The Suunto Core is that the most fully-featured altimeter watch we tested. The Core has something special for everyone: waterproof buttons for snorkeling and shallow diving, more accurate altimeter and barometer functions, nicer graphs, and a rather easier-to-use interface with a nicely labeled and easy-to-understand menu. The downside: the Core is additionally one amongst the foremost expensive non-GPS watches we tested.
Suunto Core Hands-On Review
Time
The Core has three alarms, which is that the same because the Suunto Ambit2 and also the Suunto Vector and fewer than both the Casio Pathfinder PAG240-1 and also the Pathfinder PAG240T-7, which have five.
Besides having fewer alarms, what we thought was the larger deal. Suunto alarms weren’t very loud and that we had to place the watch near our head to create sure they woke us up. The Core features a stopwatch and a timer and through either of those functions, you’ll be able to see the present time and whatever your stopwatch/timer is measuring.
Altimeter and Barometer
Unlike both Pathfinder models and also the Vector, the Core has the altimeter and barometer functions linked together. It measures elevation in three-foot or one-meter intervals compared with the Pathfinder 20 feet or 5 meters and therefore the Vector’s 10 feet or 3 meters. The altimeter/barometer feature is good. It calculates long-term pressure trends to allow you a more accurate reading.
For example, once you are ascending it gains with you because the air pressure changes at a rate far faster than the atmospheric pressure changes with the weather. Once you stop gaining elevation for a long time (i.e. sleeping) it realizes that and sees any barometer pressure changes as what they’re and not elevation gain.
This can be a fairly cool and fairly effective feature; it works sometimes but not always in our real-world tests. It had the second-most accurate altimeter only ever slightly behind the way more expensive Ambit2.
The Core has an altitude log. While this does not look like an enormous deal, once people get an altimeter watch this can be one of their most-used features. For skiers, it logs what percentage of laps you’re taking while for hikers and climbers on trails that go up and down it’ll tell you your true vertical height gained.
The Vector incorporates a 24-hour log and can also store up to 100 logs. The Pathfinder models can only interfere with 40 logs.
Something we didn’t like compared to the Vector was that you simply had to travel through three or four menu pages to regulate the altitude. Whereas the Vector you simply hold down one button in altitude mode to regulate the altitude.
The Core encompasses a graph for showing both altitude and atmospheric pressure trends that was excellent and certain the most effective within the review. the sole bummer is it took several menu pages to drag it up, but we did get the hang around if and will pull it up pretty quickly with time.
This watch looks like a Garmin Tactix Delta which is the more premium smartwatch I ever see.
Compass
Similar to its competition, the Core features a compass with adjustable declination. you’ll set it to assist you record and follow compass bearings. all told the models we tested, if you’re doing more serious off-trail travel we wouldn’t bring this as your only compass, but it’s fine for people that just need it for a general point of reference.
Other cool features
The Core is one in every of few altimeter watches you’ll be able to take snorkeling or shallow diving. it’s waterproof enough to require right down to 100 feet, though it’ll only accurately tell you your depth to 30 feet.
While not at all a “must-have” feature, the Core has sunrise/sunset times. you’ll access this by selecting your location (or the closest one out of 400 options compared with the Pathfinder’s 48). As a result, you’ll be able to know sunset/sunrise times and set alarms.
Thermometer
This smartwatch also has thermometers good from -5F to 140F. With all of those watches, to urge an accurate reading the watch must be off your wrist a few times so as for your body heat to completely dissipate from the device.
Ease of use and interface
The Suunto Core comes with a new menu pattern that looks beautiful and it’s easy to understand. Once you get hang of it, the menu on the Core is less complicated to grasp, and therefore the menu items are way more clearly labeled.
You get three pieces of knowledge displayed at the identical time. One upgrade to the Core over the Vector is an additional button to navigate through the menu and performance options.
Suunto Core VS Garmin Instinct which one is best?
Display
The display is that the Core’s one weakness. In high-intensity light conditions (on a glacier for example), and/or with shades, the screen was harder to read than other models we tested. Readability aside, we just like the overall layout of the menu icons on the Core, with its large screen and large and easy-to-read numbers.
We wish Suunto would offer both the black on white and also the negative options for the display like they provide on their Ambit2 GPS altimeter watch.
Accuracy
The Suunto Core displays elevation in three-foot intervals while most competitors show an elevation in ten-foot intervals. The altimeter/barometer function on the Core is that the best we tested. The Core basically calculates your long-term trends to allow you a more accurate reading.
