I've been running 3-4 times a week and want to upgrade from my basic fitness tracker. Looking for something that gives accurate pace data and monitors my heart rate during workouts. Budget is around $300-400. Any recommendations?
The real difference maker for you isn't just which watch you pick, it's making sure the heart rate sensor actually fits your wrist properly - too loose and it'll give garbage data, too tight and it's uncomfortable for 10+ mile runs. I'd honestly lean toward Coros Pace 3 if you want something that'll just work without fussing. The optical HR sensor is solid, pace tracking is dead accurate, and battery life is ridiculous (like 2+ weeks). It's less flashy than Garmin but that's kind of the point when you just want reliable data.
The hack most people miss: start your first few runs with the watch on different positions on your wrist - some folks get way better readings an inch higher than where they normally wear it. You'll find your sweet spot and then you're set. Also, if you're doing tempo work or intervals, whatever you pick, double-check that the pace alerts actually work the way you want them. Some watches make you dig through menus to set those up, and you don't want to figure that out mid-workout.
Budget-wise you're golden at $300-400. Both Coros and what the other person mentioned will do everything you need. Personally I'd grab whichever one feels better on your wrist when you hold it in a shop, because you're gonna be wearing this thing constantly. The software differences matter way less than comfort over the long haul.
The Garmin Forerunner 265 and Coros Pace 3 both sit right in your budget and nail pace accuracy plus heart rate tracking. The Garmin's got better software overall and more detailed training metrics if you like analyzing your runs afterward, while the Coros is lighter and has killer battery life - sometimes 2+ weeks depending on your settings. Either one would be a solid step up from a basic tracker; just think about whether you'd prefer Garmin's ecosystem or Coros' simplicity and battery performance.
If you go with either of those watches, just make sure you're actually looking at the wrist-based heart rate readings and not comparing them to a chest strap - they track differently and wrist sensors can drift during intense runs if your form changes. I'd also suggest testing the pace accuracy yourself on a known distance track before committing, since GPS can be finicky depending on where you run (trees, urban canyons, etc). Both watches mentioned do well in open areas but some folks find they need a firmware update or two to get the sensitivity dialed in right for their running style.
Both of those watches are solid picks for your budget and running style. I'd lean toward whichever has the interface you prefer since the actual pace and HR accuracy between them is pretty comparable - both are reliable enough for someone doing 3-4 runs a week. The main thing is testing the fit before you commit. I grabbed a watch last year that looked perfect on paper, but the band was just slightly loose on my wrist, and the heart rate numbers were all over the place during runs. Tightened it down and suddenly the data made sense.
The sensor fit thing matters more than most people realize. You want it snug enough that it doesn't shift, but not cutting off circulation - if your wrist goes numb during a run, it's too tight and you're not getting real data anyway. Some folks have wrists that just don't play well with optical sensors no matter what, so if you find the watch reading your HR all weird and erratic even when fitted properly, that's when a chest strap becomes worth the extra hassle.
One thing worth checking: how much do you actually care about the software side? If you just want to see your pace splits and average HR after a run, either watch does that. But if you're planning to get into structured training plans, recovery metrics, or syncing with apps down the line, that's where the choice matters more. Take a few minutes to look at the companion apps on your phone before buying - that's where you'll spend most of your time.
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