Will the Pace Pro Be Your New Favorite Training Watch? We Break Down the Features to Help You Decide.
| COROS Pace Pro | $349 |
| ✅ Lasts up to 38 hours per charge | ❌ No LTE |
| ✅ 1.3″ AMOLED touchscreen | ❌ Bulky on smaller wrists |
| ✅ Lasts up to 20 days with regular use | ❌ Frustrating screen lock-outs |
| ✅ Lightweight | ❌ Limited smart functionality |
COROS Pace Pro is here. If you’re a multi-sport athlete, or obsessed with training data, the Pace Pro GPS watch has many features to help you train more effectively and smart functionality for 24/7 connectivity.
Performance features such as VO2 max, threshold zones, race predictions, and custom workouts make this COROS watch especially appealing to runners and cyclists. Tools for pre-planned workouts, interval training, and comprehensive training plans can boost your training. You can also track your recovery, fatigue, and training load for an accurate and detailed health overview.
Unlike the COROS Dura bike computer, Pace Pro isn’t a first for the brand. It follows the popular Pace 3 and Apex 2 GPS watches. However, it offers notable improvements, such as a bigger, brighter screen and better battery life. Faster processing, Wi-Fi, and mapping speeds mean more time doing what you love.
COROS supplied us with a Pace Pro to review, which we took to the streets and trails to test performance, durability, comfort, and practicality for everyday fitness and serious athletes alike. Here are our thoughts.
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First Impressions: Design & Comfort
Out of the box, the COROS Pace Pro feels sturdy yet light. The 1.3″ always-on AMOLED display is bright, crisp, and easy to read, which is great for quickly checking data mid-workout. On the side, a rotating dial and power button add functionality and break up the otherwise monotonous design.
This watch comes in one size. It fits smaller wrists but feels bulkier than slimmer Apple and Garmin fitness watches. Even if it’s not a dealbreaker, it’s worth noting if you prefer sleeker profiles.
As for bands, there are two options: silicone and nylon. Every watch ships with a quick-release silicone band (140mm–220mm), which feels durable and comfortable even during intense workouts. It’s also well-ventilated, breathable, and easy to clean. The nylon band (130mm–220mm), sold separately, is lighter and better suited for all-day or casual wear.
Here’s the total weight:
- 49g (silicone band)
- 37g (nylon band)
Overall, the watch feels as solid as it looks and is clearly made to handle sweat, dirt, and every element in-between.
Battery Life: Optimized for Endurance
Like the COROS Dura, battery life is one of Pace Pro’s strengths. According to COROS, a single charge yields up to 38 hours of activity (28 hours with all systems on). Even with the always-on display, we consistently got nearly six full days of use, which closely mirrors COROS’s claims.
The watch is USB-C rechargeable but requires a small adapter, which is frustrating if you lose things easily. A small keychain adapter is included to help you keep track of the adapter. A relatively quick two-hour recharge time lets you enjoy more time on the go.
Performance-friendly Features
COROS Pace Pro caters to multi-sport athletes but can be used exclusively for your favorite activity. This high-tech, data-rich watch might be overkill if you’re just looking for a basic fitness watch. However, if you’re motivated by numbers and want to dial in your fitness and training, it can keep you accountable and engaged.
Here are some of the features that stand out:
- Workout Builder: Have a specific goal in mind? You can create custom workouts with your preferred intensity and target, from warmup to cool down. Pre-planned workouts are also available to download from the COROS website.
- Group Tracking: This is handy if you train with friends or a team and want to stay connected on the go. You can track each other’s location, pace, and activity data in real-time. Team members can alert if they require assistance, as long as the feature is enabled in the COROS app.
- Training Status: Stop guessing whether you’re overtraining or on the right track. This feature uses data from your training load, heart rate, and VO2 max trends to inform your current training effectiveness.
- Race Predictor & Virtual Pacer: Dial in your pacing and understand your race potential, whether you’re training for a 5K or a marathon. Even in densely populated and wooded areas, the virtual pacer worked smoothly with no noticeable lag.
- Altitude Mode: Training at elevation? You can monitor acclimatization and stay safe with regular blood oxygen saturation (SpO₂) and fitness checks.
Life After Workouts: Wellness & Recovery Features
Exercise is just one part of a healthy fitness routine. However, training doesn’t end when your workout does. Your sleep, recovery, and stress management can greatly impact your performance. This watch tracks it all.
24/7 Health Monitoring
With a comfortable design and long battery life, the Pace Pro is made for 24/7 wear. The more time it has to gather comprehensive health and wellness data, the more complete your health snapshot will be.
Here’s a quick look at some of the standout features:
Wellness Check
In seconds, you can get a snapshot of key vitals like heart rate, HRV, stress, breathing rate, and SpO₂. This makes it easy to stay tuned in to your body.
Sleep Tracking
Pace Pro tracks deep, light, and REM sleep cycles, then provides a daily sleep score so you can see how restful your night really was.
Overnight HRV Monitoring
As you sleep, the watch automatically measures your Heart Rate Variability (HRV), offering insights into how your body is adapting to training stress and overall life demands.
All-Day Stress Tracking
From morning to night, the Pace Pro monitors your stress levels and daily trends, helping you recognize when it’s time to rest or reset.
Recovery Metrics
Take the guesswork out of recovery. COROS combines your base fitness, recent training load, and remaining energy from your last workout to calculate how ready you are to train again.
Detailed Navigation & Route Planning
Want to explore new terrain? Route planning is available through the COROS app. You can create custom routes and sync them with the watch, or import a GPX file from platforms like Strava or RideWithGPS. Details like landmarks and elevation can be added to your routes. You can also download and update offline maps.
Once your route is saved, you can send it to the watch via Bluetooth. We found this process quick and simple, even for more detailed routes. Once transmitted, the routes live in the navigation menu for easy access.
When you start, you’ll get turn-by-turn navigation and arrows. At the time of this review, there are no audible cues. However, optional vibrations alert when you’re off-course. The ability to cast the watch screen to your phone for a larger map view is a thoughtful feature, although it lacks audio directions.
Display & Visibility: Clear in Any Condition
If you’re a night owl or early riser, you’re probably used to squinting at dark screens to view the data. Fortunately, the bright 1,500-nit AMOLED display is easy to see day and night. Screen glare is minimal, even in bright light. For comparison, here’s the Pace Pro next to an Apple Watch Series 7 in direct sunlight.
The slightly bigger screen over previous models like the Pace 3 is also a meaningful upgrade in readability.
We also appreciate the gesture-based backlight, which activates when you raise or tilt your wrist. It’s perfect for low light or when you’re working hard and don’t want to mess with dials and buttons to illuminate the display.
Improved GPS, Connectivity, & Ecosystem
If you’ve ever lost a signal around tall buildings or dense trees, the Pace Pro’s dual-frequency bands are good news. The GPS watch tracks two frequencies to quickly and accurately monitor location and positioning. An upgraded satellite chipset and global mapping capabilities deliver more precise results.
In terms of connectivity and improved performance, this COROS GPS watch outpaces its predecessors. Other notable improvements include:
- Faster processing: Wi-Fi is 3X faster, and map/graphic speed is 30X faster, to quickly sync workouts or load maps.
- Pairing: Works with other COROS gear (HR monitors, bike computers), and syncs with Strava and Apple Health to help track and analyze long-term trends.
However, there’s no LTE onboard. You’ll need your phone for full connectivity. However, the tradeoff is added battery life and lower cost.
Comprehensive Training Tools
COROS makes it easy to tailor your training to your unique needs. The dashboard shows key metrics like average pace, best mile, training load, efficiency, heart rate, and time spent in aerobic vs. anaerobic zones. You can further personalize each effort by adding your perceived exertion and notes, giving you more control over how you track and monitor your performance.
Whether you’re exercising outdoors or inside, there are activity profiles for popular workouts. Trail runs, indoor cycling, pool swimming, triathlon, and strength are just some examples.
We tracked several strength training sessions with Tempo Move and were impressed with the ability to break it down by body part for more accurate feedback. Each session also included a rep count. The app provides a more detailed breakdown, such as muscle heatmap and training effect, and an evaluation of your aerobic and anaerobic training fitness.
However, it’s worth noting that heart rate readings didn’t always seem as accurate as on our Apple Watch Series 7, especially for floor-based exercises. Also, if you want to track an indoor bike workout beyond heart rate and time, you’ll need to connect the Pace Pro with an ANT+ enabled device.
Final Thoughts: Is COROS PACE Pro Worth It?
COROS Pace Pro offers plenty of high-level training data for athletes who are serious about tracking workouts and improving their performance.
Besides advanced performance tracking, we were impressed by its long battery life. Mapping was detailed and accurate, although we noted some heart rate monitoring discrepancies compared to our Apple Watch.
Pace Pro shines in terms of detailed training features, especially in this price range. However, it lacks some key “smart” functionality such as music storage and mobile payments. Offline music playback is available via Bluetooth headphones, but if you’re looking for a full-featured smartwatch experience, you may prefer other options that appear in our guide to the best fitness smartwatches.
Great for: Runners, triathletes, endurance athletes, or anyone who wants serious training tools without overcomplicating things
Not ideal for: Minimalists, casual users seeking smartwatch features, or those who rely on LTE or streaming music
COROS Pace Pro vs. Pace 3: Which is Better?
Think of the COROS Pace Pro as a faster, more powerful, and more refined version of the already popular COROS Pace 3. Both cater to athletes who are serious about enhanced performance. If features like an upgraded display and better mapping could boost your training, it may be worth springing for the COROS Pace Pro. Here’s a breakdown of what each watch has to offer.
| COROS Pace Pro | COROS Pace 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $349 | $229 |
| Display | 1.3″ Always-On AMOLED Touch | 1.2″ Always-On Memory LCD Touch |
| Battery Life (All Systems) | Up to 38 hours | Up to 25 hours |
| Battery Life (Daily Use) | Up to 20 days | Up to 15 days |
| Battery Life (GPS) | Up to 31 hrs. (Dual Frequency) | Up to 15 hrs. (Dual Frequency) |
| Map Features | Landscape; Topo | Breadcrumbs |
| Navigation | Enhanced GPS chipset & turn-by-turn | GPS & turn-by-turn |
| Memory (Internal) | 32GB | 4 GB |
| Music | Offline playback (no streaming) | Offline playback (no streaming) |
| Weight | 49g (silicone), 37g (nylon) | 39g (silicone), 30g (nylon) |
| Key Training Features | Recovery VO2 max Training load Race predictor Training Plans Running Fitness Activity Alerts | Recovery VO2 max Training load Race predictor Training Plans Running Fitness Activity Alerts |
| Health Features | Optical Pulse Oximeter Electrocardiogram Sensor | Optical Pulse Oximeter |
Key Pace Pro Upgrades
A brighter, sharper 1.3″ AMOLED display helps distinguish the Pace Pro from the Pace 3. Under the hood, faster processing, enhanced mapping, and more accurate GPS can make workouts and navigation feel smoother overall.
Improvements in battery life also make the Pace Pro stand out. Both watches offer up to 38 hours with all systems, but Pace Pro’s enhanced GPS technology gives it a clear edge.
The Pace Pro feels more solid in hand, but is slightly bulkier on smaller wrists. Both watches support offline music playback, but neither offers on-board storage or streaming.
COROS Pace Pro vs. Pace 3: Which is Best for Me?
If budget isn’t your main concern, the Pace 3 offers more bang for your buck. It offers more storage and improved mapping, along with more advanced health features. Choose Pace Pro if you don’t need the latest and greatest, and just want a reliable, lightweight training and lifestyle watch.
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