Perhaps counterintuitively, the Suunto 9 Peak was released in fall of 2021, while the Suunto 5 Peak is a more recent watch, having come out in February of 2022. So what are the differences between these very similarly (and confusingly) named smartwatches? In this article, we’ll compare the Suunto 5 Peak vs 9 Peak to help you find the right watch for you.
What’s New in the Suunto 5 Peak?
According to Suunto, the new 5 Peak watch has been tested in harsh environments. From muddy roads to windy beaches, it is a superb training partner and can even tolerate water depths up to 30 meters.
There is a wide range of options available when it comes to the appearance of the Suunto 5 Peak. Suunto’s first strap made from manufacturing waste is included, as well as six different color straps and nine additional 22mm accessory straps. Suunto’s smart belt and cycling sensor are also compatible.
The best parts about the Suunto 5 Peak:
- It weighs 39g, lighter than any other Suunto
- It has a music player
- Performance (20 hours), Endurance (40 hours), and Tour (100 hours) are the three battery options available
- The watch can run for up to ten days in Time Mode on a single charge
- There are over 80 distinct sport modes to choose from
- The Suunto app’s heat maps let you create and track itineraries for 20 different sports
- You can plan and view travels on 3D maps with the Suunto app
- It offers a configurable workout plan, tracks steps, calories, and recovery time, and offers a sleep monitoring feature
- The new Burner feature calculates how much fat and carbohydrates are burned during activity
So how does the new Suunto 5 Peak compare to the existing Suunto 9 Peak?
Design
Suunto 9 Peak
The physical size difference between the 9 Peak and the 5 Peak is one visible difference: the 9 Peak is heavier (62 g) than the 5 Peak (39 g), but isn’t as thick.
The 9 Peak comes in:
- Grey stainless steel
- Granite blue titanium
- Titanium
A plug clasp replaces the normal strap stay by inserting into the opposite strap’s holes.
Suunto offers four different models of the 9 Peak: two stainless steel and two titanium. The brushed titanium variant is around 8g lighter and has an especially sleek design and good quality feel.
The watch includes three buttons for tactile manipulation, but it also has a touchscreen that is sensitive even when wet and can be accessed by unlocking the screen with any button.
Suunto 5 Peak
The 5 Peak looks similar to the Suunto 9 Peak; however, to make it more inexpensive, it lacks a few features. The Nordic design of simple and clean lines, as opposed to a more rugged appearance, appears to be here to stay at Suunto.
It’s an evolution of the Suunto 5, featuring additional features as well as design elements and details taken from the Suunto 9.
Sensors
Suunto 9 Peak
An optical heart rate sensor is also included in the Peak 9, which has been found to be quite accurate at rest but less so while running. On the back of the watch, there is also an SPO2 sensor (pulse oximeter). This sensor, unlike others, responds only when prompted; there is no 24-hour monitoring and it is not available during exercise. Both of these help to save battery life.
To be fair, none of the major GPS watch companies include accurate SPO2 monitoring when the device is in use. While some people use SPO2 to assess sleep quality and overall well-being, manual measurements are only appropriate for performing altitude spot checks.
Suunto 5 Peak
The only sensor on the 5 Peak that hasn’t been updated is the optical pulse sensor. The Valencell sensor on the 5 Peak is the same as on the Suunto 5 (and other older models of the brand). The truth is that its performance has already begun to deteriorate, but the Suunto 5 Peak’s lighter weight will help it perform more consistently.
Other sensors have mostly remained unchanged. There was significant speculation that the device would have a barometric sensor, but this was not the case. The barometric altitude of the watch is still determined only by GPS position (the 9 Peak does have a barometric sensor).
A blood oxygen sensor, which is becoming increasingly common these days in smartwatches, is also missing. The heart rate sensor is the same as the one found in the Suunto 5, but thanks to improved algorithms, accuracy should improve.
GPS
Suunto 9 Peak
It has been widely reported that Peak 9 now offers “snap to route” functionality. Before starting an activity, the user generates a route or uploads a GPX file to the device. It is possible to snap to a route, and once the feature is active, the GPS track will remain on that predetermined route until a certain point is reached.
Snap to Route is almost flawless when it comes to recording GPS-based events. Using this function, GPS reliability can be improved in areas and modes that have historically had poor GPS signals, such as deep forests and major cities.
This feature appears to be aimed at people who run major city marathons and races and rely on their data to be accurate even when the connection is weak; nevertheless, trail runners may find it difficult to use. Snap to Route’s efficiency depends on correct route planning, which is significantly more difficult to execute on trails than on roads.
Suunto 5 Peak
You can record a route in the Suunto 5 Peak so you can follow it later, even if you don’t have good GPS reception.
Routes may be linked to platforms such as Training Peaks, Strava, or Komoot, and then followed turn by turn (Komoot) using a Suunto 5 Peak, making it nearly impossible to get lost.
You can check heat and 3D maps to see popular routes in a region, plan your excursions, and then synchronize them with the clock using the Suunto app on your smartphone. Keep in mind that the Suunto 5 Peak lacks built-in maps.
Battery life
Suunto 5 Peak
The Suunto 5 Peak offers a battery life of 20 hours in Performance mode, which is solid and a significant consideration for athletes choosing a GPS watch.
In Endurance mode, the battery life may be extended to 40 hours, and in Tour mode, it can be extended to 100 hours (modes vary depending on GPS accuracy, screen brightness, and whether Bluetooth mode is activated, among other variable).
When the heart rate monitor is activated 24 hours a day and smartphone notifications are enabled, the battery life lasts up to 10 days in Tour mode, which is more than acceptable for a mid-range watch.
Suunto 9 Peak
An intelligent reminder flashes when the battery on the 9 Peak becomes low, reminding the user to switch modes. The four main battery modes are Performance, Endurance, Ultra, and Tour.
For most runs, the normal mode, Performance, is auto-selected while the battery level is high; however, if longer runs or activities are required, another mode can be selected.
GPS pings are 1 second apart in Performance mode and 1 hour apart in Tour mode, resulting in a battery life of 170 hours.
Features
Suunto 5 Peak
There are 80 different sports to choose from on the Suunto 5 Peak. Sleep tracking, training session recovery, and the option to create sunrise and sunset alarms to manage your training are all included.
You can modify and configure the various screens and parameters of the watch through the app, which also performs smartwatch functions by allowing you to receive notifications on the watch and listen to music stored on your mobile device. Essentially, the 5 Peak offers similar features as the 9 Peak but at a lower cost.
Suunto 9 Peak
The user interface of the 9 Peak will be familiar to users of previous Suunto models because it is nearly identical. Suunto has updated the software across their sports watch series since the Peak 9, offering users consistency of operation while also adding functionality from higher-priced models. This appears to be a widespread industry practice that boosts brand loyalty while also extending the life of old products. Features that the 9 Peak offers that the 5 Peak does not have include a touchscreen, barometric altimeter, and magnetic compass.
Sunnto 5 Peak Vs 9 Peak Availability
On January 20, initial preorders for the Suunto 5 Peak were open on the brand’s website, and sales elsewhere started on February 1. We’re expecting the Suunto 5 Peak to be accessible in the rest of the world very shortly.
The Suunto 9 Peak is older and therefore widely available.
If you want to know if Suunto is the right choice for you, see our comparison of Suunto with Garmin.
Last Updated on February 23, 2022
Maygen is a multifaceted writer, proofreader, and experienced smartwatch industry writing and editing professional.
We appreciate her work, contribution to our blog, marketing skills, editing, and expert writing abilities which are second to none.
Truly adept in content strategy and content creation which has immense contribution to our blog.