Suunto's newest watch is the 5 Peak

Łukasz Szmigiel · S9PP 2.37.48

I haven’t touched the watch or seen it with my eyes, so my opinion is based on images and reviews available so far. And I find this release rather puzzling.

I’d say it’s a lifting - both internal and external, but lifting nevertheless. Some aspects are strange - like making it less durable (what I can only suspect by definition of materials used and less water resistance than the original S5), but others make sense, like creating a new, visual look, that is in line with the new S9.

For me, having normal straps instead of integrated one is definitely a good thing. I’m not sure how long will the original strap on my S5 last, but having to send a watch to Suunto just to change the faulty strap is a bad user experience to say the least (I’ll probably go with aftermarket ones).

OTA is a welcome addition, but nothing life changing I’d say - it’s not that I have to plug my watch into PC every day.

OHR - I’m yet to see an OHR that’s awesome to the point that the belt is not required really, but I suspect that for 24/7 it’s good enough anyway (as is the original S5).

When I was buying a watch and had to choose between Garmin, S5 and S9 in 2019, it was clear to me that S5 is ideal for my needs as I really wanted to have a breadcrumb navigation and the cheapest forerunner with navigation was more expensive than S5 a month after its release.

But if I had to buy a watch now, I probably wouldn’t go for S5P. I’d be discouraged with it being too delicate for an outdoor / used daily watch.

The price seems OK, though (considering it’ll drop in coming months).

I wonder what’ll happen with the original S5? Will Suunto abandon it, or is it going to produce both S5 and S5P?

Egika

@łukasz-szmigiel very good and valid points!
While most of the changes are either welcome (weight, GPS chip, straps) or a don’t care (OTA updates, depth rating), it kind of comes down to “how is the material (of the screen) different to that from the S5?”

Can anyone of the testers who have used it for some longer time now comment on this? @isazi @Brad_Olwin ?

isazi

@egika said in Suunto's newest watch is the 5 Peak:

Can anyone of the testers who have used it for some longer time now comment on this? @isazi @Brad_Olwin ?

I have used the watch for 6 months now, and the screen is fine. In the same amount of time I managed to scratch my phone’s screen
It is not sapphire, so if I bought my own I would probably apply a screen protector, just in case, as I do for all non sapphire watches (after having scratched my old Garmin Fenix 3 while sleeping).

Łukasz Szmigiel · S9PP 2.37.48

@isazi is it mineral glass or plastic? How about readability compared to original S5?

isazi

@łukasz-szmigiel I do not have an S5 to compare with, although @Brad_Olwin should have one. I can compare only to the S9 family, and the S5P is (in a way) more readable because sapphire screens tend to have more reflection. As for the material, I have no way to know. If Suunto says it is plastic, than it must be plastic.

And, in my opinion, this is not a replacement for users that are already happy with their S5 today. However, at the same time I do not expect the S5 to still receive much updates 3 years from now.

surfboomerang

@isazi said in Suunto's newest watch is the 5 Peak:

However, at the same time I do not expect the S5 to still receive much updates 3 years from now

Because of hardware limitations? The whole S5/9 series are pretty much alligned in software now, right?

Shrek3k

I have to admit, that the 5P would nicely fulfil all my current requirements. At the same time not all my wishes for capabilities would be covered, capabilities that I would most likely not even use. So, in case I would need an immediate and sensible replacement for my S9 Non-Baro it should be the S5.
As I am not too sensible and don’t need a replacement now, I nevertheless won’t buy it, but will recommend it to a number of guys.

Łukasz Szmigiel · S9PP 2.37.48

@surfboomerang I’d say to avoid cannibalising sales of S5P.

isazi

@surfboomerang said in Suunto's newest watch is the 5 Peak:

Because of hardware limitations? The whole S5/9 series are pretty much alligned in software now, right?

This is just my opinion, and I can share it because I know nothing of Suunto’s strategy. If I knew something, I would not share.
Hardware limitations are a part of it, but economics is the other. You do not make money by directly [1] supporting watches that are not for sale anymore, and it makes little economic sense to give new features for free indefinitely and to everyone.

[1] there may be some secondary effects on users retention, but today you cannot bet on that.

TyreseJ4

Is this a rumor or can anyone confirm that complex intervals and workouts are coming to the Suunto 9?

surfboomerang

@tyresej4 Time will tell…

isazi

@tyresej4 it is a rumor so far. However looking around the forum seems that some companies announced some way of sending workouts to Suunto watches in 2022. They may know more (or they would have not announced that, I guess).

jsuarez

@isazi said in Suunto's newest watch is the 5 Peak:

@surfboomerang said in Suunto's newest watch is the 5 Peak:

Because of hardware limitations? The whole S5/9 series are pretty much alligned in software now, right?

This is just my opinion, and I can share it because I know nothing of Suunto’s strategy. If I knew something, I would not share.
Hardware limitations are a part of it, but economics is the other. You do not make money by directly [1] supporting watches that are not for sale anymore, and it makes little economic sense to give new features for free indefinitely and to everyone.

[1] there may be some secondary effects on users retention, but today you cannot bet on that.

That’s what has already happened with the Spartan series: no suunto plus and other goodies. Who knows if there are real hardware limitations or lack of interest.

Łukasz Szmigiel · S9PP 2.37.48

@jsuarez it doesn’t make sense to ~~support~~ enhance a device for a long time if it doesn’t provide a stable income. There’s no ecosystem of apps / devices that rely on devices (see Apple or Google) or a subscription service (ie. after two years pay-per-update or pay-per-feature).

I’m still impressed that S5 got so many updates with new features, but also the Suunto’s portfolio (in relation to latest devices) is small compared to i.e. Garmin, so it makes sense to support devices longer.

@tyresej4 said in Suunto's newest watch is the 5 Peak:

Is this a rumor or can anyone confirm that complex intervals and workouts are coming to the Suunto 9?

There were some emails around saying that they will come this year through Nolio.
Let’s see…no communication from suunto…

Brad_Olwin

@łukasz-szmigiel said in Suunto's newest watch is the 5 Peak:

@isazi is it mineral glass or plastic? How about readability compared to original S5?

I have not scratched the S5P screen but I typically don’t scratch my watch screens. The S5P IMHO is much easier to read than the old 5.

Brad_Olwin

@shrek3k The S9nonbaro has a compass but the S5Peak does not. Therefore your watch has FusedTrack but the S5P does not. If you use extended GPS modes you will have better tracks with the 9nonbaro than the S5P.

Łukasz Szmigiel · S9PP 2.37.48

@brad_olwin said in Suunto's newest watch is the 5 Peak:

(…) If you use extended GPS modes you will have better tracks with the 9nonbaro than the S5P.

While running or trail running only. Apart from those two modes, FusedTrack won’t kick in.

And you won’t see my favourite notification stealing the focus on the navigation screen. Because there’s a compass, apparently.

MiniForklift

@chrisa said in Suunto's newest watch is the 5 Peak:

Besides Suunto I prefer Polar - the Grit X Pro seems really nice but also comes with a 500€ Price tag…

I bought the Grit X Pro recently and tried to do an unbiased and comprehensive review of how it fared against the S9B:

S9B Vs Polar Grit X Pro

It’s great in some aspects but I’d definitely urge you to check it out and try before you buy

ChrisA

@miniforklift thanks - read it, great informations thanks! Mentioning it was more as a hint for @Tomas5 who was looking for a watch, which I think the GXP could be a match (at least better than a Garmin).