Suunto Core 2: 15 months of battery life and tougher 10 ATM protection

Suunto has introduced the Core 2, a successor to the rugged Core watch that debuted nearly 20 years ago. The new model keeps the classic outdoor-watch format with an altimeter, barometer and compass, while adding a reinforced design, a brighter display and longer battery life.

Suunto Core 2 runs for up to 15 months on a replaceable CR3032 battery that owners can swap themselves. The case is now rated to 10 ATM, up from 3 ATM on the previous generation, making the watch suitable for swimming and other water activities.

The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass and, according to the manufacturer, is 40% brighter in daylight. The backlight can switch between green and red modes, with red causing less glare in the dark. The watch also gets larger buttons and a silicone strap.

The model includes a barometric altimeter, digital compass, storm alerts and atmospheric-pressure tracking. It also shows Moon phases, sunrise and sunset times, supports two time zones, and includes a step counter, stopwatch, timer and daily alarms. Bluetooth is used for syncing and software updates.

Suunto Core 2 is already listed in the company’s European online store for €179. At launch, it was not yet available through Suunto’s US website. The model is aimed at users who value long battery life and hiking tools but do not need GPS, apps or the broader feature set of a full smartwatch.