Come, come, come, come ! If the main thing is to participate, the goal of the thousands of runners who will take the start of the Paris Marathon 2023 is also about winning… and crossing the finish line! 42,195km! Many will be those who will use a connected watch to support them during the effort. Having become essential for perfectly managing your training sessions, the small GPS counters are just as essential for adapting your race to the competition. 20 minutes has selected three, for all levels, among the novelties of this year 2023.
The beginner: Polar Pacer Pro
With its LCD screen, the Pacer Pro offers immediate access to its functions using its five buttons. Its sober interface will suit beginners who are not looking for superfluous functions. For their part, the Polar Flow and Polar Beat applications compile the data. Opposite the first dedicated to daily activities, the second, focused on sport, lists outings, average and maximum heart rate, mapping… 299 euros.
Our opinion : Lightweight (41 g), this watch offers a great gateway into the world of running counters. Although its screen is not touch-sensitive, its use is intuitive. And it is possible to program its outputs through its application.
The personalized one: Forerunner 265, from Garmin
Focused on running, the Forerunner 265 adapts to your level by offering workouts that take into account your latest performance, your level of recovery, but also the quality of your sleep… This watch incorporates an optical heart rate monitor and an oximeter (SpO2), but also, for the mountains, an altimeter to measure altitude, elevation, vertical distance… To stimulate her runs, she has her own music player (8 GB). 499 euros.
Our opinion : The readable, contrasted and colored AMOLED screen (ideal in the sun) of this watch with a battery life of up to 26 hours is appealing. Optimized for running, it can also measure your performance for 30 sports and will accompany you in water (5 ATM). Among its functions, race time prediction is a good indicator in competition.
The complete one: Peak Pro, from Suunto
For his Peak Pro, the Finnish manufacturer Suunto multiplies the novelties: brand new processor which offers an exemplary fluidity of use, new cardio sensor which increases the precision of the measurements, new GPS chip… without forgetting an interface rid of its artifices. Multisport (it integrates up to 95 sports modes), its application allows you to prepare a race, a route for hiking or cycling. From 499 euros.
Our opinion : With a very comfortable autonomy (up to 15 days depending on use), this stainless steel watch allows Suunto to pose as a very serious competitor to Garmin. Suitable for diving up to 10 meters, its resistance (10 ATM) also makes it compatible with all water activities.