Garmin Instinct 3 Solar: Who is it for?

Pros: Reliable GPS, strong battery, especially suitable for outdoor and adventure sports enthusiasts.

Cons: Monochrome display, large case, not suitable for people with small wrist circumference, menu system, UI/UX not friendly.

Editor's Tip: If you're an outdoor enthusiast and an extreme sports enthusiast, the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar is a good fit. If you have small wrists, use it daily for health monitoring and office fashion, the watch is not really suitable.

Design and materials

The latest model in the Garmin family, the Instinct 3 Solar features a reinforced polymer case, combined with a metal bezel, creating high durability and good impact resistance.

This design meets military standards MIL-STD-810 for temperature, shock and water resistance, allowing it to operate at depths of up to 100 meters.

However, this is a large, rough, military design that makes the watch "out of place" when combined with a shirt, vest or office environment. This makes it not a flexible choice for those who want a device "all-purpose - from the mountains to the meeting table".

The Instinct 3 Solar features a 1.1-inch monochrome MIP display with a resolution of 176 x 176 pixels. This display is clearly visible in direct sunlight. However, the display does not offer as vivid colors as the AMOLED displays on recently released models like the Forerunner 965 or Fenix ​​8.

The lack of a color display and detailed maps may be a limitation for some users. The interface (UI/UX) is still highly technical and less intuitive, making it difficult for new or non-tech-savvy users to operate and access features.

Navigating through the menus also takes some getting used to. However, for those who have used Garmin and previous Instinct models, this is not a big problem.

The watch connects to the Garmin Connect app very quickly, all metrics can be viewed via the Garmin Connect app on your phone, or easily via the web.

However, the lack of a color display can be a turn-off for beginners as tracking heart rate zones or fitness status metrics, VO2MAX, is not appealing to some users who want a more vivid visual experience.

The Instinct 3 Solar comes in 45mm and 50mm versions. The model we tested has a diameter of 50mm, but the watch is very light. The total weight is only 53 grams. The soft and flexible silicone strap fits many different wrist sizes, allowing users to wear it comfortably for a long time.

However, the watch face is too large (50mm) causing imbalance when worn by people with wrists smaller than 16cm. The watch is also not equipped with calling features like high-end models, but only pushes notifications from smartphones. The relatively small screen size can make it difficult to read information for some users.

Some other notable daily support features include: Receiving smart notifications, controlling music on the phone, especially this watch line also supports Garmin Pay contactless payment, now available to Vietnamese users with VPBank accounts.

A highlight of the Instinct 3 Solar's design is the integrated flashlight with multiple brightness levels and red light, useful in low light conditions. This feature was previously only available on high-end watches like Fenix, but now for the first time it is also equipped on this watch line.

Features and performance

The soul of the Instinct 3 Solar is the 4th generation Garmin Elevate wrist heart rate sensor. This sensor is equipped on many other high-end lines such as Garmin Fenix ​​7 Series, Garmin Forerunner 955, 965, Garmin like Fenix ​​7, Epix Gen 2... helping users measure heart rate 24/7, measure Pulse Ox concentration (measure blood oxygen concentration), monitor HRV heart rate variability, monitor breathing rate, VO2MAX...

These are important indicators that the sports training community is most interested in and spends the most time analyzing. By evaluating these indicators, users know their training ability, readiness level, potential energy as well as many other personal indicators.

In addition, the Instinct 3 Solar measures altitude, barometric pressure, compass and temperature. The watch supports multi-band GPS positioning with SatIQ technology, providing high accuracy. These are plus points for climbers, explorers, and adventure enthusiasts.

Another highlight of the Instinct 3 Solar is the battery life and solar charging. True to its name "solar", thanks to solar charging technology, the watch can achieve impressive battery life.

According to Garmin, the watch can operate indefinitely in smartwatch mode when exposed to strong sunlight (assuming all-day wear for 3 hours per day at 50,000 lux). However, in real-world conditions, battery life may vary depending on usage and lighting conditions.

Experience using Garmin Instinct 3 for climbing

The test team used Garmin Instinct 3 to climb for 5 hours, covering a distance of about 17 km with a cumulative elevation gain of 1,500 meters. This is a trail in Dong Do forest (Soc Son, Hanoi) with quite difficult and diverse terrain.

To evaluate the accuracy, we use an additional high-end watch to reference the parameters.

Right from the get-go, the Instinct 3 Solar’s ​​multi-band GPS with SatIQ technology proved accurate. The watch quickly located its location and maintained a stable connection even when moving through dense forest areas.

This helps the experience team accurately track the distance traveled and current elevation, which is quite helpful in navigating complex trails.

In fact, compared to the higher-end Garmin model, the parameters have not much deviation. GPS works accurately even though most of the route has to go through foliage and bushes.

One thing to note is that when climbing steep slopes with a pole, the user's wrist can easily accidentally press the button when folded, causing the watch to receive unwanted commands. Users should widen the strap to avoid this situation.

In addition, due to the monochrome screen design, Garmin Instinct 3 also lacks detailed maps. The watch does not support displaying color and detailed maps like some other Garmin watch models, which can cause a little difficulty in locating locations for first-time experience routes.

Throughout the journey, despite the continuous use of GPS and activity tracking features, the watch's battery remained high. The solar charging technology worked effectively, especially when moving in direct sunlight, helping to extend the usage time. In total, the journey lasted 5 hours, the watch only consumed about 10% of its energy.

The wrist heart rate sensor works stably, providing real-time heart rate data. This is very supportive for users when going uphill, to be able to regulate the heart rate to zone 2 or zone 3, helping to maintain endurance and ensure that there is no overexertion, especially useful when climbing steep slopes.

Real-life experience shows that Garmin Instinct 3 Solar is a reliable companion for those who are passionate about outdoor activities. Durable design, impressive battery life, health monitoring features and accurate positioning help users more confidently conquer the challenges ahead.

Conclude

The Garmin Instinct 3 Solar is a reliable watch for outdoor enthusiasts, from trekking, climbing to exploring complex terrain. It has a military-grade durable design, accurate multi-band GPS and a nearly "infinite" battery life in the sun.

However, the Instinct 3 Solar is not for everyone. Its bulky design, monochrome display, and technical interface make it a picky user, especially those who need a "multi-purpose" watch: for work, exercise, calls, and daily health monitoring.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/cong-nghe/garmin-instinct-3-solar-ai-phu-hop-20250411160732946.htm