Suunto kept Race S packed with the latest software until April 2026, so Race 3S adds less features than its higher model number suggests. The real software gains are the July 2026 navigation update that Race S missed, plus AI Coach at launch and Race Planner, offline music and NFC to follow. Another headline change is battery life, which rises from 30 to 45 hours of dual-band GPS.
The price rises significantly from £299 at the Race S launch to £435.
Race S arrived in June 2024, so Race 3S follows 28 months later. Hardware figures for each watch are on the Race 3S specifications and Race S specifications pages.
What Race 3S adds
This table lists only the differences. Everything else in the Suunto software is the same on both watches.
| Feature | Suunto Race 3S | Suunto Race S |
|---|---|---|
| Routes stored on the watch | 200 | 15 |
| Map layer controls, peak and water labels | Yes | No |
| Tides | Yes | No |
| Vertical gain as a workout target | Yes | No |
| SuuntoPlus apps running in one activity | Three | Two |
| Native running dynamics | Yes | No |
| Suunto AI Coach | Three months included | Not confirmed |
| Race Planner | Arriving after launch | Not announced |
| Offline music | Arriving after launch | No |
| NFC | Arriving after launch | No |
| Dual-band GPS battery | Up to 45 hours | Up to 30 hours |
| Launch price | £435 / €499 / $599 | £299 / €349 / $349 |
The first six rows describe features that Race 2 and Vertical 2 have today, shared with Race 3S.
The July 2026 update the original Race S missed
Suunto’s July update raised on-watch route storage from 15 to 200, added a map layer menu with labels for peaks and water features, brought tide forecasts to the watch, and made vertical gain a workout target. A trail runner preparing several race routes and recce loops will notice these limits first.
Apps and running dynamics
Race S can run two SuuntoPlus apps inside one activity, and Race 3S runs three. That’s a nice bump for runners who like a rich set of metrics.
Race 3S calculates running dynamics natively from its own sensors, whereas Race S needed STRYD.
New with Race 3S
Suunto AI Coach is included for three months when you activate the watch by 31 December 2026, and the AI Coach explainer explains what it does. Race Planner builds a pacing plan from the route, the weather and a goal time. Race Planner, offline music and NFC all arrive after launch.
What Race S already has
Race S owners have received most of what Suunto has built since 2024, and none of the following is a reason to upgrade.
- September 2024: ZoneSense, which reads intensity from heart rate variability through a chest strap.
- June 2025: track running mode with lane selection, new map styles and 28 new data fields.
- January 2026: automatic triathlon transitions, duathlon, aquathlon and swimrun modes, per-sport sensor settings, a north-up map option and a new in-house heart rate algorithm.
- April 2026: maps with place names and contour lines, turn-by-turn navigation with notifications, track back, heart rate broadcast to bike computers, pool drill sets and a post-workout heart rate recovery test.
Suunto’s launch material presents contour lines and place names as new on Race 3S. Race S has had both since April.
The update track
July was the first update to leave Race S out, and Suunto has not said whether it will receive further features. Suunto runs a battery replacement service, so you can restore a Race S with a degraded battery without buying a new watch. The brand comparison covers how Suunto treats owners against other brands.
Battery: 15 more hours at full accuracy
Race 3S records up to 45 hours with all satellite systems and dual-band reception on, compared with 30 hours for Race S. Suunto describes the increase as 40 per cent. Measured against the 30-hour Race S rating, that is 50 per cent!
A runner taking 35 hours over a 100-mile mountain course can now record the whole race in the most accurate mode. Race S needed a lower-accuracy mode or a recharge to do that. Single-band recording lasts up to 55 hours, and daily use lasts up to 12 days.
Hardware in brief
| Hardware | Suunto Race 3S | Suunto Race S |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 1.32 in AMOLED, 2,000 nits | 1.32 in AMOLED, 600 nits |
| Lens | Sapphire crystal | Gorilla Glass |
| Bezel | Titanium on every version | Steel, with titanium as a dearer option |
| Weight | 56g | 63g in steel, 53g in titanium |
| Storage | 64GB | 32GB |
Heart rate and GPS
In my 2024 Race S review, the watch scored 75% on my standard 10-mile GPS accuracy test. Heart rate accuracy varied by activity type, which is why Suunto updated its heart rate algorithm in January 2026.
Race 3S has a new optical module with six LEDs and four photodetectors behind curved 2.5D glass, the same count as Race 2, whose sensor underreported during hard efforts in my testing. Its satellite figures match the ones Suunto publishes for Run 2, which scored 90% in the same GPS test. Race 3S accuracy is pending testing.
Should Race S owners upgrade?
The case for upgrading rests on events longer than 30 hours, the need for more than 15 stored routes, and the features still to come. Most athletes replace a watch after two generations, and Race 3S is the first replacement for Race S.
The wider buying decision is between Race 3S, Race 2 and Run 2, and the Race 3S launch report includes pricing and availability.
Suunto Race 3S
Titanium bezel, sapphire glass, 1.32" AMOLED (2,000 nits), 45h dual-band GPS.
Price
Race S now sells for around £299 / $299, so the gap to Race 3S is £136 in the UK and $300 in the United States. At that price, the older Race S remains a great buy for runners who use a chest strap and stay within its battery limits.
Quick answers
What is the difference between Suunto Race 3S and Race S?
Race 3S stores 200 routes against 15, adds map layers, tides and Suunto AI Coach, and will gain Race Planner, offline music and NFC after launch. It records 45 hours of dual-band GPS against 30 and has a brighter display, sapphire glass and a titanium bezel.
Does Suunto Race S have contour lines and place names on its maps?
Yes. Race S gained place names and contour lines in Suunto’s April 2026 update. It did not receive the July 2026 update, which added map layer controls, tides and storage for 200 routes.
Will Race S get the Race 3S features?
Suunto has not said. Race S received updates up to April 2026 and was left out of the July 2026 update.
Why did Suunto skip Race 2S?
Suunto has not explained the name. Race 3S launches under the Race 3 name, though Suunto has not announced a full-size Race 3.
Last Updated on 15 October 2026 by tfk the5krunner
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- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafe stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
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- Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
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- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
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On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
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Home and indoor training
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Health, recovery and sleep
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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
