Garmin Instinct 3 Review

I’ll start my Garmin Instinct 3 Review with an outdoors-focused anecdote.

It’s day two of our week-long summer adventure deep in the Lake District. My mate Jo, ever the tech enthusiast, proudly strapped on an Apple Watch Ultra at the trailhead, raving about its bright display and all the apps loaded and primed with routes and data for our expedition. We’d planned a proper break from the hustle—just the two of us, our gear, and miles of hiking, scrambling, and wild camping ahead.

By Sunday evening, as the sun dipped low behind the fells, Jo sat fiddling with the watch, enthusiasm replaced by a sinking realization. “Flat already,” Jo muttered, waving it at me like a white flag of surrender. Five days to go, a forgotten charging puck, and the prized Ultra had transformed into an expensive bracelet.

Meanwhile, my Garmin Instinct 3 Solar was basking in the evening light, happily sipping power from the sun. No stress, no cables—just the confidence of infinite battery life. I couldn’t help but grin. “You brought the wrong tool for the job, mate,” I quipped, pulling up some route info for the next day.

For adventurers who don’t want to compromise on reliability, the Garmin Instinct 3 doesn’t just survive the week—it thrives with rugged durability; and solar charging or an AMOLED display that keeps up with you, no matter how far you go.

Of course, Jo could have replied, “At least mine’s got a map.” Jo could have thrown in another word or two like, “…and my iPhone’s got free emergency satellite connectivity.” I think I still would have won, though!

That’s a realistic scenario of what could happen, so in this no-holds-barred review of the Garmin Instinct 3, I’ll dive deep into the strengths and weaknesses of it. It’s a popular series of watches, excellent at many aspects of outdoor adventuring but strangely ‘a bit rubbish’ at others.

I bought this Garmin Instinct 3 50mm AMOLED with my own money for this review. I have zero relationship with Garmin and am not part of their marketing. I get no freebies. I’m not a Garmin ambassador. This review isn’t paid for or influenced by Garmin. Hopefully, that’s clear! Please support the work here and buy from the links.

 Instinct 3 AMOLED 45mm: $449  (50mm, $499)
Instinct 3 SOLAR 45mm: $399 (50mm, $449)
Instinct Instinct E 40mm: $299 (45mm, $299)

Instinct 3 – Some Experiences With Navigation

The lack of a map is somewhat worrying; you’ll need one to safely complete a complex, unmarked or dangerous route. However, we all managed to do this a decade ago without maps on our wrists, so obviously, it’s possible today. Instinct 3 works alongside other navigation options, such as the smartphone that almost everyone carries.

Garmin Instinct 3 will help you follow a pre-planned breadcrumb route or navigate a straight line to a point. You can also retrace your steps, get directed straight back to the start point, or even use the old-school compass on Instinct. You might have a paper map, Google/Apple maps on your phone, or the maps on the Garmin Explore app. What you don’t have is the following:

• A conveniently located map that gives immediate visual context of your location on your wrist
• Intelligent re-routing should you stray from your planned route
• The ability to create a route on your wrist.

To get around that, might your solution be to look at your phone? If so, do you need to buy Instinct at all? Here are some scenarios where I tried only to use Instinct 3 to assess its shortcomings.

Scenario 1 – A day hike on easy terrain following a national-level, marked trail

I loaded up the UK’s South Downs Way route and headed off to start somewhere near its midpoint.

The visual cues for navigation are everywhere. I usually followed a well-worn path, and there were signposts. In summer, there would be lots of people on the same route. I struggled to get lost! Instinct was great at giving me an indication of distances to go, metres climbed, average speeds and the like. The breadcrumb route and my vertical progress along the elevation profile were perhaps all I needed.

I deliberately got ‘lost’, and the deviation of the actual route from the planned route shown on the watch was sufficiently apparent for me to make my way back, effectively taking an intelligent guess on where to head. That strategy won’t work in other circumstances and could lead you off a cliff edge in a snowstorm, but the sun was shining, and there were no cliff edges this time.

The point here is that I suspect this scenario describes how many, but not all, people will use Instinct as a simple logger and aid for recreational walks. Instinct 3 is perfectly OK if you have a map/smartphone for emergencies.

Scenario 2 – A ride on an urban marked route following alleys, trails, paths and roads

I followed the London’s Capital Ring route with friends, and you might think this scenario had outcomes similar to the first. But no, we got lost quite a few times.

We tried to make rapid progress on two wheels and moved at higher speeds than walking. Despite TBT alerts, we were sometimes distracted from turns by chatting, and no worn path or other people were going the same way. Even marked turns were not always obviously marked; in any case, the local oiks had moved many of the signs, pointing them in the wrong direction!

Over 4 hours, we got ‘lost’ about once every 30 minutes, wasting about 5 minutes each time. I knew the route well, but a friend was given the job of navigating.

The breadcrumb track isn’t good when multiple options lead in similar directions. You head down the wrong route, and it looks OK; you think it’s OK and then realise it isn’t. There’s no danger, but you can easily waste significant time on complex or even slightly confusing routes.

In this scenario, it helps to have visual cues like an actual map or map on your wrist (handlebars). The higher speeds compound the time impact of your navigational mistakes.

I’ve done similar routes with a Fenix and its map. My eyesight isn’t as good as it was, and when cycling, it’s not safe to look at the map on my wrist. Any small watch on my handlebars has a tiny screen, and it isn’t easy to quickly see all the details especially on bumpy terrains when the watch vibrates. Bike computers were invented for a reason, and they do a MUCH better job. Plus, they usually have maps – even the Garmin ones!

Scenario 3 – Deliberately getting lost in unfamiliar woodland

This time, I ventured to The Devil’s Punchbowl route, created and synced a prepared route, headed off, and veered the wrong way into relatively dense woodland on a steep hillside. I knew another trail was ‘somewhere’ down the hill and aimed to take an impromptu shortcut. This was relatively dangerous as many trip hazards were on reasonably steep slopes with no other people.

My “clever”, impromptu shortcut led to an impassable barbed wire fence! Grrr. Lesson learned.

I was kinda lost. Instinct could retrace my steps, so there was no danger in that sense, but it was up a bloomin’ steep hill. I was not confident I could get where I wanted to using Instinct 3.

I was in a natural ‘bowl’ feature, so I had the geographical clues to know where to go on this occasion.

Scenario 4 – Another Easy Hike on a marked trail – with a twist

I carried both my Instinct 3 and Forerunner 965 this time for the latter’s maps. How long could I last without checking the Forerunner’s maps? The two watches have similar screens and similar interfaces, so familiarity would not especially tempt me away with the FR965 – it would just be its maps. Hopefully, how long I stuck with Instinct would be determined by my tolerance for the lack of maps!

I was on the North Downs Way route. It’s similar to the South Downs way but…a bit further North!

How long is it to go on this hill? How steep is the next bit? Where is the stream? Some of those questions will be partly answered on Instinct 3, mainly if you are organised enough to add waypoints and check your progress along the route’s elevation profile. I hadn’t done that.

I only lasted an hour before I started to peak at my Forerunner 965 – it has the same features as the Fenix – Instinct 3’s big brother – instead with a plastic shell. I found it nicer to look at the FR965’s beautifully coloured touchscreen and a map with contours. Instinct’s breadcrumb route looks rubbish in comparison. Even the Apple Watch 10 I carried along has awesomely vivid contour maps.

Another nice-to-have feature with more expensive Garmin watches is ClimbPro. Instinct nicely shows your progress along the entire elevation profile, but that doesn’t give much insight into your progress up the current hill. ClimbPro does that, automatically showing climb-specific information. If you are sufficiently organised, you could break your route into smaller ones and switch from one to the next as you progress…but that’s all a bit of a faff to me, I like one entire route.

These scenarios cover a lot of Instinct’s capabilities. I hope you can see that some of your hiking needs for a gadget might be missing. You might not need a specific capability, but it’s still missing. However, Garmin gives Instinct owners more options by adding the Garmin Explore app. I’ll cover Garmin Explore in a minute but first, here is a summary review of the Garmin Instinct 3. If you scroll past it, you will get to the detailed sections that not everyone has time to read.

One Mapping solution – Why Instinct 3 needs the Garmin Explore App

Garmin Explore completes Instinct 3, adding offline route planning, a full screen map, waypoint management, and advanced navigation with popularity

The free Garmin Explore app links tightly with Instinct 3 and inReach. Explore has good, smartphone-sized maps which you can use to tap and create routes and waypoints. It also gives you that extra visual context you might occasionally need where the trail splits. The great thing about Explore is that you can interact with it offline much more quickly during your hike – unlike routes you may download from online sources like Strava but only if you are in cell range.

Note: USGS Quads are no longer free in Explore; you need a Maps+ Subscription. Maps+ does not seem to contain pertinent US wildfire data.

Other Mapping Options with Instinct 3

There are other ways to get maps onto Instinct 3.

Two well-known ways use CIQ apps from Komoot and Dynamic.Watch (dwMAP); these give some of the features you might get from Garmin Explore and your online route platform. However, these Connect IQ watch apps take over the watch’s entire running, so you lose other watch functionality during your activity.

Garmin Instinct 3 > MAPS < How to get maps on your Instinct 3

Choosing your Garmin Instinct 3 – Your Key Decisions Reviewed

Here are the key factors you’ll need to weigh up before buying Instinct 3: case size, maps, battery life, and screen type

Key Decision 1: Do you want a map?

First, you must decide if you want a map on your wrist. If you do, you’ve come to the wrong product. Instinct does not have maps. You could rely on its breadcrumb trails, buy the dwMAP app for Instinct, look at your smartphone’s maps, go for the more expensive Fenix E, or an excellent competitor option – I could recommend Suunto Race S or, with caveats, the uber-budget Amazfit T-Rex 3.

Key Decision 2: Which key aspect of Instinct do you prefer – you can’t choose all.

Next, you must decide which of these three options is the most important – forever battery, beautiful screen or essential-features-on-a-budget. You can only pick one, and your decision leads, respectively, to Instinct 3 Solar, Instinct 3 AMOLED or Instinct E. Your choice is then between the normal-sized 45mm version or the 40mm and 50mm options. Not every combination is available, and the colour options also vary.

Whichever model you get, they all have excellent durability, ruggedness to MIL standards, and a great selection of daily health and fitness tracking features backed up by Garmin’s great Connect smartphone app.

There are some other nuances you need to be aware of…

Key Decision 3: What Kind of  Screen do you want?

This is a call between beauty and just doing the job.

Screen

AMOLED tech gives higher resolutions and brighter displays, making them more readable in most lighting conditions. But they consume more battery. We’ve already said there are no maps, so AMOLED can’t give you higher-resolution maps! Think of AMOLED as pretty and more readable; you’d choose AMOLED for those reasons. The alternative tech on the E and Solar models is MIP, which gives superior battery life and is very clear but has a lower display resolution. I prefer AMOLED; most people do, but some don’t. You choose.

• Display resolution – Instinct AMOLED has a higher resolution (pixels per inch), making everything more detailed. Smaller screens offer fewer inches and fewer pixels for MIP and AMOLED.

The AMOLED model has one display panel, but the screens are sometimes designed to give the impression they have a smaller circular display in the top right. That smaller circular display in the E and Solar models is separate like on older Instinct models.

The size of the screen impacts the case size which in turn impacts how the watch might look on your wrist. I would agree with others, saying that the Instinct 3 seems to look and feel slightly smaller than it is. You might get away with a bigger model from an aesthetic view, which in turn would give you a bigger screen.

Key Decisions: Understand the Outdoor Navigation Features

All Instinct models offer the same core outdoor features, and you need to understand if these are sufficient for your needs – otherwise, you might have to consider the more expensive Fenix. All that differs between the Instinct 3 models is how accurate their data might be and how the features are presented.

• GNSS/GPS accuracy – Instinct E uses slightly less accurate tech so that you will get good but not excellent positional accuracy under trees and in canyons. Instinct 3 has the latest tech

The Garmin Instinct series offers various navigational features, depending on the model. Here’s a breakdown of what’s available across Instinct 3, Instinct 3 Solar, and Instinct 3 AMOLED:

Core Navigation Features (Available on All Instinct 3, Instinct E Models)

• Multi-GNSS Support – Accesses GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo for better accuracy in challenging environments.
• TracBack Routing – Guides you back to your starting point via the same route or as a heading.
• Point-to-Point Navigation – Allows navigation to a saved waypoint.
• Waypoint Marking & Storage – Save and navigate back to specific locations.
• Track Recording – Logs your route for later analysis.
• Weather, Barometric Altimeter & Compass – Provides elevation and directional data for navigation.
• Future elevation profile
• Distance to go
• Turn-by-turn directions from a preloaded course
• Course Importing – download and sync routes or GPX files from third-party platforms like Komoot, Strava, AllTrails and Garmin Connect/Explore.
• Sight ‘N Go – Lock onto a distant object and navigate towards it using the digital compass.
• Storm alert
• Elevation metrics: total ascent/descent, distance to go, vertical speed
• Area Calculation – Measure land area based on GPS-tracked movement.
• Sun, moon and tide info

Missing outdoor features but on Fenix (mostly map-based features)

• Full mapping capabilities like topographic maps& ski maps
• On-device route planning
• Current hill-specific metrics
• Round trip routing
• NextFork
• Up Ahead
• Auto rest
• Rest timer
• Fish forecast
• Around Me

Key Decisions: What Battery Life do you need

Understanding what battery life you need and what the various modes mean is important, but every Instinct 3 model generally offers good battery life compared to the competition. It’s whether or not you have a special need for expedition-grade durations.

This table gives complete information on all battery lives in every power-saving mode for each Instinct 3 model.

Remember that you can pause activity recording when you stop for the day and resume the same recording the following day. When not recording an activity Instinct still collects sleep, steps and other non-activity data.

The two key modes to consider are Smartwatch mode – which does what the name implies with an always-on display and GPS-only mode. Battery life in GPS Only mode represents the length of activity you can fully record with per-second detail; GPS accuracy *IS* is compromised a little, but you will find it’s OK – so this is a realistic scenario for recording your expedition details.

If you are involved in multi-day expeditions, the corresponding Expedition Mode takes less frequent data points. It disables sensors like heart rate but gives access to all the other navigation features as you need them. You can navigate with Instinct in this mode, but the recorded track is a series of small straight lines – probably good enough, as the next image shows.

Finally, the solar model can deliver unlimited battery life under limited circumstances if the sun shines brightly and long enough.

You can probably see that the reality of battery life differs from the marketing buzzwords – unlimited battery life comes with strings attached.

Special Feature – Usability & Impact

The usability of the physical watch is good. It’s a lightweight watch that feels like it will do the job your adventure demands. The screen is easy to read in any weather type. Perhaps the only complaint is the buttons – they were fine to use with bare fingers, but when wearing gloves on a cold day, I would have preferred a more protruding button with a more discernable clicking action. A touchscreen might have been nice, but I didn’t especially miss it.

The usability of the Garmin software interface will take newbies quite some time to come to terms with and fully understand, which is the price of cramming many seldom-used features onto a watch’s menu. Instinct 3’s menus are complex and could be better organised and presented.

Special Design Feature – The torch

All the Instinct models have a torch. Rather than using a shortcut, I access it via the top-left CTRL button, which takes a little longer. There are four brightness settings for white light and one for red light. People love this feature; I’ve mainly used it for mundane domestic purposes, albeit useful ones.

My night runs have been less frequent this year; however, I ventured into the local park twice with my dog. The light nicely illuminates the track for me and lets the dog find me when off-lead. It is bright enough to spot the occasional tree root and holes/puddles on an easy trail.

Come warmer times, the torch will be great at night when camping with many uses.

Special Design Feature – AMOLED & Its Impact

I love Garmin’s AMOLED screens. However, what I love about them on other Garmin watches is that they display excellent watch faces, glances/widgets and maps.

With Instinct, there are some good-looking official watch faces, plus many 3rd party ones. These look significantly better than those available on the Solar Instinct 3/Instince E models.

Instinct 3 uses the AMOLED screen with widget glances (weather, tides, training status and many more) and interesting charts and dials that you can use during activities – such as a heart rate dial, compass, and workout animations/muscle heatmaps.

I still have this nagging feeling that an AMOLED screen is just crying out for a map.

The AMOLED display makes Instinct 3 a bit prettier – a personal choice for those who want that.

Special design Feature – Solar

I haven’t tested the Instinct Solar model. Garmin’s claims for is new solar panel technology are that they perform significantly better than before. However, my experience with all kinds of solar panels is that you get the most juice in direct, summer sunlight. If you plan to get the solar model, bear that in mind, along with the likely weather conditions in your area.

Garmin Instinct History

Instinct progressed quickly from a successful, chunky, cheaper outdoor Fenix into a complete range. Garmin progressively added its three main case sizes and solar when available. Cleverly, it sells segment-specific variants with unique features; unlike Fenix, it brands them all under the Instinct banner. As a more budget-friendly Fenix, it misses some features; most notably, it lacks maps and lags with the latest optical HR sensor but now comes with an AMOLED option.

• Garmin Instinct (Original) October 2018 – original rugged outdoor watch with GPS, altimeter, barometer, military-grade durability and basic smartwatch features for outdoor enthusiasts
• Garmin Instinct Tactical, Camo, Esports, Surf Editions – Jan 2019–Oct 2020 Solar and non-solar versions.
• Garmin Instinct 2 Series – Feb 2022  45mm (standard) and 40mm (2S), multi-GNSS,
• Garmin Instinct 2 editions – Tactical, surf, … February 2022
• Garmin Instinct 2X Solar May 2023 – The larger, more rugged version of the Instinct 2 series features a built-in flashlight, extended battery life, and enhanced solar charging capabilities.
• Garmin Instinct 2X Solar – Tactical Edition May 2023, 4th Gen optical sensor and torch
• A tactical version of the Instinct 2X Solar, combining tactical features with the enhanced capabilities of the 2X Series.
• Garmin Instinct Crossover November 2022 analogue/digital hybrid with solar option
• Garmin Instinct 3 Series (E, Solar, AMOLED) – January 2025 Instinct E (40mm & 45mm), Instinct 3 Solar (45mm & 50mm), Instinct 3 AMOLED (45mm & 50mm, high-resolution display) all Instinct 3 models get a flashlight, and now there is an AMOLED option.

Evolution from Instinct 2/2X

Instinct 2X contained upgrades from Instinct 2, like the flashlight and dual frequency GNSS. With that in mind, these are the general improvements in Instinct 3 over Instinct 2

• It has a similar rugged build but a more modern look and questionable colour options.
• Brighter, sharper, larger AMOLED display on AMOLED model, plus these
  • Muscle Map in Strength Workouts
  • Strength Workout Animations
  • The secondary display window was removed
• Improved Solar Charging performance on Solar model
• Slightly improved satellite tracking accuracy added battery-efficient SatIQ
• Flashlight/torch/strobe
• Garmin PAY (try Curve as a workaround for your bank being unsupported)
• Garmin Share direct from watch-to-watch
• Garmin Messenger
• Large Font Mode
• Sleep coach
• Training Load Focus/Ratio

Garmin Instinct Futures & Updates

You can expect Instinct to get feature bumps for 1 to 2 years, perhaps even smaller ones from the Fenix model. There is no guarantee existing features for the Fenix will eventually come to Instinct. Assume that from 1st January 2027, you won’t get any new features. Garmin intentionally builds in artificial feature redundancy.

That said, I reckon there’s a good chance that Instinct AMOLED will get music support added this year. This article explains why.

Instinct 4 (2027) is a long way away, judging by the current product refresh cycles; although Garmin may attempt to move Instinct to its annual strategy, I doubt it. Instinct is popular, but Garmin has historically focused on adding segment-specific options to Instinct. Instinct 4 (four)  should get the tech stack you expect from a $500 watch released in 2024 (four). Hopefully, Garmin will add maps. By 2027, it might also get a revamped speaker/mic, but I doubt there will be a 5G option. Instinct is an essential Watch Series for Garmin but lacks the importance attributed to Fenix and Forerunner.

Garmin Instinct – Competitor comparison

Instinct is NOT the best value for money.

Instinct 3 has a wide range of competitors at similar and lower prices. Cleverly, Garmin adds competition between its ranges, perhaps discouraging some from looking at alternatives from other brands.

• Legacy Brands
  • Suunto – At $349 for the Suunto Race S, you probably have the best non-Garmin competitor, with a beautifully made but differently styled watch than Instinct. Like Apple and Garmin, Suunto has its own app store where you can add missing features. Suunto Vertical is another solid option with maps.
  • Polar offers decent onboard maps, but its alternative at a similar price point is the Vantage M3 – good but geared more toward endurance athletes.
• Other Garmin Ranges
  • The older Fenix 7, Epix and Forerunner 955 are similarly priced with maps and more features. This would be the choice if you want to stay in the Garmin ecosystem for a sensible price.
  • If you want to pay crazy money, try the Enduro 3 to get more of a Solar gain and maps. Enduro 3 is the first place to look before an even more expensive Fenix 8.
  • Older Instinct 2 models are significantly cheaper and keep you in the Garmin ecosystem with similar feature levels (but no maps)—perhaps a sensible choice to save money and keep the Casio-like aesthetic.
• Challenger Brands
  • You might find a $230 bargain with a challenger like Amazfit T-Rex 3. Its got maps but lacks features and depth in its ecosystem
  • Coros is the best of the challenger brands, but it is good. Pace Pro has maps at the right price but is geared toward endurance athletes. Its outdoor watches are due a refresh later in 2025.
• Smartwatches
  • Even an Apple Watch SE with the Workoutdoors app offers a basic but sound map and routes. Consider this if you want to support the occasional day-long walk but then have a smartwatch to use the rest of the time.

Garmin Instinct 3 Accuracy Test Results

TL;DR – The heart rate sensor is sufficiently accurate except sometimes in cold weather or during intense exertion. The GNSS is good and as precise as that tech will ever need to be for your adventures. Elevation accuracy is good, and the battery performs better than Garmin’s official claims when new. Sleep tracking seems OK but not scientifically accurate. The AMOLED and TFT MIP displays are highly readable the former adds vibrant and detailed colour.

Heart Rate Test results

Instinct 3 uses Garmin’s old Elevate Gen 4 sensor, and its results are littered with erroneous readings. Most of these are kinda-Ok, but I would expect more from my technology if I used it for athletic endeavours. You should get what you need for the purposes and intensities of hiking/walking.

Here are selected results from a single day on the trail. I struggle to get above 120 bpm up the hills.

Here are selected heart rate test results for the Instinct 3 used indoors for cycling, running and weights.

Going outdoors, this run involved lots of stopping and starting for photos. In the middle, I ran hard up a steep hill for 1-2 minutes, and Instinct 3 entirely missed the effort. On the more continuous, easier run home, it nailed it. If all you do is ‘jog’, Instinct 3 will be fine. Use a chest strap or Polar SENSE arm band if not.

Here’s a much longer tempo run. There are notable inaccuracies from Instinct. You would not notice these unless, like me, you had a chest strap for comparison. You would think your data was correct because the shape of the curve looks normal.

Into a pool for a quick swim. Instinct 3’s heart rate accuracy results were indicative but incorrect.

Elevation Test Results

These elevation tests are all from walking or running four specific hills, including on the UK’s North & South Downs Ways, so they don’t cover the substantial elevation gains I’d typically get from cycling. I have no issues here.

GPS/GNSS Accuracy Test Results

All my GNSS tests used maximum accuracy settings.

Instinct 3 was the best on the test in the first example in a reasonably densely wooded area. Strangely, it also occasionally slightly lost the plot by about 5m when in the open. Overall, it’s pretty good at knowing and recording where you’ve been.

In my 10-mile GNSS tests the Instinct 3 got a top 10 result – ie this is one of the 10 most accurate GPS sports watches ever.

Sleep Stage Test Results

I agree with the more detailed analysis by @thequantifiedscientist regarding Sleep Stage Accuracy.

A third tier Performance [@thequantifiedScientist]

Instinct 3 is good for the basics, like total sleep time, but the constituent sleep details are wrong. Anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong!

Battery Life Test Results

You will get BETTER battery perormance than the specs with a new Instinct 3. Battery performance degrades over time.

My test results cover various activity types and environmental conditions, but they always had high-performance settings enabled on Instinct 3 50mm AMOLED. 30+ hours looks like a typical average battery life for best settings and varied usage (including indoors with no GPS).

With max settings but GPS disabled, Instinct delivered an estimated 70 hours of indoor activity recording.

In the following test, I attempted to see how long the battery life might be in max battery mode (i.e. most things turned off) and if and how the Instinct might report battery levels when close to depleted. This test didn’t go too well! Over two hours, the 1% charge seemed consistent, and dcrainmaker’s tool could not predict battery life.

Garmin Instinct 3 Bugs

Here is more information on bugs at launch – some were severe, causing crashed devices; check the Garmin Forum for the latest.

Garmin is generally good at resolving bugs but equally good at creating them. The company should resolve more of its bugs with in-house testing resources before releasing devices to the Garmin community.

There are also issues with the Instinct Solar where the smaller circular display is misaligned. From my reading, this appears to be a manufacturing defect.

Garmin Instinct 3 – FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions, my answers, and notes for each. Google likes this sort of thing. Sorry!

Q: What’s included in the box?
A: Garmin Instinct 3 watch, USB-C charging cable, quick start guide.

Q: What is the Garmin Instinct 3?
A: A rugged GPS smartwatch designed for outdoor adventures and sports. A lifestyle statement.

Q: What can the Garmin Instinct 3 do?
A: Provides multi-band GNSS, TracBack navigation, fitness and health tracking, and smart notifications. [Lacks maps]

Q: What’s the setup like for the Garmin Instinct 3?
A: Quick pairing with Garmin Connect, with customisable settings and profiles. [Good]

Q: What’s the Garmin Instinct 3 like to wear and use?
A: Lightweight, durable, and comfortable, with easy button-based navigation. [Good]

Q: How accurate is the Garmin Instinct 3?
A: Offers highly accurate multi-band GPS and reliable heart rate and fitness sensors. [Good Enough]

Q: What’s the battery life of the Garmin Instinct 3?
A: Up to 40 days in smartwatch mode, with unlimited power-saving mode in the solar version. [Very Good]

Q: How secure is the Garmin Instinct 3?
A: It features PIN protection and secure Garmin Connect syncing.

Q: Is there anything else I should know about the Garmin Instinct 3?
A: It does not have full maps but includes breadcrumb navigation and waypoint tracking. [Lacks Maps]

Q: Should I buy the Garmin Instinct 3?
A: Good for casual outdoor enthusiasts needing durability and battery life. It is less suited for adventurers or those with advanced features like mapping and music.

Garmin Instinct 3 Review – Takeout

Garmin Instinct 3 maintains the distinctive, rugged aesthetic that defines every Series. If you have read this far, you likely find its chunky, Casio-like, utilitarian design appealing.

However, upon its launch in January 2025, Instinct 3 encountered two significant issues: product line confusion and the absence of onboard maps – perhaps unforgivable in a mid-tier navigational watch.

Garmin’s current lineup includes slightly older Instinct models available at significantly lower prices and marginally older Fenix/Epix models offering superior features at comparable price points. This overlap creates unnecessary complexity for consumers. It’s a mess. However, as older stock is depleted, the Instinct 3 series will eventually find its place beneath the significantly more expensive Fenix 8 and Fenix E ranges, making Garmin’s portfolio more logically structured (hmmm).

A core issue remains even if we momentarily disregard Garmin’s other offerings. For outdoor adventurers, the defining distinction between the Instinct and Fenix lines is the presence—or absence—of maps. A navigational watch without maps is a significant limitation for those relying on such tools. While Garmin provides routing solutions through smartphone connectivity and the Garmin Explore app, the competition—most notably Suunto—offers devices with integrated maps at similar price points.

Garmin’s pricing strategy appears detached from competitive pressures, aligning with the company’s product portfolio and the perceived price tolerance in the various target segments. Given that the Instinct 3 launched at a price comparable to its predecessors, Garmin is likely assuming similar demand levels. The previous Instinct models sold exceptionally well, and there is little reason to believe the Instinct 3 will perform differently.

Garmin also likely relies on consumer inertia. Users deeply invested in the Garmin ecosystem, with years of historical data and familiarity with the interface, may find upgrading within the brand more convenient than transitioning to an entirely new ecosystem. Additionally, most Instinct purchasers are not extreme adventurers, meaning smartphone-based routing solutions may suffice for their mapping needs. Moreover, Garmin may assume that many customers are unaware of third-party solutions enabling mapping on Instinct 3. That said, much of Garmin’s launch marketing was aimed towards young, active lifestyles, detached from the realities of navigating a route and needing a map.

From a purely logical standpoint, the Instinct 3 appears overpriced relative to its competitors and Garmin’s older models. Yet history suggests that logic does not always dictate purchasing behaviour—this watch will sell regardless.

From my testing, the Instinct 3 is the first in the series I found genuinely appealing, thanks to its improved display, excellent battery life, and satisfactory sensor accuracy. However, being accustomed to Garmin’s integrated maps, I could not rely exclusively on Instinct 3 for safe navigation beyond basic trail scenarios.

Ultimately, while the Instinct 3 refines the series with notable hardware improvements, its pricing and lack of maps remain contentious in the extreme. Garmin’s strategy may be effective commercially, but the limitations are difficult to overlook for an informed buyer seeking serious navigational capabilities.

Buy Garmin Instinct 3

Buy Garmin Instinct 3 from Amazon and other suppliers (all-in-one links)

•  Instinct 3 AMOLED 45mm: $449  (50mm, $499)
•  Instinct 3 SOLAR 45mm: $399 (50mm, $449)
•  Instinct Instinct E 40mm: $299 (45mm, $299)