Having carried the Garmin instinct 3 50 mm Amoled for a week, it is difficult to decide how to label it. A robust energizing rabbit? A missed opportunity? An exchange of the 2x solar instinct? Another nail in the Mip coffin posted? A choice of “budget” that still costs a lot? Maybe that’s all that precedes!
Sunday
In this weekly chronicle, the editor of the portable devices of Android Central talks about the world of portable devices, applications and fitness technology linked to race and health, in its quest to become faster and more in shape.
Many Garmin users spend years between upgrades. Since I reviewed the solar instinct 2, the 2x solar instinct and a dozen other boys, it is easier to take the flashlight, the double band GP and other cool upper For acquired, where latest generation users will be excited by innovation.
When Garmin gave me the instinct 3 Amoled or Solar to revise, I chose the Amoled right away. Aside from my deep aversion to MIP screens, I could not believe that Garmin has always given a $ 450 watch the same resolution display of 1.1 inch, 176 x 176 just to prioritize the “life of the life of the Unlimited battery “and an epic of 260 gps on daily conviviality. Not to mention the return of frequently ill -aligned Second window.
The Amoled Full-Rés display, 1.3 inch, is charming on my 3 tropic 3 instinct, decently bright in full sun and accentuated by the shiny orange aluminum telescope which catches the light along its edge. You dive more than a month or two from the lifespan of the solar battery at 18 to 24 days. But at least your notifications and graphics of data are more legibleAnd it remains to live more than coming 3 or the precursor 265.
However, I think that the Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED needed a brand functionality, similar to the “unlimited” battery of the solar version. Garmin probably thought that the pocket lamp and the robustness qualified. But I think that finally putting offline cards or the LTE on a mid -range Garmin watch would have been the real change of game.
Instead, Garmin has compromised with the instinct 3 software and features that seem designed to sell you at the Enduro 3 of $ 900 to get the real adventurous experience of Garmin 2025.
Everyone except Garmin obtained the memo of offline cards
Garmin may have launched the Mip-Amoled transition from the watch brands, but his rivals quickly followed suit. And when you look at the Coros Pace Pro of $ 399, the Polar Vantage M3 of $ 399, or $ 449 SUUNTO RACE, you will find that they have all added offline cards to go with their new Amoletes screens.
Most of the watches in progress allow you to download a GPX route from Strava or create one from the Companion application of your watch, then follow the rotating instructions with a line showing a track D ‘GPS data image that you have struck in case you need to trace your measurements. This line appeared on a blank screen, without visual context for trails, streets or hills.
Then, high -end watches started to add downloadable offline cards that contextualize your route. You can see how the GPX route and the GPS breadcrumbs align with the geography of the real world, which facilitates knowledge of where you are going or if you have moved away from the appropriate path.
Garmin restricts this feature to his Fenix, Enduro and other $ 1,000 series, with the exception of Forerunner 965 or Forersner 955. Cards were Garmin negotiation schools to the prevention of prevention of preomination 255/ 265, and they were not necessarily a priority for priority for priority for the priority 255/265, and they were not necessarily a priority for priority for priority for priority for priority for the Priority for a priority for priority for priority for priority for priority for priority for priority for priority for priority for priority for priority for priority for priority for priority for priority for The priority for priority for priority for priority for priority 255/265, and they were not necessarily a priority for the coming 3 inside or the vivoactive no-altimiter 5.
However, the instinct series is designed For people who spend weeks in the wild, who may need an offline card backup in case their phone dies and that they have no pre-downloaded download. But that would have required giving instinct 3 a more robust processor, a real touch screen and (for the solar series) abandoning the low resolution solution to two windows.
Instead, Garmin cut the corners and costs: instinct 3 has a notable gap and button input only to navigate in the menus. You will have to buy the enduro 3 for the solar load and the cards.
When you consider that the Amazfit Active 2 Freaking $ 99 has offline cards, it starts Garmin to look disconnected in this area, even if it is well in advance on its rivals in other ways. Brands like Apple and Samsung can lock the price the best sensors and tools of their watches is cheaper … but these watches cost half as much as instinct 3.
Cut on latest generation sensors
Instinct 3 has the same heart rate sensor as instinct 2 when it was launched three years ago. Does this count?
You might say that most healthy Garmin users do not need the ECG farming tool, but outdoor sports like hiking are very popular with the middle and elderly crowd Who might want to occasionally check their heart health. And skin temperature becomes more and more common as a metric to judge everything, from possible disease to the symptoms of the period.
At the very least, you can be assured that the cardiac frequency data of the Garmin 3 instinct is as precise as most other Garmin watches. I gave him my traditional training test on anaerobic track, with which most of the wrist -based optical sensors are struggling. Despite the rapid HR changes and cold weather (for California), it has remained relatively close to my Coros HRM data, lowering only 1 BPM short on average.
For a more “normal” race, this is also what you expect: the Garmin Instinct 3 is very close to the brassard data at any time with a minimum difference of 1 BPM to almost all points and the same Average HR at the end.
Of course, you might certainly want not Such a frequent, so small gap! But to be fair, the V5 Elevate sensor on the Fenix 8 is not perfect either, although it tends to correct the courses to correspond to my data as an armor or thoracic a little more quickly.
The fact remains that Garmin should not have shaken with latest generation sensors while invoicing the prices of the current generation. If the $ 299 instinct has used latest generation sensors, that would have been a reasonable compromise.
Regarding GPS data, I will save the cards and satellite lines for my exam. But you can be assured that its multi-band GPS data East As precise as what you get with the most expensive Garmin models – and most people will be perfectly satisfied with the precision of the Satiq or GPS mode.
This is why I try to be aware that I take certain things for granted. Anyone who comes from an old Garmin watch or that goes from another brand will be delighted by precision. These are just powerful users and technological examiners who could ask: “But what have you been doing for me lately?”
Garmin 3 instinct is missing something
I do not want to minimize the new features of instinct 3. I love Focus of the training to plan my next training; NAP detection and sleep coaching are useful for daily information; The dynamics of racing and cycling provides niche information, and the AMOLED display is such a relief for my eyes.
But these were priests of precursor in 2023 and 2024 who came essentially. What is the specialization of the instinct series?
If it is for hikers or winter sports enthusiasts who need a robust and durable watch, I think they would be more interested in the cellular support integrated into the emergency room, a ruck mode. Yes, I wanted offline cards, but it would be easier to swallow their absence if instinct 3 had dazzled us with other new tricks.
THE Massive success of Fenix 8 Proves that Garmin users will pay a small fortune for the best features. But that means that Garmin has less pressure to maintain his mid -range models as competitive. Want better features And Good battery life? Pay the double for the enduro 3 or fenix 8!
I wish Garmin does not limit the software so rigidly per price, but that’s how they do business. And its customers – who could grow up on missing features and massive software accidents – will not give up Garmin for disappointing launch. They will just wait for the inevitable Garmin Instinct 3X.
In my case, just like I felt disappointed by the Fenix 8, even if I recognized how great it was, I am lateral of the stagnation of instinct 3 while recognizing that, in the void, It is a large fitness watch for all those who use their phone for cards and prioritizes the life of the battery, durability and the intelligent “normal” Garmin on all new flashy tips.
