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Created page with "{{DISPLAYTITLE:Suunto Ambit3 Run Review}} The Ambit3 . The {{Suunto Ambit3 Run}} is one of my recommended running watches. The "Run" in the..."
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Suunto Ambit3 Run Review}}
[[File:XXXX.jpg|none|thumb|200px|The Ambit3 .]]
The {{Suunto Ambit3 Run}} is one of my recommended running watches. The "Run" in the name indicates this is the cheapest of the Ambit3 range and the best value for most runners. It lacks some of the features of the more expensive Ambit3 watches, but these are only likely to be valuable if you're an ultrarunner (longer battery life) or a multi-sport athlete. The Ambit3 Run offers great functionality and reasonable GPS accuracy, and it's only significant flaw is the inability to display pace from a [[Footpod]].
=Which Version?=
The Ambit3 comes in four versions with different functionality. I think the "Run" has the best value for money, but depending on your usage you may want to pay for a more expensive version. If you're a cyclist, the "Sport" might be worthwhile, though I won't comment further as I focus purely on running usage. If you're an ultrarunner, then I think the "Peak" version could be well worth it. (The Sapphire is only worthwhile if you're hard on your gear and want the damage resistance.)
{| class="wikitable"
!
! Ambit3 Peak Sapphire
! Ambit3 Peak
! Ambit3 Sport
! Ambit3 Run
|-
| Price
| <jfs id="B00LVN3R3W" noreferb="true"/>
| <jfs id="B00LVN3QAG" noreferb="true"/>
| <jfs id="B00M0NJG7S" noreferb="true"/>
| <jfs id="B00TSVSD9C" noreferb="true"/>
|-
| Claimed battery life
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |20 hours (200 in extended mode)
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |20 hours (200 in extended mode)
| 10 hours (100 in extended mode)
| 10 hours (100 in extended mode)
|-
| Barometric altimeter
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| No
| No
|-
| Temperature sensor
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| No
| No
|-
| Compass
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| Yes
| No
|-
| Cycling support (speed/cadence/power)
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| No
|-
| Swimming support
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| No
|-
| Materials (face, bezel)
| style="background-color: #80D600;" |Sapphire glass, Steel
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Glass, Steel
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Glass, Aluminum
| Glass, plastic
|}
=Ambit3 Pros=
* The GPS accuracy of the Ambit3 is excellent, coming just behind the best I've tested ([[Polar V800]]). Knowing how far you've run is one of the key benefits of using a GPS watch, so accuracy is critical, especially when performing structured training. If you need to run 20 miles at a 9:00 min/mile pace, a GPS error can mean you're either running faster for further or running slower and shorter than you intend. Either will screw up your training.
* The watch is highly configurable, and configuration is via a web site rather than fiddling with the watch. The Ambit3 can display up to 8 different pages of data, including various graphs.
* You can download or create 'Apps' for the Ambit3, which allow for some degree of extensibility. These are not really applications, but small scripts so the functionality is rather limited. It's nothing like the functionality that Garmin has in their Connect IQ. I have developed two apps that calculate [[Relative Running Economy]] for the Suunto Ambit. One calculates a [http://www.movescount.com/apps/app10034021-Average_Relative_Running_Economy moving average] and the other a [http://www.movescount.com/apps/app10034023-Smoothed_Relative_Running_Economy smoothed current value].
* Data has to be uploaded to the Suunto website movescount.com but it can then be exported in many different formats including TCX and FIT. The Suunto website is one of the best, and offers some nice visualization and analysis options. The Suunto website will also automatically export your workouts to other sites; currently Strava, Training Peaks, and Preva are supported.
* While the standard 10 hour battery life on the Run model good enough for non-ultrarunners, you can configure it so it only checks GPS data periodically. This compromises [[GPS Accuracy]] but improves battery life. For some ultrarunners, the Run's 5 second sampling with 15 hours battery life might be okay, but I suspect that in many cases, if 10 hours is not enough, you'll need more than 15. The Ambit3 Run has a 100 hour option, but 60 second recording is not going to give enough accuracy to be of much use except on straight courses. The more expensive Ambit3 Peak has a 20 hour battery life and gives 30 hours in 5 second recording mode, so that upgrade might be well worth it for many ultrarunners. (The Peak will go to 200 hours on 60 second sampling.)
* The Ambit3 will download a list of GPS satellites for quicker GPS acquisition. This seems to work well, and when the cache is stale because the watch has not been connected to the internet for a while, GPS acquisition is still reasonable.
* The Ambit3 displays [[Firstbeat| Training Effect]], but unlike the Garmin units you have to explicitly set your 'activity class' rather than have the watch work it out automatically. However, in many ways I prefer having the activity class set explicitly as you know what's going on.
* There is support for "[[Firstbeat| Recovery Time]]" which is displayed the value at the end of each workout. I don't like the way Suunto display the [[Firstbeat| Recovery Time]] for that workout alone, but unlike the Ambit2, the Ambit3 makes it easy to find your current recovery level and even displays a graph of it over time.
* The Ambit3 adds a "recovery status" check, which uses data from a Heart Rate Monitor to give an estimate of recovery. This can be done anytime, or after a sleep, with post-sleep testing more reliable. I'm not sure how effective this is, but it's worth considering as one possible input into your training routine.
* I found the materials used for the strap are remarkably soft and comfortable, and it fits even a small wrist like mine nicely.
* The Ambit3 can display a map of a pre-loaded course, which can be useful for navigating an unfamiliar route, but it requires forethought and effort.
* You can use the Ambit3 to navigate back to the start of your run, but it only provides an arrow and compass, not a map. (There's no map of your current route in the way that Garmin watches often provide.)
* Like many modern sports watches, the Ambit3 will estimate your running performance based on pace and heart rate data. The Ambit3 goes a little further and displays a graph of how that estimate is changing over time, which is nice, though I'm not sure how useful it is in practice.
* With the move from Ant+ to Bluetooth (see below), the Ambit3 gains the ability to upload workouts via a phone, which can be handy. It can also use the phone as a remote display, though I'm not sure why you'd want to; if you're running with a smartphone, then use the phone directly. (There's not live tracking either, but again, why bother when you have the phone with you.)
=Ambit3 Run Cons=
* The biggest downside to the Ambit3 compared to the 310XT/910XT/610 is that there is no way of displaying your current pace from the [[Footpod]] while using GPS for overall distance and course. You can only use a footpod by turning off GPS, which is pretty useless. GPS alone is not accurate enough to give you a good indication of current pace, while a footpod can do a much better job. Errors in GPS tend to cause the display of current pace to swing wildly, while errors in footpod pace tend to be constant and far easier to allow for.
* The Ambit3 does not have a vibration alert, which is something I miss far more than I'd have expected. The vibration is useful for alerts, as you may not hear the beeping in noisy environments or when wearing headphones. The vibration in other watches is also useful as a confirmation you've actually pressed the lap button.
* Like any complex device, the Ambit3 can occasionally need a reboot. Sadly, while you can shut down the Ambit3 from the menu, the only way of waking it up again is to plug it into a USB power source. This should be a very rare issue, but if it happens to you on or just before a race, you're screwed. (To shut down, press the "Back/Lap" and "Start/Stop" buttons pressed to enter the service menu.)
* One of the big changes from the Ambit2 is the move from using Ant+ sensors to Bluetooth. Currently the Bluetooth sensors are not as widely available as Ant+, and Suunto does not even make a Footpod for the Ambit3. Unlike Ant+, the current version of Bluetooth won't allow a sensor to be connected to multiple devices at the same time. I think the situation will change over time, but right now I prefer Ant+ over Bluetooth.
=Changes from the Suunto Ambit2 R=
With the announcement of the Ambit3, the price of the [[Suunto Ambit2 R]] had dropped, making it well worth considering. The main changes are:
* The Ambit3 uses Bluetooth rather than Ant+ as noted above.
* GPS accuracy has improved with the Ambit3.
* Battery life is now a little better.
* There are a few minor user interface changes, such as the cross of recovery time.
=What's Missing=
While I don't consider these missing features as 'cons', it's worth understanding the features that are missing compared with other watches.
* '''Altimeter. '''GPS is far less accurate vertically than horizontally, so a barometric altimeter can provide a much better idea of your ascent and descent. It can also be useful for navigation if you're ascending or descending a mountain. In some races I've been far more interested in how much ascent is left rather than the distance to the top. (The more expensive versions of the Ambit3 add in an Altimeter.)
* '''Running Dynamics'''. Some of the newer Garmin watches can show and record Vertical Oscillation (VO) and Ground Contact Time (GCT).
* '''Alerts'''. Some watches will alert you when a metric is out of range. The alert for [[Cadence]] is really useful and one of my favorite features.
{{BuyAmazon|AZID=B00IW0O5WO|AZN=Suunto Ambit3 Run}}
=GPS Accuracy=
The Ambit3 has excellent [[GPS Accuracy]], and has improved slightly on the [[Suunto Ambit2]]. The Ambit3 is using the SiRF Star V chipset, a later version than the Ambit2.
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:BridgeSuunto Ambit3 R.jpg| None | Thumb | x300px |The dark green lines show the Ambit3's accuracy, and it has no problem dealing with the twists in the path of the middle section, something that most watches struggle with. It tracks the sharp turn on the right side of the picture especially well. It's not all perfect however, as you can see from where the path crosses under the bridge. Here the Ambit3 is struggling to accurately reacquire the signal and jumps off course a fair way. (This diagram has tracks color coded with green indicating good accuracy through to read indicating poor accuracy, and the lap markers as blue dots.)]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:AccuracySuunto Ambit3 R.jpg|none|thumb|x300px| This close-up of a zigzag section shows how well the Ambit3 tracks the course changing direction. (This diagram has tracks color coded with green indicating good accuracy through to read indicating poor accuracy, and the lap markers as blue dots.)]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:ZigZagSuunto Ambit3 R.jpg|none|thumb|x300px| Here you can see the Ambit3 displaying the typical GPS behavior with the tracks that have the green lines shifted slightly down and to the left, blue up and to the right, as well as the markers similarly shifted. The Ambit3 is exhibiting this far less than most watches, so this is a good result. (This image has the tracks color-coded for direction, with green coming from the right, blue from the left.)]]
|}
=Comparison Table=
{{:Best Running Watch-table}}
[[File:XXXX.jpg|none|thumb|200px|The Ambit3 .]]
The {{Suunto Ambit3 Run}} is one of my recommended running watches. The "Run" in the name indicates this is the cheapest of the Ambit3 range and the best value for most runners. It lacks some of the features of the more expensive Ambit3 watches, but these are only likely to be valuable if you're an ultrarunner (longer battery life) or a multi-sport athlete. The Ambit3 Run offers great functionality and reasonable GPS accuracy, and it's only significant flaw is the inability to display pace from a [[Footpod]].
=Which Version?=
The Ambit3 comes in four versions with different functionality. I think the "Run" has the best value for money, but depending on your usage you may want to pay for a more expensive version. If you're a cyclist, the "Sport" might be worthwhile, though I won't comment further as I focus purely on running usage. If you're an ultrarunner, then I think the "Peak" version could be well worth it. (The Sapphire is only worthwhile if you're hard on your gear and want the damage resistance.)
{| class="wikitable"
!
! Ambit3 Peak Sapphire
! Ambit3 Peak
! Ambit3 Sport
! Ambit3 Run
|-
| Price
| <jfs id="B00LVN3R3W" noreferb="true"/>
| <jfs id="B00LVN3QAG" noreferb="true"/>
| <jfs id="B00M0NJG7S" noreferb="true"/>
| <jfs id="B00TSVSD9C" noreferb="true"/>
|-
| Claimed battery life
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |20 hours (200 in extended mode)
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |20 hours (200 in extended mode)
| 10 hours (100 in extended mode)
| 10 hours (100 in extended mode)
|-
| Barometric altimeter
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| No
| No
|-
| Temperature sensor
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| No
| No
|-
| Compass
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| Yes
| No
|-
| Cycling support (speed/cadence/power)
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| No
|-
| Swimming support
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Yes
| No
|-
| Materials (face, bezel)
| style="background-color: #80D600;" |Sapphire glass, Steel
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Glass, Steel
| style="background-color: #D5E3BB;" |Glass, Aluminum
| Glass, plastic
|}
=Ambit3 Pros=
* The GPS accuracy of the Ambit3 is excellent, coming just behind the best I've tested ([[Polar V800]]). Knowing how far you've run is one of the key benefits of using a GPS watch, so accuracy is critical, especially when performing structured training. If you need to run 20 miles at a 9:00 min/mile pace, a GPS error can mean you're either running faster for further or running slower and shorter than you intend. Either will screw up your training.
* The watch is highly configurable, and configuration is via a web site rather than fiddling with the watch. The Ambit3 can display up to 8 different pages of data, including various graphs.
* You can download or create 'Apps' for the Ambit3, which allow for some degree of extensibility. These are not really applications, but small scripts so the functionality is rather limited. It's nothing like the functionality that Garmin has in their Connect IQ. I have developed two apps that calculate [[Relative Running Economy]] for the Suunto Ambit. One calculates a [http://www.movescount.com/apps/app10034021-Average_Relative_Running_Economy moving average] and the other a [http://www.movescount.com/apps/app10034023-Smoothed_Relative_Running_Economy smoothed current value].
* Data has to be uploaded to the Suunto website movescount.com but it can then be exported in many different formats including TCX and FIT. The Suunto website is one of the best, and offers some nice visualization and analysis options. The Suunto website will also automatically export your workouts to other sites; currently Strava, Training Peaks, and Preva are supported.
* While the standard 10 hour battery life on the Run model good enough for non-ultrarunners, you can configure it so it only checks GPS data periodically. This compromises [[GPS Accuracy]] but improves battery life. For some ultrarunners, the Run's 5 second sampling with 15 hours battery life might be okay, but I suspect that in many cases, if 10 hours is not enough, you'll need more than 15. The Ambit3 Run has a 100 hour option, but 60 second recording is not going to give enough accuracy to be of much use except on straight courses. The more expensive Ambit3 Peak has a 20 hour battery life and gives 30 hours in 5 second recording mode, so that upgrade might be well worth it for many ultrarunners. (The Peak will go to 200 hours on 60 second sampling.)
* The Ambit3 will download a list of GPS satellites for quicker GPS acquisition. This seems to work well, and when the cache is stale because the watch has not been connected to the internet for a while, GPS acquisition is still reasonable.
* The Ambit3 displays [[Firstbeat| Training Effect]], but unlike the Garmin units you have to explicitly set your 'activity class' rather than have the watch work it out automatically. However, in many ways I prefer having the activity class set explicitly as you know what's going on.
* There is support for "[[Firstbeat| Recovery Time]]" which is displayed the value at the end of each workout. I don't like the way Suunto display the [[Firstbeat| Recovery Time]] for that workout alone, but unlike the Ambit2, the Ambit3 makes it easy to find your current recovery level and even displays a graph of it over time.
* The Ambit3 adds a "recovery status" check, which uses data from a Heart Rate Monitor to give an estimate of recovery. This can be done anytime, or after a sleep, with post-sleep testing more reliable. I'm not sure how effective this is, but it's worth considering as one possible input into your training routine.
* I found the materials used for the strap are remarkably soft and comfortable, and it fits even a small wrist like mine nicely.
* The Ambit3 can display a map of a pre-loaded course, which can be useful for navigating an unfamiliar route, but it requires forethought and effort.
* You can use the Ambit3 to navigate back to the start of your run, but it only provides an arrow and compass, not a map. (There's no map of your current route in the way that Garmin watches often provide.)
* Like many modern sports watches, the Ambit3 will estimate your running performance based on pace and heart rate data. The Ambit3 goes a little further and displays a graph of how that estimate is changing over time, which is nice, though I'm not sure how useful it is in practice.
* With the move from Ant+ to Bluetooth (see below), the Ambit3 gains the ability to upload workouts via a phone, which can be handy. It can also use the phone as a remote display, though I'm not sure why you'd want to; if you're running with a smartphone, then use the phone directly. (There's not live tracking either, but again, why bother when you have the phone with you.)
=Ambit3 Run Cons=
* The biggest downside to the Ambit3 compared to the 310XT/910XT/610 is that there is no way of displaying your current pace from the [[Footpod]] while using GPS for overall distance and course. You can only use a footpod by turning off GPS, which is pretty useless. GPS alone is not accurate enough to give you a good indication of current pace, while a footpod can do a much better job. Errors in GPS tend to cause the display of current pace to swing wildly, while errors in footpod pace tend to be constant and far easier to allow for.
* The Ambit3 does not have a vibration alert, which is something I miss far more than I'd have expected. The vibration is useful for alerts, as you may not hear the beeping in noisy environments or when wearing headphones. The vibration in other watches is also useful as a confirmation you've actually pressed the lap button.
* Like any complex device, the Ambit3 can occasionally need a reboot. Sadly, while you can shut down the Ambit3 from the menu, the only way of waking it up again is to plug it into a USB power source. This should be a very rare issue, but if it happens to you on or just before a race, you're screwed. (To shut down, press the "Back/Lap" and "Start/Stop" buttons pressed to enter the service menu.)
* One of the big changes from the Ambit2 is the move from using Ant+ sensors to Bluetooth. Currently the Bluetooth sensors are not as widely available as Ant+, and Suunto does not even make a Footpod for the Ambit3. Unlike Ant+, the current version of Bluetooth won't allow a sensor to be connected to multiple devices at the same time. I think the situation will change over time, but right now I prefer Ant+ over Bluetooth.
=Changes from the Suunto Ambit2 R=
With the announcement of the Ambit3, the price of the [[Suunto Ambit2 R]] had dropped, making it well worth considering. The main changes are:
* The Ambit3 uses Bluetooth rather than Ant+ as noted above.
* GPS accuracy has improved with the Ambit3.
* Battery life is now a little better.
* There are a few minor user interface changes, such as the cross of recovery time.
=What's Missing=
While I don't consider these missing features as 'cons', it's worth understanding the features that are missing compared with other watches.
* '''Altimeter. '''GPS is far less accurate vertically than horizontally, so a barometric altimeter can provide a much better idea of your ascent and descent. It can also be useful for navigation if you're ascending or descending a mountain. In some races I've been far more interested in how much ascent is left rather than the distance to the top. (The more expensive versions of the Ambit3 add in an Altimeter.)
* '''Running Dynamics'''. Some of the newer Garmin watches can show and record Vertical Oscillation (VO) and Ground Contact Time (GCT).
* '''Alerts'''. Some watches will alert you when a metric is out of range. The alert for [[Cadence]] is really useful and one of my favorite features.
{{BuyAmazon|AZID=B00IW0O5WO|AZN=Suunto Ambit3 Run}}
=GPS Accuracy=
The Ambit3 has excellent [[GPS Accuracy]], and has improved slightly on the [[Suunto Ambit2]]. The Ambit3 is using the SiRF Star V chipset, a later version than the Ambit2.
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:BridgeSuunto Ambit3 R.jpg| None | Thumb | x300px |The dark green lines show the Ambit3's accuracy, and it has no problem dealing with the twists in the path of the middle section, something that most watches struggle with. It tracks the sharp turn on the right side of the picture especially well. It's not all perfect however, as you can see from where the path crosses under the bridge. Here the Ambit3 is struggling to accurately reacquire the signal and jumps off course a fair way. (This diagram has tracks color coded with green indicating good accuracy through to read indicating poor accuracy, and the lap markers as blue dots.)]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:AccuracySuunto Ambit3 R.jpg|none|thumb|x300px| This close-up of a zigzag section shows how well the Ambit3 tracks the course changing direction. (This diagram has tracks color coded with green indicating good accuracy through to read indicating poor accuracy, and the lap markers as blue dots.)]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:ZigZagSuunto Ambit3 R.jpg|none|thumb|x300px| Here you can see the Ambit3 displaying the typical GPS behavior with the tracks that have the green lines shifted slightly down and to the left, blue up and to the right, as well as the markers similarly shifted. The Ambit3 is exhibiting this far less than most watches, so this is a good result. (This image has the tracks color-coded for direction, with green coming from the right, blue from the left.)]]
|}
=Comparison Table=
{{:Best Running Watch-table}}