Suunto Race 3S vs Suunto Race S
The Race 3S is a big upgrade over the Race S in almost every way: titanium and sapphire, a screen more than three times as bright, more dual-band battery, double the storage, and AI Coach. The catch is price. The Race S is $250 cheaper and still a very good watch.
SuuntoSuunto Race 3S
SuuntoSuunto Race S
- •You want titanium, sapphire glass, and a 2,000-nit screen you can read in any sun
- •You want more dual-band battery and Suunto's new AI Coach
- •You want Suunto's compact Race design for $250 less
- •You don't need the premium materials and the brighter screen isn't worth the extra cost
The Race 3S takes everything that made the Race S a hit for smaller wrists and upgrades nearly all of it: a titanium bezel and sapphire glass, a 2,000-nit AMOLED display (up from 600), 38 hours of dual-band GPS (up from 30), 64GB of storage for free global offline maps, and Suunto's new AI Coach. The watch head weighs just 38 grams. It still skips a speaker, ECG, and NFC payments, and at $599 it costs a lot more than the Race S it replaces.
Race S keeps the AMOLED display and dual-band GPS of the full-size Race in a case built for smaller wrists, at the cost of some battery life. Still one of the better values in the mid-range watch category.
The Race S Gets a Premium Makeover
The Race S was Suunto's answer for runners who wanted the Race's features in a smaller, lighter watch. The Race 3S keeps that idea and upgrades almost everything about it. It's still a compact watch built for smaller wrists, but it now comes with the kind of materials and screen you'd expect on a much pricier watch.
What's New on the Race 3S
Titanium and sapphire. Every Race 3S has a titanium bezel and sapphire crystal glass. The Race S used Gorilla Glass. Sapphire is far more scratch resistant, which matters if you're hard on your gear or run trails where your wrist meets rocks and branches.
A much brighter screen. Both watches use a 1.32-inch AMOLED display, but the Race 3S peaks at 2,000 nits, compared to 600 nits on the Race S. That's more than three times as bright, and you'll notice it in direct summer sun.
More battery. Suunto rates the Race 3S for up to 38 hours of dual-band GPS, up from 30 hours on the Race S. Dual-band is the most accurate GPS mode, so that's the number that matters for most training.
Double the storage. The Race 3S has 64GB, up from 32GB, which leaves plenty of room for free global offline maps and, once Suunto's update arrives, offline music.
AI Coach. The Race 3S launches with Suunto's new AI Coach, which gives you conversational coaching in the Suunto app. It's free for three months if you activate it by December 31, 2026. Suunto hasn't announced pricing after that.
What Stays the Same
Both watches are compact, both have dual-band GPS and offline maps, and both are rated 5 ATM for water resistance, which is fine for swimming but not diving. Neither has a speaker for calls, ECG, or NFC payments in the US. The Race 3S case is 1mm wider, at 46mm vs 45mm, so it fits about the same.
Price: The Big Difference
The Race S lists at $349. The Race 3S lists at $599. That's a $250 jump, and it's the main reason to think twice.
If the brighter screen, sapphire glass, and longer battery are things you'll use every day, the Race 3S is worth it. If you mostly run roads and just want a light, accurate Suunto with maps, the Race S still does the job for a lot less money.
Which One Should You Buy?
Get the Race 3S if you want the best compact Suunto, period. The materials, screen, and battery are real upgrades, and AI Coach is a nice bonus.
Get the Race S if price matters most. It's still one of the better values in a light, map-equipped running watch, especially if you can find it on sale now that the Race 3S is out.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between the Suunto Race 3S and Race S?
The Race 3S adds a titanium bezel, sapphire glass, a 2,000-nit display (vs 600 nits), up to 38 hours of dual-band GPS (vs 30), 64GB of storage (vs 32GB), and Suunto's AI Coach. It costs $599, compared to $349 for the Race S.
Is the Suunto Race 3S worth the upgrade from the Race S?
If you want a brighter screen, more scratch-resistant glass, and more battery, yes. If you're happy with your Race S, it's still a very capable watch, and the upgrade costs $250 more.
Does the Suunto Race 3S have offline maps?
Yes. The Race 3S includes free global offline maps with contour lines, stored on its 64GB of storage.
Does the Suunto Race 3S have a speaker or ECG?
No. Like the Race S, the Race 3S doesn't have a speaker for calls or an ECG sensor.
*Estimated — this model's exact GPS battery life isn't published by the manufacturer. All figures are standard GPS mode, midsize case, no solar boost.
†Estimated — this model launched too recently to have an established customer rating yet.
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