- Suunto 7 versus Suunto 3, 5 and 9: Wear OS in addition!
- Elegant watches for all sports
- Design and technical features
- Autonomy
- Sensors
- Functionalities (sports training, exploration, navigation)
- Activity monitoring
- Connectivity
- Our opinion: Suunto 3, Suunto 5, Suunto 7 and Suunto 9: which one to choose?
- Suunto 3, Suunto 5, Suunto 7 and Suunto 9: where to buy it?
Buy Suunto 9
Suunto 7 versus Suunto 3, 5 and 9: Wear OS in addition!
Before comparing these 4 Suunto watches, let's specify that the Suunto 7 (new January 2020) is very different from the other models of the brand. It is a watch that is both connected (like the Garmin Venu, the Samsung Galaxy Watch or the Apple Watch) but that also offers advanced sports functions.
Suunto's strategy here is to catch up with its competitor Garmin by offering features that were sorely lacking until now: music, a payment solution and cartography. Thanks to Wear OS, this is now possible.
Suunto 7 has a rich and vibrant AMOLED display and runs on Wear OS, Google's operating system for watches that includes the famous Google Smart Wizard, Google Fit Activity Tracking and access to numerous apps downloadable from the Google Play Store. On the other hand, some of its sports functions, although more advanced than those of classic connected watches, are less elaborate than other Suunto watches and the watch's autonomy is significantly lower.
The Suunto 7, compared to the Suunto 3, 5 and 9 models, is therefore more aimed at the general public looking for the equivalent of an Apple Watch but with advanced sports features. It is suitable for occasional to regular sportsmen and women who want a dual-use watch that can be worn on a daily basis and offers intelligent functions. For competitive athletes, long (ultra) races or activities that require GPS navigation (hiking, trekking, ski touring, etc.) or comprehensive training tools (race dynamics, advanced training, etc.), Suunto 5 or, ideally, Suunto 9 is the best choice.
Elegant watches for all sports
Suunto offers 4 stylish and robust sports watches to play sports, train, stay in shape or simply to wear every day for 24-hour monitoring of your physical activity. From the entry-level model for occasional sportsmen and women to the high-end model for athletes and competitors and the smart and sporty connected watch, there is something for every profile.
Here is a brief overview and comparison of these 4 cardio-GPS watches to help you choose the one that best suits your goals.
Suunto 3: a small and light watch for training and staying healthy
The Suunto (formerly Suunto 3 Fitness) is a very attractive entry-level sports watch, robust, small in size and very light (36 g), designed for active people who want to improve their physical condition and stay healthy. It was called Suunto 3 Fitness but in January 2020, Suunto renews its range and simplifies the name. Only the design is slightly revised (new colours). The functions are identical.
Elegant and in colours that can match the clothes, it is perfect for daily use and fitness training. Designed for both genders, it will appeal to those who are looking for a chic watch to wear in the city, at work or for formal outings.
Attention, it does not have GPS, which explains its excellent autonomy (30 h). However, it is possible to connect it to a smartphone to find its position and record its route.
Its strong point is to offer a evolutionary training assistance which allows to progress without knowing anything about it. The watch offers a tailor-made 7-day programme with an optimal duration and intensity to be respected for each exercise. The programme is adapted according to the activities actually carried out. Simply choose a mode (maintain your shape, improve your shape or boost your shape) and follow the program.
The watch also tracks stress and recovery levels and gives an overview of the day. Finally, it helps to find the right balance between activity and rest.
Suunto 5: a compact triathlon watch with everything you need for training
New for 2019, the Suunto 5 is a mid-range multi-sports and triathlon watch with a long range, offering multiple sports functions for daily training and monitoring. She's the replacement for the Spartan Trainer.
Elegant and robust, this connected watch features GPS and powerful navigation functions. It has an optical heart rate monitor on the wrist. It offers 80 sport profiles and everything you need to analyze and monitor your progress. But most importantly, it offers a personalized training plan that is updated according to your progress.
Another advantage is intelligent battery management (as on the Suunto 9) with a display of remaining battery life and the ability to change battery mode while driving.
This watch should delight sportsmen and women who are looking for a watch that is beautiful to wear, relatively light and equipped with the essential functions for GPS navigation, tracking and training.
Read our detailed review of the Suunto 5 and our opinion of this model
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Suunto 7: a connected and sporty watch with maps, music and payment
The Suunto 7, released in January 2020, is the first watch from Sunnto to run under Wear OS, Google's watch operating system. Unlike today's connected watches, this one offers advanced sports functions. It is therefore ideal for people looking for a watch for mixed use (sport and city).
The advantage of Wear OS is to offer the best of the smart features of the moment thanks to downloadable apps.
It has a high-definition AMOLED colour touch screen and all the sensors useful for sport (GPS, wrist cardio, barometric altimeter, compass). It includes topographical maps, a payment solution and allows you to listen to music without a Smartphone. Wear OS gives access to the Google assistant (the watch has a microphone on it to interrogate it), to health monitoring (Google Fit), to access to information (Internet).
In terms of sports functions, this watch is similar to the Suunto 5 but with the added mapping. On the other hand, its autonomy is much lower, it does not offer adaptive custom trainingand GPS navigation is limited.
Read our detailed review of the Suunto 7 and our opinion of this model
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Suunto 9: a multi-sport and triathlon watch with record-breaking autonomy designed for competitors and demanding athletes
The Suunto 9 is a multi-sport and triathlon watch with a colour touch screen, offering a record 120 hours of power-saving mode and high measurement accuracy thanks to FusedTrack&trade. FusedTrack is a function that combines GPS, accelerometer, gyro and compass to refine the GPS track when the signal is weak or when the power save mode is activated, provided it is used for slower sports such as cycling, walking or running. In addition, the watch offers intelligent battery management that evaluates the remaining battery life and allows you to change the battery mode while on the move. No more worries about low battery power!
The "Baro" model also carries a thermometer and an altimeter barometer. Thanks to these sensors, the watch offers weather functions (pressure, temperature, thunderstorm alarm) and accurate measurements of altitude, altitude difference and rate of ascent. Suunto 9 also displays sunrise/sunset times, an altitude graph and other features of interest to explorers.
With 80 sport profiles, advanced GPS navigation, weather functions, record-breaking range and high measurement accuracy, Suunto 9 is perfect for competition, intensive training, ultra-deepwater racing (ultra-trail, ultra-marathon, etc.), outdoor and exploration. Demanding sportsmen and women will appreciate it.
Read our detailed review of the Suunto 9 and our opinion of this model
Buy Suunto 9
Main differences between Suunto 3, Suunto 5, Suunto 7 and Suunto 9
Features | Suunto 3 | Suunto 5 | Suunto 7 | Suunto 9 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Awards | $ | $$ | $$$ | $$$$ |
Sports profiles | 70+ | 80+ | 70+ | 80+ |
True multi-sports | • | • | • | |
Autonomy | ••• | ••• | • | ••••• |
GPS | With Smartphone | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, Beidu | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
Wrist cardio | • | • | • | • |
Evolutionary training assistance | • | |||
Customizable training | • | |||
Interval training | • | • | • | |
Evaluates recovery | • | • | • | • |
Fitness and stress monitoring | • | • | ||
Sleep Quality | • | • | Via Google Fit | • |
24/7 activity monitoring | • | • | Via Google Fit | • |
Waterproofing | 30 m | 50 m | 50 m | 100 m |
GPS Navigation | • | GPS track | • | |
Barometric altimeter | • | • | ||
mp3 player | Music via app | |||
Payment function | • |
Design and technical features
Unlike Garmin and its series Forerunner sporty look, Suunto here offers versatile watches with a chic design that can be worn as much for sports as for going out or working. The steel bezel, the colours of the bezel and bracelets and the design of the watch are indeed very elegant. This is the strength of these watches and the strength of Suunto with this series. Until recently, Suunto only offered silicone bracelets. The brand now offers fabric and leather bracelets.
Each model comes with a colour screen. The Suunto 9 and Suunto 7 have a high-resolution touchscreen and the watch glass is made of high-strength sapphire crystal (Suunto 9) or Corning Gorilla (Suunto 7). These watches have been designed to be robust.
The Suunto 3 stands out from other models due to its small size and light weight (36 g), ideal for everyday wear. It's the perfect model for keeping up with your activity and staying in shape. The Suunto 9, on the other hand, is made for very different purposes: it must last and offer all the instruments needed for competition and extreme sports, hence its larger size and weight. The Suunto 7, a connected watch to be worn every day, is an intermediate model that aims to compete with Apple and Garmin in the smart watch sector. It is also designed for sports.
Features | Suunto 3 | Suunto 5 | Suunto 7 | Suunto 9 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Case diameter | 43 mm | 46 mm | 50 mm | 50 mm |
Thickness | 14.3 mm | 14.6 mm | 15.3 mm | 16.8 mm |
Weight | 36 g | 66 g | 70 g | 81 g |
Screen resolution (px) | 218 x 218 | 218 x 218 | 454 x 454 | 320 x 300 |
Touch screen | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, Beidu | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS | ||
Colour screen | • | • | • | • |
Bazel | Stainless Steel | Stainless Steel | Stainless Steel | Stainless Steel |
Glass | Polyamide | Mineral crystal | Corning Gorilla | Sapphire crystal |
Waterproofing | 30 m | 50 m | 50 m | 100 m |
Bracelet size | 20 mm | 22 mm | 24 mm | 24 mm |
Bracelet interchangeable without tools | • | |||
Wristband material | Silicone | Silicone | Silicone, textile, leather | Silicone |
Autonomy
Autonomy is a key parameter, even prohibitive, for athletes practicing sports for long periods of time (Ultramarathon, Ironman, etc..) and who are looking for accurate measurements. The manufacturers of sports watches have understood this and are working hard to offer watches that are more and more autonomous.
If you don't increase the battery capacity and being limited by the size of the cases, you have to play on the consumption of the components. It is especially the GPS chip and the optical heart rate monitor that are very energy-intensive. The power-saving mode (Ultratrac) does save battery power by reducing the number of GPS and heart rate readings, but it alters the accuracy of the measurements, which is not to the liking of demanding sportsmen and women.
Recently, manufacturers have been moving towards Sony chips that use less power than the models offered by SiRF and Mediatek. This has allowed a great deal of autonomy.
But at Suunto's, we go further. The Finnish company came up with the idea of combining the energy-saving mode with an ingenious system that improves the accuracy of the measurements despite the reduced number of readings. It's the FusedTrack system. It combines data from the GPS, accelerometer, gyroscope and digital compass to extrapolate missing data. This ensures correct accuracy in UltraTrac mode or when the GPS signal is weak. This innovation available on the Suunto 9 is therefore very interesting and a definite advantage over the competition.
In addition to FusedTrack, Suunto offers intelligent battery management on the Suunto 5 and Suunto 9. The function analyzes the activities to better estimate the use of the watch. It estimates the remaining battery level and issues alerts when the battery life is low or insufficient for the programmed route. The user can then change modes, for example from Performance mode (recording every second) to a more economical mode.
Despite its small size, the Suunto 3 offers excellent range. That's because it doesn't carry a GPS.
Finally, the Suunto 7 is a little different with a relatively low battery life due to its outstanding AMOLED display. It does little better than the Apple Watch (6 p.m.) as a connected watch and therefore needs to be recharged regularly. Autonomy drops to 8 hours when playing sports while listening to music and to 5 hours when used outdoors. This limits its use and keeps it away from long-duration activities such as long hikes and ultratrail. Smartwatch isn't doing so badly, however, thanks to its energy-efficient processor, a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 chip, the latest from Qualcomm, designed to optimize power consumption. Qualcomm is currently working on a new chip that will provide a faster processor.
Model | Suunto 3 | Suunto 5 | Suunto 7 | Suunto 9 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Watch mode | 10 days | 14 days | 40 days | 14 days |
Watch mode + 24/7 monitoring + mobile notifications | 5 days | 7 days | 2 days | 7 days |
GPS mode | 30 h | 20 h / 40 h | 12 h | 25 h / 50 h / 120 h |
Intelligent charge reminders | 218 x 218 | 320 x 300 | ||
FusedTrack | • |
Sensors
Suunto 5, Suunto 7 and Suunto 9 are equipped with a GPS chip that is compatible with GPS (American satellite system), GLONASS (Russian system), GALILEO (European system) and QZSS (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System) also called Michibiki (Japanese system). Suunto 7 is also compatible with the Chinese satellite system (Beidu). This increases the chances of receiving the GPS signal in sensitive areas.
Suunto 3 Fitness does not have a GPS chip, but it can be connected to a smartphone to acquire data (so you need to carry your phone with you if you want to record the GPS track). It also has an accelerometer that allows it to count steps and measure the distance travelled without GPS, including indoors, on a treadmill for example. The advantage of this model is to offer a large autonomy despite the small size of the watch.
All 4 watches have a heart rate monitor on the wrist for continuous pulse measurement and 24-hour monitoring. The watch deducts the caloric expenditure during the activity and during the day. For more precise measurements, these watches, with the exception of the Suunto 7, are compatible with the Suunto Smart Sensor chest belt. The belt is necessary for swimming and highly recommended for fractional swimming if reliable records are to be made.
With the exception of the Suunto 7, each model can also be coupled to external sensors (cadence, speed) for running and cycling. The Suunto 5 and Suunto 9 also allow you to couple a Stryd power sensor for running and a power sensor for cycling.
Suunto 9 comes with other useful instruments for hiking, mountaineering, and trail riding: a thermometer, barometer, barometric altimeter, and compass, all combined with weather functions and measurements of altitude, elevation, and vertical speed. In addition, a gyroscope can be used to improve the accuracy of GPS readings (FusedTrack mode described above). These instruments (except for the thermometer and gyroscope) can be found on the connected Suunto 7 watch. However, on this model, the weather functions, including local temperature, are provided by dedicated apps that require a connection to a smartphone.
Features | Suunto 3 | Suunto 5 | Suunto 7 | Suunto 9 |
---|---|---|---|---|
GPS | With Smartphone | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, Beidu | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
FC at wrist | 5 days | 7 days | 2 days | 7 days |
Accelerometer | 30 h | 20 h / 40 h | 12 h | 25 h / 50 h / 120 h |
Compass | Via App | 320 x 300 | ||
GPS Altitude | • | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS | ||
Barometric altimeter | • | • | ||
Gyroscope | Stainless Steel | |||
Thermometer | Sapphire crystal | |||
Suunto Smart Sensor Belt Compatible | 30 m | 50 m | 100 m | |
Stryd power sensor compatible (running) | 22 mm | 24 mm | ||
Rate sensor & running speed | • | • | • | |
Cycling speed sensor & cycling speed | Silicone | Silicone | Silicone | |
Bicycle power sensor | • | • |
Functionalities (sports training, exploration, navigation)
These functions, which are more and more present on sports watches, provide the athlete with a valuable aid for training and performance monitoring.
The comparative series offers the basic tools for training (HR measurements, speed, distance, course recording, training programming) but few tools to help the athlete. Apart from cadence measurement, there are no real race dynamics for example and very few physiological measurements. This is the big difference with Garmin watches (Forerunner Series for example). At Garmin, on the other hand, triathlon watches are rare, whereas at Suunto, all the watches in our comparison, except for the Suunto 7, have this profile.
Suunto 5, Suunto 7, and Suunto 9 offer many measurements relevant for cyclists, runners, and swimmers (power measurements, cadence, swim functions, etc.).
The Suunto 5 also offers adaptive individual training, a feature that should be of interest to many athletes who need guidance in their training. The watch evaluates the physical condition and takes into account the athlete's goals to propose a 7-day training plan. It is sufficient to respect the number of outings, the duration and the intensity of the proposed exercises.
Suunto 5 and 9 watches offer powerful GPS navigation functions to help you find your way around and get to any place without getting lost (thumb tracking, navigating to a point of interest, following a planned route, etc.). ). The Suunto 7 also offers color mapping and heat (or attendance) maps for 15 sports activities including running, biking, hiking, skiing. They indicate the routes most frequented by the Suunto community. On the other hand, the Suunto 7's GPS navigation is minimalist (no direction indication, no turning navigation not turning). You will have to zoom the map to find your bearings and locate the GPS track if you want to retrace your steps or follow a recorded route.
On Suunto 9, you'll find complete instruments for the mountains: barometric altimeter, compass, thermometer. The watch can detect changes in the weather, alerting the wearer to the risk of thunderstorms. These functions are also available on Suunto 7, sometimes via the smartphone (temperature, weather).
Unlike Garmin and its Forerunner series, which are more suitable for running (with the exception of the Forerunner 945 which is designed for almost any sport), Suunto 3, 5, 7 and 9 watches are versatile. They are suitable for a large number of sports (70 to 80 profiles registered). The Suunto 5, Suunto 7 and Suunto 9 are particularly well equipped for most activities, whether for endurance sports (running, trail, cycling, swimming, triathlon, cross-country skiing, cardio, rowing, etc.), mountain (hiking, trekking), exploration, or extreme sports (paragliding, diving, mountaineering, etc.).
Functions for training
Features | Suunto 3 | Suunto 5 | Suunto 7 | Suunto 9 |
---|---|---|---|---|
GPS speed and distance | With Smartphone | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, Beidu | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
Record journey | 5 days | 7 days | 2 days | 7 days |
Customizable sports modes and displays | 20 h / 40 h | 25 h / 50 h / 120 h | ||
Interval training | • | • | 320 x 300 | |
Running Dynamics | ||||
Personalized training | • | |||
Adaptive training | • | |||
Race time predictor | ||||
Audio instructions | 50 m | 100 m | ||
Strava, TrainingPeaks, Endomodo compatible | • | 22 mm | • | 24 mm |
Physiological measurements
Although Suunto uses data from Firstbeat, there are few physiological measurements. Suunto 3 and Suunto 5, more complete here than Suunto 9, estimate the VO2max, Body Resource (body energy) and stress level. Suunto 7 does not benefit from any Firstbeat algorithm and depends on the apps offered by the Wear OS.
These measurements make it possible to evaluate the level of physical fitness and to offer advice and plans adapted to the user.
The Body Resource function, also found on the Series Forerunner 45, 245 and 945, is designed to prevent overtraining. It helps the athlete to find the right balance between training time and recovery time. To do this, the watch estimates the level of recovery by taking into account physical activity, rest times, stress level, quality of sleep. She is thus able to say whether or not it makes sense to go training.
The 4 watches estimate the recovery time after an effort, i.e. the number of hours it will take for the body to recover after an outing.
Features | Suunto 3 | Suunto 5 | Suunto 7 | Suunto 9 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Calories expended | With Smartphone | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, Beidu | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
VO2max | 5 days | 7 days | ||
Body resource | • | 20 h / 40 h | ||
Stress and recovery assessment | • | • | ||
Recovery time depending on training | • | • | • | • |
Heart rate evaluation
Unlike other models, the Suunto 7 can measure the heart rate underwater from the optical wrist monitor. Suunto mentions, however, that the measurements may be incorrect. Unfortunately, it is not possible to connect an external sensor (chest belt or cuff) on this model.
Features | Suunto 3 | Suunto 5 | Suunto 7 | Suunto 9 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hear rate zones | With Smartphone | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, Beidu | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
Real-time HR graph | 5 days | 7 days | • | • |
Real time average HR | 20 h / 40 h | • | • | |
Calories expended | • | • | • | • |
Registers HR while swimming | • | • | • | • |
Sports functions and the outdoors
Function | Suunto 3 | Suunto 5 | Suunto 7 | Suunto 9 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sports profiles | 70+ | 80+ | 70+ | 80+ |
Display | 1 to 7 fields | 1 to 7 fields | ||
Running | ||||
Interval training assistance | • | • | • | |
Race pace | • | • | • | |
Stroke power | • | • | ||
Tour comparison | • | • | • | |
Average speed, max. per lap in real time | • | • | • | |
Speed and cadence sensor support | • | • | • | |
Bike | ||||
Speed | • | • | • | |
Average real time speed | • | • | • | |
Power Sensor Compatibility | • | • | ||
Average and maximum cycling power | • | • | ||
Revolutions and maximum power per revolution | • | • | ||
Real-time laps with average HR, average power and average speed | • | Yes, without the power | • | |
Support for fractional training with power, speed and CF | • | • | ||
Swimming | ||||
HR measurement and monitoring | • | • | • | • |
Swimming rhythm in pool and distance | • | • | • | |
Open water swimming rhythm and distance | • | • | • | |
Swimming type detection | • | • | • | |
Swimming efficiency (SWOLF) | • | • | • | |
Swimming time per length (pool), laps, total | • | • | • | |
Cadence and number of movements | • | • | • | |
Automatic intervals | • | • | • | |
Interval training tours | • | • | • | |
Interval training training assistance | • | • | ||
Outdoor | ||||
Route registration | • | • | • | • |
Real-time trace (\"Thumbnail\") | • | • | • | |
Navigating to a POI | • | • | ||
ETA (estimated time of arrival) | • | • | ||
Recording and viewing GPS track | • | • | • | • |
GPS track analysis | • | • | • | • |
Zoom levels in navigation | • | • | • | |
Heat maps | • | • | • | |
Heat maps on the watch | • | |||
Route planning with altitude profile | ||||
Route planning with heat maps | • | • | • | |
Vertical speed | • | • | • | |
GPS Altitude | • | • | • | |
Total ascent/descent | • | • | • | |
FusedAlti (combined GPS and barometric altitudes) | • | • | ||
Temperature | Via app | • | ||
Sunrise/Sunset Herbs | • | Via app | • | |
Storm alarm | Via app | • | ||
Sea level pressure | • |
Activity monitoring
Like most sports watches today, the Suunto watches compared have a 24/7 activity monitoring function with continuous recording of distance travelled, number of steps taken, calories burned and detailed sleep analysis. On the Suunto 7, the Google Fit function takes care of this. This monitoring has therefore been delegated to Google and is not carried out by the watch itself.
Suunto 3 and Suunto 5 additionally offer an estimate of the stress level, a Body Resource function (see above) and the estimate of physiological age (another way of representing VO2max, i.e. fitness, by comparing the user's fitness with that of other people and indicating the average age of people with the same value). These functions are interesting to follow his progress, measure the impact of training and adapt his training.
Function | Suunto 3 | Suunto 5 | Suunto 7 | Suunto 9 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Number of steps | • | • | • | • |
Physical activity goals (steps, calories) | • | • | • | • |
Calories burned | • | • | • | • |
History of activities | • | • | ||
Detailed sleep analysis | • | • | • | • |
Physical age | • | • | ||
Body resource | • | • | ||
Stress level measurement | • | • |
Connectivity
The Suunto 7 connected watch offers the best of today's smart features thanks to Wear OS and the ability to download the latest apps available on the watch. You can access the weather, your agenda, check the arrival time of a flight, check the weather, listen to music and much more. Thanks to the NFC chip and the Google Pay payment solution, it is possible to pay for purchases directly from the watch. In short, we are dealing with a watch that offers the equivalent of the Apple Watch functions.
The 4 watches display Smartphone notifications (SMS, incoming call, email). They are compatible with the Suunto application and with the most popular online sports communities: Strava, Endomondo, TrainingPeaks, etc. Suunto 7 allows you to reply to SMS messages via predefined messages or, if you have an Android phone, by dictating them to the watch via the built-in microphone.
The Suunto 9 also benefits from compatibility with Suunto Movescount and Suunto Movescount App, a sports community that allows you to create your own sports diary, share activities, create or find itineraries, or customize your watch. Suunto offers millions of moves (circuits registered by the Suunto user community) and heat maps showing the most popular paths used by the community. It is thus possible to plan one's outing from topographic maps, by creating a new route or by searching for a route already taken by a member, then downloading the route into one's watch.
Suunto also offers training plans to follow on his watch. Diving fans will also be able to share their experience. In short, Movescount offers many possibilities that add value to the watch.
Function | Suunto 3 | Suunto 5 | Suunto 7 | Suunto 9 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Smart notifications | With Suunto app | • | • | • |
Weather functions | Via Google app | • | ||
Smartphone Music Control | • | |||
Embedded mp3 player | Google App |
Our opinion: Suunto 3, Suunto 5, Suunto 7 and Suunto 9: which one to choose?
The Suunto 3, Suunto 5, Suunto 7 and Suunto 9 are 4 very different watches since the first one is an entry-level watch, more oriented towards fitness and well-being, while the last one is a high-end and very complete watch designed for any sport.
Suunto 3: elegant, perfect for everyday wear and staying in shape
The Suunto 3 (replacing the Suunto 3 Fitness) is interesting because of its elegance, light weight, small size and sufficient functions for most casual sportsmen and women or non-sportsmen. It monitors your daily activity (calorie expenditure, distance covered, etc.) and records the essential data of your sports outings (endurance, gym, weight training), even triathlons! We particularly appreciate the evolutionary training assistance that allows you to improve or maintain your shape without knowing anything about it. Be careful, it does not have a built-in GPS but you can connect it to a Smartphone to benefit from it. Its accelerometer, however, makes it possible to estimate the distance travelled, outdoors or indoors.
Suunto 5: very complete, the best value for money
The Suunto 5, released in 2019, has the advantage of bringing together, in a reasonably priced watch, a large number of sensors and functions for serious sports monitoring. It will meet the needs of most athletes. Versatile, it is suitable for almost all sports, whether at sea, on land, in the mountains or in the air! It offers new functions that are unfortunately not found on the Suunto 9, such as the Body Resource function, adaptive personal training, VO2max measurement, stress assessment. This watch offers long battery life and intelligent battery management. It is the best value model that will also meet the requirements of most regular sportsmen and women.
Suunto 7: for intelligent functions and advanced sports features
Released in 2020, the Suunto 7 will be of particular interest to people looking for a smart connected watch that can be worn on a daily basis (city, work) and can also be used for occasional to regular sports (two-in-one watch). In our opinion, it is a good alternative to the Apple Watch for those who do not have an iPhone with, in addition, much more advanced sports functions. As a sports watch, it competes with Garmin by offering on-board mapping, heat maps, music on the wrist, a means of payment (NFC chip) and many apps to download.
The only downside is its short battery life, incompatibility with external sensors, and limited sport functions compared to the Suunto 5 and Suunto 9. These limitations make it obsolete for a number of activities: triathlon, long (ultra) races, activities requiring advanced GPS navigation, sports requiring the use of external sensors (cadence, speed, power, cardio). For this type of activity, it is better to go for the Suunto 5 or Suunto 9 or see another brand (see our comparison of cardio-GPS watches).
Suunto 9: for its record-breaking range, precision and instruments
Suunto 9, on the other hand, offers more comprehensive instruments, including a barometric altimeter and compass, as well as weather functions that make it more suitable than Suunto 5 for mountain or extreme sports. It is suitable for competition and intensive training. This model is especially interesting for its record-breaking range, intelligent battery management and precision thanks to FusedAlti. These assets make the watch compatible with very long outings (ultra-deep water races). Its display is also more comfortable and robust than the other two watches. It's just a little bulkier in size and weight.
3 triathlon watches and 1 connected watch offering many sports profiles
The advantage of these 4 models is that they are versatile. They are suitable for many sports including, with the exception of Suunto 7, triathlon. Suunto 5 and Suunto 9 can be used for almost any sport. In addition, they have advanced GPS navigation functions and can be used to download routes to follow. The heat maps allow you to enjoy the routes of other community members and even measure yourself against them. At Garmin, the features offered are certainly more complete, but the on-board sports profiles are fewer, unless you're paying a lot for a versatile model.
In order to help you in your choice, we propose you the summary table below.
Features | Suunto 3 | Suunto 5 | Suunto 7 | Suunto 9 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Price | $ | $$ | $$$ | $$$$ |
Recommended sports | Fitness, gym, triathlon, many other sports | Triathlon, running, cycling, swimming, outdoor, many other sports | Running, cycling, swimming, hiking | Triathlon, running, cycling, swimming, outdoor, hiking, trail, many other sports |
Comfort (weight, size, elegance) | •••• | ••• | ••• | •• |
Autonomy | ••• | ••• | • | ••••• |
Useful functions | Body resource | Body resource, GPS navigation | Altimetry, music, payment, cartography, intelligent functions | Weather, altimetry, GPS navigation functions |
Training and analysis | Personalized workouts | Customized adaptive drives, power measurement (running, cycling) | Peak Training Effect | Power measurement (running, cycling) |
Sensors | Wrist HR Accelerometer | GPS Wrist HR Accelerometer | Wrist HRGPS Accelerometer Compass Barometricaltimeter | Wrist HR Accelerometer Compass Gyroscope Thermometer Barometric altimeter |
External sensors | Smart Sensor, cadence / speed running and cycling | Smart Sensor, cadence / speed / power running and cycling | Smart Sensor, cadence / speed / power running and cycling | |
Suitable for running | • | •••• | ••• | •••• |
Adapted to the mountain | •• | ••• | •••• | |
Suitable for swimming | • | •••• | ••• | •••• |
Suitable for cycling | • | •••• | ••• | •••• |
Suitable for outdoor use | • | •••• | ••• | •••• |
Suitable for triathlon | • | •••• | •••• |
Suunto 3, Suunto 5, Suunto 7 and Suunto 9: where to buy it?
You can find these watches on the Internet (see below) or in specialist shops. Sport Passion offers you and its partners discount vouchers.
Buy Suunto 9
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