Fitness watches · Model guide · Maker specs
COROS PACE 3
Get COROS PACE 3 if you want a light, low-cost GPS running watch: 30 grams on the nylon band, up to 38 hours of GPS and $199 on coros.com.
In short
Get COROS PACE 3 if you want a light, low-cost GPS running watch: 30 grams on the nylon band, up to 38 hours of GPS and $199 on coros.com. It lasts up to 15 days of daily wear and has a 1.2-inch always-on Memory LCD, dual-frequency GNSS and 4GB for music. Skip it if you want an AMOLED screen and topo maps (PACE 4 has both) or ECG (PACE Pro).
Product images
COROS PACE 3, from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
Who it is for
- Runners who want a small, light watch. The case is 41.9mm across and 11.7mm thick, against 46mm for PACE Pro.
- Marathoners and ultrarunners on a budget who mostly need time, pace and distance. Standard Full GPS is rated for up to 38 hours.
- People who hate charging. COROS rates it for 15 days of daily use with sleep tracking, and a full charge takes under 2 hours.
- iPhone or Android owners who want COROS's EvoLab training load, recovery and race predictor without paying for an AMOLED model.
Who should skip it
- Trail runners and hikers who navigate by map. PACE 3 only draws a breadcrumb line of your route; PACE 4 and PACE Pro download landscape and topo maps.
- Anyone who wants an ECG. PACE 3 has no electrocardiogram sensor; PACE Pro has one, along with 32GB and a 46mm AMOLED screen.
- Anyone who wants a vivid screen. The Memory LCD shows 64 colors; PACE 4 and PACE Pro switch to AMOLED.
- Divers. The 5 ATM rating covers swimming and other surface water sports, and COROS says it isn't for diving.
What sets it apart
- 30 grams with the nylon band, 39 with silicone.
- Up to 38 hours in Standard Full GPS, 25 with all satellite systems and 15 in Max Dual Frequency.
- Up to 15 days of daily use, sleep tracking included, between charges.
- Dual-frequency GNSS across GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou and QZSS, with a barometric altimeter, 3D compass and pulse oximeter.
Caveats
- Music drains it fast. With offline music playing, Standard Full GPS falls from 38 hours to 10, and Max Dual Frequency from 15 to 7.
- No contactless payments or cellular are listed; PACE 3 talks to your phone over Bluetooth only.
- COROS warns the optical heart-rate sensor may not work over tattoos, and body temperature during training needs a compatible accessory.
Key specs
In the same order on every watch page, so you can compare models.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Display size | 1.2 inches | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Display type | Always-on touchscreen Memory LCD; mineral glass; fiber-reinforced polymer bezel and cover | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Display resolution | 240 × 240, 64 colors | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Always-On display | Yes; always-on Memory LCD (COROS gives one daily-use battery figure, with no separate always-on rating) | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Case size(s) | One size: 42mm class (41.9mm) | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Case material | Fiber-reinforced polymer bezel and cover; mineral glass | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Case dimensions | 41.9 × 41.9 × 11.7mm (height excludes the optical heart-rate sensor) | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Weight | 39 g with silicone band; 30 g with nylon band | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| On-device storage | 4GB; about 1,200 hours of activity data (COROS estimate for outdoor activities) | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Battery, normal use | 15 days of daily use and sleep tracking | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Battery, saver mode | No named saver mode on PACE 3 | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Battery, GPS workouts | Standard Full GPS (GPS and QZSS): 38 hours, 10 with offline music. High All-Systems: 25 hours, 9 with music. Max Dual Frequency: 15 hours, 7 with music | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Charging | Full charge in under 2 hours | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM; surface water activities only, not diving | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| GNSS / GPS | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou and QZSS; all-satellite dual-frequency chipset | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Cellular | None listed; connects to your phone over Bluetooth | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Heart rate | Optical heart-rate sensor (COROS: may not work over tattoos); resting heart rate | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Blood oxygen (SpO2) | Optical pulse oximeter | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Temperature sensing | Thermometer; body temperature during training needs a compatible accessory | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| ECG | No ECG sensor listed | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Sleep tracking | Sleep tracking with REM; counted in the daily-use battery rating | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Training features | EvoLab (recovery, fatigue, training load, race predictor, VO2 max, threshold zones); Effort Pace; interval training; training plans; running form test | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Other sensors | Barometric altimeter, accelerometer, gyroscope, 3D compass, thermometer, optical pulse oximeter | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Durability / ingress | 5 ATM; working temperature −4°F to 122°F (−20°C to 50°C); no MIL-STD rating listed | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Safety / incident alerts | Safety alerts during navigation; message and call alerts; storm alerts. No crash detection listed | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Operating system | COROS firmware, updated over Wi-Fi or through the COROS app (not watchOS or Wear OS) | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Phone compatibility | iPhone or Android through the COROS app over Bluetooth; syncs with Apple Health and other 3rd-party apps; minimum phone OS not published | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Wireless (Wi-Fi / Bluetooth) | Bluetooth for your phone and accessories; Wi-Fi or the COROS app for syncing; offline music to supported Bluetooth headphones | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| NFC / contactless payments | None listed | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Band / strap system | 22mm bands. Nylon: 135–205mm (standard) or 150–235mm (long). Silicone: 130–215mm. Controls: digital dial and back button | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| US price | $229 originally; $199 on coros.com on 19 September 2026 | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Price band | Value running watch ($180–$230 US list) | Based on the $229 original price |
| Availability | On sale at coros.com: $199 (originally $229) on 19 September 2026 | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
COROS PACE 3 extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sizes | 41.9mm only; PACE 4 and the 46mm PACE Pro are larger | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Maps | Breadcrumb trail with checkpoints, back-to-start, off-route alerts and touchscreen map control; no landscape or topo maps | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Offline music | Plays offline music to supported Bluetooth headphones; GPS battery ratings drop sharply with music on | COROS PACE 3 specs (US) |
| Versus PACE Pro | 41.9mm Memory LCD vs 46mm AMOLED; 4GB vs 32GB; 15 vs 20 days of daily use; 38 hours Standard Full GPS vs 38 hours all-systems GPS; $229 vs $349 list; ECG only on PACE Pro | COROS PACE 3 and PACE Pro specs (US) |
Battery and GPS modes
PACE 3’s battery life depends on how many satellite systems it listens to, and on whether you play music. COROS’s ratings:
| Mode | PACE 3 | With offline music |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Full GPS (GPS and QZSS) | 38 hours | 10 hours |
| High All-Systems | 25 hours | 9 hours |
| Max Dual Frequency | 15 hours | 7 hours |
| Daily use and sleep tracking | 15 days | — |
Standard Full GPS, which uses GPS and QZSS only, is the long-race mode. Switching on every satellite system cuts the rating by about a third, and Max Dual Frequency, the hungriest mode, leaves 15 hours.
Between runs, 15 days of daily wear with sleep tracking means charging about twice a month, and COROS says a full charge takes under 2 hours.
Case, screen and controls
The case is fiber-reinforced polymer under mineral glass. The 1.2-inch touchscreen is a 240 × 240 Memory LCD with 64 colors, and it’s always on. You control the watch with the digital dial and a back button, or by touch, which also pans the route view. Bands are 22mm.
Navigation is a breadcrumb trail
PACE 3 follows a loaded route as a line: checkpoints, back-to-start, an alert when you drift off course, and that’s it. There’s no landscape or topo layer underneath, so it works for a known loop or a marked race and less well for picking a turn on an unfamiliar trail. Safety alerts during navigation and storm alerts are built in.
Training and health
COROS’s EvoLab works out training load, fatigue and recovery, a race predictor, VO2 max and threshold zones. On the watch you get Effort Pace, interval workouts, training plans and a running form test.
The sensors cover optical heart rate (resting heart rate included), a pulse oximeter, barometric altimeter, accelerometer, gyroscope, 3D compass and a thermometer. Sleep tracking includes REM.
PACE 3, PACE 4 or PACE Pro?
PACE 3 is the older, simpler PACE that COROS still sells, and you buy it for weight, price and long Standard Full GPS.
PACE 4 is the current mid-range model. It moves to an AMOLED screen, downloads maps, and comes in polymer or aluminum.
PACE Pro adds a 46mm AMOLED screen, 32GB, ECG and the Apollo510 processor. It also holds up better with every satellite system on: 38 hours against PACE 3’s 25 in that mode. If you only ever run in Standard Full GPS, PACE 3 matches that 38.
Price
COROS’s original US price was $229. On 19 September 2026, coros.com sold it for $199. Prices move, so check before you buy.
Sources
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- COROS US — PACE 3 technical specifications — accessed 2026-09-19
- COROS — PACE 3 product page — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Does PACE 3 work with an iPhone?
Yes. It pairs over Bluetooth with the COROS app on iPhone or Android, and Apple Health is among the apps it syncs with. COROS doesn't give a minimum iOS or Android version.
Should I buy PACE 3 or PACE Pro?
PACE 3 if weight and price come first; PACE Pro if you want the 46mm AMOLED screen, 32GB, maps and ECG, or more GPS time with every satellite system on.
Can I swim with PACE 3?
Yes, at the surface. It's rated 5 ATM, and COROS says that covers surface water activities, not diving.
Which band should I choose?
Nylon, if you want the lightest setup: the watch weighs 30 grams on it against 39 on silicone. Nylon comes in a standard 135–205mm length and a long 150–235mm one; silicone covers 130–215mm.
Does PACE 3 track sleep?
Yes. It records sleep with REM, and the 15-day battery rating already assumes you wear it to bed.
Official product page: COROS PACE 3. Tech specs: COROS PACE 3 specs.