Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Black 45mm
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Product information
Key specs
Android, iOS
45 mm
17 - 19 cm
Quality of sports readings
ExcellentQuality of health readings
Good432 hours
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Pros and cons
According to our smartwatch expert
The sturdy rubber watch case protects your smartwatch from tough conditions.
You can easily read all your information on the bright color screen, even in bright sunlight.
Thanks to the long battery life, you only need to charge this smartwatch twice a month or less.
You can’t control this smartwatch with a touchscreen, only with the buttons on the side.
The watch is large, so it looks best on a wrist circumference of at least 17cm.
Description
Wear a sturdy smartwatch that can handle a bump with the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar 45mm. This smartwatch has a rugged design made of rubber and plastic. That means it doesn’t get damaged easily, and you can control it with buttons. The display stays easy to read, even outside in bright sunlight. The metal bezel is stronger than plastic. The battery lasts up to 432 hours in time mode, so you’ll only need to charge it about twice a month or less.
Key specs
Android, iOS
45 mm
17 - 19 cm
Quality of sports readings
ExcellentQuality of health readings
Good432 hours
This is what you get
- Manual
- USB-C charging cable (excluding charger)
Reviews
Rating
Most helpful reviews
Review is 9,7 out of 10.
Recommended! Provided you like long battery life.
- Battery life
- Solar! The sun is your friend
- Design (is subject, of course)
- Many menus
Bought as a successor to the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar and immediately very happy with it. It is a bit bigger at 50 mm, though. But in return, you get an incredibly long battery life.
My reason for going for the variant with the MIP display. Very easy to read, even in the sun. No shiny, energy-guzzling OLED screen for me.
All settings (and there are a lot of them) can be edited on the watch, but I found it much easier to do it via the app.
Solar power! I saw the battery life increase on a sunny day. Unbelievable! It was only 2%, but it shows how well it works. Not just a gimmick.
In short; after a week, absolutely happy with this purchase / upgrade.
- Review by:
Anoniem
- Date:
17 April 2026
- Translation:
Automatically translated from Nederlands
Review is 9,7 out of 10.
Looks very neat
- Battery life via solar
- Looks
- Convenience menus
- Slightly larger than old instinct 2. Preference for smaller
The watch comes across as solid. The buttons have a better feel during operation than the Instinct 2. The light is a nice gimmick. And the battery life with solar is very nice. I haven't had to charge it yet :)
- Review by:
Robin
- Date:
4 September 2026
- Translation:
Automatically translated from Nederlands
Review is 7,3 out of 10.
Nice, solid watch, sports and simple smartwatch
- Long battery life
- Nice and simple, not too much fuss
Heart rate measurement not properly tested yet but seems okay. Otherwise, a solid sports watch with simple smartwatch functions. Great battery life!
- Review by:
Roland Megens
- Date:
1 September 2026
- Translation:
Automatically translated from Nederlands
Specifications
Product
Product number | 975943 | |
|---|---|---|
Manufacturer code | 010-02934-00 | |
Brand | Garmin | |
Warranty | 2 years | |
Processing of your defect | Via Coolblue |
Operating system
Compatible with operating system | Android, iOS | |
|---|---|---|
Required iPhone model | iPhone 8 or later | |
Required Android version smartphone | Android 9.0 or higher | |
Operating system | Garmin OS | |
Year introduced | 2025 | |
Guaranteed support with updates | Unknown |
Physical properties
Watch case color | Black | |
|---|---|---|
Watch case material | Plastic | |
Watch case shape | Round | |
Height | 45 mm | |
Width | 45 mm | |
Weight | 53 g | |
Size watch case | Large | |
Watch case size | 45 mm | |
Recommended for wrist circumference | 17 - 19 cm | |
Total storage capacity | 4 GB | |
Shockproof |
Band properties
Watch strap material | Silicone | |
|---|---|---|
Watch strap color | Black | |
Closure type | Buckle | |
Interchangeable watch strap | ||
Compatibility watch strap | Product specific |
Screen properties
Screen type | AMOLED | |
|---|---|---|
Always-on display | ||
Data display | Digital | |
Touchscreen | ||
Color screen | ||
Adjustable watch face | ||
Type of glass | Hardened glass |
Battery
Battery life in time mode | 432 hours | |
|---|---|---|
Battery life in sports mode | 32 hours | |
Battery/battery capacity | 0,25 Ah | |
Energy source solar power | ||
Wireless charging |
Connectivity
Internet connection options | WiFi only | |
|---|---|---|
Internet and calls without smartphone | No | |
Bluetooth | ||
ANT+ | ||
Independent music player | ||
Music controls | ||
Built-in microphone | ||
Built-in speakers | ||
Spoken directions | ||
Call options | Only answer calls | |
Smart reply | ||
App installation possible | ||
Camera operation | ||
NFC | ||
Contactless payment | ||
Contactless payment system | Garmin Pay |
Daily activities
Pedometer | ||
|---|---|---|
Measures distance | ||
Speedometer | ||
Calorie counter | ||
Measures stairs climbed |
Heart rate measurement
Heart rate measurement | ||
|---|---|---|
Heart rate zones | ||
Type of heart rate measurement | Optical heart rate measurement | |
Heart rate measurement under water |
Health properties
Quality of health readings | Good | |
|---|---|---|
Skin temperature sensor | ||
Oximeter | ||
Blood pressure monitor | ||
EDA sensor | ||
Sleep score | ||
Average heart rate during sleep | ||
Measure recovery during sleep | ||
Menstrual cycle tracking | ||
Pregnancy monitoring |
Sports properties
Quality of sports readings | Excellent | |
|---|---|---|
Recommended for sports | Biking, Fitness, Golf, Hiking, Mountaineering, Multisport, Outdoor, Running, Swimming, Tennis, Triathlon, Water sports, Winter sports | |
Manual training programs | ||
Measure fitness age | ||
Recovery advice | ||
Interval training | ||
VO2 max measurement | ||
Measures average speed during activity | ||
Lap counter | ||
Race prognosis | ||
Measures step distance | ||
Measure running cadence | ||
Measures swimming distance | ||
Measures swimming speed | ||
Swimming lap counter | ||
Connection to fitness machines possible | ||
ATM score | 10 |
GPS
Built-in GPS receiver | ||
|---|---|---|
Global satellite navigation system | GLONASS, GPS, Galileo |
Sensors
Compass | ||
|---|---|---|
Altimeter | ||
Barometer | ||
Thermometer |
Other functionalities
Fall detection | ||
|---|---|---|
Alarm function | ||
Geofencing |
