People today are lucky. Technology has made everything possible and very convenient. One area where this trend is very apparent is wearable tech. For those who love to get active, they now have smartwatches that can keep track of their workouts, activities, and exercises.
The Suunto Ambit3 Peak may not have been the first device to be able to log your exercise while also connecting to global positioning system satellites, but it is one of the noteworthy ones. The Ambit3 Peak came out half a decade ago, but it still made people realize how far we’ve come from using stopwatches and logging our times using pen and paper.
The Suunto Ambit3 Peak
The Suunto Ambit3 Peak has launched five years ago and positioned it for those who love outdoor adventures. It has an embedded GPS with multisport and outdoor features.
Design and Display
The Suunto Ambit3 Peak measures 1.97 by 1.97 by 0.71 inches and weighs 3.14 ounces. The smartwatch continues Suunto’s tradition of making sizable devices. If anything, this will stand out on your wrist.
The device features a steel bezel, mineral crystal glass, polyamide case, and an elastomer strap. While you can customize the Ambit3 Peak according to your liking, you have three color options right off the bat: black, blue, and sapphire. You can also add a little bit of money to get a heart rate belt together with your purchase.
Features of Suunto Ambit3 Peak
Activity tracking
Suunto Ambit3 Peak does activity tracking a little differently, giving you an overall look into how active you are. It does not show you individual metrics such as steps nor does it monitor your sleep. Instead, it shows you three graphs detailing your activity for the day, for the week, and the recovery time for the next 24 hours.
Smart notifications
The Suunto Ambit 3 Peak can connect to your smartphone, and it delivers notifications when you receive a call, a text message, and even from the apps, you use.
GPS and altitude
If you are looking for a watch that you can take with you as you scale the highest peaks, then you should get the Suunto Ambit3 Peak. With an accurate GPS and a barometric altimeter on board, the device can easily measure elevation. What’s more, you can get notified of weather changes and get storm alarm warnings.
Multisport
You can track different sports with the Suunto Ambit3 Peak. You will need to start it manually from a list of exercises on the device. You have the most common activities already installed on the watch. Using the Movescount app, you can add up to 10 more workouts.
You can use the Ambit3 Peak for running, cycling, swimming, and other sports. It can also handle multisports such as triathlon, biathlon, or just about anything that involves two or more activities.
Battery
The Suunto Ambit3 Peak has a battery that delivers up to 30 hours of runtime when GPS data is logged every 5 seconds. If you want to have a longer runtime, you can set it to record GPS coordinates at every one minute.
Suunto apps
You can get a lot of insights from the data that the device gathers with Movescount. You can also download other applications from the Suunto App Zone, including storm alarm, current incline, and sunrise/sunset times.
These apps allow you to see the data however you want it. For instance, you can go to your sports profiles and then configure them to show different apps. This feature lets you customize your workout profiles and give you the data you need the most.
What’s in the box?
Every package of the Suunto Ambit3 Peak contains the following:
- Suunto Ambit3 Peak
- USB cable
- Quick guide and warranty
Ratings and reviews
The Suunto Ambit3 Peak 3 gets high ratings from customers who bought it from Amazon. This device receives an average rating of 4.2 stars out of 5.0. Around 70 percent of reviewers give the Suunto Ambit3 Peak a perfect 5.0-star rating.
They love the customization that one can do with the watch, allowing you to get everything you need, and what you need the most is shown first. There are also several features and a long list of metrics that you can use. Others also praised the accuracy of the GPS and other sensors included in this device. Others compared it to Garmin Fenix 2 and found it to be a better watch.
Meanwhile, some reviewers say that it is the best GPS watch for those who run long distances because of its long battery runtimes.
Not everybody is happy with this device, however. Some people say that some of the features are buggy. There are also those who warn interested buyers that the strap is not durable. Quite a few negative reviewers also complain that the Movescount app can be problematic.
Pricing
While having an introductory price of $599, the Suunto Ambit3 Peak is now more affordable. You can buy it for $400 to $425 from the manufacturer’s website. You can also find this device for sale from other retailers, where you can buy it for anywhere from $250 to $550.
Alternatives to the Suunto Ambit3 Peak
The Suunto Ambit3 Peak was introduced in 2014. That same year, two other GPS watches were also launched, the Garmin Fenix 2 and Polar V800. How does the Ambit3 Peak compare with these two?
Polar V800
The Polar V800 came out at around the same time as the Ambit3 Peak did, and these two devices are almost always pitted against each other. The Polar V800 is a multisport GPS watch that is geared towards professional athletes and serious sports enthusiasts. It can track your runs, hikes, and rides.
You can create and customize the profiles that you use, giving you the chance to see only the data you want. The Polar V800 works with a heart monitor that you strap to your chest, and that is included in the package. This device gets an average rating of 4.0 out of 5.0 stars on Amazon.
People love the tracking that it does, as well as the range of information and metrics they get from the watch. They also like the long-lasting battery on this device. However, some people complain that the Polar V800’s heart rate monitor is not too good when swimming, saying that the band does not stay in place.
There are also complaints about various parts of the V800, including the charging cable. Some also observed that sweat can get under the back cover. Prices for this device can be anywhere from $350 to $500.
Garmin Fenix 2
The Garmin Fenix 2 yet another GPS watch that tracks your fitness and activity. You can get distance, pace, steps, and other fitness metrics with this watch. It can also monitor swimming, skiboarding, running, and other sports. The Garmin Fenix 2 has several sensors onboard aside from the GPS, such as the accelerometer, altimeter, and barometer.
This device gets a rating of 3.3 stars out of 5.0 on Amazon with more than 700 people leaving their reviews. A good 61 percent of reviewers gave the Garmin Fenix 2 a 4.0- of 5.0-star rating. They like the number of exercises that the Garmin Fenix 2 tracks right out of the box.
They also like how well this watch works, lasting at least two years before needing a replacement because the owner wanted a new device, rather than the Fenix 2 breaking down. They also love how accurate this watch is, as well as how easy it is to use.
On the other hand, some people say that this watch is not reliable and will suddenly stop working even when they do not pause the tracking.
Others complain that the Fenix 2 only makes it past the one-year warranty and they will have problems with it. There are refurbished models of this watch available, and these are more affordable, with prices ranging from $150 to $175. However, new models can cost anywhere from $300 to $450.
Suunto Ambit3 Peak, Polar V800 and Garmin Fenix 2 Similarities & Differences
All three GPS watches were launched five years ago, just a few months apart. Suunto did itself a favor by switching to Bluetooth Smart to allow the device to connect with other devices, instead of using ANT+. All three devices can track cycling, running, and swimming. They do not have an embedded heart rate monitor, but they can work with HRMs that is strapped to your chest or works from your wrist.
Where the Suunto Ambit3 Peak wins
The Suunto Ambit3 Peak wins with a water resistance rating of 10 ATM, which is better than both the Garmin Fenix 2 at 5 ATM and Polar V800 at 3 ATM. It also delivers a longer battery running time, lasting a maximum of 200 hours, while the other two can only deliver up to 50 hours. It is also the only one to have custom apps that you can download to your device.
Look elsewhere
There are areas where all three GPS smartwatches fail. For instance, if you like to be able to run or workout with music, and you prefer a smartwatch that can store music files, then look elsewhere. The Suunto Ambit3 Peak, Garmin Fenix 2, and the Polar V800 do not allow you to do this.
In fact, these devices have very limited connected features, and most of the time, they are only able to deliver notifications from your phone. If you want a device that can stand alone as a smartwatch, then you should also look at other brands as these three also do not have cellular capability.
A side-by-side comparison of the Suunto Ambit3 Peak, Garmin Fenix 2, and Polar V800
If you are wondering how each of these smartwatches compares to each other, then you should check this comparison table.
| Model | Garmin Fenix 2 | Polar V800 | Suunto Ambit3 Peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPS logging | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Connects via Bluetooth | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Connects via USB | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Water resistance | 50 meters | 30 meters | 100 meters |
| Maximum battery life with GPS on | 50 | 50 | 200 |
| Custom apps | No | No | Yes |
| Acts As Daily Activity Monitor (Steps, Etc…) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Smart features | |||
| Can control music on your phone | No | No | No |
| Music storage and playback on the device | No | No | No |
| Notifications | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Payments | No | No | No |
| Live tracking feature | Yes | No | No |
| Cellular version | No | No | No |
| Can track cycling | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Can track running | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VO2 max estimates | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Can predict race time | Yes | Yes | No |
| Recovery advisor | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Can track swimming | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Can track laps on the pool | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Can customize data fields | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Can track triathlon | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multisport mode | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic start and stop | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Has geocaching capability | Yes | No | No |
| Follow GPS track | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Barometric altimeter | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Magnetic compass | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Optical heart rate sensor is embedded | No | No | No |
| Can connect to ANT+ devices | Yes | No | No |
Should You Buy the Suunto Ambit3 Peak in 2019?
Comparing the Suunto Ambit3 Peak to its contemporaries, you can see that this is an excellent device. It helps users log their metrics and improve their performance. The Suunto Ambit3 Peak has the added advantage of being rugged enough for your outdoor adventures.
However, five years in the tech world is a long time, and there has been a lot of changes that were introduced since the Ambit3 Peak first became available. GPS smartwatches have become better with more technology included. What’s more, the software has also improved by leaps and bounds. For instance, there are now devices that included an embedded heart rate monitor.
Recommended Reads:
- The Garmin Fenix 5 Review – Personalized to Improve Your Performance
- Suunto Traverse vs. Garmin Fenix 3: Which Should You Buy?
