The bang-for-buck champion makes way for the AMOLED era as stock set to dry up globally
Coros has officially confirmed the discontinuation of the Pace 3, marking the end of the line for one of the most successful budget running watches in the industry.
A company spokesperson confirmed that the device is out of stock (at least on the company’s own site) and won’t be replenished.
While the brand has not provided an official reason, it likely wants to prevent its Pace 4—which was released back in October for $249—from being cannibalized by the slightly cheaper model.
It’s a semi-surprising consolidation from Coros, which spent years positioning the Pace 3 as the primary disruptor to Garmin’s dominant Forerunner series—specifically, the (quite expensive) entry-level Forerunner 165 and last-gen mid-ranger Forerunner 265.
The end of the transflective era?
We lauded the Pace 3 in our long-term review for its lightweight design, intuitive running insights, and solid GPS accuracy. And while that has all been replicated for the newer generation, the retirement announcement so soon after the Pace 4 launch likely also signals that Coros is now pivoting entirely to AMOLED for its running watches.
As Garmin found when it began down the all-AMOLED path a few years ago for the Forerunner, not every user is looking for a brighter, more colorful display—even if battery life is comparable. In that sense, the Pace 3 became our go-to recommendation for runners who valued the alternate visibility of transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) displays. Its departure leaves a notable gap in the market.
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Unless a Pace 4 ‘Lite’ is in the works, it also raises the entry level of the brand’s watches. The Pace 3 was frequently on sale for under $200, making it the ultimate entry point for data-serious runners. Without it, the entry into the ecosystem effectively jumps to $249.
Suffice it to say that if you still see a Pace 3 on a third-party retail shelf, grab it—it’s about to become a sought-after item for those seeking a Garmin alternative. In fact, I’ll drop in our live widget here so you can see where it’s in stock without any heavy lifting (read: simple Googling).