If you own a Coros Pace, two hardware limits decide whether a new one is worth buying. The original Pace and the Pace 2 have filled their onboard ‘flash’ storage and take no new firmware features. The Pace 3 still receives features but was left out of the September 2026 update that brought offline maps to the Pace 4. Everything else Coros adds by firmware reaches most watches from 2022 onwards, so the case for upgrading rests almost entirely on hardware.
This guide covers each starting point: Pace, Pace 2, Pace 3, Pace Pro and Pace 4. The current range is the Pace 4 at £229 / $249 and the Pace 4 Pro at £389 / $449, with the Pace Pro still on sale at a reduced price.
Quick planning table: upgrade or keep?
| Current watch | New firmware features? | Maps with street names? | Recommendation | Best move |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pace (2018) | No. Storage full, bug fixes only | No | Upgrade | Pace 4 |
| Pace 2 | No. Ended after September 2024 | No. Breadcrumb only | Upgrade | Pace 4 |
| Pace 3 | Yes | No. Breadcrumb only | Consider | Pace 4, if you want maps or AMOLED |
| Pace Pro | Yes | Yes | Only for a specific feature | Pace 4 Pro |
| Pace 4 | Yes | Yes, since September 2026 | Keep | None |
What the current Pace watches add that firmware cannot
| Feature | Pace 4 | Pace Pro | Pace 4 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £229 / $249 | £349 / $349 at launch, now reduced | £389 / $449 |
| Display | 1.2 inch AMOLED, 390 x 390 | 1.3 inch AMOLED, 416 x 416, 1,500 nits | 1.47 inch AMOLED, 466 x 466, 3,500 nits |
| Dual-frequency GPS | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Offline maps with street names | Yes, added in September 2026 | Yes | Yes |
| Storage | 4GB | 32GB | 32GB |
| Microphone | Yes | No | Yes |
| Speaker | No | No | Yes |
| ECG | No | Yes | Yes |
| GPS battery, all systems | 41 hours | 38 hours | 60 hours |
| GPS battery, dual frequency | 31 hours | 31 hours | 40 hours |
| Bezel and lens | Polymer, mineral glass | Polymer, mineral glass | Titanium, sapphire |
| Weight, nylon band | 32g | 37g | 43g |
The microphone runs Voice Pins, voice training logs and, since September 2026, Voice Control on the Pace 4. The Pace Pro has no microphone, so it gets none of them. None of the current Pace watches supports ANT+ sensors, contactless payment or streaming music.
Why the Pace and Pace 2 stopped getting features
Coros confirmed in 2024 that the flash storage on the Pace 2, Apex Pro and Vertix 1 had reached capacity after four to five years of updates. The September 2024 update was the last feature firmware those watches can take. Coros cannot remove unused features to make room, and owners cannot downgrade. App-side improvements still reach every account.
The original Pace hit the same limit earlier. Its firmware added EvoLab, Track Run mode and heart rate broadcast before storage ran out, and Coros now issues bug fixes only.
The practical result shows in the Spring 2026 update. Pace Strategy, Hill Alerts, Hybrid Fitness and the Weekly Distance widget went to every Pace from the Pace 3 onwards. The Pace 2 received only a Race Predictor trend chart, which lives in the Coros app.
If you have an original Pace (2018)
| Factor | Position |
|---|---|
| Firmware | Storage full. Bug fixes only |
| GPS | GPS and GLONASS, single frequency |
| Navigation | None at launch, no maps |
| GPS battery at launch | 25 hours |
| Display and controls | LCD, four buttons, no touchscreen |
| Sensors | ANT+, including power meters |
- The watch is eight years old and will receive no new features.
- Any current Pace adds dual-frequency GPS, an AMOLED touchscreen, route navigation and the full current EvoLab set.
- ANT+ is the one thing you lose. Every Pace from the Pace 3 onwards connects to sensors over Bluetooth only, so check your power meter and heart rate strap before buying.
Verdict: Upgrade. The Pace 4 is the obvious replacement and costs less than the original Pace did at launch.
If you have a Pace 2
| Factor | Position |
|---|---|
| Firmware | Last feature update September 2024 |
| GPS | Single frequency, all satellite systems |
| Navigation | Breadcrumb only |
| GPS battery | 30 hours, or 60 hours in UltraMax |
| Display | 1.2 inch memory LCD, 240 x 240, 64 colours |
| Sensors | ANT+ and Bluetooth |
- The Pace 2 has already missed Pace Strategy, Hill Alerts, Hybrid Fitness and Weekly Distance, and it will miss everything Coros adds from here.
- GPS accuracy in my Pace 2 testing was directly comparable with a Garmin Forerunner 945, so accuracy on its own is no reason to replace it.
- The Pace 4 gives 41 hours in all-systems GPS against the Pace 2’s 30 hours in GPS mode, and 31 hours in dual frequency, which the Pace 2 lacks.
- As with the original Pace, moving to a current model means giving up ANT+.
Verdict: Upgrade. The firmware cut-off is the deciding factor, and the Pace 4 adds maps, AMOLED and dual-frequency GPS for £229 / $249.
If you have a Pace 3
| Factor | Position |
|---|---|
| Firmware | Still receiving features, including the Spring 2026 set |
| Maps | No. Breadcrumb with turn-by-turn instructions only |
| Display | 1.2 inch memory-in-pixel, 240 x 240 |
| GPS battery | 25 hours all systems, 15 hours dual frequency |
| Microphone | No |
| GPS accuracy | Among the top five results in my testing |
- Coros brought offline maps to the Pace 4 in September 2026 and left the Pace 3 off the list. Its maps support page names the Pace 4, Pace Pro, Pace 4 Pro, Apex 4 and NOMAD only.
- The Pace 4 roughly doubles dual-frequency battery, from 15 to 31 hours, and raises all-systems battery from 25 to 41 hours.
- The Pace 3 keeps its GPS accuracy and continues to receive new training features, so it is not falling behind on software.
- Coros discontinued the Pace 3 in February 2026.
Verdict: Consider it. Buy the Pace 4 if you want maps, an AMOLED screen or dual-frequency GPS for more than 15 hours. Otherwise the Pace 3 remains an accurate, supported watch.
If you have a Pace Pro
| Factor | Position |
|---|---|
| Firmware | Still receiving features |
| Maps | Yes, with street names and points of interest |
| GNSS accuracy | 81 per cent in my standard test, behind the Pace 3 |
| Optical heart rate | Poor across most runs and rides in my testing, worst on the road bike |
| Microphone and speaker | Neither |
| GPS battery | 38 hours all systems, 31 hours dual frequency |
- The Pace 4 Pro replaces the Pace Pro. It adds a larger 3,500-nit screen, a titanium bezel, sapphire glass, a speaker and microphone, a flashlight and 60 hours of all-systems battery.
- I have not yet tested the Pace 4 Pro, so there is no evidence that it improves on the Pace Pro’s GNSS or heart rate results.
- The cheaper Pace 4 now has maps and a microphone. Against the Pace Pro, it gives up 28GB of storage and the ECG sensor.
Verdict: Upgrade only for a feature you will use: the extra battery, the brighter screen or the speaker. If accuracy is the reason, wait for test results on the Pace 4 Pro.
If you have a Pace 4
Keep it. The Pace 4 gained offline maps by firmware in September 2026, first as a public beta, and receives every current feature. The Pace 4 Pro costs £160 / $200 more and adds titanium, sapphire, a larger and brighter screen, a speaker, ECG, 32GB of storage and 19 more hours of all-systems battery. None of that changes what the Pace 4 records.
Choosing between the current Pace watches
The Pace 4 suits most runners, now that it has maps. Its 4GB of storage holds a home region and a travel destination; a UK and Ireland map takes around 0.5GB. The Pace 4 Pro makes sense if you need 32GB for large map regions, more than 41 hours of GPS, a speaker for spoken alerts and calls, or a harder-wearing case. The Pace Pro sits between them with 32GB and ECG but no microphone, and its value depends on how far the price has been cut.
For the full Coros range and firmware history, see the Coros hub.
Quick answers
Does the Coros Pace 2 still get updates?
No new features. Coros said the Pace 2’s flash storage reached capacity, and the September 2024 update was the last feature firmware it can take. App-side improvements still reach Pace 2 owners.
Should I upgrade from a Coros Pace 2 to a Pace 4?
Yes. The Pace 2 no longer receives features, and the Pace 4 adds offline maps, an AMOLED screen, dual-frequency GPS and 41 hours of all-systems battery for £229 / $249. Check your sensors first, because the Pace 4 does not support ANT+.
Will the Coros Pace 3 get maps?
Coros has not said so. The September 2026 update added maps to the Pace 4 and left the Pace 3 out, and Coros lists maps with street names on the Pace 4, Pace Pro, Pace 4 Pro, Apex 4 and NOMAD only.
Should I upgrade from a Coros Pace 3 to a Pace 4?
Only if you want maps, an AMOLED screen or longer dual-frequency battery. The Pace 3 still receives new features and its GPS accuracy is among the best tested.
Is the Coros Pace 4 Pro worth it over the Pace Pro?
Only for a specific feature. The Pace 4 Pro adds a brighter 1.47 inch screen, titanium, sapphire, a speaker and 60 hours of battery. It has not yet been tested, so there is no evidence of better accuracy.
Should a Pace 4 owner buy the Pace 4 Pro?
No. The Pace 4 has maps and every current feature. The Pace 4 Pro costs £160 / $200 more for materials, screen, speaker, storage and battery.
