| Manufacturer | Garmin |
|---|---|
| Type | Dive computer and AMOLED multisport GPS smartwatch |
| Series | Descent |
| Released | 14 November 2023 (announced 14 November 2023) |
| Price at launch | Mk3 43mm: GBP 1,099.99 / USD 1,199.99. Mk3i 43mm: GBP 1,249.99 / USD 1,399.99. Mk3i 51mm: GBP 1,429.99 / USD 1,599.99 (silicone band); GBP 1,599.99 / USD 1,799.99 (titanium band). Descent T2 transceiver: GBP 429.99 / USD 499.99 |
| Predecessor | Descent Mk2 and Mk2i; Descent Mk2S |
| Successor | Not yet announced; see Release Radar |
| Sizes | 43mm (small); 51mm (large) |
| Variants | Descent Mk3 43mm (stainless steel bezel); Descent Mk3i 43mm and 51mm (titanium bezel, air integration with Descent T2 transceivers); the Mk3i 51mm adds an LED flashlight |
| Colours | Mk3 43mm: stainless steel with Fog Grey band. Mk3i 43mm: Bronze PVD titanium with French Grey band; Carbon Grey DLC titanium with Black band. Mk3i 51mm: Carbon Grey DLC titanium with Black band or DLC titanium bracelet; Silver and Black PVD titanium with Black/Pebble Grey band |
Specifications as at launch. Features and activity profiles reflect the latest Garmin software.
Expert opinion | What’s new | Specifications | Battery life | Features | Activity profiles | Quick answers | Further reading
Expert opinion
Who it suits: Experienced divers who want a premium AMOLED dive computer that is also a full multisport and navigation watch.
The Descent Mk3 supports recreational, technical and freediving to 200 metres with dive planning, decompression tracking and customisable dive screens. The Mk3i adds air integration through SubWave sonar, showing tank pressure and gas time remaining from up to eight Descent T2 transceivers, and comes in 43mm and 51mm.
Out of the water it matches a Fenix-class watch, with maps, multi-band GPS and Garmin’s full training tools. The 51mm lasts up to 25 days as a smartwatch, against 10 days for the 43mm. If you do not need air integration, the plain Mk3 or the cheaper Descent G2 makes more sense.
Garmin Descent Mk3
Dive computer and full multisport watch in one, with air integration on the Mk3i.
What’s new versus the Descent Mk2
Hardware
- AMOLED display, replacing MIP
- A 43mm size alongside the 51mm
- 200 metre dive rating
- Dual-frequency GNSS with SatIQ
- Air integration through SubWave sonar with the new Descent T2 transceiver on Mk3i models
- LED flashlight on the Mk3i 51mm
Software
- Training Readiness and HRV Status
- Hill Score and Endurance Score
Specifications
The Descent Mk3 comes in 43mm and 51mm sizes. The plain Mk3 is 43mm only; the Mk3i adds air integration and a titanium bezel in both sizes.
| Specification | Mk3 43mm | Mk3i 43mm | Mk3i 51mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | |||
| Display type | AMOLED | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Display size | 30.4mm (1.2″) | 30.4mm (1.2″) | 35.56mm (1.4″) |
| Resolution | 390 x 390 pixels | 390 x 390 pixels | 454 x 454 pixels |
| Colour | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lens | Sapphire crystal | Sapphire crystal | Sapphire crystal |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Physical | |||
| Case size | 43mm (small) | 43mm (small) | 51mm (large) |
| Dimensions | 43 x 43 x 14.15mm | 43 x 43 x 14.13mm | 51 x 51 x 16.4mm |
| Weight | Case only: 53.5g; with silicone band: 72.5g | Case only: 49.3g; with silicone band: 68.3g | Case only: 77.8g; with silicone band: 105.6g; with titanium band: 165.9g |
| Bezel material | Stainless steel | Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) Coated Titanium or Bronze PVD Coated Titanium | Diamond-like Carbon (DLC) coated titanium |
| Case material | Fibre-reinforced polymer with stainless steel rear cover | Fibre-reinforced polymer with titanium rear cover | Fibre-reinforced polymer with titanium rear cover |
| Band | 20mm QuickFit, silicone | 20mm QuickFit, silicone | 26mm QuickFit, silicone or DLC coated titanium |
| Wrist fit | Silicone band: 128 to 224mm; Extra-long silicone band: 128 to 360mm | Silicone band: 135 to 230mm; Extra-long silicone band: 135 to 355mm | Silicone band: 135 to 230mm; Extra-long silicone band: 135 to 355mm; Titanium bracelet: 135 to 220mm |
| Water rating | Dive (200 metres) | Dive (200 metres) | Dive (200 metres) |
| © the5krunner. Link required. | |||
| Sensors and positioning | |||
| GNSS | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, dual-frequency with SatIQ | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, dual-frequency with SatIQ | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, dual-frequency with SatIQ |
| Heart rate | Garmin Elevate wrist heart rate monitor | Garmin Elevate wrist heart rate monitor | Garmin Elevate wrist heart rate monitor |
| Pulse Ox | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Skin temperature | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Depth sensor | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Other sensors | Barometric altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, thermometer, ambient light sensor | Barometric altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, thermometer, ambient light sensor | Barometric altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, thermometer, ambient light sensor |
| Connectivity and storage | |||
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi, SubWave | Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi, SubWave | Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi, SubWave |
| NFC (Garmin Pay) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Storage | 32GB | 32GB | 32GB |
| Music | Yes, music storage and playback | Yes, music storage and playback | Yes, music storage and playback |
| Maps | Preloaded road and trail maps, ski resort maps and downloadable cartography | Preloaded road and trail maps, ski resort maps and downloadable cartography | Preloaded road and trail maps, ski resort maps and downloadable cartography |
| LED flashlight | No | No | Yes |
| Speaker and microphone | No | No | No |
| Charging | Garmin proprietary clip charger | Garmin proprietary clip charger | Garmin proprietary clip charger |
| © the5krunner. Link required. | |||
| Internal components | |||
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | Silicon Labs RS9116 (first used on Fenix 7 in January 2022) | ||
| GNSS chipset | Airoha | ||
| Optical HR sensor | Garmin Elevate Gen 4 with skin temperature (first used on Venu 2 in April 2021) | ||
| Component identification from FCC filing teardown photos. | |||
Battery life
Figures in brackets are with the display always on. Dive mode with air integration applies to Mk3i models only.
| Mode | Mk3 43mm | Mk3i 43mm | Mk3i 51mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch | Up to 10 days (4 days always-on) | Up to 10 days (4 days always-on) | Up to 25 days (10 days always-on) |
| Battery saver | Up to 12 days | Up to 12 days | Up to 31 days |
| GPS only | Up to 28 hours (22 hours always-on) | Up to 28 hours (22 hours always-on) | Up to 76 hours (56 hours always-on) |
| All systems | Up to 20 hours (16 hours always-on) | Up to 20 hours (16 hours always-on) | Up to 55 hours (43 hours always-on) |
| All systems + multi-band | Up to 17 hours (14 hours always-on) | Up to 17 hours (14 hours always-on) | Up to 48 hours (38 hours always-on) |
| All systems + music | Up to 6 hours | Up to 6 hours | Up to 17 hours |
| Max battery GPS | Up to 44 hours | Up to 44 hours | Up to 118 hours |
| Expedition GPS | Up to 10 days | Up to 10 days | Up to 24 days |
| Dive | Up to 30 hours | Up to 30 hours | Up to 66 hours |
| Dive with Air Integration | Not available | Up to 15 hours | Up to 40 hours |
| © the5krunner. Link required. | |||
Features
A full breakdown of Garmin platform features is available at Garmin features explained.
Diving
- Dive computer rated to 200 metres
- Single-gas, multi-gas, gauge and closed circuit rebreather (CCR) modes
- Apnea, Apnea Hunt and Pool Apnea modes for freediving
- Bühlmann ZHL-16c with gradient factors decompression model
- Customisable conservatism (low, medium, high or custom gradient factors) and deep stops
- Air, Nitrox and Trimix, up to 100% O2; 1 bottom gas and up to 11 deco and/or backup gases
- PO2 up to 2.0 with customisable deco PO2 setting
- Mk3i only: air integration via SubWave, with up to 8 transmitters, gas time remaining and gas consumption rate
- Sidemount support (Mk3i)
- Dive planner for NDL and multi-gas decompression
- NDL Aware depth metrics
- Custom dive data screens
- Audible and vibration alarms for ascent rate, PO2, CNS/OTU, NDL, deco and gas switching, tank pressure and gas consumption
- Up to 40 custom depth or time alerts per dive mode
- Ascent and descent rate indicator
- Customisable safety stop (off, 3 or 5 minutes)
- Automatic dive start and end with a custom end-dive timeout
- 3-axis dive compass with set heading, 90 degrees left and right, and reciprocal
- Surface diver status: surface interval, N2/He loading, CNS, OTU and tissue compartments
- No-fly time and automatic altitude adjustment
- Missed deco lockout and residual tissue loading reset, each with user acknowledgement
- Backlight with configurable time and intensity, automatically on at depth
- Dive entry and exit locations saved automatically
- Dive log sync to the Garmin Dive app
- Dive setting sync between compatible Descent dive computers
- Tide data
Plan
- Daily Suggested Workouts for running and cycling
- Garmin Running Coach (including Running Coach Experts) and Garmin Cycling Coach plans
- Garmin Coach prebuilt cycling plans
- Cardio, strength, HIIT, yoga and Pilates workouts with on-screen animations and muscle maps
- Pool swim workouts
- Race widget and course- and weather-specific race predictor
- Morning Report
- Round-trip course creator and Trendline popularity routing
- Courses with course guidance
Prepare
- Training Readiness, Training Status, Training Load, Load Ratio and load focus
- HRV Status
- Recovery Time
- Body Battery energy monitoring
- Sleep score, advanced sleep monitoring and nap detection
- All-day stress and respiration tracking
- Pulse Ox blood oxygen saturation
- Skin temperature
- Breathwork and relaxation breathing
- Health Snapshot and Jet Lag Adviser
- Heat and altitude acclimation
- Abnormal heart rate alerts
- Fitness Age
- Women’s health and hydration tracking
Perform
- VO2 max for running and trail running
- Hill Score and Endurance Score
- Real-Time Stamina
- Training Effect, aerobic and anaerobic
- Performance condition
- Running dynamics and running power
- Lactate threshold and FTP with a compatible accessory
- PacePro, ClimbPro and grade-adjusted pace
- Up Ahead for points along a course
- Preloaded road and trail maps with NextFork navigation
- Preloaded ski resort maps
- Expedition GPS activity and UltraTrac mode
- Customisable Power Modes
- 43,000 preloaded golf courses
- Power curve, advanced cycling dynamics and MTB Grit and Flow with a compatible power meter
- Power meter, Varia radar, Varia lights and Varia Vision compatibility
- Pool and open water swim metrics with underwater wrist heart rate
- Drill logging, auto rest, pacing alerts and critical swim speed
- Manual multisport activities
- Strava Live Segments and Garmin Live Segments
Connect
- Smart notifications, with text replies and notification images on Android
- Garmin Pay contactless payments
- Music storage and playback
- LED flashlight (Mk3i 51mm only)
- Incident detection and assistance during select activities
- Live event sharing
- Compatible with the Garmin Messenger app
- Find My Phone during GPS activity
- Connect IQ Store on the watch
- Red Shift mode and large font option
- Garmin Share
- Smart trainer control
- Gaming activity and GameOn app
Activity profiles
| Category | Profiles |
|---|---|
| Running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running, Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual running |
| Cycling | Biking, Road biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel biking, Bike commuting, Bike touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, BMX |
| Swimming | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming |
| Multisport | Swimming/Running, Triathlon |
| Gym and fitness | Strength, HIIT, Cardio and Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor rowing, Pilates, Yoga, Boxing, Mixed martial arts, Indoor Climbing |
| Outdoor | Walking, Hiking, Bouldering, Climbing, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Golfing, Disc Golf, Archery |
| Other | Dive: Diving | Winter sports: Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing | Water sports: Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Surfing, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Fishing, Boating, Sailing, Sail Racing, Water Skiing, Wakeboarding, Wakesurfing, Tubing, Snorkelling, Sailing Expedition, Whitewater | Team sports: Basketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball | Racket sports: Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball | Motorsports: Motorcycling, Overlanding, Motocrossing, ATVing, Snowmobile | Other: Jumpmaster, Tactical |
Garmin Descent Mk3
Dive computer and full multisport watch in one, with air integration on the Mk3i.
Quick answers
When was the Garmin Descent Mk3 released?
Garmin announced and released the Descent Mk3 and Mk3i on 14 November 2023. The Mk3 43mm launched at GBP 1,099.99 or USD 1,199.99.
How deep can the Descent Mk3 dive?
Every Descent Mk3 and Mk3i is rated to 200 metres. It supports single-gas, multi-gas, gauge, CCR and apnea modes with nitrox and trimix.
What is the difference between the Descent Mk3 and Mk3i?
The Mk3i adds air integration with up to eight Descent T2 transceivers, gas time remaining and a titanium bezel, and it comes in 43mm and 51mm. The plain Mk3 is 43mm only.
Does the Descent Mk3 have maps and music?
Yes, every model has preloaded road, trail and ski maps, 32GB of storage and music playback.
How long does the Descent Mk3 battery last?
The 43mm models last up to 30 hours in dive mode and 10 days as a smartwatch. The Mk3i 51mm lasts up to 66 hours in dive mode and 25 days as a smartwatch.
Further reading
- Which Garmin Descent to buy
- Garmin Descent Mk3 AMOLED and G1 Solar
- Garmin Descent G2 specifications
- Garmin watch specifications
- Release Radar: upcoming Garmin watches
Related watches
Smaller sibling: Garmin Descent G2, the AMOLED dive watch at about half the price, without air integration.
Also consider: Suunto Ocean, an AMOLED sapphire dive computer and multisport watch with wireless air integration.
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin from any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafe stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
- Speedo earplugs: Fewer ear infections and no cold-water dizziness. I use them.
- Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
- Maurten: Race fuel that stays easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Beet It Sport nitrate shots: Beetroot shots I take in the days before a race. I use them.
- Garmin charging puck: The quickest way to top up before a session. I use one.
- Injinji: Toe socks that stop rubbing, so you run more. I use them.
- Ultimate toe protectors: Stop black toenails on long runs. They work. I use them.
- Compressport R2 v2 calf sleeves: My calf sleeves of choice. I use them.
- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
- TPU tubes: Schwalbe Aerothan, Tubolito and Pirelli SmarTube. Light, tiny spares. I use all three.
- G8 insoles: Adjustable insoles that are good. I use them.
- Cycplus Cube: A 97g electric pump that gets a road tyre rideable in two minutes. I carry one. 5% off with code THE5KRUNNER.
Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Ravemen FR1000: The light and the computer mount in one unit, so nothing else goes on the bars. Better than mine.
- Ravemen FR1500SE: 1,500 lumens hanging under your Garmin, for proper night rides.
- Ravemen FR1100SE: 1,100 lumens under your Garmin, and up to 46 hours on slow flash.
- Ravemen FR500: A brighter FR300 with the same mount.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.
Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Kineon MOVE+: Red and infrared light for sore knees, Achilles and other joints after hard training. I use it.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
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