I’ve tested the Coros Pace 4 Pro vs Coros Pace 4 — is the Pro worth the upgrade?

The Coros Pace 4 and Coros Pace 4 Pro are two of the best sports watches I’ve tested over the past year, and I’ve racked up hundreds of miles of running with both of them during marathon training.

They share a lot of identical features, running the same software and both offering offline maps and the same training analysis features. Both have also proved reliably accurate in my testing.

There are some key differences that make the Pace 4 Pro worth considering over the Pace 4, even though it costs $200 more, with the main ones being its superior battery life and more attractive design.

I’ll dive into those differences below and compare the accuracy of both watches during my testing. For more details on either watch, check out my Coros Pace 4 review and my Coros Pace 4 Pro review.

Coros Pace 4 Pro vs Coros Pace 4: Price

The Coros Pace 4 Pro costs $449 in the U.S. and £389 in the U.K., which is a big jump in price from the Coros Pace 4, which is $249/£229 for the standard watch and $279/£249 for the aluminum model.

Coros Pace 4 Pro vs Coros Pace 4: Design and display

While there are also differences in battery life, the main reason I’d consider upgrading to the Coros Pace 4 Pro is its design.

This is the best-looking Coros watch yet, in my opinion, and it also uses sturdier materials than the Pace 4, with a titanium bezel and sapphire crystal screen.

The screen on the Pro is also noticeably bigger and brighter than the one on the standard Pace 4, and this is done without making the Pace 4 Pro thicker or much heavier.

It’s still a light watch that’s comfortable to wear 24/7, and fits well on my thin wrist. The Pace 4’s even smaller design might still appeal more to some people, though.

Another plus is that the Pace 4’s front has a wider variety of colors. The Pace 4 Pro is currently only available in black and white, whereas the Pace 4 comes in black, white, yellow and ultraviolet, along with a special Jakob Ingebritsen edition that’s black and gold.

The Pace 4 Pro does have a lot more storage than the Pace 4, though, with 32GB compared with 4GB. This is handy if you plan to download a lot of maps or music onto the watch, but 4GB is enough if you just need maps for your local area and any spots you plan to visit.

For me, the Coros Pace 4 Pro’s design makes it a better watch to wear all the time, and the large screen means your stats are clearer and easier to read at a glance during activities, as are the offline maps.

Coros Pace 4 Pro vs Coros Pace 4: GPS & heart rate accuracy

I’ve done a lot of running with both watches, using the Coros Pace 4 for six months, including running the London Marathon and racking up a few hundred miles with the Pace 4 Pro over the past month or so.

During that time, the GPS accuracy on both watches has been nigh-on impeccable. I use both in the most accurate multi-band mode, and even in tricky conditions such as under skyscrapers in city centers, they both produce reliably accurate GPS tracks and consistent distance and pace stats.

I also ran with both watches at the same time, comparing them to the Garmin Forerunner 970 as well, and they produced almost identical GPS tracks and distance stats. I wouldn’t base your decision on picking between them on GPS accuracy.

The same goes for heart rate accuracy; they have been similarly accurate for me over extended testing when comparing their readings to a chest strap heart rate monitor.

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Neither is perfect — I find both the Pace 4 and Pace 4 Pro will throw up the occasional incorrect spike in heart rate on runs, and lag behind a chest strap in strength workouts — but both have mostly been very reliable during my training and matched a chest strap during races.

I wouldn’t say either is better than the other, and you could use either to guide your training, but for the most accurate results I’d still pair a chest strap with both watches.

Coros Pace 4 Pro vs Coros Pace 4: Battery life

The larger design of the Pace 4 Pro has been put to good use with regard to battery life. It lasts up to 21 days in watch mode compared to 19 on the Pace 4 (seven days vs. six days with the screen always-on), and offers 30 hours of multi-band GPS tracking compared to 24 on the Pace 4.

I found the difference in battery life to be heightened with my real-world use. I have the screen always on for both and run every day using the most power-intensive GPS mode.

With that usage, the Coros Pace 4 Pro has been lasting me seven days on a charge, whereas the Pace 4 lasts five days.

Both are impressively long-lasting given their small sizes and AMOLED displays, but opting for the Pace 4 Pro might save you a couple of trips to the charger a month.

Coros Pace 4 Pro vs Coros Pace 4: Specs compared

Coros Pace 4 Pro vs Coros Pace 4: Verdict

The Coros Pace 4 is the better value watch of the two, since it matches the Pace 4 Pro on key features and is just as accurate, but the design of the Pace 4 Pro is a noticeable upgrade that many will appreciate.

As someone who wears a sports watch 24/7, the bigger, brighter screen of the Pace 4 Pro and more attractive design feels worth the extra outlay, with longer battery life a welcome bonus. It’s also easier to read stats and use maps during activities on the larger display.

If you only use a sports watch during workouts, or prefer your wearable to be as small and light as possible, the Coros Pace 4 makes more sense, and it comes in a couple more vibrant color options, too.

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