The Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED is a pretty face on a classic experience

The Garmin Instinct 3 50mm AMOLED perched atop a thick tree branch, the watch face showing traditional watch hands above various small data fields.

I've previously wavered between calling the Instinct 3 a winner or a flop. Garmin skimped on the Elevate v5 sensor and topo maps, but Instinct 2 owners still get dual-band GPS, built-in LEDs, sleep coach, training load focus, and a gyroscope on top of Garmin's usual training tools.

The problem? Garmin has reached an inflection point. Any groundbreaking features or mainstream smarts go to the $1,000 Fenix 8; then, Garmin withholds these features from "cheaper" models for years to prop up the flagships. That's why the Instinct 3 feels like a bulky Forerunner with a flashlight, with no "adventurer" tools.