
The Garmin Instinct 3 is Garmin’s latest mid-range adventure watch. It builds on the five-star Instinct 2 with options for either a long-lasting MIP solar screen, which is similar to the Instinct 2's, or a brighter AMOLED one. Garmin’s LED flashlight is now on the Instinct series, not just the 2X Solar, and GPS has been improved with SatIQ.
For
- Improved SatIQ GPS
- All models now get flashlight
- AMOLED screen option
Against
- More expensive than Instinct 2
- Similar software features
The Garmin Instinct 2 is still an excellent rugged fitness watch by any metric, even though it’s now several years old. Its battery life is still very good, especially compared to most modern smartwatches, its multi-GNSS location tracking is accurate enough, and it’s super-durable, and offers great outdoor-sports tracking. Best of all, it can now be found very cheap.
For
- Slimmer, but still tough
- Advanced training tools
- Extra long battery life
Against
- Doesn't display maps well
- No AMOLED option
- No metal supported bezel