Coros has just added full offline maps to the $249 Pace 4. This puts it in line with a few other competitors offering maps at the same price or less. you can get maps on an Amazfit for less than $200 but will struggle to find maps on any Garmin from the current range below $500.
Amazfit’s Active 3 Premium has had maps since February, at $169.99. Polar’s Vantage M3 has had them since 2024, at $399. Apple’s current watches, the SE 3, Series 11 and Ultra 3, have had them since 2023, at $249. Garmin is the odd one out. Its cheapest current-gen watch at list price with built-in maps is the Forerunner 970, at $749.99.
Maps Under $400: Who Already Has Them
| Watch | Price | Maps |
|---|---|---|
| Amazfit Active 3 Premium | $169.99 | Since launch |
| Apple Watch SE 3 | $249 | Since 2023 (saved from the iPhone, not downloaded by the watch) |
| Coros Pace 4 | $249 | New, public beta |
| Polar Vantage M3 | $399 | Since 2024 |
That’s four different brands, all under $400, all with maps.
Garmin’s Own Watches Show the Gap
| Watch | Price | Maps |
|---|---|---|
| Forerunner 70 | $249.99 | No, line only |
| Forerunner 170 | $299.99 | No, line only |
| Forerunner 265 | $449.99 | No, line only |
| Forerunner 570 | $549.99 | No, line only |
| Forerunner 970 | $749.99 | Yes, full colour |
Every current Forerunner under $749.99 shows you a breadcrumb line and nothing else. If you want a Garmin with maps, you pay three times what a Pace 4 costs or get an old model.
Garmin Forerunner 970
Premium GPS triathlon smartwatch. Features a bright AMOLED touch screen and a built-in LED flashlight.
What’s Actually on the Pace 4 Right Now
Coros’s September update brings the same maps found on the Pace Pro, Apex 4 and Nomad: streets, trails and points of interest, downloaded through Map Manager in the Coros app.
Two things worth knowing before you try it:
- The Pace 4 has 4GB of storage, a quarter of what the Pace Pro and Nomad have. Coros lets you download small regions rather than whole countries, so a map of the UK and Ireland takes around 0.5Gb, and those of you in the USA will probably only be able to download a few of the larger states and sit under 1Gb. Nevertheless, most people will have plenty of room for the areas they actually use.
- This is a public beta as of 4 Sep 2026.
Adventure Journal Timeline Takes a Page From Garmin Epic
The same update gives Adventure Journal a cleaner timeline view. You can now add photos and video from before or after the activity, not just during it, and the link you share no longer expires.
Garmin Epic, launched alongside the Fenix 9, does more than Coros:
- It joins several separate activities, recorded over up to 92 days, into one story
- It pulls in your sleep, HRV and resting heart rate from the days between those activities
- It adds daily notes and a single map of the whole trip
Adventure Journal Timeline still works on one activity at a time. Coros is moving toward what Garmin already does, but it is not there yet – a similar story on many of its features.
The Rest of September’s Update
- Cycling Climb Alerts: your watch tells you when a climb starts and ends, with live progress and how much is left, a feature Dura owners already have
- Voice Control: more commands you can use mid-activity, including changing alerts, opening navigation and setting timers
- Direct Transfer: a faster way to install future updates, and you can keep using the app while it installs
- Torque and Total Work: new cycling numbers, plus Left/Right power balance now syncs to other apps if you have a compatible sensor
- Battery widget: now shows how your battery is actually being used
Which Coros Watches Get What
| Device | Adventure Timeline | Climb Alerts | Voice Control | Torque/Total Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pace 4 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Apex 4 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Nomad | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pace Pro | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Pace 3 | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Apex 2 / 2 Pro | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Vertix 2 / 2S | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
| Dura | Yes | Yes | — | Yes |
Quick answers
Can I get maps on my Pace 4 today?
Yes, through the public beta. Join the beta group, install TestFlight or the Android beta app, then update your watch firmware.
What's the cheapest Garmin watch with maps?
The Forerunner 970, at $749.99. Every Forerunner below that price shows a line, not a map.
Does Adventure Journal Timeline do what Garmin Epic does?
Not yet. It improves one activity at a time, with photos, video and a share link. Garmin Epic joins several activities across weeks or months, with recovery data from the days in between.
Last Updated on 4 September 2026 by the5krunner
My favourite kit and nutrition
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro — I’ve just bought one.
- Injinji – Runners protect your toes. Avoid discomfort and minor injury. Run more. Run faster. I use them.
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter — A small keyring adapter you can use anywhere. Essential when away. I use one.
- Garmin charging puck — the fastest and most reliable way to top up your Garmin before a session. I use one.
- Ravemen FR300 — Front light that mounts directly under your Garmin or Wahoo head unit. Keeps your bars clean and your beam pointed where it matters. I use one.
- Body Glide – The blue anti-chafe stick that all swimmers and many runners use. I use it.
- Maurten — The race nutrition trusted by elite athletes. Gels and drink mixes engineered to be easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Garmin Varia RTL515 — A radar rear light that alerts you to vehicles approaching from behind. Pairs with your Edge or Wahoo. I use this model.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2 — The power-meter pedals most serious cyclists choose. Accurate, easy to move between bikes. I use this model.
- Garmin Forerunner 970 — A serious choice for a pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Polar H10 — My daily driver for accurate, waking HRV readings.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3 — The bike computer that has the feature Garmin lacks: usability. I use mine on most rides.
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. ID
But only Garmin has routable maps …
Does the Suunto Run S not also have maps under $400 (current sale price is under $300, but I’m not sure what it was originally).
Eh–meant “Race S.” :/