Suunto Vertical 2: AMOLED, Flashlight, and 65-Hour GPS—In-Depth Buyer’s Guide

Suunto Vertical 2: In-Depth Buyer’s Guide

Suunto’s best watch has just got better – unless you are a fan of solar.

Suunto Vertical 2 replaces the original and now boasts an inbuilt LED flashlight and a vibrant AMOLED display. A fan favourite, solar charging, is no longer available.

The internals are better, with several tweaks and improvements, but they are essentially identical to Suunto’s other key watch release this year—the Race 2. There lies the dilemma: Do the price bumps from Race 2 and Vertical 1 to Vertical 2 justify the modest and perhaps unwanted improvements?

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Design, Build, and Key Hardware Specs

I love the look of Suunto’s watches.

Vertical 2 keeps the rugged, outdoor aesthetic of its predecessor. Indeed, it’s pretty much the same size, albeit slightly thicker than the sportier Race 2 (13.6 mm vs. 12.5 mm).

When you put one on your wrist, you can immediately tell it is made exceptionally well from premium materials. Whichever option you choose, you get the same top-end sapphire lens and military-grade case, either in steel (86g) or the lighter and even harder titanium (74g).

The most significant difference is the new 1.5-inch AMOLED LTPO screen (466×466 resolution, 2,000 nits). Those stats mean you get a bright, vivid, high-resolution image. AMOLED is better in almost all lighting conditions, except for strong direct sunlight, which worsens if you wear glasses or cast a shadow over the watchface. The LTPO upgrade means that power efficiency is improved due to variable screen refresh rates—techy details- but these contribute to the excellent battery life.

Also new is the Ambiq Apollo510 SoC, which features an Arm Cortex-M55 processor with Helium vector technology. That was a techy mouthful, but the bottom line is that, unlike several Garmin alternatives, Suunto now has a faster processor to make the interface more responsive. To a large degree, this future-proofs the platform for improvements and features over the next few years.

 

Battery Life and Endurance 

The headline battery claim is 65 hours of dual-frequency GNSS recording. Suunto tends to underestimate capabilities, but 65 hours of continuous workout recording is impressive by any standard and outperforms Race 2 (55 hours). For use as a watch, the battery delivers 20 days.

What’s impressive here is that the 65 hours of Vertical 2 match the same 65 hours from the Vertical 1 Solar model, meaning that the AMOLED tech has improved so much that it negates the need for solar power. Sure, solar power could still be added, but it would deliver only modest improvements. If added as a ring around an AMOLED display, it would reduce the display size and bring back the ‘larger bezel’ look that no one likes.

So, I don’t miss the solar option at all.

Feature Deep Dive: The LED Flashlight

The new LED flashlight sets Vertical 2 apart from the rest of the Suunto range and some of its competitors. The flashlight is a utility feature shared by Garmin Fenix and is helpful around the house and when out on the trail.

The LED is tastefully integrated into the bezel. It uses two white and one red LED to offer four levels of white brightness (25, 50, 75, 100%), a dedicated red light, and safety patterns (SOS signal, pulsing, alert/red flashing).

The LED flashlight addition is almost exclusively a ‘Win’ feature. The only drawback I can see is the difficulty activating the flashlight during an activity, but the brand notes that they plan to change this soon.

In-Depth Performance Testing: GNSS/GPS, Altimetry, Heart Rate and Health Metrics

Whilst Suunto has introduced a redesigned optical heart rate sensor (the same as the Race 2) with 6 LEDs and 4 photodetectors, it still uses an early-gen dual-frequency Sony chipset, which is NOT the best of the best, but they’re up there with the best. Garmin still wins here.

I recommend checking this review of Vertical 2’s accuracy; it shows strong GPS performance, albeit in relatively benign use cases. Early tests elsewhere show that GNSS distance accuracy is very good, e.g. over 99% in open terrain (OutdoorGearLab). My full testing is underway; expect updates by mid-October.

Take Out: The GNSS and altimetry are among the best, but the heart rate isn’t!

 

Maps, Navigation and Software Ecosystem

For $600, you expect onboard maps, and with Suunto, you get them. For a similar list price, Garmin Instinct offers an inferior shell and lens and no onboard maps. Even if you get the lower-end Fenix with maps, you would find that Garmin’s maps are underpowered.

Suunto’s new processor is much better at rendering, panning and zooming maps than Garmin’s. Some Garmin map actions can take over 10 seconds to fully render – which is inexcusable to save a few dollars on a component in a premium watch. Garmin obviously has other benefits with its wider maps and navigation ecosystem. Still, Suunto has played catch-up a little here, and now lets you download maps when not connected to the charger.

Garmin was the innovator in integrating hill climb guidance with ClimbPro, and the competition has slowly followed with copycat alternatives. Suunto has copied Garmin to a degree, too. You can only show a hill profile on a watch in so many ways, but Suunto has cleverly integrated POIs and colour-coded sections (Image, above).

The ability to swap routes mid-activity has also been improved. As I found last week, this is one of those features you think you’ll never need until you do! Don’t get this confused with the ability to re-route when lost. Suunto does not have onboard map intelligence, meaning its maps are just pictures with no sense of where junctions (nodes) are. Only Garmin has that on the watch; you can reroute on your smartphone with Suunto and others, but that’s less convenient.

I could highlight many more features, including the company’s third-party app store—only Garmin has a credible (and better) alternative to that.

Suunto has tackled training load charts and recovery widgets, taking an interesting step by using TrainingPeaks algorithms for load balancing. This hints at a degree of standardisation in the precise algorithms used in the industry – plus, for those who train with TrainingPeaks, it makes sense to have metrics that match on your watch.

My favourite improvement is the ability to pair multiple Bluetooth sensors of the same type – a feature many of us have repeatedly asked for over the last 10 years! This is now supported:

• Multiple heart rate (HR) sensors (e.g., Polar H10 plus Garmin HRM 600)
• Multiple power meters for cycling (e.g. Assioma PRO RS plus 4iiii Precision 3+)
• Multiple foot pods for running (e.g., the Stryd sensor)

Finally, Race 2 was the first Suunto watch to add the ability to create custom multisport profiles, and Vertical 2 also gets the same feature set. This was perhaps the missing link in Suunto’s multisport armour. Multisport profiles are key to any competent multisport watch and let you define complex brick workouts for training or unusual and specific combinations of sports for a triathlon, such as pool swim + road bike + cross country run.

Suunto hints at future features that could leverage NFC and LE Audio capabilities. Contactless payments and offline music could be on their way to Vertical 2. Or not…

Suunto Vertical 2 vs. Competitors

Garmin, Suunto and Coros are all heavily featured watches. You won’t be disappointed whichever one you buy in that regard. However, there are some standout differences in the core hardware competencies.

Feature	Suunto Vertical 2	Garmin Fenix 8	Coros Vertix 2S	Suunto Race 2
Price	$599–$699	$999–$1,199	$699	$449–$549
Battery full GPS accuracy recording	65h	48h (AMOLED)	140h	55h
Display	AMOLED (LTPO efficiency)	AMOLED (High-End) MIP (Standard)	MIP (Standard)	AMOLED (Standard)
Onboard Maps	Yes, fast	Yes, slower	Yes, fast	Yes, fast
Unique Feature	LED flashlight	Dive mode, LED	Solar option Digital crown	Digital crown
App Ecosystem	Very Good	Very Good	Good	Very Good
Off-Route Routing	No (app)	Yes	No	No (app)
ABC Sensors	Yes	Yes, DEM-based Elevation	Yes	Yes
Dual-frequency GNSS for mountain accuracy	Yes	Best	Yes	Yes

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Suunto Vertical 2 worth its price?

A: Maybe. At $599–$699, Suunto Vertical 2 delivers a premium build, vibrant AMOLED, and a 65-hour GNSS battery, ideal for adventurers. It’s cheaper than the Garmin Fenix 8 ($999+) and is worthy of consideration for anyone serious about the outdoors. But its new price sets it up for comparison to older Garmin models.

How does Suunto Vertical 2 compare to Garmin Fenix 8?

Vertical 2 offers faster maps, brighter AMOLED, and a lower cost ($599 vs. $999). Fenix 8 has a dive mode and more sports metrics, but shorter battery life (48h GPS). Both support robust apps and third-party integrations.

Is Suunto Vertical 2’s heart rate tracking accurate?

A: Sometimes. Like most wrist-based trackers, the optical HR sensor (±3.7 BPM for steady runs) is decent but struggles with HIIT. For sports accuracy, use a chest strap.

Can the Suunto Vertical 2 be used for triathlons?

A: Yes. It supports custom multisport profiles (e.g., pool swim + bike + XC-run) and has a 65-hour battery, perfect for Ironman or ultras. Garmin offers more advanced multisport features.

Why doesn’t Suunto Vertical 2 have solar power?

Suunto prioritised AMOLED efficiency and a slimmer bezel, matching Vertical 1 Solar’s 65-hour GNSS without solar. Future firmware may further enhance battery performance.

Suunto Vertical 2 – Pricing and Availability

There are two case models: stainless steel and titanium. Both are available now, with deliveries starting in October 2025. They are initially available only from suunto.com, but elsewhere from mid-October.

• Suunto Vertical 2 Stainless Steel – EU €599, USA $599, UK £529
• Suunto Vertical 2 Titanium – EU €699, USA $699, UK £629

Take Away: Who Should Buy Suunto Vertical 2?

Adventurers get Vertical 2 | Athletes get Race 2

Suunto is rarely a first-watch purchase. The core buyer of any Suunto top-end watch will likely be someone already familiar with the brand or deep into ultra-distance outdoor pursuits, perhaps impressed by others they’ve seen using a Suunto. The number of watches pros use at UTMB 2025 shows that serious outdoor athletes trust and use the brand.

However, there is another side to Suunto: the quality and design aspects appeal to those who want a high-quality, beautiful-to-look-at timepiece that can also be used in sports. The aesthetics also stand out well compared to Garmin and Apple – buying one of those brands means your watch will be like those that many others wear.

Beyond that, the choice within the Suunto ecosystem is easy. Vertical 2 is for outdoor adventurers and weekend warriors. There is still crossover from the athletic side of the market, where a runner might buy Vertical 2 for the complete button interface and ditch the digital crown on Race 2. Conversely, others find the digital crown a great way to interact with maps and might favour Race 2 over Vertical 2.

Let’s clarify any blurring between Race 2’s use cases and Vertical 2’s buyers.

• The clear strengths of Vertical 2 are the new LED light, decent GNSS chipset, button interface, impressive battery life, and awesome screen.
• The downsides are less clear and less universal. The loss of solar is not the issue that some make it out to be, but there is a decent chance that a buyer will be impacted by the variable quality of Suunto’s optical HR (get a chest strap for sports).

I think Suunto, rather than Coros, is the real alternative to Garmin. Suunto has all the key elements to compete as a mid-to-high-range watch with its quality materials and quality ecosystem. Suunto will always lag behind Garmin on features (and price!). When it comes to novel features, Coros seems stuck behind Suunto – only Garmin and Suunto have ecosystems open to third-party, on-watch apps and widgets.

Both Suunto and Coros seem to have had successes at slightly cheaper price points, and both are now introducing models that encroach on Garmin’s territory. That’s a mistake, in my opinion. Garmin has a history of winning.

 Resources and more info

• Buy Suunto Vertical 2 – choice of retailers, including the official site.
• Suunto Vertical 2 – User Guide
• Suunto Vertical 2 – official product page and specifications
• Suunto Vertical 2 – Support Centre
• Suunto Vertical 2 – Reddit discussion group
• Suunto Vertical 2 – firmware updates

 

Last Updated on 23 February 2026 by the5krunner