows where they match.
Overview
| Spec | Suunto Race S | Suunto Race |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Suunto | Suunto |
| Series | Race | Race |
| Versions | — | Titanium |
| Colours | All Black | Birch |
Platform & apps
Both work with the same phones and software.
| Spec | Suunto Race S | Suunto Race |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Suunto | Suunto |
| Storage | 32 GB | 16 GB |
Display
The Suunto Race is ahead on the display.
It has a bigger screen, and the Suunto Race S doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | Suunto Race S | Suunto Race |
|---|---|---|
| Display type | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Display name | High definition AMOLED screen | High definition AMOLED |
| Screen size | 1.32 in | 1.43 in |
| Resolution | 466 x 466 | 466 x 466 |
| Pixel density | 499 ppi | — |
| Colour display | Yes | Yes |
| Always-on display | Yes | Yes |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Controls | touchscreen, buttons, crown | touchscreen, crown |
Design & durability
Each watch has its strengths on size and durability.
The Suunto Race has a bigger 49 mm case; the Suunto Race S is 45 mm, a better fit for smaller wrists. The Suunto Race S has a smaller 45 mm case, is lighter and is slimmer, while the Suunto Race has a bigger 49 mm case, is rated 10 ATM and has a sapphire lens.
| Spec | Suunto Race S | Suunto Race |
|---|---|---|
| Case sizes | 45 mm | 49 mm |
| Dimensions | 45 x 45 x 11.4 mm | 49 x 49 x 13.3 mm |
| Thickness | 11.4 mm | 13.3 mm |
| Weight (case) | 60 g | 83 g |
| Case material | Glass fibre reinforced polyamide | Glass fibre reinforced polyamide |
| Bezel material | Stainless steel | Stainless steel |
| Lens | Gorilla Glass | Sapphire crystal |
| Band material | silicone | silicone |
| Band width | 22 mm | 22 mm |
| Fits wrists | 125-175 mm | 125-175 mm |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM | 10 ATM |
| MIL-STD-810 tested | — | Yes |
| Operating temperature | -20 to 55 °C | -20 to 55 °C |
Battery
The Suunto Race is ahead on battery life.
It lasts longer (16 days), and the Suunto Race S doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | Suunto Race S | Suunto Race |
|---|---|---|
| Battery (smartwatch mode) | 9 days | 16 days |
| Battery (multi-band GPS) | 30 hours | 2.1 days |
| All battery modes | Smartwatch: 9 days; Battery saver: 13 days; Multi-band GPS: 30 hours; All satellite systems: 40 hours; Max battery GPS: 5 days | Smartwatch: 16 days; Battery saver: 26 days; Multi-band GPS: 2.1 days; Max battery GPS: 8.3 days |
| Battery type | rechargeable lithium-ion | rechargeable lithium-ion |
GPS & navigation
Both have built-in GPS with similar capabilities.
| Spec | Suunto Race S | Suunto Race |
|---|---|---|
| GPS | Built-in | Built-in |
| Multi-band GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Satellite systems | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS |
| Maps | Downloadable maps | Downloadable maps |
| Navigation features | Waypoint and visual route navigation, Breadcrumb trail in real time, Route planning with altitude profile, Point of Interest (POI) navigation, ETA (estimated time of arrival), remaining distance, bearing navigation | waypoints, breadcrumb trail, route planning, POI navigation, bearing navigation |
Health & sensors
Both track much the same health data.
Heart rate, sleep and the extra sensors line up closely.
| Spec | Suunto Race S | Suunto Race |
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | optical HR, SpO2, compass, barometer, thermometer | optical HR, barometer, compass, SpO2 |
| Heart-rate tracking | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| Heart-rate variability | Yes | Yes |
| Blood oxygen (SpO2) | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep tracking | Sleep stages | Sleep stages |
| Stress tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Energy score | Daily resource level | Daily resource level |
| Cycle tracking | Yes | — |
Training
Training features are evenly matched.
| Spec | Suunto Race S | Suunto Race |
|---|---|---|
| Sport profiles | 115 | 115 |
| Triathlon / multisport | Yes | Yes |
| Swim tracking | Pool and open water | Pool and open water |
| Underwater heart rate | Yes | — |
| Training metrics | VO2 max, training load, training effect, recovery time, lactate threshold, HRV status | VO2 max, training load, training effect, recovery time, lactate threshold, HRV status |
| Adaptive coaching | Yes | Yes |
| Wrist running power | Yes | — |
| External sensors | Bluetooth HR strap, foot pod, speed/cadence, power meter | Bluetooth HR strap, power meter, foot pod, speed/cadence |
Smart features
The Suunto Race S is ahead on smart features.
It has more storage (32 GB), and the Suunto Race doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | Suunto Race S | Suunto Race |
|---|---|---|
| Notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Message replies | Android | Android |
Diving, golf & more
Neither has a specialist edge here.
| Spec | Suunto Race S | Suunto Race |
|---|---|---|
| Diving | Depth gauge | Depth gauge |
| Max dive depth | 10 m | 10 m |