Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED evaluate: A reasonably face on a basic expertise

I’ve beforehand wavered between calling the Instinct 3 a winner or a flop. Garmin skimped on the Elevate v5 sensor and topo maps, however Instinct 2 homeowners nonetheless get dual-band Global Positioning System, built-in LEDs, sleep coach, coaching load focus, and a gyroscope on prime of Garmin’s ordinary coaching instruments.

The drawback? Garmin has reached an inflection level. Any groundbreaking options or mainstream smarts go to the $1,000 Fenix 8; then, Garmin withholds these options from “cheaper” fashions for years to prop up the flagships. That’s why the Instinct 3 looks like a cumbersome Forerunner with a flashlight, with no “adventurer” instruments.

Thankfully, anybody upgrading from a years-old Garmin watch should not really feel my dissatisfaction: The Instinct 3 is a powerful health watch by itself deserves. But the AMOLED facelift apart, solely hardcore Garmin followers who’re lukewarm about mainstream “smarts” will need the Instinct 3.

Garmin Instinct 3: Price, fashions, & specs

The Garmin Instinct 3 ships in 45mm and 50mm sizes, every with AMOLED and MIP Solar variants. There are “Tactical” MIP and AMOLED fashions and a price range Instinct E MIP; thus far, there isn’t any Instinct 3 Surf, Dezl, or Camo version, just like the Instinct 2 had.

The Garmin Instinct 3 Solar prices $399 and $449 for the 0.9-inch and 1.1-inch fashions, respectively; the 1.2- and 1.3-inch Instinct 3 AMOLED value $449 and $499.

My Garmin Instinct 3 vs. 2X vs. 2 information breaks down particular characteristic variations. The Instinct 2X Solar, as a compromise improve, received Third-gen perks like multi-band Global Positioning System and the flashlight in 2023. Its photo voltaic recharging crushes the Instinct 2 Solar however falls effectively in need of the three Solar.

The Instinct 3 AMOLED battery life is akin to the Instinct 2 Solar’s except you recurrently spend hours in direct daylight to recharge. There is a weeks-long hole between the Instinct 3 Solar and AMOLED, should you can abdomen the low-res, grayscale show.

Garmin Instinct 3: Design & show

• Its large, cumbersome, and rugged design will not enchantment to everybody.
• No contact display, however the AMOLED show has nice visibility.
• The Instinct 3 would’ve benefited from a crown for navigation.

The Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED has double the pixels per inch because the grayscale Solar show. MIP shows are extra readable outside however almost illegible indoors. The AMOLED mannequin is extra readable at dwelling whereas shiny sufficient for out of doors treks, with no stress to search out daylight to recharge.

The outdated Instincts (and new 3 Solar) tracked the identical information, however their two-window, low-res shows lacked house for graphs, forcing customers to make use of Garmin’s cell app to see their progress over time. This latest mannequin solves that drawback, making information extra accessible.

The ten default watch faces all match a number of information fields — like your steps, Body Battery, restoration time, coronary heart price, battery life, and the climate — saving you from looking for the information.

Unfortunately, you continue to depend on the Up/Down buttons as a result of the show is non-touch. They’re extra constant throughout exercises however really feel sluggish when navigating by means of menus. Even the Forerunner 165 and Vivoactive 6 have contact controls, so it is most likely about battery effectivity, not value. Still, solely long-time Instinct customers will not resent its absence.

I can already hear the boos from long-time Garmin followers, however I’ll nonetheless say it: the Instinct 3 most likely ought to’ve had a crown for simpler navigation.

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Display apart, the Instinct 3 sticks to the trademark cumbersome design you’d anticipate from this lineup. The raised bezel and thick, shockproof polymer defend the show and parts from falls, whereas the 10ATM water resistance ensures the roughest water sports activities will not break by means of its shell.

The Instinct design might enchantment to G-Shock followers who do not want premium supplies. The new aluminum layer bisects the bezel and case so it would not appear like one uniform heap of plastic, like previous fashions. And I like my restricted version Neo Tropic end: its muted greens really feel at dwelling in a forest.

Most folks will discover the Instinct 3 too large and buttoned to be engaging. The Instinct 2X flopped in my smartwatch magnificence pageant; despite the fact that the metal-edged Instinct 3 seems to be barely higher, it is nonetheless too cumbersome and athletic for many. Other Garmin watches can mix in additional in skilled contexts.

But should you ignore its seems to be, the Instinct 3 is extra comfy than you’d assume. My 50mm mannequin solely weighs 59g, or 11g and 30g lighter than my Pixel Watch 3 45mm and Galaxy Watch Ultra 47mm, respectively.

Garmin Instinct 3: Hardware & battery

• Faster than the Instinct 2, however slower than different Garmin watches.
• Impressive battery life that lasts as much as 14 days or 30 hours in SatIQ mode.
• Flashlight is a battery killer and feels superfluous.

One of my largest complaints with the last-gen Instincts was how sluggish the processor was. Noticeable lag accompanied each button press, making menu navigation a chore, and easy characteristic updates brought about issues due to restricted reminiscence.

DC Rainmaker warns that the Instinct 3 Solar shares this difficulty because the system software program takes up most of its 128MB of reminiscence. I’m glad the Instinct 3 AMOLED has 4GB of house, with loads of leeway.

The Instinct 3 nonetheless feels slower than different Garmin watches, even when it is sooner than the Instinct 2. The lacking touchscreen apart, each button press or uploaded exercise has a tiny delay. But this sluggishness is the value paid to assist the Instinct 3 last more.

For context, the Forerunner 265 and Venu 3 final 13 or 14 days, respectively, whereas the Instinct 3 45mm and 50mm final 18 or 24 days. These different fashions aren’t slouches, however an additional week makes a distinction.

More importantly, the Instinct 3 lasts as much as 30 hours in SatIQ mode with multi-band Global Positioning System, beating the Forerunner 265 by 14 hours, although shedding to the Fenix 8 51mm by 32 hours.

Garmin’s watches usually fall just a few days or Global Positioning System hours in need of the official battery estimates. On paper, you need to solely burn about 3% of your Instinct 3 battery per hour of exercise; I noticed not less than 5%. But that is nonetheless considerably higher than virtually some other health watch I’ve examined!

The solely true battery killer is the built-in flashlight. It has 4 white-LED depth ranges and a dimmer purple LED; you’ll be able to set any depth to numerous strobe patterns to flash your presence, signaling your presence to vehicles and cyclists at night time.

I’ve by no means cared to make use of Garmin’s torch a lot. It’s good to whip out with a fast double-button faucet to stumble to the lavatory, illuminate your pathway, or navigate a tent zipper with out blinding others close by. However, its max brightness cannot match a typical cellphone flashlight, whereas nonetheless burning by means of your battery shortly.

I’d moderately have it and never want it than the alternative. If your cellphone dies in an emergency, this flashlight is a lot better than the show flashlight mode on most watches. But should you recurrently run at night time, you will nonetheless want a knuckle gentle or headlamp.

Garmin Instinct 3: Global Positioning System & HR accuracy

• The Elevate v4 sensor is as correct as latest Garmin watches.
• Instinct 2 homeowners ought to respect the enhance in accuracy for location and coronary heart price.

Garmin gave the Instinct 3 the identical Elevate v4 sensor as the previous couple of years of Garmin watches. While its multi-band Global Positioning System is industry-leading for accuracy, it hasn’t modified a lot lately, other than the SatIQ mode, which saves battery by solely utilizing a number of satellites when there’s sign blockage.

All that’s to say, should you’ve learn any of my dozen Garmin opinions since 2022, there’s nothing new to say right here. I’ll run by means of my outcomes briefly, however the Instinct 3 is about as correct as some other latest Garmin watch.

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The Instinct 3’s optical HR sensor did pretty effectively maintaining with an optical arm band, with solely somewhat lag, and ended with the identical common coronary heart price. But for a monitor exercise, there is a extra noticeable hole for anaerobic sprints, and it ended 1 bpm quick.

That’s higher than most health watch manufacturers and never a considerable distinction for on a regular basis athletes, however the Elevate v5 sensor within the Venu 3 and Fenix 8 is barely extra responsive. And that is to not point out the lacking ECG and pores and skin temperature readings.

I ran 5 miles sporting the Polar Vantage M3 and Garmin Instinct 3 for a wrist-based comparability. The Vantage M3 lagged behind the Instinct 3 for many fast HR modifications, however each ended with the identical HR common. This check recommended that Garmin’s sensor is barely extra conscious of modifications, despite the fact that it is utilizing older tech.

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During the run, the dual-band Vantage M3 measured 0.01 miles or 16m extra distance than the Instinct 3, which was utilizing SatIQ mode. Polar’s monitoring was barely extra correct at most factors, whereas Garmin tended to float off the path a bit below gentle foliage whereas staying dead-on when unobstructed.

This is my typical expertise with SatIQ mode, which does not at all times kick in with higher accuracy shortly sufficient. But it additionally reveals how Garmin’s commonplace Global Positioning System monitoring retains tempo with different manufacturers’ multi-band outcomes, which is reassuring.

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The map above reveals me operating three-mile-long loops on a set path with my Instinct 3. There’s slight wavering at some factors, whether or not due to foliage or having to run round folks, however the monitoring is dead-on normally.

If you personal a Global Positioning System-only Garmin watch with older Elevate sensors, or should you swap from one other model, you will be thrilled with this stage of accuracy. Instinct 2 homeowners will definitely respect the placement enhance, however the coronary heart price accuracy is identical; spend money on an HRM chest strap or COROS armband for higher outcomes.

Garmin Instinct 3: Software

• Garmin stables like Morning Report, Body Battery, and extra are right here.
• Lacks “sensible” options like offline maps, music, and Bluetooth calling.
• You might have a Connect Plus subscription for further options.

Garmin packs too many options into its watches to moderately handle one after the other, so I’ve listed the highlights, bolding the options that the Instinct 2 lacked.

After an evening of sleep, you will get a sleep rating and training on find out how to enhance it baked into your Morning Report together with HRV standing, Body Battery, coaching readiness, climate, and any calendar reminders.

Garmin is especially good at judging coronary heart price variability, which measures your physique’s exercise restoration and all-night blood oxygen ranges. I simply want we had ECG and pores and skin temperature readings.

Despite its further reminiscence and new show, the Instinct 3 is not “sensible.” You will not discover music storage, offline maps, Bluetooth calling, or instructions. Its LiveObserve and emergency instruments solely work by means of your cellphone as a result of it lacks an LTE choice.

The Instinct 3’s light-weight CPU helps it last more, so I’m fantastic with most limitations. But I totally attribute its breadcrumb navigation to Garmin’s inflexible worth tiers. Most latest AMOLED health watches within the $300+ vary have began including topographic maps, so you’ll be able to obtain your regional information and observe close by trails in an emergency. The Instinct 3 “journey watch” ought to have carried out the identical!

Thankfully, Garmin did not maintain the Instinct 3 again for normal coaching steering. You get the complete coaching suite, together with day by day exercise strategies, low/excessive cardio and anaerobic load breakdowns to assist information your coaching, and long-term Garmin Coach plans.

New superior operating and biking dynamics analyze your kind. Your grade-adjusted tempo tells you how briskly you are actually going relative to the elevation acquire or loss. During intervals, the Instinct 3 can present your relaxation timer, permit for open repeats, or auto-detect begins — issues the Instinct 2’s tiny mind could not deal with.

There are just a few software program perks on the Fenix 8 like hill & endurance scores, Strava Live Segments, diving instruments, and (once more) topo maps that you simply would possibly want the Instinct 3 had. But total, the core Garmin expertise is identical as ever. It’s very straightforward to make use of this watch to get fitter or sooner, and the AMOLED show displays your information in accessible charts.

As a last facet notice, the Instinct 3 would not include a complimentary Connect Plus subscription interval, which is a disgrace. No main Instinct 3 options are locked behind this paywall, however you should still find yourself paying for it.

Garmin Instinct 3: Competition

If cash isn’t any object, you might wish to weigh the Instinct 3 towards the Fenix 8. The latter has sooner efficiency, offline maps, a touchscreen, and a speaker for voice instructions and calling, with comparable battery life. You might additionally think about the Enduro 3 as a longer-lived (and far smarter) Solar different, however each watches value a whole bunch extra.

For a less expensive, long-lived AMOLED watch, think about the COROS PACE Pro, which lasts 20 days or 31 dual-frequency Global Positioning System hours per cost. You get perks like offline maps, MP3 music storage, and Strava Live Segments on prime of COROS’s comparable coaching load instruments and marathon coaching plans, although not a mic/speaker or contactless funds.

Garmin Instinct 3: Should you purchase it?

You should purchase the Garmin Instinct 3 if…

• You desire a rugged, comfy watch with weeks of battery life.
• You already know you want Garmin’s coaching instruments greater than apps & smarts.
• You do not thoughts utilizing your cellphone to observe trails.

You should not purchase the Garmin Instinct 3 if…

• You want a watch that’ll mix in.
• You desire a touchscreen, voice instructions, music storage, or apps.
• You’d be fantastic with a less expensive Garmin that “solely” lasts two weeks.

I cherished the Garmin Instinct 2 and 2X for his or her longevity, however I barely used them exterior of exercises. By including an AMOLED show, the Instinct 3 is barely extra usable, even when the buttons and sluggish CPU maintain it again.

The Instinct 3 AMOLED looks like a longer-lived, rugged Forerunner 265, however since that got here out in 2023 — and the Forerunner 275 and 975 ought to (allegedly) arrive quickly — I’m unsure if Garmin gave its new Instinct sufficient of a definite identification, now that it is not an “limitless” battery watch.

Garmin Instinct followers clearly do not care in regards to the bells and whistles, nonetheless, so they will not care that the Instinct 3 would not have them! Ignore my nitpicks and luxuriate in the truth that it is objectively higher than the Instinct 2 and 2X.