Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED review: A pretty face on a classic experience
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I’ve beforehand wavered between calling the Intuition 3 a winner or a flop. Garmin skimped on the Elevate v5 sensor and topo maps, however Intuition 2 homeowners nonetheless get dual-band GPS, built-in LEDs, sleep coach, coaching load focus, and a gyroscope on prime of Garmin’s traditional coaching instruments.
The issue? Garmin has reached an inflection level. Any groundbreaking options or mainstream smarts go to the $1,000 Fenix 8; then, Garmin withholds these options from “cheaper” fashions for years to prop up the flagships. That is why the Intuition 3 seems like a cumbersome Forerunner with a flashlight, with no “adventurer” instruments.
Fortunately, anybody upgrading from a years-old Garmin watch should not really feel my dissatisfaction: The Intuition 3 is a formidable health watch by itself deserves. However the AMOLED facelift apart, solely hardcore Garmin followers who’re lukewarm about mainstream “smarts” will need the Intuition 3.
Garmin Intuition 3: Value, fashions, & specs
The Garmin Intuition 3 ships in 45mm and 50mm sizes, every with AMOLED and MIP Photo voltaic variants. There are “Tactical” MIP and AMOLED fashions and a finances Intuition E MIP; to date, there is no Intuition 3 Surf, Dezl, or Camo version, just like the Intuition 2 had.
The Garmin Intuition 3 Photo voltaic prices $399 and $449 for the 0.9-inch and 1.1-inch fashions, respectively; the 1.2- and 1.3-inch Intuition 3 AMOLED value $449 and $499.
|
Class |
Intuition 3 AMOLED 50mm / 45mm |
Intuition 3 Photo voltaic 50mm / 45mm |
|---|---|---|
|
Dimension |
50 x 50 x 14.4 mm; 45 x 45 x 14.9 mm |
Similar |
|
Supplies |
Polymer case; aluminum bezel; silicone strap |
Similar |
|
Safety |
Chemically strengthened glass; 10ATM; MIL-STD-810 |
Energy glass; 10ATM; MIL-STD-810 |
|
Weight |
59g / 53g |
58g / 52g |
|
Show |
1.3-inch (416×416) or 1.2-inch (390×390) full-color AMOLED non-touch |
1.1-inch (176×176) or 0.9-inch (176×176) two-window memory-in-pixel non-touch |
|
Reminiscence |
4GB |
128MB |
|
Battery life |
50mm: 24 days (9 AOD), 40 GPS hours, 30 hours multi-band GPS, 86 hours Max Battery GPS, 20 days Expedition GPS; 45mm: 18 days (7 AOD), 32 GPS hours, 23 multi-band GPS hours, 68 hours Max Battery GPS, 16 days Expedition GPS |
50mm: 40 days/ Limitless with photo voltaic, 60 GPS hours / 260 with photo voltaic, 34 multi-band GPS hours / 60 with photo voltaic, 150 hours Max Battery GPS / Limitless with photo voltaic, 60 days Expedition GPS / Limitless with photo voltaic; 45mm: 28 days / Limitless with photo voltaic, 40 GPS hours / 130 with photo voltaic, 24 multi-band GPS hours / 40 with photo voltaic, 100 hours Max Battery GPS / Limitless with Photo voltaic, 36 days Expedition GPS / Limitless with Photo voltaic |
|
Sensors |
Elevate v4 HR, SpO2, accelerometer, altimeter, compass, gyroscope |
Similar |
|
Monitoring |
GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, SatIQ, multi-band GPS |
Similar |
|
Connectivity |
Bluetooth, ANT+, NFC |
Similar |
|
LED flashlight |
✔️ |
✔️ |
My Garmin Intuition 3 vs. 2X vs. 2 information breaks down particular characteristic variations. The Intuition 2X Photo voltaic, as a compromise improve, acquired Third-gen perks like multi-band GPS and the flashlight in 2023. Its photo voltaic recharging crushes the Intuition 2 Photo voltaic however falls properly wanting the three Photo voltaic.
The Intuition 3 AMOLED battery life is similar to the Intuition 2 Photo voltaic’s except you frequently spend hours in direct daylight to recharge. There is a weeks-long hole between the Intuition 3 Photo voltaic and AMOLED, for those who can abdomen the low-res, grayscale show.
Garmin Intuition 3: Design & show
- Its huge, cumbersome, and rugged design will not attraction to everybody.
- No contact display screen, however the AMOLED show has nice visibility.
- The Intuition 3 would’ve benefited from a crown for navigation.
The Garmin Intuition 3 AMOLED has double the pixels per inch because the grayscale Photo voltaic show. MIP shows are extra readable outside however almost illegible indoors. The AMOLED mannequin is extra readable at house whereas brilliant sufficient for outside treks, with no stress to hunt down daylight to recharge.
The previous Instincts (and new 3 Photo voltaic) tracked the identical information, however their two-window, low-res shows lacked house for graphs, forcing customers to make use of Garmin’s cell app to see their progress over time. This latest mannequin solves that drawback, making information extra accessible.
The ten default watch faces all match a number of information fields — like your steps, Physique Battery, restoration time, coronary heart fee, battery life, and the climate — saving you from trying to find the info.
Sadly, you continue to depend on the Up/Down buttons as a result of the show is non-touch. They’re extra constant throughout exercises however really feel gradual when navigating by means of menus. Even the Forerunner 165 and Vivoactive 6 have contact controls, so it is most likely about battery effectivity, not value. Nonetheless, solely long-time Intuition customers will not resent its absence.
I can already hear the boos from long-time Garmin followers, however I am going to nonetheless say it: the Intuition 3 most likely ought to’ve had a crown for simpler navigation.
Picture 1 of 2
Show apart, the Intuition 3 sticks to the trademark cumbersome design you’d count on from this lineup. The raised bezel and thick, shockproof polymer defend the show and parts from falls, whereas the 10ATM water resistance ensures the roughest water sports activities will not break by means of its shell.
The Intuition design might attraction to G-Shock followers who do not want premium supplies. The brand new aluminum layer bisects the bezel and case so it does not seem like one uniform heap of plastic, like previous fashions. And I like my restricted version Neo Tropic end: its muted greens really feel at house in a forest.
Most individuals will discover the Intuition 3 too huge and buttoned to be engaging. The Intuition 2X flopped in my smartwatch magnificence pageant; despite the fact that the metal-edged Intuition 3 seems barely higher, it is nonetheless too cumbersome and athletic for many. Different Garmin watches can mix in additional in skilled contexts.
However for those who ignore its seems, the Intuition 3 is extra comfy than you’d assume. My 50mm mannequin solely weighs 59g, or 11g and 30g lighter than my Pixel Watch 3 45mm and Galaxy Watch Extremely 47mm, respectively.
Garmin Intuition 3: {Hardware} & battery
- Sooner than the Intuition 2, however slower than different Garmin watches.
- Spectacular battery life that lasts as much as 14 days or 30 hours in SatIQ mode.
- Flashlight is a battery killer and feels superfluous.
One among my greatest complaints with the last-gen Instincts was how gradual the processor was. Noticeable lag accompanied each button press, making menu navigation a chore, and easy characteristic updates brought about issues due to restricted reminiscence.
DC Rainmaker warns that the Intuition 3 Photo voltaic shares this subject because the system software program takes up most of its 128MB of reminiscence. I am glad the Intuition 3 AMOLED has 4GB of house, with loads of leeway.
The Intuition 3 nonetheless feels slower than different Garmin watches, even when it is sooner than the Intuition 2. The lacking touchscreen apart, each button press or uploaded exercise has a tiny delay. However this sluggishness is the value paid to assist the Intuition 3 last more.
For context, the Forerunner 265 and Venu 3 final 13 or 14 days, respectively, whereas the Intuition 3 45mm and 50mm final 18 or 24 days. These different fashions aren’t slouches, however an additional week makes a distinction.
Extra importantly, the Intuition 3 lasts as much as 30 hours in SatIQ mode with multi-band GPS, beating the Forerunner 265 by 14 hours, although shedding to the Fenix 8 51mm by 32 hours.
Garmin’s watches sometimes fall a couple of days or GPS hours wanting the official battery estimates. On paper, it is best to solely burn about 3% of your Intuition 3 battery per hour of exercise; I noticed no less than 5%. However that is nonetheless considerably higher than nearly some other health watch I’ve examined!
The one true battery killer is the built-in flashlight. It has 4 white-LED depth ranges and a dimmer purple LED; you possibly can set any depth to numerous strobe patterns to flash your presence, signaling your presence to vehicles and cyclists at night time.
I’ve by no means cared to make use of Garmin’s torch a lot. It is good to whip out with a fast double-button faucet to stumble to the toilet, illuminate your pathway, or navigate a tent zipper with out blinding others close by. Nonetheless, its max brightness cannot match a typical telephone flashlight, whereas nonetheless burning by means of your battery rapidly.
I would quite have it and never want it than the alternative. In case your telephone dies in an emergency, this flashlight is a lot better than the show flashlight mode on most watches. However for those who frequently run at night time, you may nonetheless want a knuckle mild or headlamp.
Garmin Intuition 3: GPS & HR accuracy
- The Elevate v4 sensor is as correct as latest Garmin watches.
- Intuition 2 homeowners ought to recognize the enhance in accuracy for location and coronary heart fee.
Garmin gave the Intuition 3 the identical Elevate v4 sensor as the previous few years of Garmin watches. Whereas its multi-band GPS is industry-leading for accuracy, it hasn’t modified a lot lately, except for the SatIQ mode, which saves battery by solely utilizing a number of satellites when there’s sign blockage.
All that’s to say, for those who’ve learn any of my dozen Garmin critiques since 2022, there’s nothing new to say right here. I am going to run by means of my outcomes briefly, however the Intuition 3 is about as correct as some other latest Garmin watch.
Picture 1 of 2
The Intuition 3’s optical HR sensor did pretty properly maintaining with an optical arm band, with solely a bit of lag, and ended with the identical common coronary heart fee. However for a observe exercise, there is a extra noticeable hole for anaerobic sprints, and it ended 1 bpm quick.
That is higher than most health watch manufacturers and never a considerable distinction for on a regular basis athletes, however the Elevate v5 sensor within the Venu 3 and Fenix 8 is barely extra responsive. And that is to not point out the lacking ECG and pores and skin temperature readings.
I ran 5 miles sporting the Polar Vantage M3 and Garmin Intuition 3 for a wrist-based comparability. The Vantage M3 lagged behind the Intuition 3 for many fast HR modifications, however each ended with the identical HR common. This take a look at recommended that Garmin’s sensor is barely extra conscious of modifications, despite the fact that it is utilizing older tech.
Picture 1 of 3
Throughout the run, the dual-band Vantage M3 measured 0.01 miles or 16m extra distance than the Intuition 3, which was utilizing SatIQ mode. Polar’s monitoring was barely extra correct at most factors, whereas Garmin tended to float off the path a bit beneath mild foliage whereas staying dead-on when unobstructed.
That is my typical expertise with SatIQ mode, which does not all the time kick in with higher accuracy rapidly sufficient. But it surely additionally exhibits how Garmin’s normal GPS monitoring retains tempo with different manufacturers’ multi-band outcomes, which is reassuring.
Picture 1 of 2
The map above exhibits me operating three-mile-long loops on a set path with my Intuition 3. There’s slight wavering at some factors, whether or not due to foliage or having to run round folks, however the monitoring is dead-on most often.
In the event you personal a GPS-only Garmin watch with older Elevate sensors, or for those who change from one other model, you may be thrilled with this stage of accuracy. Intuition 2 homeowners will definitely recognize the placement enhance, however the coronary heart fee accuracy is similar; spend money on an HRM chest strap or COROS armband for higher outcomes.
Garmin Intuition 3: Software program
- Garmin stables like Morning Report, Physique Battery, and extra are right here.
- Lacks “sensible” options like offline maps, music, and Bluetooth calling.
- You could want a Join Plus subscription for further options.
|
Class |
Garmin Intuition 3 |
|---|---|
|
Reminiscence |
4GB (AMOLED); 128MB (MIP) |
|
Sleep & well being |
Sleep rating, sleep coach, nap detection, resting coronary heart fee, respiratory fee, Physique Battery, all-day stress, HRV standing, blood oxygen, well being snapshot |
|
Smarts |
Morning report, climate app, calendar, music playback (no storage), Discover My Cellphone/ Watch, Garmin Messenger app, notification pictures (AMOLED/ Android solely), incident detection, livetrack, dwell occasion sharing |
|
Key health information |
Steps, flooring, energy, depth minutes, VO2 Max, auto max HR, every day recommended exercises, coaching readiness, coaching standing, coaching impact, coaching load, coaching load focus / ratio, operating dynamics, superior biking dynamics, operating energy, grade-adjusted tempo, efficiency situation, race look, improved intervals |
Garmin packs too many options into its watches to moderately tackle one after the other, so I’ve listed the highlights, bolding the options that the Intuition 2 lacked.
After an evening of sleep, you may get a sleep rating and training on how one can enhance it baked into your Morning Report together with HRV standing, Physique Battery, coaching readiness, climate, and any calendar reminders.
Garmin is especially good at judging coronary heart fee variability, which measures your physique’s exercise restoration and all-night blood oxygen ranges. I simply want we had ECG and pores and skin temperature readings.
Regardless of its further reminiscence and new show, the Intuition 3 is not “sensible.” You will not discover music storage, offline maps, Bluetooth calling, or instructions. Its LiveTrack and emergency instruments solely work by means of your telephone as a result of it lacks an LTE possibility.
The Intuition 3’s light-weight CPU helps it last more, so I am advantageous with most limitations. However I totally attribute its breadcrumb navigation to Garmin’s inflexible worth tiers. Most up-to-date AMOLED health watches within the $300+ vary have began including topographic maps, so you possibly can obtain your regional information and observe close by trails in an emergency. The Intuition 3 “journey watch” ought to have finished the identical!
Fortunately, Garmin did not maintain the Intuition 3 again for common coaching steering. You get the total coaching suite, together with every day exercise strategies, low/excessive cardio and anaerobic load breakdowns to assist information your coaching, and long-term Garmin Coach plans.
New superior operating and biking dynamics analyze your kind. Your grade-adjusted tempo tells you how briskly you are really going relative to the elevation achieve or loss. Throughout intervals, the Intuition 3 can present your relaxation timer, enable for open repeats, or auto-detect begins — issues the Intuition 2’s tiny mind could not deal with.
There are a couple of software program perks on the Fenix 8 like hill & endurance scores, Strava Dwell Segments, diving instruments, and (once more) topo maps that you just would possibly want the Intuition 3 had. However general, the core Garmin expertise is similar as ever. It’s extremely straightforward to make use of this watch to get fitter or sooner, and the AMOLED show reveals your information in accessible charts.
As a last facet notice, the Intuition 3 does not include a complimentary Join Plus subscription interval, which is a disgrace. No main Intuition 3 options are locked behind this paywall, however you should still find yourself paying for it.
Garmin Intuition 3: Competitors
If cash is not any object, you could wish to weigh the Intuition 3 towards the Fenix 8. The latter has sooner efficiency, offline maps, a touchscreen, and a speaker for voice instructions and calling, with comparable battery life. You could possibly additionally think about the Enduro 3 as a longer-lived (and far smarter) Photo voltaic various, however each watches value a whole lot extra.
For a less expensive, long-lived AMOLED watch, think about the COROS PACE Professional, which lasts 20 days or 31 dual-frequency GPS hours per cost. You get perks like offline maps, MP3 music storage, and Strava Dwell Segments on prime of COROS’s related coaching load instruments and marathon coaching plans, although not a mic/speaker or contactless funds.
Garmin Intuition 3: Must you purchase it?
You can purchase the Garmin Intuition 3 if…
- You need a rugged, comfy watch with weeks of battery life.
- You already know you want Garmin’s coaching instruments greater than apps & smarts.
- You do not thoughts utilizing your telephone to observe trails.
You should not purchase the Garmin Intuition 3 if…
- You want a watch that’ll mix in.
- You need a touchscreen, voice instructions, music storage, or apps.
- You would be advantageous with a less expensive Garmin that “solely” lasts two weeks.
I cherished the Garmin Intuition 2 and 2X for his or her longevity, however I barely used them exterior of exercises. By including an AMOLED show, the Intuition 3 is barely extra usable, even when the buttons and gradual CPU maintain it again.
The Intuition 3 AMOLED seems like a longer-lived, rugged Forerunner 265, however since that got here out in 2023 — and the Forerunner 275 and 975 ought to (allegedly) arrive quickly — I am undecided if Garmin gave its new Intuition sufficient of a definite id, now that it isn’t an “limitless” battery watch.
Garmin Intuition followers clearly do not care concerning the bells and whistles, nevertheless, so they will not care that the Intuition 3 does not have them! Ignore my nitpicks and luxuriate in the truth that it is objectively higher than the Intuition 2 and 2X.
Belief your instincts
The Garmin Intuition 3 has an AMOLED face carry, but it surely’s nonetheless the identical long-lived, cumbersome bundle of health information as ever. It lasts as much as 24 days per cost, has 10ATM and MIL-STD-810 safety, dozens of sports activities modes (together with new strength-training animations), and the core Garmin teaching instruments you already know and love.
