Suunto Vertical 2 launches as Garmin rival with LED, offline navigation and new sensors

Suunto now has a new smartwatch on offer, the Vertical 2. It boasts a wide range of features and is a likely competitor to the Garmin Forerunner smartwatches models. At €499 (US prices still pending), the Suunto Vertical 2 isn't exactly a bargain, and the titanium version is €100 more expensive. Equipped with a 1.5-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 466 x 466, the 49 x 13.6 millimeter smartwatch also comes with an LED flashlight that supports various brightness levels and can also display red light.

The Vertical 2 is advertised as featuring a completely redesigned optical heart rate sensor, which supposedly enables more accurate measurements. A typical problem with optical heart rate sensors, although accuracy is now generally solid, is the capturing of rapid changes in heart rate, such as during tough interval training. The watch should also be suitable for ultramarathons, as a battery life of up to 65 hours is stated with the most accurate GPS mode activated. When used as a normal smartwatch, this increases to a specified maximum of 20 days.

Offline navigation is supported; Climb Guidance is intended to provide users with additional (advance) information about ascents and descents during mountaineering. The color-coded route sections may make tour planning easier, for example, in terms of scheduling breaks. Routes can be changed without interrupting navigation. Lastly, the Vertical 2, which is available in four stainless steel versions and two titanium variants, features a new and updated processor.