Early in release cycle
Best for: Competitive road and trail runners who want Suunto's precise multi-band GPS tracking and a vivid AMOLED display in a lighter, thinner package. A strong alternative to Garmin for athletes who prefer Suunto's clean interface and ecosystem.
Full details →Late in cycle — a new model is likely coming
Best for: Garmin users and health-focused individuals who want Body Battery, HRV, and advanced sleep analytics in a slim, discreet wristband rather than a sports watch. Compatible with both iPhone and Android via Garmin Connect.
Full details →| Suunto Race | Garmin vivosmart 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | Sports GPS | Fitness Tracker |
| Platform | iOS & Android | iOS & Android |
| Battery | 16 days | 7 days |
| Always-on display | ✅ | ❌ |
| GPS | ✅ | ❌ |
| Cellular | ❌ | ❌ |
| Health sensors | hr, spo2, hrv, training load | hr, spo2, hrv, stress, body battery, pulse ox |
| Released | Aug 27, 2025 | Apr 26, 2022 |
| Cycle length | 848 days | 700 days |
| Cycle advice | good | bad |
| Deals advice | neutral | great |
| Next model | — | Garmin vivosmart 6 (Expected 2026) |
The redesigned optical HR sensor on Race 2 delivers far more reliable readings during high-intensity sessions — a notable weak point of the original Race that has been addressed.
Dual-frequency L1+L5 multi-constellation GPS for sub-meter precision in urban areas and dense forests, with 55 continuous GPS hours on a single charge.
The display grows to 1.5" at 2000 nits while the case slims to 12.5mm and drops to 76g — more readable in sunlight and easier to wear day-to-day than its predecessor.
Body Battery energy monitoring — the feature Garmin is known for — in a wristband that's thinner than most fitness trackers.
Continuous heart rate variability monitoring and all-day stress tracking give a more complete picture of recovery and readiness than step counts alone.
All data syncs to Garmin Connect, compatible with thousands of third-party apps, coaches, and integrations across the Garmin platform.