Matthew Miller/ZDNET
Suunto Run 2
Pros & Cons
- Lightweight 35g design.
- Good AI-powered trainer.
- 10-day battery life.
- Upgraded 12-channel heart rate sensor.
- Offline maps and MP3 playback support.
- SuuntoPlus apps aren't supported.
- No subscription music or payment systems.
It has been a wild year for sports watch fans, but the frenzy continues with Suunto’ releasing another’s latest new compelling watch: the significantly improved Suunto Run 2. A couple of years ago, Suunto stepped up its sports watch game to become a brand I recommend to family and friends thanks to its features, AI-powered Suunto Coach, affordable pricing, long battery life, and high-quality build.
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I wore the original Suunto Run for several weeks last year as I ran and biked during the summer. The heart rate sensor was decent for typical smooth runs, but started to miss heartbeats during vigorous exercises, which made the sensor an area of concern for customers. The Suunto Run was a solid watch for runners, but the Suunto Run 2 improves in several areas with an accompanying price increase.
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Here’s how the Suunto Run 2 compares to the Suunto Run:
| Suunto Run 2 | Suunto Run | |
| Display | 1.32-inch AMOLED, 2000 nits | 1.32-inch AMOLED, 600 nits |
| Weight | 35 grams | 32 grams |
| Battery life (daily use) | 10 days | 8 days |
| Battery life (accurate GPS) | 24 hours | 20 hours |
| Durability | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Storage | 4GB/64GB | 4GB |
| Offline maps | Yes | No |
| Price | $349/$399 | $199 (launched at $249) |
Suunto AI Coach: My new personal trainer
In the past I have completed many 10K, half marathon, and marathon training plans, but most were fairly rigid. I then saw these plans start to adapt to missed days and other changes. Today, many of these plans take into account your sleep, recovery, and current health data to optimize the plan for you.
Matthew Miller/ZDNETWhile I enjoy running, I also like indoor rowing since that gives me a complete body workout. In addition I perform bodyweight and dumbbell exercises. Thanks to a customized plan developed by Suunto’s AI Coach, I’m working through a plan that includes outdoor running, indoor rowing, jump roping, and weights. This customized mix is highly personal, and it’s great to have a plan that covers the activities I want, then have that plan adapt to changes in life and my body.
Made for runners, but good for much more
Given the name of the watch, it is clear Suunto built the watch for people who run. The sports modes at the top of the list are all various forms of running. Launch the running activity and then quickly choose free training, duration training, distance training, calorie training and my personal favorite: ghost runner. With this mode, you select a pace for the ghost runner and then can quickly and easily view how you are pacing alongside it with a quick glance at the Run 2.
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EnergySense is a new metric designed to predict your available endurance based on calculated VO2 Max and lactate threshold. You first complete at least three outdoor steady running sessions for EnergySense to appear on your watch. Suunto also has a new real-time finish prediction metric to help you determine where your current running pace is and what you can expect from your next competition in your current state of fitness.
Matthew Miller/ZDNETIn addition to running, there are many other indoor and outdoor activities that you can track with the Suunto Run 2. I used it to track walking, indoor rowing, cycling, and running.
Improved heart rate sensor and GPS receiver
The new generation heart rate sensor on the back of the Suunto Run 2 has 2.5D curved glass that moves the sensor array closer to your wrist for better contact and improved accuracy. In practice, the upgraded 12-channel sensor has proven itself to be more accurate when I row and perform body weight exercises. I tend to sweat considerably when I workout, so it’s been great to see the heart rate sensor perform reliably, even with moisture and lots of arm movement.
Matthew Miller/ZDNETThe Suunto Run 2 also sports an upgraded dual-frequency GNSS receiver that supports five major satellite networks. With this new receiver and a larger capacity 380 mAh battery, Suunto reports up to 10 days of daily use and 24 hours of location tracking with the watch. Wearing the watch daily and running, rowing, and biking has confirmed these battery life estimates are fairly accurate.
Build and wearability
While I personally love big watches that match my wrist size, it’s also very nice to wear a smaller watch for sleep tracking and daily wear. The Suunto Run 2 measures 46 x 46 x 11.7 mm and is quite lightweight at just 35 grams. Suunto sent along the lovely key color, Aloe Green, that is a black body watch with cool light green band. The band has flecks of white integrated into the green color and is very comfortable.
Matthew Miller/ZDNETThe watch body is stainless steel with tactile buttons and a rotating crown/button all positioned on the right side. The buttons are also metal and the watch feels like an expensive smartwatch, but is priced reasonably well for the high quality build. It is also available in all black and feather gold options if the green isn’t preferred.
Final thoughts
Suunto continues to release high quality, affordable sports watches with a powerful and capable companion app. The Suunto Run 2 is a great watch for runners first and foremost, and if you don’t care about mapping or navigation, the 4GB model can save you $50 and still satisfy your running watch needs. The aqua color band looks and feels great while the Run 2 is a great size for all wrist sizes. The battery life is sure to satisfy those training for a 5K or a full marathon too.
