Between the PACE 3 and Fenix 8 CE (47mm), the PACE 3 comes out ahead in smartwatch mode, while the Fenix 8 CE (47mm) wins on gps mode and ecg. Overall, the PACE 3 scores 46.6 and the Fenix 8 CE (47mm) scores 50 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Fenix 8 CE (47mm) edges ahead on the Mars Score (46.6 vs 50), but the 3.4-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the PACE 3 if you care most about smartwatch mode. The biggest gaps in its favor are smartwatch mode.
Pick the Fenix 8 CE (47mm) if you care most about gps mode and ecg. Its strongest claims are gps mode, ecg.
Both ship with comparable multi-band gps, solar charging, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Coros - PACE 3 wins
- ▲Smartwatch mode — 6.25% more. 17 days vs 16 days.
Why Garmin - Fenix 8 CE (47mm) wins
- ▲GPS mode — 121.05% more. 84 h vs 38 h.
- ▲Has ECG.
Spec comparison
GPS & Sensors
| Spec | Coros - PACE 3 | Garmin - Fenix 8 CE (47mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-band GPS | true | true |
| Barometric altimeter | true | true |
| Heart rate | true | true |
| ECG | false | truelead |
| Pulse Ox | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Coros - PACE 3 | Garmin - Fenix 8 CE (47mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch mode | 17 dayslead | 16 days |
| GPS mode | 38 h | 84 hlead |
| Solar charging | false | false |
Design
| Spec | Coros - PACE 3 | Garmin - Fenix 8 CE (47mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Case size | 42 mm | 47 mmlead |
| Weight | 39 glead | 80 g |
| Water resistanceⓘ | 5 ATM | 10 ATMlead |
Spec-level deep dives
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