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Tom’s Guide
Tom’s Guide
Technology
Dan Bracaglia

I walked 6,000 steps with the Apple Watch 11 vs Garmin Instinct 3 — and the winner is clear

Garmin Apple Dan Bracaglia GPS Strava Tom Guide
Close-up of the Garmin Instinct 3 next to the Apple Watch Series 11.

Apple and Garmin each make some of the best smartwatch models you can buy in 2025. While the new Apple Watch Series 11 is the best smartwatch for iPhone users, the rugged and long-lasting Garmin Instinct 3 is my personal favorite wearable for outdoor adventure tracking.

But which one is more accurate when it comes to keeping tabs on basic workouts, like walks and runs? I decided to find out by affixing the Apple Watch Series 11 to my left wrist and the Garmin Instinct 3 to my right wrist, before embarking on an hour-long walk through gorgeous Seattle, Washington.

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