The Garmin Instinct Crossover AMOLED is an expensive hybrid watch for adventurers

What you need to know

• Garmin announced the Instinct Crossover AMOLED hybrid watch on Wednesday.
• Starting at $649, this new model's 1.2-inch AMOLED display features analog watch hands that automatically recalibrate to the correct positions.
• The Instinct Crossover AMOLED has 10ATM resistance, MIL-STD protection, a built-in flashlight, and 14 days of battery life.

Garmin watches have steadily switched from MIP to AMOLED over the last few years, but I doubt many people expected to see a Garmin Instinct Crossover AMOLED watch, with Super-LumiNova-coated analog watch hands atop a 1.2-inch AMOLED display.

Like the Instinct 3, this new Crossover offers military-grade ruggedness and resistance, a metal bezel atop the polymer case, multi-band GPS with SatIQ mode, white & red LED flashlights, 4th-Gen Elevate sensors, and identical training tools.

However, unlike the original Garmin Instinct Crossover — which lasted for 28 days or up to 70 with a solar upgrade — the Instinct Crossover AMOLED prioritizes everyday readability, lasting only 14 days per charge. While totally respectable for a normal fitness watch, it's on the low end for the Instinct series.

That said, its 29 GPS hours of tracking actually beats the original Crossover (25 hours), though its 15 hours of multi-band tracking loses to the 50mm Instinct 3 (30 hours).

The original Crossover's 0.9-inch monocolor display was nothing to write home about, automatically truncating notifications and widgets to accommodate the lower resolution.

This AMOLED hybrid still relies on button controls instead of touch, but gives you the space to make things readable, even with the watch hands taking up space. And you get sapphire glass instead of basic "chemically strengthened" protection, along with the new flashlight and upgraded GPS accuracy.

“From a day on the hiking trail to a night on the town, Instinct Crossover AMOLED offers the best of both worlds," says Garmin VP Susan Lyman.

The Instinct Crossover AMOLED offers a more classic style than the Instinct 3, with a steel bezel instead of aluminum and vibrant hands that are easy to see in any environment. Garmin promises that its RevoDrive tech will "detect and recalibrate misaligned hands" so you always know the correct time; it's something they offered in the original Crossover.

According to the specs sheet, the Instinct Crossover AMOLED weighs 67g with 15mm thickness, slightly heavier than the Instinct 3 but with a similar bulky design.

Garmin is launching the Instinct Crossover AMOLED at $649 in two colorways: charcoal and bronze/ sunburst. Plus, it's launching a Tactical Edition for $749 that adds Garmin's usual military applications like ballistics, stealth mode, and night vision goggle compatibility.

Garmin watches have gotten more expensive in the past year; most lineups are combining new upgrades with $100+ bumps in price. The Instinct Crossover AMOLED is no exception, and it'll be interesting to see if Instinct fans appreciate the serious visibility boost or rebel against the battery loss and expensive price.