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Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED vs Garmin Instinct Crossover Solar

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

GarminInstinct 3 AMOLEDGarminInstinct Crossover Solar
Overview
ReleasedJanuary 2025November 2022
Display
Case sizes45 mm or 50 mm45 mm
PanelOLEDMemory-in-pixel
Always-on displayYesYes
Display detail45 mm has a 1.2-inch (30 mm) 390 x 390-pixel AMOLED display; 50 mm has a 1.3-inch (33 mm) 416 x 416-pixel AMOLED display; five-button controls, no touchscreenMonochrome sunlight-visible transflective memory-in-pixel display, 23 x 23 mm (0.9 x 0.9 inch), 176 x 176 pixels, with a central hole for the analogue hands. Five-button controls; no touchscreen. The hands move aside to show data; RevoDrive detects and recalibrates hand misalignment after an impact.
Screen protectionChemically strengthened glassPower Glass solar-charging lens; Super-LumiNova-coated analogue hands and hour markers
Health and fitness
ECGNoNo
Blood oxygenYesYes
Skin temperatureNoNo
Sleep apnoea alertsNoNo
High blood pressure alertsNoNo
Body compositionNoNo
Fall detectionNoNo
Crash detectionNoNo
GPSDual-band (L1 and L5)Single-band
Water resistance100 m100 m
SensorsGarmin Elevate wrist heart rate; Pulse Ox; barometric altimeter; compass; gyroscope; accelerometer; thermometerGarmin Elevate wrist heart rate; Pulse Ox; barometric altimeter; compass; accelerometer; thermometer
Health featuresHRV status; Body Battery; sleep score, sleep coach and naps; stress, respiration and abnormal heart-rate alerts; Health Snapshot; Pulse Ox availability varies by country; no ECG appHRV status; Body Battery; advanced sleep monitoring and sleep score; stress and respiration tracking; continuous heart rate and abnormal heart-rate alerts; Health Snapshot; fitness age; menstrual cycle and pregnancy tracking through Garmin Connect. Pulse Ox availability varies by country.
Fitness featuresTraining readiness and status; daily suggested running and cycling workouts; Garmin Coach; wrist running dynamics and power; PacePro; multisport and triathlon; breadcrumb navigation, TracBack and reference points; detailed maps available in paired Garmin Explore app, not as built-in watch mapsTraining readiness, status, load and effect; recovery time; VO2 max; Garmin Coach and daily suggested running/cycling workouts; wrist running power. Running dynamics require a compatible accessory. Multisport/triathlon, pool and open-water swimming, cycling, hiking, climbing, strength training and golf. Breadcrumb courses, TracBack, reference points, projected waypoints and off-course alerts; no built-in topographic maps. The current web table lists Jumpmaster/Tactical activities, but the exact series owner guide and launch release restrict tactical functions to the separate Tactical Edition; those functions are not attributed to this Solar model.
Safety featuresBuilt-in white/red LED flashlight with strobe; incident detection during selected activities, assistance and LiveTrack require a paired compatible phoneIncident detection during selected activities, assistance and LiveTrack require a paired compatible phone. Screen flashlight; no physical LED flashlight.
Battery and connections
Battery life (maker's claim)Up to 24 daysUp to 28 days
In low-power modeUp to 30 daysUp to 71 days
Mobile data optionNoNo
Works withiPhone and AndroidiPhone and Android
Storage4 GB–
Battery life detailHeadline claims use the 50 mm version. 45 mm: smartwatch up to 18 days, 7 days always-on; battery saver 24 days; GPS only 32 hours; all systems 25 hours; all systems plus multi-band 23 hours; max battery GPS 68 hours; expedition GPS 16 days. 50 mm: smartwatch 24 days, 9 days always-on; battery saver 30 days; GPS only 40 hours; all systems 32 hours; all systems plus multi-band 30 hours; max battery GPS 86 hours; expedition GPS 20 days. Multi-band figures assume typical SatIQ use. No solar charging.Smartwatch: up to 28 days, or 70 days with solar; battery saver watch mode: 71 days, or unlimited with solar; GPS: 25 hours, or 31 with solar; max-battery GPS: 111 hours, or 553 with solar; expedition GPS: 40 days, or 327 with solar. Daily-mode solar claims assume all-day wear with 3 hours per day outdoors at 50,000 lux; GPS-mode solar claims assume use in 50,000-lux conditions. Actual endurance depends on settings, activities, sensors and notifications.
ChargingGarmin proprietary plug charging/data cableBuilt-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery; proprietary Garmin charging/data cable connects to a USB charging port. Power Glass provides supplementary solar charging; the watch does not solar-charge while connected to external power or when its battery is full.
ConnectivityBluetooth and ANT+; GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS and BeiDou; multi-band and SatIQ; Garmin Pay; controls paired-phone music but does not store offline music; Garmin Messenger requires a paired phoneBluetooth and ANT+; GPS, GLONASS and Galileo. Garmin Pay; paired-phone music controls and smart notifications; Android text replies. No offline music playback, cellular connectivity or multi-band GNSS.
Storage–64 MB; paired-phone music controls rather than offline audio storage
Design
Weight (lightest version)53 g65 g
SoftwareGarminGarmin
Case materialsFibre-reinforced polymer case and polymer/aluminium bezel; 10 ATM water rating; maker states MIL-STD-810 thermal and shock testingFibre-reinforced polymer case; fibre-reinforced polymer/stainless steel bezel; silicone band. Maker states MIL-STD-810 thermal and shock testing.
Size45 mm is 45 x 45 x 14.9 mm and 53 g; 50 mm is 50 x 50 x 14.4 mm and 59 g; maker does not identify these as case-only weights45 x 45 x 16.2 mm; 65 g. Maker does not identify this as a case-only weight.
Bands45 mm uses QuickFit 22 mm and fits 137–204 mm wrists; 50 mm uses QuickFit 26 mm and fits 141–213 mm wrists22 mm silicone band; compatible with QuickFit 22; fits 135–230 mm wrists.
ColoursCurrent UK maker listings include Black, Citrine, Fern Green and Black/Bolt Blue combinations, depending on size; colours are cosmetic configurationsCurrent UK Solar finishes: Graphite (010-02730-01) and Tidal Blue (010-02730-02). Non-solar Standard, Solar Tactical and later AMOLED hardware are separate models.
In the boxInstinct 3 AMOLED watch with silicone band; charging/data cable; documentationInstinct Crossover Solar smartwatch; charging/data cable; documentation

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