Suunto RUN – Everything you need to know

While the Suunto RACE S remains one of the go-to running watches of the last few years, today’s new Suunto RUN is an alternative that saves 100€. Indeed, the ‘bargain’ £199/249€ price tag and extensive list of running features make RUN a great alternative to Coros, Polar, and Garmin watches, which typically come at higher price levels. Suunto RUN offers nearly all the core running features that even serious runners require.

Suunto RUN will be available for purchase on June 3, 2025, and I’ll have a detailed review of the watch then.

Suunto RUN – Key Competitors

Suunto RUN is an entry-level, dedicated sports watch. Other, more affordable smartwatches can also record sports, with the Apple Watch SE being a notable example.

These are the hardware specs of the key competitors, and looking at hardware alone, Suunto RUN appears to be the best.

Note Coros Pace 3 (not shown) and Polar PACER have old tech MIP screens

Coros and the Suunto RACE S are clearly in a different tier, so Garmin and Suunto are the head-to-head competitors. We’ll briefly examine some features and omissions, but Garmin and Suunto are closely matched in terms of core running features. Still, Garmin wins with its smart features, including superior music and tap-and-go payments. Garmin also has its CIQ/app store. Suunto has the Suunto PLUS’ app store’, but it is not for this watch.

So if you are unsure of the features you want or need, the Garmin is a safer choice. However, Suunto looks prettier and is easier to use, and Garmin generally gets a bad rap for reliability, especially for newer models (the FR165 is well-established). If you are a ‘normal’ runner (millions of us!), the Suunto will do what you need – be it a parkrun or marathon. So will an Apple Watch…

Suunto RUN – What’s New, what’s Different, What’s Worth Knowing

First off, there are no onboard maps. Instead, Suunto RUN offers basic breadcrumb navigation, which might suffice for occasional outings. Use your smartphone or purchase a higher-tier sports watch for full maps. At this price point, the Garmin Forerunner 165 supports dwMap, and the Apple Watch includes native maps.

The Music support here is a first for Suunto, but it’s basic. You’ll need to drag and drop MP3 files onto the watch or use it to control playback from your phone. There’s no support for music streaming services. In contrast, Garmin offers automatic syncing with popular streaming platforms.

Garmin Pay works well for contactless payments, and if your bank isn’t directly supported, you can use services like Curve. Suunto now offers payment functionality, but it’s currently limited to AliPay and is only available in China. (Suunto RUN is manufactured in China and is now owned by a Chinese company.)

Suunto RUN combines GPS with a barometric altimeter to deliver accurate elevation data—a standard feature at this level. It also features Gorilla Glass, which is tough enough for outdoor use. If you’re hard on your gear, this is important. (A sapphire lens would be even better, but not at this price.)

The watch features a new and improved HR sensor, while retaining the Sony dual-frequency GNSS chipset from earlier models. While Garmin and a few others edge ahead very slightly in accuracy on slightly newer models, Suunto’s solution should meet the needs of nearly all of you. I’ll share side-by-side accuracy results next month.

The case design has undergone a refresh: it’s now noticeably lighter, and a redesigned charging puck is included. Strap width, however, remains unchanged and standard.

A new feature, MARATHON, comes pre-installed. It provides real-time finish-time estimates during your race—a rare inclusion. That said, it’s a niche tool and not something every runner will use.

Track Mode is also new, though still under development, so it’s not as dependable as Garmin or Coros. If you’re not a regular track runner, that’s unlikely to be a dealbreaker.

Finally, Suunto has updated parts of the user interface and underlying software for this model. Due to technical constraints, these changes aren’t expected to roll out to other Suunto watches.

Reviews tend to cover new and headline features. Suunto RUN has many pre-existing features carried over from previous models that are too numerous to cover. Additionally, standard features include smaller additions such as a cadence metronome, fuelling alerts, and workout voice feedback over headphones.

Suunto Run Detailed Specifications

Here are the detailed specifications of the Suunto RUN. Skip ahead to the takeout.

Take Out

Sports watches have become too complicated and too feature-laden. All are designed to justify their higher prices. Most of us need very few features to run with – Suunto has many tens of core features – that’s more than enough. Do you need track mode & Ghost Runner? Thought not – but you still have them with the RUN.

As an entry-level sports watch, Suunto RUN is a compelling alternative to the Garmin Forerunner 165 Music. If you plan your first triathlon (sans PM), Suunto RUN is also great for that and other multi-sport events.

Suunto’s app is good, the watch’s aesthetics are good, and the watch is highly usable. What’s not to like?

If you want a million features you’ll never use…buy a Garmin.

From a market perspective, this is a reasonable move by Suunto, but not as dramatically positive as its RACE S from 2024 – for example, I wish the company had added its app store (Suunto PLUS). Suunto RUN should make potential buyers think twice before considering a Garmin and, perhaps, think several times before considering a Coros.

Q: Would you recommend Suunto RUN to friends and family for running and fitness?

A: Yes. Certainly.

More: Suunto on Amazon