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

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.

Thankfully, anyone upgrading from a years-old Garmin watch shouldn't feel my dissatisfaction: The Instinct 3 is an impressive fitness watch on its own merits. But the AMOLED facelift aside, only hardcore Garmin fans who're lukewarm about mainstream "smarts" will want the Instinct 3.

Garmin Instinct 3: Price, models, & specs

The Garmin Instinct 3 ships in 45mm and 50mm sizes, each with AMOLED and MIP Solar variants. There are "Tactical" MIP and AMOLED models and a budget Instinct E MIP; so far, there's no Instinct 3 Surf, Dezl, or Camo edition, like the Instinct 2 had.

The Garmin Instinct 3 Solar costs $399 and $449 for the 0.9-inch and 1.1-inch models, respectively; the 1.2- and 1.3-inch Instinct 3 AMOLED cost $449 and $499.

My Garmin Instinct 3 vs. 2X vs. 2 guide breaks down specific feature differences. The Instinct 2X Solar, as a compromise upgrade, got 3rd-gen perks like multi-band GPS and the flashlight in 2023. Its solar recharging crushes the Instinct 2 Solar but falls well short of the 3 Solar.

The Instinct 3 AMOLED battery life is comparable to the Instinct 2 Solar's unless you regularly spend hours in direct sunlight to recharge. There is a weeks-long gap between the Instinct 3 Solar and AMOLED, if you can stomach the low-res, grayscale display.

Garmin Instinct 3: Design & display

• Its big, bulky, and rugged design won't appeal to everyone.
• No touch screen, but the AMOLED display has great visibility.
• The Instinct 3 would've benefited from a crown for navigation.

The Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED has double the pixels per inch as the grayscale Solar display. MIP displays are more readable outdoors but nearly illegible indoors. The AMOLED model is more readable at home while bright enough for outdoor treks, with no pressure to seek out sunlight to recharge.

The old Instincts (and new 3 Solar) tracked the same data, but their two-window, low-res displays lacked space for graphs, forcing users to use Garmin's mobile app to see their progress over time. This newest model solves that problem, making data more accessible.

The ten default watch faces all fit several data fields — like your steps, Body Battery, recovery time, heart rate, battery life, and the weather — saving you from searching for the data.

Unfortunately, you still rely on the Up/Down buttons because the display is non-touch. They're more consistent during workouts but feel slow when navigating through menus. Even the Forerunner 165 and Vivoactive 6 have touch controls, so it's probably about battery efficiency, not cost. Still, only long-time Instinct users won't resent its absence.

I can already hear the boos from long-time Garmin fans, but I'll still say it: the Instinct 3 probably should've had a crown for easier navigation.

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Display aside, the Instinct 3 sticks to the trademark bulky design you'd expect from this lineup. The raised bezel and thick, shockproof polymer protect the display and components from falls, while the 10ATM water resistance ensures the roughest water sports won't break through its shell.

The Instinct design may appeal to G-Shock fans who don't need premium materials. The new aluminum layer bisects the bezel and case so it doesn't look like one uniform heap of plastic, like past models. And I like my limited edition Neo Tropic finish: its muted greens feel at home in a forest.

Most people will find the Instinct 3 too big and buttoned to be attractive. The Instinct 2X flopped in my smartwatch beauty pageant; even though the metal-edged Instinct 3 looks slightly better, it's still too bulky and athletic for most. Other Garmin watches can blend in more in professional contexts.

But if you ignore its looks, the Instinct 3 is more comfortable than you'd think. My 50mm model only 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, but slower than other Garmin watches.
• Impressive battery life that lasts up to 14 days or 30 hours in SatIQ mode.
• Flashlight is a battery killer and feels superfluous.

One of my biggest complaints with the last-gen Instincts was how slow the processor was. Noticeable lag accompanied every button press, making menu navigation a chore, and simple feature updates caused problems because of limited memory.

DC Rainmaker warns that the Instinct 3 Solar shares this issue since the system software takes up most of its 128MB of memory. I'm glad the Instinct 3 AMOLED has 4GB of space, with plenty of leeway.

The Instinct 3 still feels slower than other Garmin watches, even if it's faster than the Instinct 2. The missing touchscreen aside, every button press or uploaded workout has a tiny delay. But this sluggishness is the price paid to help the Instinct 3 last longer.

For context, the Forerunner 265 and Venu 3 last 13 or 14 days, respectively, while the Instinct 3 45mm and 50mm last 18 or 24 days. These other models aren't slouches, but an extra week makes a difference.

More importantly, the Instinct 3 lasts up to 30 hours in SatIQ mode with multi-band GPS, beating the Forerunner 265 by 14 hours, though losing to the Fenix 8 51mm by 32 hours.

Garmin's watches typically fall a few days or GPS hours short of the official battery estimates. On paper, you should only burn about 3% of your Instinct 3 battery per hour of activity; I observed at least 5%. But that's still significantly better than almost any other fitness watch I've tested!

The only true battery killer is the built-in flashlight. It has four white-LED intensity levels and a dimmer red LED; you can set any intensity to various strobe patterns to flash your presence, signaling your presence to cars and cyclists at night.

I've never cared to use Garmin's torch much. It's nice to whip out with a quick double-button tap to stumble to the bathroom, illuminate your pathway, or navigate a tent zipper without blinding others nearby. However, its max brightness can't match a typical phone flashlight, while still burning through your battery quickly.

I'd rather have it and not need it than the opposite. If your phone dies in an emergency, this flashlight is much better than the display flashlight mode on most watches. But if you regularly run at night, you'll still need a knuckle light or headlamp.

Garmin Instinct 3: GPS & HR accuracy

• The Elevate v4 sensor is as accurate as recent Garmin watches.
• Instinct 2 owners should appreciate the boost in accuracy for location and heart rate.

Garmin gave the Instinct 3 the same Elevate v4 sensor as the last few years of Garmin watches. While its multi-band GPS is industry-leading for accuracy, it hasn't changed much in recent years, aside from the SatIQ mode, which saves battery by only using multiple satellites when there's signal blockage.

All that is to say, if you've read any of my dozen Garmin reviews since 2022, there's nothing new to say here. I'll run through my results briefly, but the Instinct 3 is about as accurate as any other recent Garmin watch.

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The Instinct 3's optical HR sensor did fairly well keeping up with an optical arm band, with only a little lag, and ended with the same average heart rate. But for a track workout, there's a more noticeable gap for anaerobic sprints, and it ended 1 bpm short.

That's better than most fitness watch brands and not a substantial difference for everyday athletes, but the Elevate v5 sensor in the Venu 3 and Fenix 8 is slightly more responsive. And that's not to mention the missing ECG and skin temperature readings.

I ran five miles wearing the Polar Vantage M3 and Garmin Instinct 3 for a wrist-based comparison. The Vantage M3 lagged behind the Instinct 3 for most quick HR changes, but both ended with the same HR average. This test suggested that Garmin's sensor is slightly more responsive to changes, even though it's using older tech.

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During the run, the dual-band Vantage M3 measured 0.01 miles or 16m more distance than the Instinct 3, which was using SatIQ mode. Polar's tracking was slightly more accurate at most points, while Garmin tended to drift off the trail a bit under light foliage while staying dead-on when unobstructed.

This is my typical experience with SatIQ mode, which doesn't always kick in with better accuracy quickly enough. But it also shows how Garmin's standard GPS tracking keeps pace with other brands' multi-band results, which is reassuring.

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The map above shows me running three-mile-long loops on a set path with my Instinct 3. There's slight wavering at some points, whether because of foliage or having to run around people, but the tracking is dead-on in most cases.

If you own a GPS-only Garmin watch with older Elevate sensors, or if you switch from another brand, you'll be thrilled with this level of accuracy. Instinct 2 owners will certainly appreciate the location boost, but the heart rate accuracy is the same; invest in an HRM chest strap or COROS armband for better results.

Garmin Instinct 3: Software

• Garmin stables like Morning Report, Body Battery, and more are here.
• Lacks "smart" features like offline maps, music, and Bluetooth calling.
• You may need a Connect Plus subscription for extra features.

Garmin packs too many features into its watches to reasonably address one by one, so I've listed the highlights, bolding the features that the Instinct 2 lacked.

After a night of sleep, you'll get a sleep score and coaching on how to improve it baked into your Morning Report along with HRV status, Body Battery, training readiness, weather, and any calendar reminders.

Garmin is particularly good at judging heart rate variability, which measures your body's workout recovery and all-night blood oxygen levels. I just wish we had ECG and skin temperature readings.

Despite its extra memory and new display, the Instinct 3 isn't "smart." You won't find music storage, offline maps, Bluetooth calling, or commands. Its LiveTrack and emergency tools only work through your phone because it lacks an LTE option.

The Instinct 3's lightweight CPU helps it last longer, so I'm fine with most limitations. But I fully attribute its breadcrumb navigation to Garmin's rigid price tiers. Most recent AMOLED fitness watches in the $300+ range have started adding topographic maps, so you can download your regional data and follow nearby trails in an emergency. The Instinct 3 "adventure watch" should have done the same!

Thankfully, Garmin didn't hold the Instinct 3 back for general training guidance. You get the full training suite, including daily workout suggestions, low/high aerobic and anaerobic load breakdowns to help guide your training, and long-term Garmin Coach plans.

New advanced running and cycling dynamics analyze your form. Your grade-adjusted pace tells you how fast you're truly going relative to the elevation gain or loss. During intervals, the Instinct 3 can show your rest timer, allow for open repeats, or auto-detect starts — things the Instinct 2's tiny brain couldn't handle.

There are a few software perks on the Fenix 8 like hill & endurance scores, Strava Live Segments, diving tools, and (again) topo maps that you might wish the Instinct 3 had. But overall, the core Garmin experience is the same as ever. It's very easy to use this watch to get fitter or faster, and the AMOLED display exhibits your data in accessible charts.

As a final side note, the Instinct 3 doesn't come with a complimentary Connect Plus subscription period, which is a shame. No major Instinct 3 features are locked behind this paywall, but you may still end up paying for it.

Garmin Instinct 3: Competition

If money is no object, you may want to weigh the Instinct 3 against the Fenix 8. The latter has faster performance, offline maps, a touchscreen, and a speaker for voice commands and calling, with comparable battery life. You could also consider the Enduro 3 as a longer-lived (and much smarter) Solar alternative, but both watches cost hundreds more.

For a cheaper, long-lived AMOLED watch, consider the COROS PACE Pro, which lasts 20 days or 31 dual-frequency GPS hours per charge. You get perks like offline maps, MP3 music storage, and Strava Live Segments on top of COROS's similar training load tools and marathon training plans, though not a mic/speaker or contactless payments.

Garmin Instinct 3: Should you buy it?

You should buy the Garmin Instinct 3 if...

• You want a rugged, comfortable watch with weeks of battery life.
• You already know you like Garmin's training tools more than apps & smarts.
• You don't mind using your phone to follow trails.

You shouldn't buy the Garmin Instinct 3 if...

• You need a watch that'll blend in.
• You want a touchscreen, voice commands, music storage, or apps.
• You'd be fine with a cheaper Garmin that "only" lasts two weeks.

I loved the Garmin Instinct 2 and 2X for their longevity, but I barely used them outside of workouts. By adding an AMOLED display, the Instinct 3 is slightly more usable, even if the buttons and slow CPU hold it back.

The Instinct 3 AMOLED feels like a longer-lived, rugged Forerunner 265, but since that came out in 2023 — and the Forerunner 275 and 975 should (allegedly) arrive soon — I'm not sure if Garmin gave its new Instinct enough of a distinct identity, now that it's not an "unlimited" battery watch.

Garmin Instinct fans clearly don't care about the bells and whistles, however, so they won't care that the Instinct 3 doesn't have them! Ignore my nitpicks and enjoy the fact that it's objectively better than the Instinct 2 and 2X.