PACE 4 Coros gives its lightweight runner an AMOLED screen

What is new about the Coros PACE 4?

The PACE 4 is the fourth generation of Coros's mid-range running watch. T3 reports that it launched on 10 November 2025, and Coros's own timeline on its UK site lists it as November 2025, two years after the PACE 3. Coros UK sells it at £229 in black or white, on a silicone or nylon strap. This page covers the black silicone version, reference WPACE4-BLK.

The headline change is the screen. The PACE 3 used a lower resolution display; the PACE 4 has a 1.2 inch always-on AMOLED touchscreen at 390 x 390 pixels, which Coros says is 164% higher resolution than before. Notebookcheck notes that the PACE 3 panel was 240 x 240 pixels. Coros has also added dual-frequency satellite tracking, a redesigned optical heart rate sensor with larger LEDs, and a built-in microphone for voice notes and post-run training logs. A new action button jumps to maps, media controls or a voice pin during a workout.

How big is it, and how will it wear?

Coros lists the case at 43.4 x 43.4 x 11.8 mm, not counting the heart rate sensor on the back. T3 measured 13.6 mm including the sensor dome. That is a little larger than the PACE 3 but slimmer and smaller than the PACE Pro. The weight is the real story: Coros quotes 40 g on the silicone strap and 32 g on the nylon one, and T3 puts the watch body alone at 27 g.

The silicone strap fits wrists from 130 to 215 mm, according to Coros, and uses a 22 mm quick-release fitting. The case, bezel and back are fibre-reinforced polymer rather than metal, which keeps the weight down. If you want to wear one watch day and night, including in bed for sleep tracking, a 40 g watch is easy to forget about.

What does it track, and how long does the battery last?

Coros quotes up to 41 hours of GPS in All Systems mode, or 30 hours with the always-on screen. Dual-frequency mode, the most accurate setting, is rated at 31 hours, or 24 hours with the screen always on. For daily use Coros claims 19 days, or 6 days with always-on display. T3 points out that the 41 hour figure beats the dearer PACE Pro's 38 hours in the same mode. Coros says a full charge takes under two hours.

The sensor list covers optical heart rate, a barometric altimeter, accelerometer, gyroscope, 3D compass and thermometer, and the satellite systems are GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou and QZSS. There are 4 GB of storage for music and maps. Coros's current specification lists downloadable global landscape and topo maps, plus back-to-start and deviation alerts. Early reviews described breadcrumb navigation only, so maps are worth checking against the latest firmware.

On the training side you get Coros's EvoLab tools: training load, recovery, VO2 max, race predictor, threshold zones, a virtual pacer and personalised marathon plans. T3 compared it against a Garmin Forerunner 970 on outdoor runs and found little difference in GPS tracks, and called heart rate accuracy impressively solid for steady efforts.

How well is it built?

This is a lightweight sports watch, not a tough tool watch. The screen is mineral glass rather than sapphire, and the case is polymer. Water resistance is 5 ATM, which Coros says suits surface water activities but not diving. That covers pool and open water swimming. T3 also flags a battery quirk: the watch will not charge below freezing or above 45 degrees Celsius.

Is it good value against its rivals?

The obvious comparison is inside Coros's own range. T3 reports that the PACE 3 has dropped to £199 and the PACE Pro to £299. The PACE 3 saves £30 but has the older, lower resolution screen and much shorter GPS battery. The PACE Pro costs £70 more, yet T3 notes the PACE 4 beats it on GPS battery in All Systems mode and matches it in dual-frequency mode.

Outside Coros, the Garmin Forerunner 170 has a UK RRP of £259.99. Garmin quotes up to 20 hours of GPS-only tracking for it, far below the PACE 4's figures, though Garmin's app, coaching and third-party support are more mature. At £229, the PACE 4 is one of the strongest specifications for the money in running watches.

What is the catch?

The software ecosystem is simpler than Garmin's. There is no app store for watch faces or data fields, and runners who rely on deep long-term trend analysis often find the Coros app thinner than Garmin Connect. T3 also found that the new action button could not be customised outside workouts. The materials are built to a weight and a price, so if you want sapphire glass, Coros lists it on the PACE 4 Pro and the APEX range is the tougher option. For most runners who want accurate tracking and a battery that lasts, those are small compromises.

“A 40 g watch that runs for 41 hours of GPS is the whole pitch, and it is a good one.”

What do owners say?

Themes from public owner feedback, paraphrased. We never copy Amazon reviews or ratings.

• Runners on Reddit repeatedly praise the battery life and light weight, often comparing it favourably with Garmin watches they owned before

  RunnersPicks summary of Reddit owner threads (opens in a new tab)

• The most common complaints are a Coros app that feels thinner than Garmin Connect for long-term analysis, and fewer data field options

  RunnersPicks summary of Reddit owner threads (opens in a new tab)