Suunto 7 & 9 Sports Watches Getting Smarter
Suunto is upgrading its flagship sports watches with smart wearable technology.
New premium versions of the Suunto 7 & 9 models will be released this year. Both will receive significant software updates, with a modern design overhaul to match.
Competition Drives Creativity
We identified Sports Watches Getting Smarter as one of the likely outdoor gear industry trends for 2021.
For decades, Suunto and Garmin were the undisputed kings of the sports watch category. Things started to change with the smartwatch revolution, kicked off by Apple in the 2010s.
In October last year, we covered the release of the Honor GS Pro. A Smart Watch that could rival Suunto and Garmin’s best, and at a fraction of the price.
These upgrades look like Suunto’s response to the Chinese upstart.
Competing on Performance
Priced higher than the standard Suunto 7 & 9 models at €479 and €599, Suunto aren’t looking to compete on price. (The Honor GS Pro retails at €249). Rather, they are asserting their position as the premium, high quality, performance brand.
The range is called “Titanium”, is made in Finland and “tested against United States Military standards”. All ways of saying that these are not cheap plastic watches made in China…
Time is Money
The big news about the Honor GS Pro was its impressive battery life. 40 hours in performance mode, 100 hours in battery saver mode (with GPS activated).
This had been the biggest stumbling block for smartwatches. Great for day to day use, but impossible to keep charged off the grid for prolonged periods.
The Honor changed this as the first credible smart wearable competitor to a dedicated GPS sports watch.
The Suunto 9 Titanium sees Honors play and raises to a whopping 170 hours of GPS sports tracking in “Tour” mode.
There are four battery modes depending on the activity you’re doing, the duration, and the level of accuracy you need.
Performance, Endurance, Ultra and Tour modes offer 25, 50, 120 and 170 hours of continuous tracking respectively.
Suunto achieved these epic lengths using their patented FusedTrack™ algorithm. This combines GPS data with motion sensor data to improve accuracy while conserving the battery.
Suunto 7 Titanium Upgrades
The Suunto 7 is a fully functioning smartwatch, as well as a high-performance sports tracker.
It combines Suunto’s sports tracking experience with Google’s Wear OS Technology. The aim to produce a watch that you can wear to work during the week, and on the trails at the weekends.
New upgrades include:
Comprehensive sleep data and analysis
Track sleep duration and stages, with real-time access to heart rate feedback.
Full SmartWatch Capabilities
Access to Google Assistant, the Google Play Store and Google Pay enabled.
Titanium bezel with new minimalistic geometry
Shock, water, and dirtproof, the watch works in rain, mud, or snow. It has physical buttons so you can use it with gloves on and its high-resolution touch screen is protected with scratch-resistant Gorilla® Glass.
Turn by turn navigation powered by Komoot
A leading route planning tool, with alerts to assure users don’t miss a turn.
Ultra-soft microfiber textile strap
For a comfortable, breathable, and secure fit day and night.
Two colour variants
Inspired by natural colours from nature: Matte Black Titanium and Stone Gray Titanium
Suunto 9 Titanium Upgrades
The Suunto 9 is a dedicated sports watch, no checking your whatapps here, there are FKTs to beat!
Intelligent GPS system for optimal battery life, comprehensive weather tracking and 80+ pre-built sport modes.
New upgrades include:
Up to 170 hours of GPS battery life in Tour Mode
Option to switch between modes mid use if you end up going longer than planned.
Point of interest navigation
Save a target location on the go and navigate seamlessly to the destination.
New minimalistic geometry
The titanium bezel makes the watch the lightest in the Suunto 9 range while maintaining extreme durability.
Turn by turn navigation powered by Komoot
A leading route planning tool, with alerts to assure users don’t miss a turn.
Tested against United States military standards, [MIL-STD-810]
Abrasion-resistant textile straps in two sizes included, capable of long exposure to sun and water.
Two colour variants
Inspired by natural colours from nature: Granite Blue Titanium, Charcoal Black Titanium.
Are Sports Watches Getting Smarter?
Both the Suunto 7 and 9 Titanium look like serious pieces of kit. The Suunto 7 for the tech geek/weekend warrior, and the Suunto 9 for the hardcore outdoor adventurer.
Note though that the impressive 170 hours of battery life only comes with the Suunto 9, which isn’t a smartwatch. The Suunto 7 needs charging daily.
So while the 9 beats the Honor GS Pro on max battery life, it’s not a like for like comparison, as it doesn’t have the same range of functionalities.
The 7 can claim full smartwatch status but has run of the mill battery life. It has enough juice for up to 18 hours of versatile device use and up to 4 hours of outdoor activity or 12 hours of continuous GPS use.
Whether “SmartWatch” capabilities are necessary, useful or even desirable while you’re in the mountain (or the city) is another question.
New Suunto Titanium Range Available Now
The new models of the Suunto 7 Titanium and Suunto 9 Baro Titanium are available for purchase at www.suunto.com and select retail partners.
