Apple Watch Series 11
Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm

Apple Watch Series 11 Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm

Common Features

  • Both products have an always-on display.
  • Both products have replaceable watch bands.
  • Both products feature a display.
  • Both products monitor blood oxygenation levels.
  • Both products have a heart rate monitor.
  • Both products have GPS.
  • Both products have an accelerometer.
  • Both products have a temperature sensor.
  • Both products have a compass.
  • Both products have a barometer.
  • Both products have a gyroscope.
  • Both products track sleep.
  • Both products track distance.
  • Both products track steps taken.
  • Both products measure pace.
  • Both products provide sleep reports.
  • Both products detect activities automatically.
  • Both products track elevation.
  • Both products are compatible with iOS.
  • Both products have NFC.

Main Differences

  • The screen size is 1.96″ on Apple Watch Series 11 and 0.9″ on Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm.
  • The display type is OLED/AMOLED on Apple Watch Series 11 and LCD on Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm.
  • Apple Watch Series 11 is water resistant, while Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm is waterproof.
  • The pixel density is 330 ppi on Apple Watch Series 11 and 276 ppi on Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm.
  • The resolution is 416 x 496 px on Apple Watch Series 11 and 176 x 176 px on Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm.
  • The thickness is 9.7 mm on Apple Watch Series 11 and 14.9 mm on Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm.
  • The weight is 43.1 g on Apple Watch Series 11 and 52 g on Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm.
  • The height is 46 mm on Apple Watch Series 11 and 45 mm on Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm.
  • The width is 39 mm on Apple Watch Series 11 and 45 mm on Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm.
  • Apple Watch Series 11 has a touchscreen, while Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm does not.
  • Apple Watch Series 11 has a sapphire glass display, while Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm does not.
  • The volume is 17.4018 cm³ on Apple Watch Series 11 and 30.1725 cm³ on Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm.
  • Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm has a cadence sensor, while Apple Watch Series 11 does not.
  • Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm is designed for golf, while Apple Watch Series 11 is not.
  • Apple Watch Series 11 has a cellular module, while Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm does not.
  • Apple Watch Series 11 is compatible with Android, while Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm is not.
  • Apple Watch Series 11 supports Wi-Fi, while Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm does not.
  • Apple Watch Series 11 supports ANT+, while Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm does not.
  • Battery life is 1 day on Apple Watch Series 11 and infinity days on Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm.
  • Apple Watch Series 11 has wireless charging, while Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm does not.
  • Apple Watch Series 11 does not have a solar power battery, while Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm does.
Specs Comparison
Apple Watch Series 11

Apple Watch Series 11

Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm

Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm

Design:
screen size 1.96" 0.9"
Display type OLED/AMOLED LCD
water resistance Water resistant Waterproof
Always-On Display
pixel density 330 ppi 276 ppi
resolution 416 x 496 px 176 x 176 px
Watch band is replaceable
has branded damage-resistant glass
thickness 9.7 mm 14.9 mm
weight 43.1 g 52 g
height 46 mm 45 mm
width 39 mm 45 mm
Has a display
has a touch screen
Has sapphire glass display
volume 17.4018 cm³ 30.1725 cm³

The Apple Watch Series 11 features a larger 1.96″ OLED/AMOLED display, while the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm has a smaller 0.9″ LCD display. The Apple Watch also offers a higher pixel density of 330 ppi compared to the Garmin’s 276 ppi, meaning the Apple Watch may display more detailed images. Additionally, the Apple Watch boasts a higher resolution of 416 x 496 px, versus the Garmin’s 176 x 176 px resolution. Both devices support an always-on display.

In terms of build, the Apple Watch Series 11 is thinner, with a thickness of 9.7 mm, and lighter at 43.1 g, compared to the Garmin’s 14.9 mm thickness and 52 g weight. The Garmin is slightly smaller in height at 45 mm and width at 45 mm, whereas the Apple Watch stands at 46 mm in height and 39 mm in width. Despite these differences, both devices have replaceable bands and are water-resistant, with the Apple Watch being water-resistant and the Garmin being waterproof. Neither device features branded damage-resistant glass or sapphire glass displays.

The Garmin’s volume is larger at 30.17 cm³ compared to the Apple Watch’s 17.40 cm³, indicating that the Garmin may be bulkier overall. The Garmin does not have a touch screen, while the Apple Watch Series 11 does. Both devices have displays, but only the Apple Watch supports touch input.

Sensors:
Monitors blood oxygenation levels
Has a heart rate monitor
has GPS
has an accelerometer
Has a temperature sensor
has a compass
Has a barometer
has a gyroscope
Has a cadence sensor
Monitors perspiration

Both the Apple Watch Series 11 and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm are equipped with a comprehensive range of sensors. Both devices include sensors for monitoring blood oxygenation levels, heart rate, GPS, accelerometer, temperature, compass, barometer, and gyroscope. The main difference is that the Garmin includes a cadence sensor, which the Apple Watch does not have.

Neither device includes a perspiration monitoring sensor, so that feature is absent from both products. Otherwise, the sensors found in the Apple Watch Series 11 and Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm are identical in terms of their functionality for general fitness and outdoor activities.

Activity tracking:
Tracks your sleep
Tracks distance
Tracks steps taken
Measures pace
Provides sleep reports
Detects activities automatically
Has a route tracker
Tracks elevation
Has multi-sport mode
Has exercise tagging
Has a stroke counter for swimming
Tracks calorie intake
Designed for diving
Designed for golf

The Apple Watch Series 11 and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm share many of the same core activity tracking features. Both devices track sleep, distance, steps taken, pace, elevation, and calorie intake, while providing sleep reports and detecting activities automatically. They also both have a route tracker, multi-sport mode, exercise tagging, and a stroke counter for swimming. In addition, both watches offer features designed to help users monitor their overall activity levels and performance.

The main difference between the two is that the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm is designed for golf, while the Apple Watch Series 11 is not. Additionally, both devices are not specifically designed for diving.

Connectivity:
has a cellular module
Is compatible with iOS
Is compatible with Android
supports Wi-Fi
supports ANT+
has NFC
supports Galileo

The Apple Watch Series 11 and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm differ in some key connectivity features. The Apple Watch includes a cellular module, allowing it to function independently of a smartphone, while the Garmin does not have this feature. Both devices are compatible with iOS, but the Apple Watch is not compatible with Android, whereas the Garmin supports both iOS and Android devices.

Regarding wireless connections, the Apple Watch supports Wi-Fi, but the Garmin does not. Both devices include NFC for easy payments and support Galileo for satellite navigation. Additionally, the Garmin supports ANT+, which the Apple Watch does not.

Battery:
battery life 1 days Infinity days
has wireless charging
has a rechargeable battery
Has a solar power battery
has a removable battery

The Apple Watch Series 11 and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm differ significantly in battery-related features. The Apple Watch Series 11 offers a battery life of 1 day, whereas the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm boasts an impressive ‘infinity days’ battery life due to its solar power capabilities. This means the Garmin can potentially last much longer without needing a recharge, depending on sunlight exposure.

The Apple Watch supports wireless charging, while the Garmin does not. Both devices have rechargeable batteries, but the Garmin is also equipped with a solar power battery, which the Apple Watch lacks. Neither product has a removable battery.

Features:
release date September 2025 April 2025
has HRV tracking
measures VO2 max
measures resting heart rate
has fast/slow heart rate notifications
shows readiness level
Can be used to answer calls
Locates your phone
Has call control
Has notifications
has irregular heart rate warnings
Has silent alarm
Has vibrating alerts
has fall detection
Has a stopwatch
Has smart alarm
has voice commands
internal storage 64GB 0.128GB
Has a built-in camera remote control function
Acquires GPS faster
warranty period 1 years 1 years

The Apple Watch Series 11 and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm offer several similar features, such as HRV tracking, VO2 max measurement, resting heart rate monitoring, fast/slow heart rate notifications, phone locating, notifications, silent alarms, vibrating alerts, fall detection, and a stopwatch. Both devices come with a 1-year warranty. However, they differ in several aspects. The Apple Watch has a range of extra features, including the ability to answer calls, call control, irregular heart rate warnings, and a built-in camera remote control function. It also has 64GB of internal storage. The Garmin, on the other hand, supports a “readiness level” feature but lacks the call-related functions, irregular heart rate warnings, and camera remote control function found in the Apple Watch. The Garmin also has a smaller internal storage capacity of 0.128GB.

Another difference is that the Apple Watch does not acquire GPS as quickly as the Garmin, which is designed to acquire GPS faster. Furthermore, the Garmin does not have voice commands, while the Apple Watch does.

App & Software:
Provides activity reports
Has inactivity alerts
Counts how many calories you've burned
Has goal setting
Has achievements
Free app
Has exercise diary
Ad-free
Has coaching
Has temperature tracking
Has period notifications
Has voice feedback
Has music playback
Predicts ovulation
Predicts start date
Can be personalised
Has barcode scanner on app
Tracks water intake
Has weight tracking

The Apple Watch Series 11 and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm share most of the same app and software features. Both devices provide activity reports, inactivity alerts, calorie counting, goal setting, achievements, a free app, an exercise diary, ad-free experiences, temperature tracking, period notifications, voice feedback, music playback, ovulation prediction, and the ability to be personalized. They also both track water intake and have weight tracking features. Additionally, both devices lack a barcode scanner on the app.

The main difference is that the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm offers coaching, a feature that is not present in the Apple Watch Series 11.

Miscellaneous:
has a battery level indicator
Has auto pause
Compatible with smart scales
Compatible with external heart rate monitors
Is compatible with Windows
has an external memory slot
Is compatible with Mac OS X
has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack

The Apple Watch Series 11 and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm share several similar features in this group. Both devices have a battery level indicator, support auto pause, are compatible with smart scales and external heart rate monitors, and are compatible with Mac OS X. Neither device has an external memory slot, and both lack a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack.

The key difference between the two is that the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm is compatible with Windows, while the Apple Watch Series 11 is not.

Comparison Summary

This is a specification comparison between the Apple Watch Series 11 and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm. Both products feature an always-on display, track steps taken, and provide sleep reports. However, the Apple Watch Series 11 offers a larger screen size of 1.96″ and an OLED/AMOLED display, while the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm has a smaller 0.9″ LCD display and is waterproof. The Apple Watch Series 11 also includes a cellular module and wireless charging, whereas the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm offers solar power battery and significantly longer battery life. Additionally, the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm supports ANT+ and is compatible with Android devices, unlike the Apple Watch Series 11.