When it comes to purpose-driven smartwatches, no brand is better or more revered than Garmin. Its wide range of models does well to delineate use, whether you’re a rugged outdoorsman, a marathoner, or a gym rat. While some of the brand’s best watches eclipse the $1,500 price point, the Instinct line keeps its price below $500.
More of an example of simplification than an entry-level model, the Instinct has long been a favorite for hikers and outdoorsmen who just want a very solid smartwatch without all the bells and whistles of the more expensive smartwatches. Today, Garmin presents its 3rd-gen version of the Instinct, its first major update in three years.
What’s New?
Available in both AMOLED (always-on display) and Solar versions, the Instinct 3 brings back the fiber-reinforced polymer case, now with an aluminum bezel and built to MIL-STD 810 for durability. While the new watches deliver similar software features as before, they’re presented in an updated package. The watches also leverage the new SatIQ GPS tech, which intelligently adjusts your GPS mode (GPS, GLONASS, or Galileo) depending on where you are and what you’re doing.
A major upgrade for the Instinct 3 is the inclusion of AMOLED versions, which had been somewhat of a complaint with the outgoing model. However, the AMOLED variant is not solar-powered and the Solar version does not have an AMOLED display (it has a MIP display). Another big upgrade is the addition of the built-in LED flashlight across all Instinct 3 models. These were previously only included on the Instinct 2X Solar 50mm version.
In terms of battery life, however, we noticed the new AMOLED versions do go back a step, which is to be expected. While the Solar versions have the same smartwatch-mode battery life (28 days and 40 days in the 45mm and 50mm cases, respectively, with solar power giving you virtually unlimited battery), the AMOLED drops down to 18 days and 24 days in smartwatch mode for the 45mm and 50mm, respectively.
Talking About Dimensions
Available in 10 variants in total, including 5 limited-edition colorways, both the AMOLED and Solar versions come in 45mm and 50mm case sizes, leaving the 40mm case size out of the Instinct 3 range (if you want a 40mm case size, check out the similar Instinct E instead).
The thickness of the Garmin watches hasn’t changed much. For the 45mm version, it’s gone from 14.4mm to 14.9mm. Meanwhile, the 50mm version has only gone up 0.1mm to 14.5mm. However, for the AMOLED versions, display size gets a big bump. We’re talking from 0.9” to 1.2” for the 45mm and from 1.1” to 1.3” for the 50mm. These fractions of an inch make a big difference when it comes to reading small details on a screen. For what it’s worth, the Solar versions have the same display diameter as the Instinct 2.
Spec Sheet
Case Size: 45mm or 50mm
Case Thickness: 14.9mm or 14.4mm
Case Material: Fiber-reinforced polymer with aluminum bezel
Display Type: AMOLED or MIP
Battery Life: 28 days (Solar 45mm, smartwatch-only), 40 days (Solar 50mm, smartwatch-only), 18 days (AMOLED 45mm, smartwatch-only), 24 days (AMOLED 50mm, smartwatch-only)
Pricing & Availability
It should be noted that the AMOLED is about $50 more expensive than the Solar version, which is priced the same as the Instinct 2 Solar. Ranging from $400 to $500, depending which variant you get, the Instinct 3 is now available from Garmin’s website.
Recap
Garmin Instinct 3
Garmin debuts its Instinct 3 outdoor smartwatch, now with an AMOLED display option and an LED flashlight available in all models.
