The Coros Pace 4 continues its predecessor’s mantle as one of the best cheap running watches and is a marked improvement upon the previous-gen Coros Pace 3, which was also one of our best running watches overall. There's a lot to like about the smartwatch, including runners wanting to make an upgrade.
The most significant change between the two models is the movement away from a fairly basic Memory-in-Pixel screen to a vibrant 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen. The resolution has also been increased from 240x240 pixels to 390x390 pixels. This makes the text and graphs substantially sharper, and despite this having an impact upon battery drain, Coros has directly addressed that by increasing the battery capacity.
The watch is aimed at runners, triathletes, and cyclists desiring speed and simplicity. At just 32g (with nylon strap), the Pace 4 is incredibly lightweight and unassuming. The tracking of accurate distances was not pinpoint-sharp, but pace, heart rate, cadence, and other metrics were measured accurately.
That said, this is not a smartwatch for the masses. The lack of everyday smarts, such as music streaming and NFC payments, makes it rather limited for anyone looking for more than a training tool. I wouldn't say this is a negative, though, as not every wearable is for everyone. The Pace 4 sticks close to its running credentials, and at a budget-friendly price of $249 / £229, this makes it a very enticing proposition indeed.
Coros Pace 4: SpecificationsComponent
Coros Pace 4
Price
$249 USD / £229 UK / $479.95 AUS
Dimensions
43.4 x 43.4 x 11.8 mm
Weight
32g (with Nylon band) / 40g (with Silicone band)
Caze/bezel
Fiber-reinforced polymer (Plastic)
Display
1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen 390 x 390 pixels
GPS
Dual-Frequency GNSS
Battery life
Up to 19 days or 41 hours for High GPS Usage
Connection
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
Water resistance
5 ATM
(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)Coros Pace 4: Price and availabilityThe COROS Pace 4, priced at $249 / £229 / AU$479.95, is a lightweight performance running watch that balances high-end features like a vibrant AMOLED display and industry-leading battery life (up to 41 hours of GPS) with a competitive entry-level price tag. The 4.5-star-rated Apple Watch SE 3 is comparably priced, although more targeted at general users rather than runners.
Similarly specced alternatives include the Garmin Forerunner 165 and Suunto Run or if you're looking for a more rugged, outdoor-focused build, then the Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro is a good alternative.
Value score 4.5/5
Coros Pace 4: DesignThe Coros Pace 4 is small, lightweight, and has a distinctly budget plastic feel. No-one would describe the watch as premium, but that doesn’t mean the choice of materials doesn’t have any benefits. At 32g (with nylon band), it’s beautifully light on the wrist, and a thickness of 11.8mm means it easily slips underneath the sleeve.
At the heart of the Pace 4 is a small 1.2-inch AMOLED screen that is comparable with the Garmin Forerunner 265 and Apple Watch SE 3. With a 1,500-nit brightness and a 390 x 390px resolution, the Pace 4 lacks nothing in outdoor visibility and image sharpness. To keep the device charged, Coros provides a proprietary charger which magnetically attaches to the watch. The charger also contains a built-in keyring, which reduces the chance of losing it.
Future / Paul HattonFuture / Paul HattonFuture / Paul HattonFuture / Paul HattonFuture / Paul HattonFuture / Paul HattonFuture / Paul HattonWhile Garmin sticks to a traditional five-button layout and Apple relies on a single digital crown and side button, the Pace 4 uses a hybrid three-button system. This includes the signature Coros digital dial plus an Action button, similar to the Apple Watch Ultra 3. These deliver reliable navigation through menus even when your hands are sweaty or you're wearing winter gloves.
At the back of the watch, you'll find a flush-mounted sensor that is flat enough to avoid skin irritation during long periods of wear. I also found it more stable than a lot of smartwatches that I've tested recently. Additionally, its integrated dual-microphone system is a rare design find in this price bracket.
Design Score: 4/5
Coros Pace 4: FeaturesThe Coros Pace 4 boasts a voice recording tool, excellent battery life, and a dual-frequency GPS system. Beginning with the voice functionality, it's fair to say that most other smartwatches provide a general-purpose voice memo tool, but the Pace 4 is unique in that its voice features are specifically integrated into the athletic training workflow. More specifically, Voice Pins can be added mid-run to specific locations on your route, while Voice Notes are better suited to capturing subjective information after an activity has been completed.
As you’d expect with a running watch, the Pace 4 utilizes an advanced All-Systems dual-frequency GNSS chipset, allowing it to communicate with five major satellite networks (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou, and QZSS). The ability to connect across two frequencies is designed to improve positional accuracy in challenging environments such as cities and forests.
(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)The lack of full offline maps is a little disappointing, although breadcrumb-style navigation with turn-by-turn directions for the planned route is available. Another notable feature is its ability to route sync from platforms like Strava.
And finally, battery capabilities. The Pace 4 continues a growing trend of offering long-lasting performance. In terms of advertised numbers, that looks like 19 days of continuous daily use and 41 hours when using the All Systems (High) GPS mode. This is roughly equivalent to the latest Amazfit Balance 2, which features 21 days of continuous daily use and 33 hours of GPS use.
Features Score: 4/5
Coros Pace 4: PerformanceThe Coros Pace 4 features an Ambiq Apollo 510 processor, which, compared to its predecessors, is a significant leap in internal processing power and efficiency. This results in a responsive interface that shows no sign of lag when carrying out health measurements or activity tracking. The interface is basic but simple to navigate, with Coros opting to display all non-activity features inside a 'Control Center' interface that displays everything inside one single face of the watch rather than cycling up and down long lists, as is more common with other watch brands.
The advanced processor also powers voice pins and training logs, which form a key part of the Coros Pace experience. Recording these audio notes is simple and quick and a far better solution than using a separate app or paper-based alternative. A next-step improvement would be to introduce an AI feature that is able to transcribe these notes and summarize progress.
In terms of positional precision, the Pace 4 utilizes an all-satellite, dual-frequency GNSS chipset that has been refined to maintain a lock in difficult environments. I had no problems finding a strong enough signal, even in rural areas and when surrounded by tall buildings.
In distance traveled benchmark tests against the extensively tested Huawei Watch Ultimate 2, I found the Pace 4 to be within 200 meters, not super-accurate but good enough for casual runners. We'll be batch-testing the Coros Pace 4, along with other watches, to better assess accuracy over longer distances in the near future – watch this space. However, it's safe to say the Pace 4 offers a good GPS distance estimation, with a margin for error.
(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)Biometric tracking has also seen a hardware overhaul with a redesigned optical heart rate sensor featuring five LEDs and four photodetectors. This updated array provides reliable health data when compared to the Watch Ultimate 2. That said, I did have to make sure that the watch maintained a snug fit to my skin; otherwise, light leaking onto the sensor caused measurements to jump around.
Despite the move to a 1,500-nit AMOLED screen, the battery efficiency remains a standout, providing up to 41 hours in High GPS mode and 31 hours in Dual-Frequency mode. While using the device to track a few runs and bike rides per week, I was easily able to achieve between ten and fourteen days of usage. The 5 ATM water resistance rating held up when using the watch in wet conditions as well as when submerged in a bowl of water for over a minute.
The Pace 4 is a perfect weight and size for runners and athletes who want their smartwatch to blend into the background. It'll track your vitals and activities to a reasonable accuracy, especially given the price point.
Performance score: 4/5
(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)Coros Pace 4: ScorecardCategory
Comment
Score
Value
A budget-friendly watch with some higher-end features.
4.5/5
Design
Lightweight and compact but with an unmistakable budget feel.
4/5
Features
Some innovative features are designed around activities, but nothing that’s going to set the world alight.
4/5
Performance
Reasonably accurate health and activity tracking, especially for the price.
4/5
(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)Coros Pace 4: Should I buy?Buy it if...You’re a runner who loves logging their activities
With voice logging and pins, the Pace 4 is ideally suited to recording your experiences.
You like a lightweight smartwatch that blends into the background
At 32g (nylon strap) the Pace 4 is one of the lightest options on the market.
Don't buy it if...You like a watch with everyday smarts
There’s no music streaming, NFC payments, and no ability to reply to texts.
You need offline maps
If you’re regularly following complex trails or like to go off-route, then you’ll have to look elsewhere.
Also considerGarmin Forerunner 165
With premium training features, a good-looking AMOLED touchscreen, and 13 days of battery life, the Forerunner 165 is a similarly priced alternative to the Coros Pace 4.
Read our Garmin Forerunner 165 reviewView Deal
Garmin Vivoactive 5
A smartwatch with more sports and health tracking metrics than most will need while staying compact and easy to see with that stunning AMOLED display. Also reasonably priced.
Read our full Garmin Vivoactive 5 reviewView Deal
How I testedI used the Coros Pace 4 across the period of several weeks, focusing my activities on running, cycling, walking, and gym cardio. I was specifically, although not exclusively, interested in seeing how much use I would genuinely make of the voice recording features. This is a relatively unique feature that I was keen to check out. I also put it through its paces in terms of GPS accuracy and the effect of its use on battery life. The smartwatch shipped with both nylon and silicone straps, so I tested both. Finally, despite it not being a core feature of the watch, I also tested its sleep tracking abilities.
First reviewed: February 2026
The Mortuary Assistant is now streaming on Shudder and playing in select movie theaters, and you may have already seen a few bad reviews for it. But I had a great time with this adaptation.
It can certainly be daunting when you're adapting a beloved video game for the screen. Markiplier's Iron Lung performed very well at the box office lately, even if it was met with poor critic reviews overall. But the audience turnout proves people are interested in game adaptations in general, which is good news since they keep coming, and Exit 8 will soon be following in its footsteps.
When it comes to The Mortuary Assistant, I think it's best to go into it not expecting an exact replica of the video game. Approaches like that worked for The Last of Us, but here, I actually liked the fact that it doesn't follow the game to the letter. It's very much an adaptation and companion piece to the game, which I highly recommend you play.
Director Jeremiah Kipp told me that The Mortuary Assistant's game developer was ‘enormously supportive’ of the movie, and it certainly shows. While the movie does deviate from the game slightly, the location, vibe, and the character of Rebecca are portrayed incredibly well indeed.
We learn a lot more about Rebecca's character here as she spends a night shift at River Fields Mortuary. It's clear she is devoted to her job and neglects other areas of her life, especially when it comes to the demons of her past. Willa Holland gives a great performance here as someone who seems to be more comfortable with the dead than the living, as she continues to ignore and stuff down the things that have happened to her.
The Mimic is one of the most iconic creatures in The Mortuary Assistant. (Image credit: Dread XP)Unfortunately, this leads Rebecca to be haunted by an actual demon, which does a very good job at tormenting her. Fan favorite manifestation The Mimic, steals the show here, as it appears to terrorize Rebecca during her terrifying shift. The creature design really is good here, and we're left wondering what is real and what is not, bringing us up close and personal to Rebecca's terror and hallucinations.
Rebecca is finishing her apprenticeship with mortician Raymond Delver (Paul Sparks), and these are the two characters we follow throughout the movie. He is ultimately in charge of finding employees he believes capable of combating the demons located there, and Rebecca is his latest colleague to be met with the horrors.
I do think audiences would benefit from playing the video game too, as it can provide more context. I'm not sure if those who know nothing about the game would get quite as huge a kick out of this, as part of what made this exciting for me was already being a huge fan of the game.
Like many horror movies, there is unfortunately an over-reliance on jump scares at times, and this is a point that is sure to divide audiences. Whether you love them or hate them, you can be the judge of how effective they are.
All in all, this is a strong adaptation, and there's lots for fans of the game to enjoy, especially if you're keen to expand on the lore and backstory. Don't go into this expecting a shot-for-shot remake of the game, and instead, it should be treated as a very worthy expansion.
If you're looking for a great supernatural horror with plenty of scares, and a deeper exploration about character's traumas, this is definitely the movie for you. Director Jeremiah Kipp revealed that "a filmmaker needs a deep personal connection to the material", and you can definitely feel that here.
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