Adventure-ready, with one annoying miss

As of late, new GPS watches (and smartwatches basically) appear to be all about extra, extra, extra. In the event that they’re not including one thing new like higher battery life, new actions to trace, or upgraded good assistant options, why waste your time? I do know that to be true, partly as a result of I’m responsible of it, too — have a look at my latest Garmin Fenix 8 and Enduro 3 evaluations. I praised Garmin for locating methods so as to add new wrinkles, and I’m completely completely satisfied to brush off their almost $1,000 worth tags.

And but, ever since I strapped on the Garmin Intuition 3 AMOLED, I’ve seen issues in a different way. I’ve been adapting to life and not using a touchscreen or a wise assistant and loving it. It’s the other of the Garmin expertise I’m used to, but one which I’ve loved excess of I believed I’d. In some methods, the Intuition 3 has put the journey again into my journey watch, which makes its most important flaw that rather more irritating.

After I was youthful, I believed the Casio G-Shock was the coolest-looking watch in the marketplace. It was large and hulking and appeared prefer it may take a beating. Higher but, it got here in a ton of vibrant, borderline obnoxious colours that warmed my neon-loving middle-school coronary heart. Finally, I grew up and moved on to slimmer, extra mature smartwatches just like the pebble-like Pixel Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 for all times between exercises. My fondness for a chunky, rugged wearable remained, although, and after I noticed the Intuition 3 AMOLED in its Neo Tropic shade (pictured above, under, and all over the place), I used to be taken again in time.

And fortunately for me, I obtained that very same Miami Dolphins-esque Neo Tropic model for evaluation, this time in Garmin’s smaller 45mm case. Whereas I’ll readily admit that it’s not possible to match a watch that appears like toothpaste with a glass of orange juice to something in my closet, I like that it’s a vibrant, daring wearable. In fact, Garmin additionally presents its Intuition 3 AMOLED in a primary black model for each the 45mm and 50mm circumstances in order for you one thing extra refined. Both manner, Garmin’s new stainless aluminum-reinforced bezel acts as its pop of shade, providing peace of thoughts must you clatter your watch in opposition to a wall whereas mountaineering or slip on ice whereas working — ask me how I do know.

When you’ve settled in your dimension and shade, navigating the Garmin Intuition 3 is about so simple as doable. That is the primary Garmin watch I’ve utilized in fairly some time that comes and not using a touchscreen, so that you’ll must turn out to be very comfy with the five-button setup and the flashlight (marked Torch) tucked on the highest edge. I struggled with this at first, virtually instinctively (get it?) swiping with my finger each time I wished to verify my sleep report or pull up a notification from my telephone. Since then, although, I’ve retrained my mind to succeed in for the buttons on the left facet of the small body after I want to leap forwards and backwards. If I’ve one criticism with the buttons on the Intuition 3 AMOLED, it’s the truth that they’re virtually flush with the body. I typically miss them after I assume I’ve pressed them, and I unintentionally pull my very own arm hair simply as typically.

Naked patch on my wrist apart, the largely plastic Intuition 3 AMOLED has one other profit I didn’t anticipate: It disappears on my wrist. After spending a number of months with larger, heavier watches just like the Enduro 3 and Fenix 8 AMOLED, the mere 53g feels virtually invisible. It’s solely about 10g lighter than the Enduro 3, which shocked me, on condition that Garmin’s ultra-focused watch is a full 6mm bigger. Maybe I can chalk a few of that invisibility as much as the truth that I can get a a lot tighter match from the Intuition’s smaller physique and the extra pure curve of its built-in silicone band.

In fact, longtime Intuition followers will keep in mind that Garmin boasted concerning the potential for limitless battery life on the earlier era because of a photo voltaic charging ring. Primarily, the concept was that when you have been getting outdoors and being energetic sufficient together with your watch, the photo voltaic consumption would out-pace the battery drain from the GPS monitoring and Reminiscence-in-Pixel (MiP) show. So, for the most recent Intuition to undertake an AMOLED face, you is perhaps nervous that these limitless battery days are a factor of the previous. Nicely, concern not, as there are actually two Intuition fashions to select from.

Sure, I could also be reviewing the AMOLED model, however Garmin additionally presents an Intuition 3 Photo voltaic in 45mm and 50mm case sizes when you’re hoping for limitless battery life (assuming you spend sufficient time within the solar). You’ll must commerce the particular Neo Tropic shade for a Twilight model, however the remainder of the options are just about the identical so far as buttons, well being monitoring, and show sizes go. Maybe the primary resolution you’ll face is whether or not or not you assume the MiP show is vibrant sufficient to be used in robust daylight.

Though it doesn’t have limitless battery life, the Intuition 3 AMOLED is not any slouch. Garmin claims that its smaller 45mm model is nice for 18 days between prices, whereas the bigger 50mm mannequin ought to hit 24 days earlier than you’re looking for your proprietary cable. Precise utilization is usually barely decrease, so let’s transfer on to exercise monitoring.

Though my final two Garmin evaluations got here throughout superbly busy elements of the yr (marathon season for yours really), the Intuition 3 AMOLED arrived at a special second: The center of a frigid, snowy winter. And, on the one hand, that’s nice — I nonetheless prefer to faux I’m younger sufficient to sled down the hills of Baltimore’s Patterson Park — nevertheless it’s made the remainder of my winter exercises only a bit more durable. Oh, and the issues I discussed with urgent the 5 buttons across the Intuition 3 don’t precisely go away after I’m attempting to take action in thick gloves.

Chilly climate apart, when it comes proper all the way down to it, the Intuition 3 AMOLED continues to be a dependable, action-packed Garmin GPS watch. Regardless of my protestations as I pull on a 3rd shirt or a second pair of tights to move out into the ten-degree morning (that’s Fahrenheit, not Celsius), my watch is able to go after I press the button to begin my run. And, since I’m not at the moment coaching for a marathon — although I’m coaching for a special kind of race that I’ll contact on in a second —I’ve had no drawback with the Intuition 3 lasting by way of all of my runs, each whereas I used to be on the CES 2025 commerce present just lately (the place we gave this similar watch an award) and since I’ve returned dwelling.

They’ve been shorter runs of between three and 9 miles, however I’ve logged eleven and a half hours price of exercise and solely needed to discover the proprietary USB-C charger that got here with the Intuition 3 as I sat down to put in writing this evaluation. Whereas which may not sound terribly spectacular if I’d obtained my Intuition 3 AMOLED for evaluation with a completely charged battery, I unboxed it in Las Vegas at round an 80% cost and opted to plug it in with about 9% of its battery remaining.

Whereas my watch prices — which ought to solely take about 90 minutes — let’s have a look at one of many longer runs I logged whereas dwelling. I made a decision to check each the watch and myself, heading out for a run on a knee that felt lower than excellent after a coaching run in Harper’s Ferry. Regardless of anticipating fairly a little bit of discomfort as I trucked round Baltimore’s Internal Harbor, my knee and the Intuition 3 spurred me to maintain going. I adopted the watch’s suggestion for the day, which was an hour and fifteen minutes of working between an 8:10 and eight:30 tempo per mile, figuring out to proper round 9 miles.

In fact, nothing up to now has come as a shock to me. I’ve already used Garmin’s coaching plans to arrange for half marathons, and I’m used to the always-excellent battery life that I can anticipate from a GPS watch that’s not really trying to be a smartwatch. However, with the Intuition 3 AMOLED sporting the earlier fourth-generation Elevate coronary heart price sensor reasonably than the fifth-generation sensor that I’ve used on newer wearables, I used to be curious if I’d discover any change in its reliability. At a look, the reply to that query appears to be each sure and no.

The rationale that I say each sure and no to the reliability of the fourth-generation Elevate sensor is just about due to what you see above. Though there are not any odd or wayward spikes — the peaks and valleys appear to comply with the elevation of my working route — the tiny little spikes shocked me. It appears to be like as if the Intuition 3 AMOLED struggled to make up its thoughts on a per-beat foundation, particularly the place it appears to be like like noticed enamel for the minute or in order that I spent at 160 beats per minute. Then again, most of my latest runs with a fifth-generation Elevate sensor appear to take a seat at a gradual coronary heart price for longer, shifting gently up and down reasonably than spiking.

Curiously, although, Garmin’s document of my elevation tells the other story, holding me barely flatter at sure factors earlier than stair-stepping me up or down. I don’t essentially assume that this makes the elevation readout inaccurate — I’d be shocked if I had fluctuated greater than six meters whereas heading across the harbor. Nonetheless, it means that Garmin’s barely older {hardware} won’t document as many information factors because the newer sensors.

On the intense facet, the Intuition 3 AMOLED largely nailed my pathway by way of the tall buildings of Harbor East. That is typically a spot I’ll pick when testing a health tracker by way of Baltimore, just because most wearables have a behavior of tossing me into the facet of a constructing or pushing me out into the harbor. Whereas there’s a bit of little bit of that — discover the stretch proper close to Maritime Park — Garmin’s mapping largely saved me out on the roads and sidewalks I’ve discovered to belief.

And, for these days after I’d reasonably not contribute too closely to my weekly load of working laundry, the Intuition 3 AMOLED is a superb bouldering companion. I discussed how a lot I respect its compact dimension within the part above, nevertheless it turns out to be useful once more after I’m attempting to navigate plastic holds and swing for dynamic strikes. I’ve but to clatter the Intuition 3 AMOLED in opposition to something in my dwelling gymnasium, which is particularly spectacular given the battle scars that each my Fenix 8 AMOLED and Enduro 3 bear. Like these different wearables, bouldering hardly makes a dent within the battery lifetime of the Intuition 3 AMOLED, so I may simply spend all day on the gymnasium and never sweat the remaining cost — no less than, if my arms held up that lengthy. In fact, if I do smack the Intuition 3 AMOLED in opposition to a maintain, a quantity, or the rest, I’m undecided how effectively its plastic physique would reply. Hopefully, I don’t discover out.

Sadly, it’s time for the opposite shoe to drop — we have now to speak about what’s lacking from the Garmin Intuition 3 AMOLED. As I discussed above, I’m not at the moment coaching for a street marathon or something like that, however I am as an alternative coaching for a looped, five-hour path race. And, with a race like that, I want to spend so much extra of my time coaching on trails than on roads. With out entering into the tiniest of trail-running particulars, it takes an entire totally different set of muscular tissues if you depart the pavement behind (learn: I’m very sore).

However, a part of coaching on trails means studying tips on how to navigate trails, which may be performed in one in every of two methods. First, you’ll be able to arrange each run as an out-and-back, working in a straight line till you resolve it’s time to show round. Out-and-backs are fairly simple, you’re making it not possible to take a mistaken flip. Sadly, they don’t work effectively when working in a twisting, turning state park the place every thing is designed to be a loop or a sequence of loops. And when that occurs, your finest guess is to obtain a GPX map to your watch in an effort to comply with turn-by-turn instructions. The one drawback is that the Intuition 3 AMOLED doesn’t can help you try this.

No, regardless of feeling and looking like a watch meant for climbing and adventuring, the function that Garmin determined to chop to maintain the worth of the Intuition 3 sequence in verify is mapping. Technically, you can also make a breadcrumb path to retrace your steps again to the beginning, however you then’re proper again to the out-and-back that I described above. Additionally, I’m working a looped race, so I’d actually like a watch with mapping help to information my manner — no less than for the primary journey across the circuit.

And sure, I do know that Garmin needed to make some sacrifices to maintain the Intuition 3 priced at about half of what the Fenix or Enduro prices, however I can’t assist feeling prefer it made the mistaken name. I’m undecided what the best one would have been — the older coronary heart price sensor and non-removable watch band additionally really feel like logical calls — however taking downloadable maps out of the equation looks like relegating the Intuition 3 AMOLED to mild adventures solely. Perhaps the Intuition 3 sequence would have been higher served by skipping the built-in flashlight or sticking with a MiP-only show, however then once more, I like having an easy-to-access mild on my wrist, and the AMOLED panel is a major improve over the MiP face in vibrant situations.

Fortunately, different on a regular basis options like Garmin Pay, the Physique Battery, and sleep monitoring with a Morning Report have additionally been spared from the axe, so it’s not all unhealthy, head-scratching information.

At this level, I feel I’m caught. I wish to love the Garmin Intuition 3 AMOLED — I do love about 90% of the watch — however I’m struggling to look previous its main omission due to my very own wants. I nonetheless assume I’m completely completely satisfied to belief Garmin’s mid-priced GPS watch on acquainted trails, weekly miles across the metropolis, and journeys to the climbing gymnasium after I can’t be bothered to go outdoors, however that lack of mapping actually provides me pause. For a watch that appears and feels so prepared for journey, when you’re a seasoned off-trail explorer, it could possibly sometimes really feel like a lifted Jeep that you would be able to solely take to the grocery retailer.

And but, that will probably be greater than sufficient for most individuals. For those who’re simply after a rugged-looking watch that comes with out the sky-high price ticket of one thing like Garmin’s Enduro 3 or Fenix 8, then the Intuition 3 AMOLED will probably be excellent for you. Apart from, it nonetheless has the on a regular basis options you’d need if you park your Jeep on the grocery retailer — like Garmin Pay — you’ll simply must comply with a pal with a higher-spec watch when the path will get dicey. You’ll nonetheless get Garmin’s wonderful sleep monitoring, girls’s well being metrics, and battery life that lasts weeks, too.

Oh, and when you do spring for the Intuition 3 AMOLED — in both the 45mm or 50mm case — I’d extremely suggest the Neo Tropic colorway. It’s turned heads all the time I’ve had it on my wrist and stands out amongst a sea of in any other case largely black health trackers on my desk. Then once more, there’s at all times the Intuition 3 Photo voltaic ($399.99 at Amazon), which presents the identical base expertise however rewards you significantly for spending time outside.

In fact, when you’re severe about trekking the paths and as bored by the concept of an out-and-back run as I’m, then the Intuition 3 AMOLED is a bit more durable to suggest. Certain, you could possibly maintain a map in your telephone or carry a devoted GPS on your exercises, however you then’re including weight to your setup and in the end slowing your self down to tug out your telephone and look at a map. So, if that’s the boat you end up in, it’s time to get artistic with some alternate options.

Garmin’s Fenix 8 AMOLED ($999.99 at Amazon) and Enduro 3 ($899.99 at Amazon) are wonderful, however they’re additionally twice as costly because the Intuition 3 AMOLED and far bigger. Whilst you’ll get additional goodies like non-compulsory titanium bezels and battery life that goes all month lengthy, you is perhaps delay by the concept of a watch as giant as Captain America’s defend in your wrist. I nonetheless assume the 47mm Fenix 8 AMOLED is the most effective GPS watch I’ve ever used, however I additionally know that $1,000 is a steep worth to pay when you’re not on an journey virtually daily. Additionally, the Enduro 3 will push you again to an older MiP show, nevertheless it’s arduous to argue with an entire month of battery life.

As a substitute, I feel the most effective map-toting alternate options to the Intuition 3 AMOLED meet someplace within the center. First is Garmin’s personal Forerunner 965 ($599.99 at Garmin) — a road-running watch. It’s barely bigger than the Intuition and a bit dearer, nevertheless it provides a bigger case (47mm), a titanium bezel, and interchangeable watch bands to the setup. If not for entry to Garmin’s newer journey watches, the road-centric Forerunner 965 would most likely nonetheless be on my wrist. One different choice to contemplate, although, is the Coros Tempo Professional ($349 at Amazon). Briefly, it’s like Coros’s model of the Forerunner 965, pairing an AMOLED face with three weeks of battery life and downloadable maps. Nevertheless, the Tempo Professional is extra reasonably priced than its Garmin counterparts, primarily as a result of it skips creature comforts like an NFC chip for wi-fi funds.