Garmin installs Amoled in an Instinct 3 with record autonomy
Garmin has not said its last word on the outdoor watch market. After his spearhead, theexcellent Fenix 8 which we tested at the end of 2024, the American brand is returning to the field of watches designed for the outdoors with its Instinct 3, announced as part of CES in Las Vegas. It succeeds an Instinct 2 launched in the summer of 2022, and brings visible changes.
The first is its screen. Like the manufacturer's other models, the Instinct 3 abandons the MIP technology of its predecessor for an Amoled display, which not only opens the doors to color and high definition (416 x 416 pixels on 1, 3 inch), but also those of the always-on. A significant gain in modernity for a watch that aims to be robust, with its metal bezel designed to protect it from shocks and its water resistance to 10 ATM. It even offers a flashlight function useful outdoors, like the Fenix 8. Despite its change of screen, the Instinct 3 promises autonomy almost as generous as the Instinct 2: Garmin announces up to 24 days of use, or 4 days less than its predecessor.
For the rest, this watch available in 45 and 50 mm versions, therefore rather massive, offers most of the usual sports and well-being features in the Garmin ecosystem. We therefore find a multi-band GPS, a barometric altimeter, and of course the monitoring of multiple outdoor sports, from running to cycling, including open water swimming. Heart rate measurement is there, as is VO2 Max, the creation of personalized workouts and recovery assistance after activity sessions. The Instinct 3 also offers health functions, and includes, in addition to the usual stress and sleep monitoring, a temperature sensor used to monitor the menstrual cycle. The watch can of course receive notifications from a smartphone running Android or iOS.
A launch for less than €500
Finally, note that the Instinct 3 is available in a Solar version, which promises up to 40 days of autonomy thanks to its solar recharge. In return, you have to make do with a monochrome transflective screen, also available in 45 and 50 mm versions. This version is the most affordable of the new Instincts: count on €399 for its 45 mm version and €449 for its 50 mm version. The Instinct 3 Amoled is priced at €449 (45 mm) or €499 (50 mm); much more affordable prices than the Fenix 8, whose minimum price exceeds €1000, with a few technical compromises (fewer sports supported, no touch screen, no offline mapping, no speaker/ microphone). Please note that these new models can be ordered from January 10.
