iDevice review
COROS PACE 4 Pro review: a big, bright screen that makes training easier
A gorgeous AMOLED, accurate GPS and long battery life in a light watch, with basic smart features and a so-so heart rate sensor.
Thumbs up
- Gorgeous 3,500-nit AMOLED
- Smooth, stable maps
- Accurate dual-frequency GPS
- About a week with always-on
- Light for its size
Thumbs down
- Heart rate can read low
- Basic smart features
- Plastic body feels toy-like
- Dual-frequency GPS cuts battery time
- Fiddly Digital Dial
Glance at the PACE 4 Pro mid-run and the map is right there, sharp and bright, telling you where to turn without slowing you down. The 1.47-inch AMOLED reaches 3,500 nits at noon and dims to 2 nits at night. It's readable in blazing sun and on gray, overcast days, even without an anti-reflective coating.
That screen is the reason to choose the Pro. It's bigger and brighter than the standard PACE 4's, and COROS did it without making the watch much thicker or heavier. The processor keeps maps smooth, and they don't spin around when you stop at a light.
Tracking
GPS is accurate, with all-satellite, dual-frequency support. The training data runs deep, so you can track every detail of your workouts. Heart rate is good but not great. Some runs line up closely with a chest strap, and it's a fine stand-in for casual training, but it can read lower than you'd expect. Serious runners may still want a strap.
Battery
COROS rates it at up to 21 days, or 7 with the always-on display, and real use matches that 7-day figure. GPS is rated at 60 hours, or 45 with always-on. COROS lists 30 hours with always-on and dual-frequency GPS. It charges through the small snap-on adapter in the box and a standard USB-C cable, so don't lose the adapter.
Build
It's 47.6mm across and 11.8mm thick, with a titanium alloy bezel and sapphire glass. It weighs 51 grams (1.8 oz) with the silicone band, or 43 grams with nylon. The plastic body can feel a little toy-like. It's 5 ATM, fine for swimming but not diving.
Smart features
A built-in speaker and mic handle calls and voice notes. Beyond that, the smart features are basic. There's no app store or contactless payments, and notifications are simple. The Digital Dial is great for scrolling maps, but fiddly for everything else.
Apps
The COROS app works on iPhone with iOS 13 or later and Android 5 or later. It syncs with Strava, TrainingPeaks, Runna, Komoot, Apple Health and Health Connect, but only one phone at a time. It also controls select GoPro, DJI and Insta360 cameras.