Garmin - Instinct 3 – 50 mm, AMOLED
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Reddit Reviews:
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Based on 1 year's data from Feb 24, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
11
1
"The sleep score and body battery is a game changer - It is insane how much this has helped me with better habits in just 6-weeks. ... I can see the difference in my sleep and body battery even if I have two alcoholic drinks at an event or with dinner, or if I have too much caffeine too late in the day. It is helping me understand the effects of these actions on other parts of my life more explicitly."
"I specifically got the Garmin for a wrist based gps and mapping tool to track and orient myself. ... The Millitary has been orienteering with Garmin wrist based gps systems forever."
"the wearables are nothing more than a data collector for GPS & other monitors (HR strap, cadence, speed etc) - that they excel in. ... Garmin is best at actual training/event data for say a run/ride/tri etc when paired with a HR strap (cadence, speed and power sensors too)."
4
1
"Buttons instead of touch so it can be used while sweating buckets"
"Basic display with no touchscreen, which I find much easier to view and control when kiting."
"Yep agree, physical buttons are actually a plus! In a world of touchscreens, something tactile is surprisingly something enjoyable."
25
2
"offers significantly better battery life ... insane battery life"
"I have had it on for 25d and it's still got 6% battery. That's what I'd call a watch!"
"Battery life, even when surfing every day for 2-3hrs a day is around 8 days, 16-18 days if I’m only using the watch as a watch. ... I’m charging once every 10-14 days atm, depending on activity levels."
12
0
"the screen, which is not the awful LCD/LED stuff that most watches have. It's clear in all conditions, and extremely durable."
"The Instinct/Fenix are better for hiking/backpacking since they’re tougher, with longer battery and more rugged features."
"The Instinct 3 is built tough (rugged, reliable) ... If you’ll drop it, bang it, leave it in harsh places, the Instinct’s durability becomes appealing"
5
0
"GPS tracking for hikes including good ascent tracking"
"I'd be pretty confident in how well any of them with onboard GPS track. Including the Instinct line."
"provide good map support and tracking ... Here's a preview of after hike mapping."
Disliked most:
1
2
"not having maps will not be great for hikes."
"It can load a breadcrumb trail but doesn’t have topo maps overlays."
2
5
"Garmin surprisingly messy ... Garmin was all over the place with noisy spikes. ... Garmin Instinct 3 really surprised me with how messy the HR data was. I am very negatively surprised with these results. ... I was really surprised with Garmin, and I am thinking it might have been not tight enough. I have the 50mm version and it is quite bulky, which probably causes a lot of movement, that probably interferes with the reading."
"Garmin has been failing at HR data for a while now, you need a chest stra for activities to get good data."
"In my experience the heart rate monitor on the device itself is average at best."
0
2
"The lack of music storage is definitely a drawback"
"instinct 3 amoled doesn't have music"
0
3
"But those are a fair bit bulkier."
"50mm i3 is probably to bulky for swim"
"you’ll sacrifice some of the nicer interface and comfort of the 265."
1
2
"with the always on display on the battery life is horrible compared to any other instinct. ... with a fresh battery the 3 AMOLED will mabey last a week"
"For the record I have notifications and pulse-ox turned off."
ToutsSnoutsNarks 0.5Tactix 7 MIP for long daytime endurance activities, and Instinct 3 50mm Amoled for my old eyes in the evening!!
acaciadeadwalk 0.5Instinct 3 amo Getting 10 days with always on display, always connected to phone for weather.
Alwaysout14 0.5I have the instinct 3 AMOLED and it’s been awesome. I received it on August 14th, starting wearing it the 15th and have yet to charge it since. Battery still shows 6 days left which is incredible
No I do the wrist gesture and have it on low light, which is plenty for me and still able to see just fine outside
doyouthinkitsreal 0.5I was in the same boat last month; I stretched a little bit and bought the Instinct 3 AMOLED. I'm happy with the purchase. What you will miss is the mobile app UI/UX, as well as the watch's. If your main goal is battery, notifications and health, then go for it.
Few_Organization9619 0.5If your sensor should struggle because of the tattoos you can use white epoxy stickers. Before I discovered that I wore my Suunto, Garmin instinct 2, Epix Gen 2 the other way around. But after my both very dark sleeves were finished 6 months ago the heart rate sensor didn't work. Now for the first time in years I wear the new instinct 3 amoled the 'right way', even works with the old Gen 4 sensor. :)
Glong0913 0.5I had a galaxy watch 4 for awhile (I use it because I am an android user) but I got a Venu 2 had it for about 2 years and the battery life was insane and since then I switched to a instinct 3 amoled, and the battery life is even better, I charge maybe every 2 weeks or more. I dont do crazy runs but want to soon. Rn it just tracks walks i do every day
HotCheetos998 0.5I would definitely go solar too, I much prefer MIP displays, they're insanely visible in direct sunlight, and I don't like having to rotate my wrist to turn the screen on and with the always on display on the battery life is horrible compared to any other instinct. My instinct 1st gen easily gets 2 weeks after years or usage and with a fresh battery the 3 AMOLED will mabey last a week
kiltedkiwi 0.5Second the instinct vote! I have the instinct 3 AMOLEd and it’s a great way to enter the Garmin ecosphere. Higher price point than some of their other watches, but not anywhere close to the Fenix price point. Battery life, even when surfing every day for 2-3hrs a day is around 8 days, 16-18 days if I’m only using the watch as a watch. I’m charging once every 10-14 days atm, depending on activity levels. I wear it constantly and I surf, gym, hike and motocross etc with it. It tracks the lot. Pair it with a decent HRM and you can overlook the older internal HRM on the watch itself.
SnooRobots5863 0.5You should buy watch with gyroscope sensor . For example fr165 doesn't have it. Fr265(5 atm) or instinct 3 amoled (10atm) do have gyroscope.
If i remember correctly swim 2 was very similar watch to fr245? (gen 3 sensor, outdated in 2025) instinct 3 amoled doesn't have touch and music but have flashlight and stronger built quality. i3 solar have small memory. fr265 have lover atm rating (if you go regularly to swimming poll there is good chance to cloge barometar hole after a year of swimming) and don't have flashligh. As usual with garmin: pick you poision. Both watches have 5 buttons, and swim drill log mode, that's good. Both watches have gen 4 sensor that is ok for average hr, but pretty slow to adapt to intervals. Gen 5 sensor is little better. In newer watch models i think there is swim coach but didn't track that part. 50mm i3 is probably to bulky for swim, but 45 i3 or 46/42 fr 265 should be ok size.
sornrut 0.5Instinct 3 amoled has a nice coloured screen. I charge mine on a full charge, 18 days charge after about an hour and half charge time. Madness! Love it
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