MARQ Gen 3 appears on Garmin’s own support pages
Garmin’s Spanish support site now lists a MARQ (Gen 3) series. Garmin hasn’t announced the watch, and Garmin.com still sells only MARQ (Gen 2), but the name sits in Garmin’s own documentation for owners. That is as close to confirmation as a leak gets.
A new MARQ is certain this year. On the evidence below, I expect Garmin to announce it this week, and no later than the end of October.
What the leak shows
Three articles on Garmin’s Spanish support site use the MARQ (Gen 3) series name:
- the list of watches that work with the Garmin Explore app;
- an article on open and secure accessory connections;
- an article on adding weather locations to a watch.
Under “Relojes MARQ”, the Explore list shows MARQ series, MARQ (Gen 2) series and MARQ (Gen 3) series. Garmin’s support sites for Chile and Argentina carry the same list. The English versions of these pages still stop at MARQ (Gen 2), which suggests the translated copies went live before Garmin meant them to.
The same Explore list names Enduro 4, which launched on 6 October, and the Fenix 9 series, which launched on 25 August. MARQ (Gen 3) is the only unreleased watch on it.
Why the launch is days away, not months
Support articles are written for owners. A product name normally reaches them while Garmin prepares documentation for shipping, and translated copies are among the last pieces finished.
October is MARQ month. Gen 2 launched on 11 October 2022, the carbon editions followed on 12 October 2023, and the Damascus steel Adventurer arrived on 24 October 2024. Gen 2 has now run for four years, longer than any MARQ generation before it.
The platform is ready. Gen 2 launched in October 2022 on Epix (Gen 2) hardware that had arrived that January, so MARQ has followed its donor watch by months. Fenix 9 has been on sale since August, and Enduro 4 completed Garmin’s autumn line-up this month.
Garmin has also been clearing stock. In June, Garmin.com cut $300 from every MARQ (Gen 2) model, the first discount since launch. That cut now reads as the start of a run-out.
The holiday season sets the deadline. A luxury watch announced in November misses much of the Black Friday and Christmas gift window.
The one reason to hold MARQ back is Fenix 9 firmware. Owners have logged 123 Fenix 9 bugs in six weeks, and a buyer paying $2,000 for a watch will not accept one that crashes mid-run. That could cost Garmin a few weeks, but it won’t push MARQ into 2027.
What MARQ Gen 3 is likely to bring
Garmin hasn’t published specifications. Garmin Rumors reported in July that Gen 3 uses Fenix 9 internals in premium materials, which matches how Gen 2 was built on Epix (Gen 2).
A Fenix 9 core would give MARQ owners the faster Fenix 9 maps engine, 64GB of storage for maps, calls from the wrist, a flashlight, the new stamina tools and Garmin Epic trip stories. If Garmin uses Fenix 9 Pro hardware, inReach satellite messaging, satellite weather and Garmin Locate could follow. Gen 2 has none of these.
Expect the same family of variants as Gen 2: Athlete, Adventurer, Aviator, Commander and Golfer, each adding its own tools to the shared core. Grade 5 titanium, ceramic bezels and domed sapphire will carry the price, and Garmin Rumors reports one variant styled closer to a luxury analogue watch.
MicroLED is the open hardware question. Its battery cost is easier to accept on a luxury tool watch than on a Fenix worn around the clock for sleep and training data, so MARQ remains Garmin’s likeliest place to use it.
The pricing problem
Garmin hasn’t announced Gen 3 prices. Gen 2 launched at $1,900 for the Athlete and reached $3,100 for the Damascus steel Adventurer, while Fenix 9 Pro costs from $1,099.99.
The June MARQ cut was Garmin’s third permanent price cut on a flagship in four months. In February, Garmin took $300 off the Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED, and in May it cut the Rally x10 power meter pedals by up to $400, eight months after launch. I’ve argued that Garmin may have reached the ceiling of its brand premium, under pressure from Coros, Favero and newer hardware brands.
That makes Gen 3 pricing the real unknown. Garmin can hold the $1,900 entry point and add Fenix 9 features, or push higher on materials and test a ceiling it has already hit three times this year.
Buy Gen 2 now or wait?
Wait. Gen 3 is weeks away at most, and $300 off four-year-old hardware is a small saving against a watch with Fenix 9 maps, calls and current Garmin software. Gen 2 discounts should deepen once Gen 3 launches.
Buy Gen 2 now only if you want its design at $1,600 and don’t need the newer features. Track the launch on the Release Radar, and see Garmin’s Gen 2 announcement for the collection it replaces.
Quick answers
When will the Garmin MARQ Gen 3 be released?
Garmin hasn’t announced a date. Its Spanish support pages already list a MARQ (Gen 3) series, Gen 2 launched on 11 October 2022, and new MARQ models also arrived in October 2023 and October 2024. An announcement in October 2026 is most likely, possibly this week.
Has Garmin confirmed MARQ Gen 3?
Not officially. The MARQ (Gen 3) series name appears in three Garmin support articles in Spanish, including the Garmin Explore compatibility list, which Garmin’s Chile and Argentina sites also carry. The English pages still list MARQ (Gen 2) as the latest.
What platform will MARQ Gen 3 use?
Garmin Rumors reports that Gen 3 uses Fenix 9 internals in premium materials, the same approach Garmin took when it built Gen 2 on Epix (Gen 2).
How much will MARQ Gen 3 cost?
Garmin hasn’t said. Gen 2 launched at $1,900 for the Athlete and reached $3,100 for the Damascus steel Adventurer before Garmin cut every model by $300 in June 2026.
Should I buy a MARQ Gen 2 now?
Only if you want its design at the discounted $1,600 and don’t need Fenix 9 features. Gen 3 is expected within weeks, and Gen 2 prices are likely to fall further once it launches.
Last Updated on 12 October 2026 by tfk the5krunner
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. ID
I would not be surprised if the Marq line comes to an end. I owned the Gen 1 and 2 Aviator (bought them pre-owned, not MSRP!). Really beautiful from a watch perspective. Quality, material and heft are great. The “shell” is high value..but the SW is so Garmin. I don’t mean it’s bad, but you pay up to 3000 for it, without any advantage apart from the looks. When Gen 1 was issued, people where speculating that Garmin would maybe allow owners to upload world maps for free (back then you had to pay for maps outside your region of purchase), but no…there was no such perk! If Garmin would sell you a premium 3000 watch and would give you meaningful updates for as long as the hardware supports them, so possibly over 2 generations, one could justify the expense, or if the Marq would be the watch that would excel in all categories, insted of being compartmentalised into Golf, Aviation, Sailing and so on….maybe that would help to sell them. When Gen 1 was issued, they sold the Captain, Golfer, Driver, Commander, Athlete, Aviator, Adventure and a Captain special edition (I think you could even buy the entire collection in one scoop in a nice big case). Gen 2 was reduced to Athlete, Aviator, Golfer, Captain and Adventure. If there will be another Marq …I would venture to say they will reduce the line to one (Fenix 8 Pro Ti) or maybe 2 options (AMOLED and MicroLED perhaps). I guess we’ll see soon enough. If Garmin follows its old Marq pattern, the Gen 3 should come out in a few month prior to the Fenix 9 otherwise possibly end of the line!
remember most of that and yes they are beautiful. When one was released it had some interesting features (specs) on garmin.com that weren’t ever released. something like auto transitions on the ATHLETE model. Those surfaced years later.
i dont think it will come to an end. enough people buy these things but i dont know the precise numbers so yes it could scale back the model options.
you comment a lot (thank you). you should register as a follower (free) and get fewer ads.
do you anticipate the Marq3 will have satellite communication? Im close to buying the quatix 8 pro but waiting to see what the Marq3 line offers. I do want sat communication capability for emergencies.
thx
Chris
sort of.
Assuming the MARQ line continues there is no guarantee that there will be all the individual versions of it (eg athlete, driver, etc)
If it does continue I would expect it to have satellite comms ie based on the fenix 8 pro
Haven’t had a Marq, but they look great.
For me the looks is not enough, it needs something more, but I don’t know what 😳
When handing out bibs to different races here in Copenhagen, i always chat with the runners, asking whether it’s there first time in Copenhagen and what watch they have 😉 Haven’t seen a runner with one 🤔