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Suunto 9 review: record autonomy and precision even without GPS!

Suunto 9 review: record autonomy and precision even without GPS!

April 09, 2020

Suunto 9: the multisport GPS watch that replaces the Spartan Ultra
The characteristics of the Suunto 9
Detailed review of the new features in Suunto 9
Spartan Ultra or Suunto 9: the differences, which one to choose?
Our opinion
Price and availability

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Suunto 9: the multisport GPS watch that replaces the Spartan Ultra

A watch with a record autonomy which remains precise even without GPS signal!

Suunto still surprises us with its innovations, in particular how to offer exceptional autonomy (up to 120 hours!) Without significantly altering the accuracy of the measurements. The feat is achieved by exploiting and interpolating the data from the watch's sensors.

Indeed, after FusedAlti (available on the Suunto 9 model Baro) and FusedSpeed , algorithms combining data from GPS, barometric altimeter and accelerometer to refine altitude and instantaneous speed measurements, the manufacturer now offers FusedTrack , a function that combines GPS , the accelerometer, the gyroscope and the compass to refine the GPS track when the signal is weak or when the energy saving mode is activated. Result: a recording of the course and a distance measurement which remain as precise as possible even in extreme situations (loss of GPS signal, long courses using energy saving modes), provided that you practice a sport like running, trail or walking (precision is lost for too fast sports like cycling, motorcycling, etc.)

An intelligent alert system makes it possible to follow the state of the battery and to change the management mode to keep the watch on all the way while ensuring the best possible accuracy. We detail this below.

Wrist optical cardio and other new features

But that's not all: the Suunto 9 brings other evolutions and improvements, including a wrist-based heart rate reader, a revised display, a new GPS chip, activity tracking and more. You will find a detailed review of these changes later in this article.

120 hours of autonomy, precision and extensive tests: quality and reliability above all

The Sunnto 9 is designed for long workouts. It is intended for all athletes but especially for adventurers, hikers, long-distance runners (especially ultra trail, ultra-deep) or even triathletes. Its autonomy can reach 120 hours with astonishing precision, a quality sought by demanding or high-level athletes.

Unlike Garmin and its Fenix 5 Plus which offers a plethora of functions (color mapping, mp3 music player, NFC chip for payment, advanced functions for training and monitoring, physiological tests and measurements, statistics, etc. ) in a case offered in 3 sizes for adaptation to all wrist sizes, Suunto, for its part, targets a demanding audience and offers a watch that holds up to road over very long distances while remaining precise and of course robust and reliable. Between the 2 brands, everyone can therefore find what they are looking for according to their objectives.

Suunto also indicates that its watches have been tested for thousands of hours under extreme conditions (humidity, immersion, drops, shocks, freezing, etc.) by in-house Review teams and by Suunto athletes around the world .

New in 2019

In November 2019, Suunto made some improvements to its watch via a software update. People who bought Suunto 9 before this date therefore benefit by a simple update. Suunto adds the VO2max assessment in running and brisk walking, a very useful indicator for athletes to assess their progress, measuring stress and recovery levels, evaluating the quality of sleep (score of sleep), GPS compatibility with the Galileo satellite system. Suunto also completes the sport profiles: the enduro mountain bike, downhill mountain bike (with automatic descent calculation) and power triathlon race modes are added.

Suunto 9 or Suunto 9 Baro?

Please note that Suunto 9 should not be confused with Suunto 9 Baro. The Suunto 9 Baro offers a thermometer and a barometer. The latter makes it possible to measure the atmospheric pressure and thus to offer weather functions (thunderstorm alert for example). The watch also offers greater altitude measurement accuracy by combining GPS altitude with barometric altitude. The Suunto 9 model is lighter and less expensive. It will be of interest to long distance runners who do not need a barometer. For hiking or trekking, it is better to opt for the Baro model.

(embed) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0QtR4j8390 (/ embed)

The characteristics of the Suunto 9 Baro

Weight81 g (72g for the version without barometer)

Music player / bluetooth–

(1) Watch mode (2) With 24/7 monitoring (3) With GPS 1s / 60s / 120s(4) Available only on Suunto 9 Baro. Suunto 9 version does not have a barometer

Detailed review of the new features of the Suunto 9 Baro

You could say that the Suunto 9 Baro is the version that replaces the Suunto Spartan Ultra. It is an outdoor oriented multisport watch (mountain, trail, trekking, etc.). It incorporates the same technical characteristics, software and widgets of the Spartan Ultra that we summarize below.

White baro with autonomy gauge and weekly training

It has a color touch screen of 320 x 300 pixels, a 50 mm case slightly thinner than that of the Spartan Ultra (16.8 mm against 17 mm). It is just a little heavier (81 g versus 73 g). We find a sapphire crystal glass, a reinforced polyamide case, a 24 mm silicone bracelet which remains interchangeable but now without tools. It is intended for wrist sizes from 13 to 23 cm.

In terms of functions, we find the GPS navigation functions of the Spartan (planning, recording, viewing and sharing of routes, GPS track, elevation profile, ascent speed, elevation gain, navigation, recording of POIs and navigation to POIs, etc.) , more than 80 sports, the possibility of programming split sessions. It is compatible with Strava, TrainingPeaks, apMyFitness and many other applications (see the site movescount.com).

It should be noted that it is a real multisport watch with transition from one activity to another without stopping the watch. It is therefore suitable for the practice of triathlon and other linked sports. Suunto 9 also displays a summary of the activities performed to get an overview of the whole event during the race.

It also has many useful sensors, especially for backpackers and adventurers: GPS, ABC sensors (barometric altimeter, barometer, digital compass), thermometer, gyroscope, accelerometer. It offers weather functions (weather trend, thunderstorm alerts, barometric profile) and displays the times of sunrise and sunset.

The innovations are not numerous. The emphasis is above all on the long autonomy and the precision of the measurements which is improved in the energy saving modes.

Design, size and weight: small changes

The Suunto 9 Baro remains just as bulky as the Spartan Ultra with 50 mm in diameter and 17 mm thick, roughly the size of the Fenix 5X or Fenix 5X Plus (51 mm). It is even a little heavier than the Spartan Ultra (81 g versus 73 g). The version without barometer is lighter (72 g). Its design has been slightly revised: the buttons are a little bigger and the steel bezel has changed its look slightly.

On the dial side, Suunto has adopted a new display: gauges in the form of colored circles around the dial which indicate the remaining battery time as well as the weekly training volume reached. Depending on the widgets used, these gauges can display the number of hours of sleep, the number of steps taken, the percentage of goal achieved, the recovery time, etc.

Autonomy: 120 hours and precision even without GPS thanks to FusedTrack!

This is the main novelty of this model. The Suunto 9 offers record autonomy (up to 120 hours) but above all, and this is the strong argument of this watch, it does so while keeping good GPS accuracy and the tests confirm this ability. This is not the case of the Spartan Ultra (140 h announced but with a much less precise GPS recording).

To achieve this feat, Suunto has developed an algorithm that combines GPS data with that of other sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, compass) in order to extrapolate the GPS track and the distance actually traveled. This is the function FusedTrack here is the principle in a few words:

Battery life is closely linked to the use of GPS. Each GPS reading consumes a lot of energy. However, for precise measurements, GPS watches record the position every second. At Suunto, it is the "Best" or "Performance" mode which offers a 25h autonomy on the Suunto 9.

To save battery, all you have to do is take fewer readings. On the Suunto 9, the "Good / Endurance" and "OK / Ultra" modes respectively take only one measurement every 1 and 2 minutes respectively. We then reach 40 h or 120 h of autonomy.

But now, the accuracy is obviously much lower. In the case of a runner who moves in a zigzag, the watch will only take straight lines on each portion of 1 or 2 minutes of journey and the distance measured will be less than what was actually traveled by the athlete (see the picture).

To compensate for this lack of measurements, Suunto "guesses" the missing points from the data from the other watch sensors: accelerometer (measurements of the runner's acceleration), compass (runner's direction) and gyroscope (detection of changes in direction ). These data make it possible to know in which direction and at what speed the runner is moving. This gives a much more precise trace, even in the absence of a GPS signal! It's the GPS watch that works without GPS, or almost! This function is only activated in energy saving mode for running and trail sports.

Suunto already uses this principle for other measurements: the FusedAlti function makes it possible to obtain better accuracy on altitude thanks to the combination of the GPS signal and the altimeter. FusedSpeed provides a more precise running speed thanks to the use of the GPS signal and the accelerometer. These functions also make it possible to compensate for the loss of data linked to the absence of the GPS signal, for example in forests or in valleys.

Intelligent battery management to last as long as possible with the best possible accuracy

Suunto has done everything for a watch that will last as long as possible with the best possible precision!

The watch offers 3 operating modes:

Performance mode (formerly Best): 1 reading per second, 25 h autonomy (18 h on the Spartan Ultra)
Endurance mode (formerly Good): 1 reading every minute, autonomy 40 h (35 h on the Spartan Ultra with recording every second but with reduced accuracy)
Ultra mode (formerly OK): 1 reading every 2 minutes, 120 h autonomy (140 h on the Spartan but with a measurement every 60 seconds)

It is also possible to define custom modes.

Suunto 9 offers intelligent battery management with reminders based on activity history. Alerts warn the runner in case of low battery or if the battery capacity is insufficient for the distance remaining. The watch shows an estimate of the remaining battery. It also offers the possibility of switching from one mode to another at any time. Thus, you can start in Performance mode and switch to Endurance mode if the range measured during the journey does not seem sufficient. The accuracy will be a little less good and the runner can finish his race without problem.

Imagine, for example, that you are going on a hike. The watch has an autonomy of 5 hours at the start and that seems to be enough. However, consumption is a little higher than expected or an unforeseen event makes you make a 3 hour detour. The watch then indicates a low battery level, for example 10% or 2 h of autonomy when you need 3 h more. No problem, you switch to another mode which offers you at least 3 hours of autonomy! And if, in the end, you still need more autonomy, you switch to Ultra mode which adds a little more time. This will affect the accuracy a little but not too much thanks to FusedTrack !

Wrist heart rate

This new model is also equipped with an optical heart rate monitoring on the wrist which allows you to measure the pulse without having to wear a chest strap. The advantage of this sensor is also to be able to complete the new watch activity monitoring functions (calorie expenditure during the day for example). The accuracy of this sensor is less good than that of a chest belt. However, you can always wear a belt if you wish. Suunto also offers its watch in 2 versions: with or without a belt.

24/7 activity monitoring

Also new, the Suunto 9 offers an activity tracking function (activity tracker) which records the number of steps taken during the day, the distance traveled, the number of calories burned (estimated from the heart rate measured at wrist), sleep quality (sleep score as a percentage) and type of sleep.

GPS

Unlike the Spartan Ultra which is compatible with the American (GPS) and Russian (GLONASS) satellite systems, this Suunto watch only detects GPS. It seems like a step backwards for a watch supposed to evolve. In reality, it is not. To detect the GLONASS, the watch must consume more energy so it reduces its autonomy. It is a wise compromise.

Admittedly, having more satellites seems a good idea to speed up the search for the signal (you need at least 4 satellites for a position measurement) and to improve the measurements, especially in cities where signals are stopped by buildings. But in reality, the precision is not necessarily better or may even be worse. Indeed, GPS chips, despite their compatibility with several satellite systems (GPS, GLONASS or even Galileo, the European system, and QZSS, Japanese satellites), do not necessarily mix systems: the watch can indeed use a system or the other but not a mix of the two. We can end up with GLONASS where it would be better to use GPS. On the other hand, for an outdoor activity, GPS is sufficient in the majority of cases. GLONASS is interesting in urban areas.

Suunto has therefore made this judicious choice which not only lengthens the battery life but makes the accuracy more consistent or even better.

The Suunto 9 is a GPS watch compatible with GPS (American system), GLONASS (Russian system), QZSS (Japanese system) and Galileo (European system). Also note that Suunto goes through a new supplier of GPS chips: Sony replaces SiRF. This chip is significantly less energy intensive, which allows a significant gain in autonomy.

Tool-free interchangeable straps

The Suunto strap is interchangeable, like on the Spartan Ultra, but without tools (like on the Spartan Sport Wrist HR and Spartan Sport).

Compatible with the new Suunto app

The Suunto 9 is compatible with the new Suunto app which allows you to keep a log (history) of the workouts performed, daily activity, hours of sleep. It also allows you to share your data and performance with other members of the community. The new app is available in the Apple Store and Google Play.

A software update

Suunto 9 comes with the latest software update offering, among other things, new training tools, heart rate zone alerts, distance targets with notifications when you reach 50 and 100% of your objective, Smartphone notifications, the ability to share performance on the Internet.

Spartan Ultra or Suunto 9: the differences, which one to choose?

The Spartan Ultra has seen its price drop since the release of the Suunto 9. Should we pay more for the new model? Is Suunto 9 better? It all depends on the use you want to make of this watch:

For fans of ultra-trail running or ultra-trail running, this new model is clearly more interesting not only for its exceptional autonomy but also and above all for the precision of its measurements in the energy saving modes. For races longer than 18 hours, the Suunto 9 will be more precise than the Spartan Ultra in terms of track and distance. It also brings greater comfort of use: no more frustrations when the battery is almost empty. It is enough to change mode to obtain a stay of several hours without losing too much precision. Finally, this new model offers, since a software update at the end of 2019, new functions for helping the sportsman and monitoring activity: estimation of the VO2max (an indicator of the level of fitness providing information on the overall state of health and the level of performance achieved), assessment of the level of stress and recovery.

For other athletes who do not need great autonomy or physiological measures (VO2max, recovery, stress), this new model does not bring much interest compared to the previous model if it is not the cardio optic on the wrist, very practical if you don't like wearing a chest belt or if you want to use the watch for activity monitoring.

For a detailed comparison between Suunto 9 and Spartan Ultra, see our Suunto 9 Baro vs Suunto Spartan comparison file: the differences, which one to choose?

Our opinion

This new Suunto watch replaces the Suunto Spartan Ultra. It doesn't make so many changes in terms of functionality. The big difference is mainly in terms of battery life (up to 120 h) and measurement accuracy which remains optimal in energy saving mode thanks to the new FusedTrack algorithm. This is really a good thing for long distance runners who are looking for a watch capable of lasting at least 40 hours and even several days while keeping good measurement accuracy. Since a software update at the end of 2019, the Suunto 9 now offers a more complete sleep analysis and additional physiological measures very useful for athletes: VO2max, recovery, stress level.

We also appreciate the comfort offered by the watch thanks to its intelligent battery management which allows you to switch from one mode to another at any time to extend the range and end your race serenely. No more frustration to see your watch stop because you chose the wrong mode or to record imprecise tracks and distances, especially in competition when every detail counts, in particular precision, to manage your race as well as possible .

Pulsating wrist (optical reader) is an asset for people "allergic" to chest belts. Precision is not as good but you can always use a belt for races requiring more precision.

The addition of activity tracking is also welcome. It is now present on most cardio watches and made possible on this model thanks to the optical heart rate monitoring. You still have to wear the watch permanently, at least during the day, which is not necessarily obvious with this type of bulky watch. It is indeed more intended for sports use than for everyday use, especially if you have a thin wrist.

Unlike Garmin which aligns with its competitors Tom Tom, Apple, Fitbit, the watch still does not offer an MP3 music player or a contactless payment method (NFC chip). It must be said that these functions do not necessarily interest the users of a watch intended for extreme sports. Suunto certainly prefers to focus on what makes it strong for these models intended for adventurers: robustness, reliability, quality and autonomy. There are also no advanced training, statistics and sports monitoring functions like on the Garmin Fenix 6, the Forerunner 945 or the high-end low-cost watch Amazfit Stratos or even the Coros Vertix, but, as we explained above, these tools do not necessarily interest the same audience.

Suunto also does not offer a smaller size for its watch. The main objective aimed with this new model is precisely to offer a watch with great autonomy and this is hardly compatible with a smaller case. That said, we can imagine a compromise with an intermediate autonomy that could interest more athletes. In the meantime, people with thin wrists will have to put up with a relatively bulky watch that is only worn for sport. Suunto apparently does not aim at any other use to see the number of models and bracelets available (no leather, titanium version, etc.). Nevertheless, the interchangeability of the tool-less strap and the activity monitoring are perhaps a first step of preparation for a more versatile watch?

Overall, the innovations made on this sports watch should appeal to very long distance runners. No watch to date offers such autonomy with the same precision. We recommend this model to demanding or picky athletes who exceed 18 hours of non-stop use or who do not have the practical means to charge the watch during a race or hike organized over several days.

We liked

Record autonomy (up to 120 h) and precision even in energy saving mode
Ability to switch from one battery management mode to another along the way
Quality, robustness and reliability
Color gauges
Handy cardio wrist

We'd have liked

A model more suited to small wrists

Price and availability

The Suunto 9 Baro is available in stores and on the Internet in 2 colors: the Suunto 9 Baro Black (black) and the Suunto 9 Baro White (white) at the recommended price of € 599. The watch is also available with or without a cardio belt. Count 50 € more for the model with belt. Suunto also offers a cheaper Suunto 9 without barometer (from € 499), lighter but less suitable for adventurers and hikers.

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