DC Rainmaker on the Suunto 9 Peak Pro

Just a first look from him, but his main points I echo just by looking at the product from afar and how it’s marketed:

The Suunto 9 Peak Pro seems to be a bit of a turning point for Suunto. Or at least, it might appear that way. On one hand we’ve got revamped hardware internals, which should make the watch not just more accurate with its higher-end GNSS components, but also simply faster to use with the increased processing power. Meanwhile, on the software side bits like refreshed user interface help considerably, as does running power and the soon-to-arrive features like Strava Live Segments. And finally, the platform changes all indicate Suunto is investing in the business, the platform, and time with their partners.
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Ultimately though, I’m happy to see Suunto kicking things up a bit here. The last few years have felt a bit stale, but this might be the beginnings of renewed focus for the company, and hopefully increased competitiveness.

Beyond the software refreshes, there’s a ‘mermaid mode’, an app developer kit called ‘SuuntoPlus Editor’, and a few more things that make the product interesting to folks beyond us trail and ultra runners.

I love the 9 Peak hardware design language. I tried on that watch for a few moments at my local REI and still think it’s the best looking watch. Suunto dropped the price of the 9 Peak and introduced the 9 Peak Pro at the same price point but with refreshed software, which is a smart move and shows their willingness to stay in the game against Coros and Apple. I don’t know if the hardware works well in practice, but in my perspective this design could stay the same for years to come. Suunto should work on reducing the black bezel, make the screen brighter, and keep up to date with the latest GPS technology and they will be my favorite watch for a long time to come.