Race S vs Vertical

dreamer_

@Tieutieu for those who are used to big watches (I also have the SV), can you try the watch on workout and post about readibility? I know the display is very good but I’m more near of 50 than 30 years old and It would nice to know a bit more about

Tieutieu

@dreamer_ That will be my test, tomorrow probably. I have configured my personnal sports modes exactly like they are on my SV.

Luis Andés Olmedo

My wife’s Race S just arrived… We’ll see if she gets used to the UI to replace the Fenix 6S she uses now.

By the way, I found an incredible price (€279). I think it was a store error because it is no longer available.

@Luis-Andés-Olmedo said in Race S vs Vertical:

By the way, I found an incredible price (€279)

what a bargain!

Tieutieu

@Tieutieu said in Race S vs Vertical:

Just received my Race S while my SV was living for support (for solar panel issue).

What I can say :

size is awesome…because screen resolution makes it very readable

small weight and design => fits wrist perfectly.

not very fan of the crown but I new that before buying (but it works well)

first amoled watch : sharp display and bright. Brightness to minimum is good for me.

for the rest : no surprise at all, it’s the “same” watch than my SV

I’ll check the daily use consumption, but for sure I’ll miss SV autonomy

even if screen is very readable, size matters and my preference goes to SV screen size

for the price, wow…that’s a 10 !!

To follow : exercice, and OHR test

For now, it’s a caprice/pleasure purchase, but it will for sure perfectly do the job during the repairing time of my SV, and for local small races.

Small update :

perfect sleep tracking (tracking of sleep phases is cool)
normal daily use consumption around 8% for 20hours (knowing I’ve played with it), with backlight to minimum and “always on display” OFF. No notifications. Not that bad
perfect GPS accuracy, as expected, and very fast to keep GPS signal
against all I had read, I find that screen is very readable on bright sun, even with my “low” back light setting. Absolutely no problem vs my SV readability
turn to raise and “auto-off” display on exercice is very fast in both way
on a bike ride the OHR seems far better. Let’s confirm that later
I miss the custom battery modes, not available (yet ?) on race and race s => impossible to navigate through screens with the touchscreen during activities.

I am very impressed !

dreamer_

@Tieutieu thanks a lot for that report! How does it feel the smaller size considering that you also have the SV?

Tieutieu

@dreamer_ I would say : more confortable because of smallest size and body design - angles less “sharp” than the SV on “strap legs” (my SV sometimes hurts a bit on wrist bone). For the weight I personnaly don’t feel that difference maters so much.

Luis Andés Olmedo

@Tieutieu said in Race S vs Vertical:

normal daily use consumption around 8% for 20hours (knowing I’ve played with it), with backlight to minimum and “always on display” OFF. No notifications. Not that bad

Including any workout?

Thank you!

Tieutieu

@Luis-Andés-Olmedo nope, only 5min bike test for now.

@Tieutieu I look forward to reading some of your long-term runs to hear more about how it lasts. 50k would be awesome to know

Tieutieu

I just come back from a 1 hour ride.
Battery consumption : 4% (estimated battery life at departure was 29h, so for me it’s overestimated). “Always on display” was off. Turn to raise works perfectly.
Readability : when watch inclined toward sun it’s “a bit” less readable, but it’s just perfect for the rest. For me, that was the “biggest” fear coming from mips screen. It was not objective. Concerning size screen, sharpness makes it still very easy to read.
OHR : can’t directly compare for now with chest strap, but it seems very accurate even on bike. I’m impressed.
I will continue testings, but…it’s really an awesome watch, very impressive for size and price.
My first “thoughts” when it was released was that “that would not be the watch that would make me change my SV, but that it was a very promissing watch”…well, I’ll keep my SV but will use the SRs a lot, for sure !
Let’s see if next days and exercices confirm this, but I doubt It wouldn’t !

What will make me keep my SV :

battery life + solar charging
titanium and sapphire materials
bigger screen

My SV rocks, but I now must admit that this new SRs is a real masterpiece for size/price/features !
A real “deluxe sparring partner” for my SV.

@dreamer_ said in Race S vs Vertical:

@Tieutieu for those who are used to big watches (I also have the SV), can you try the watch on workout and post about readibility? I know the display is very good but I’m more near of 50 than 30 years old and It would nice to know a bit more about

=> @dreamer_ For me I would say sharpness and high density of the screen makes it very easy to read. I didn’t find it harder to read than SV. But I still would encourage you to test it before a purchase, just to figure out by yourself, if it’s a big concern for you.

@gerasimos said in Race S vs Vertical:

Vertical its like a WRC with pikes peak engine
Race s its like a hybrid formula e
Both are great

=> I now understand your statement and fully agree !

Highlands

@Tieutieu Congrats on your purchase and thanks for the feedback
This watch is better than more expensive watches of other companies.

EzioAuditore

@Tieutieu Great. Njoy your new addition. To add to yours never gonna replace my SV: that’s why I got them all
I expected the screen to be better viewable since it is Gorila. Compared to Sapphire has very low reflections if none.
May it serve you well!

Tieutieu

@EzioAuditore that’s right, I’ve found that screen of the SRs had really less reflections than sapphire SV’s one. That’s probably what makes me conclude that this amoled screen is very readable even in bright sun.

this watch is very very promissing for suunto’s future !!

Patrick Löffler 0

I know the title is Race S vs Vertical. That is already a hard decision. But if you then add in the Ocean. It’s getting even harder. All extremely good looking, well built watches. It would be so cool if HRV and training duration,… would be transported through the app to the watches. Because for some, owning a second watch, changing watches several times per week/month will be common. So Race S vs Vertical could be, Race S and Vertical.

EzioAuditore

@Patrick-Löffler-0 Indeed. VO2Max too

Tieutieu

@Patrick-Löffler-0 to be noticed : I was worried about the datas when using 2 watches. Even if hrv and training duration are not transferred in watches, I finally don’t think it’s a problem because merging in SA is perfect (HRV, Vo2…)

EzioAuditore

@Tieutieu VO2Max is a bit off when using multiple devices. My SV is showing lower and Race more correct so in the app I get these up/downs depending on which watch I use. I am still waiting for the Ocean to produce VO2 but I guess that will be different as well

krakra

@Tieutieu does the plastic body bothers you in any way vs almost all metal construction on SV?

wmichi

I also got my Race S today. My first impressions in comparison to my Vertical Ti:

It is super comfortable. The Vertical always presses against my wirst bone, the Race S not at all.
As expected, it looks and feels like a premium watch. But at what a price!
Strap is quite stiff
Crown is a little bit too stiff for my taste, which makes scrolling though the widgets harder than it should be
Buttons are tactile and even though everything is smaller, they are easy to press blindly. I find them a lot better than those on the 9PP and as good as those on the Vertical
UI is super fluid
As expected, Gorilla Glass has less reflections than Sapphire. When walking through the garden (sun / tree shadow), visibility was better than on the Vertical. I think in changing light conditions the Race S is easier to read.
The display is REALLY sharp
Tones are as loud as on the Vertical. I remember that the 9PP was too quiet (subjective!). I was afraid the Race S would be similar because of the smaller case, but it is not.
Vibrations feel better than on the Vertical (that’s very subjective)
OHR during the day: On day 1 no strange occurrences. On the Vertical I sometimes have weird HR spikes during the day, like HR 130 while sitting on the couch. So far nothing like this on the Race S.

But what really counts is how it works during training. I will report back after my morning run and enlighten you with my insights