Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Review: A Must-Have for Fitness Enthusiasts?

Garmin Instinct 3 is a rugged adventure watch with GPS, health tracking, an LED flashlight, and AMOLED or MIP Solar display options.

Riya Singh February 25, 2025

0 61 4 minutes read

Garmin Instinct 3 builds on the success of its predecessor, the Instinct 2, which earned a rare five-star review. It comes in multiple sizes (40mm, 45mm, and 50mm) and offers both solar-powered and non-solar versions, along with various color options.

40mm Instinct E features a Memory in Pixel (MIP) display, no solar charging, and no flashlight. The 45mm and 50mm models give users a choice between a bright AMOLED display or a solar-charging MIP screen, which can extend battery life in bright sunlight.

Instinct 3 maintains the rugged design of previous models but lacks topographical maps and a touchscreen, keeping it distinct from higher-end Garmin watches. While it may not be a sleek smartwatch, it’s durable, functional and fun—perfect for outdoor adventures.

Garmin Instinct 3 Specification

Feature	Details
💰 Price	$449 / £389 / AU$829
📏 Dimensions	45 x 45 x 14.9 mm
⚖️ Weight	53g
🛡️ Build Material	Fiber-reinforced polymer case with an aluminum bezel
🖥️ Display	AMOLED, 390 x 390 pixels
📡 GPS Support	GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, SatIQ
🔋 Battery Life	Up to 18 days (smartwatch), up to 32 hours (GPS)
🔗 Connectivity	Bluetooth, ANT+
💧 Water Resistance	10 ATM (suitable for swimming, snorkeling, but not diving)

Garmin Instinct 3 Price and availability

Garmin Instinct 3 is now available on Garmin’s website and other retailers, with five different prices depending on the model you choose.

Instinct E, the most affordable option, starts at $299 / £259 / AU$549. The 45mm Instinct 3 begins at $399 / £349 / AU$729 for the MIP Solar screen, while the AMOLED screen version costs $449 / £389 / AU$829.

The 50mm Instinct 3 with an MIP Solar screen is priced at $449 / £429 / AU$829, and the AMOLED version costs $499 / £449 / AU$929.

While the Instinct 3 is more affordable than Garmin’s Forerunner and Fenix watches, it uses fewer premium materials and lacks some advanced software features. It offers good value but isn’t necessarily a bargain, especially when compared to Polar and Coros alternatives.

Garmin Instinct 3 Design and Comfort

Garmin Instinct 3 sticks closely to the Instinct 2 design, with a chunky polymer casing and a variety of colors. It has the same five-button layout, similar thickness and weight, and familiar bezel indentations. The biggest changes are the new AMOLED screen, metal accents, and a built-in flashlight, though the flashlight is not available on the smallest Instinct E model.

AMOLED screen is bright and clear but not a touchscreen. While other Garmin watches like the Forerunner, Venu, and Fenix have a mix of buttons and touchscreen controls, the Instinct 3 sticks to buttons to keep costs down. The fiber-reinforced polymer casing (essentially thick plastic) gives it a rugged look, with metal screws adding a durable feel.

Heart rate and skin temperature sensors remain unchanged, still using the Elevate Gen 4 sensor instead of the more accurate Gen 5. Garmin also keeps the same proprietary charger, now with a USB-C cable instead of USB-A, which is becoming standard across Garmin devices.

Garmin Instinct 3 Features

Garmin Instinct 3 includes almost all of Garmin’s wellness features, basic directional maps, and a new built-in torch.

When you scroll down the menu, you’ll find widgets for wellness, navigation, and outdoor tracking. These include weather updates, sunrise and sunset times, a compass, sleep tracking, Body Battery, and Training Readiness. You can also customize the list—hikers can put the altimeter at the top, while runners might prefer the Race Calendar widget.

The interface is simple and intuitive, similar to Apple’s watchOS 11 widget stack but without the flashy visuals. However, some premium features like Endurance Score and Hill Score are missing. There are no topographical maps, just basic directional guidance, but that’s standard for Instinct watches. You can still use features like TracBack to retrace your steps.

The new torch is a handy addition, with four brightness levels and a red light mode, similar to the Garmin Fenix 8. The red light is great for night runs, while the white light can help in low-light situations.

Each morning, you’ll get Garmin’s ‘Morning Report’, which provides a summary of your sleep, weather updates, Training Readiness, and a motivational message. Since the Instinct 3 has long battery life, you can comfortably wear it overnight.

Garmin Instinct 3 Performance and Accuracy

If you’ve used a Garmin watch before, the Instinct 3 will feel very familiar. There are no big innovations, but it’s a great running and outdoor watch with lots of features at a reasonable price.

Heart rate tracking is accurate despite using an older sensor, showing similar results to the Apple Watch Ultra 2. It includes a basic strength training mode and can track outdoor activities like surfing, with GPS data on travel speed and wave count.

Garmin’s outdoor features are all here, and the AMOLED screen works much like the Forerunner 265 and 965, making navigation easy even with gloves on. The TracBack feature helped me retrace my steps accurately, even without maps. You can also customize workout screens, not just the home menu.

Battery life is excellent, beating most running watches in its price range, except for Coros. The AMOLED 45mm version lasted 18 days in my testing, close to Garmin’s official estimate. The torch is useful indoors and outdoors, but not as powerful as the Epix Pro (Gen 2).

Garmin Instinct 3: Pros & Cons

✅ Pros	❌ Cons
🌞 Choice of AMOLED or MIP Solar display	🗺️ No topographic maps
🔦 Built-in LED flashlight	🏗️ Polymer casing instead of metal
🏋️ Advanced fitness & health tracking	🎵 No music storage
📡 SatIQ GPS for better accuracy	📱 Limited smartwatch features

Conclusion

Garmin Instinct 3 is a great adventure watch with health tracking, improved GPS and an LED flashlight. It offers AMOLED or MIP Solar displays but lacks full-color maps and advanced sensors. A solid choice for Garmin fans.