Reviews and videos

thanasis

DC indicates he has a not a positive view on the GPS accuracy compared to Garmin/Coros/AW
https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2022/10/apple-watch-ultra-vs-new-york-city-gps-accuracy-test.html#comment-4194061

@thanasis Think GPS and HR is not final. S9B made after introduction significant GPS improvements… I would say, it got far better than F5 F6…

isazi

@thanasis well, it is not a dual band device like the others, so we cannot expect the same performance in NYC. I think GPS on the S9PP is pretty good, probably the best Suunto so far, and it is also going to improve because Sony is still developing the GPS firmware, so there should already be an update with next software release.

thanasis

@isazi I don’t argue with that. My S9p is already amazing as well( for my type of usage of course)
Just saying that DC seems very negative with that

Shrek3k

@thanasis said in Reviews and videos:

@isazi I don’t argue with that. My S9p is already amazing as well( for my type of usage of course)
Just saying that DC seems very negative with that

As far as I understood it/him (and he is not at all a Suunto-fanboy), he does not seem to be disappointed how the GPS works, but about the fact, that Suunto is more or less the only company which offers a completely new model WITHOUT this feature. So it seems that the watch is (technically) already “old” when released.
Just my two cents and what I understood.

mikekoski490

@Shrek3k Im not sure its already behind. I had a COROS Vertix 2 that had dual and for starters, it didn’t seem that much better, but 2, it negatively impacted battery. COROS also recommends not using it unless you are rock climbing a large mountain face as that is the only time you really need it. My initial runs in an urban environment have tracked very very well with the S9PP. If I had to choose between dual band or battery life, I would choose battery life. I also created a followed a route with turn by turn on, and it worked flawlessly.

isazi

@mikekoski490 oh I heard multiple people testing Coros dual band (with the Vertix 2, I have no data about the new watches) and have not found it a game changer. On the other side, Garmin dual band seems to be very good. But I have also seen some tracks with Epix 2 and S9PP where the S9PP is better. Fact is, GPS is different every day and in every place, so comparisons are difficult.

mikekoski490

@isazi Agreed. Also I meant dual band (not multiband) in my post, so Ive updated it! DC Rainmaker did a run testing the dual band on Vertix 2 when it was first released and didn’t see a difference.

mikekoski490

@isazi https://gearjunkie.com/technology/suunto-9-peak-pro-smartwatch-review

mikekoski490

@isazi https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/2022/11/03/suunto-9-peak-pro-smartwatch-review/?sh=77325fce1906

DMytro

@mikekoski490 reading these reviews I have an impression that these people really don’t know what they are talking about - just your average Joe who read the spec sheet and used the watch very lightly for a couple of days.

isazi

@DMytro that is most of the reviewers. You can easily spot them when they copy/paste material from the press review and/or website. And also good reviewers are so tight on time, having to review tens of products at the same time. And even among good reviewers, it is so difficult to find one that uses the watch the same as you do, for the same sports or with the same goals.
In the long run, I prefer reports from real users and friends.

Bj Fi

@mikekoski490 yeah read this gearjunkie-review and he def does not know what he is talking about. Suunto somehow does not find the good reviewers. There’s a small Finnish one (Seppo Moilanen) who has done good reviews. Also Chase the Summit is quite good and is on a really strong growth path on YT. Matt LeGrand does nice reviews and his review vids get decent views over time although his subs are low. Not to speak of DesFit.

Really disappointed Ray is not getting a video out. The 9PP seems to be at priority nil for him. I was really just waiting for a proper review to decide whether to pull the trigger and get it or not. Now I’ve lost the momentum and probably will stick with the 5P or a Polar that I have.

Had I the time, I’d start a new review channel. Like to write watch reviews, have compared a ton of watches over the past few years and I’m the friend people come to with watch questions

mikekoski490

@Bj-Fi My guess on why DC Rainmaker is holding off on his full review because he is having some beta software issues, and is giving Suunto time to update his test unit? Just my own opinion though. You should buy a Peak Pro asap and do your first YT review! Sounds like it would be up your alley.

TonyG

@mikekoski490 said in Reviews and videos:

@Bj-Fi My guess on why DC Rainmaker is holding off on his full review because he is having some beta software issues, and is giving Suunto time to update his test unit? Just my own opinion though. You should buy a Peak Pro asap and do your first YT review! Sounds like it would be up your alley.

I personally think its a business decision, dc utilises affiliate links to the likes of Amazon as part of the business model and as Youtube most likely has more traffic than his website (which does carry a review of the S9PP) and Amazon and other retailers have very little stock to buy theres not much point posting until stock is freely available.

I have no evidence of this so don’t jump on my thoughts from a great height; its what I would do if I had a business like this. just an opinion / theory.

mikekoski490

@TonyG Oh. Never thought of the business angle and affiliate links. You are probably right!

matthinsh

@TonyG I’m noticing a lot of Garmin bias creep into Ray’s site over the past year or two. Is it any surprise given his relationship with the company? He may not be on payroll, but he certainly does well by them.
His watch and bike computer reviews stack up much in favour of their devices over the competition, which to be frank are nowhere near as behind as he likes to make out. Garmin may be winning feature count, but there is so much more to it than that, software quality is not really a thing it seems. And his obsession with visual maps on a 1.2 inch screen is simply bizarre.

Hmm, most known Youtubers holding back. Maybe they got instructed to wait for a further SW Version. Many here have issues with current production SW version… not beta.

Tbh watches improve often great over time. How much weight from technical standpoint has a fast review at the beginning… it is more marketing thing if you get a good review.

@mikekoski490 said in Reviews and videos:

@Bj-Fi My guess on why DC Rainmaker is holding off on his full review because he is having some beta software issues, and is giving Suunto time to update his test unit? Just my own opinion though. You should buy a Peak Pro asap and do your first YT review! Sounds like it would be up your alley.

Bj Fi

@TonyG It’s not a full review, a preview, as he says himself on it. And no vid.

Bj Fi

@matthinsh can’t say I’d disagree. Happy to see other channels and blogs be prominent in this space these days as well.