Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition
Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition

Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition

Common Features

  • Display type is OLED or AMOLED on both products.
  • Water resistance is rated as waterproof on both products.
  • ATM rating is 10 ATM on both products.
  • The watch band is replaceable on both products.
  • A touch screen is not available on either product.
  • Thickness is 14.4 mm on both products.
  • GPS support is available on both products.
  • A heart rate monitor is included on both products.
  • Blood oxygenation level monitoring is supported on both products.
  • A barometer is built into both products.
  • Sleep tracking is available on both products.
  • Multi-sport mode is supported on both products.
  • Both products are compatible with iOS and Android.
  • Wi-Fi support is not available on either product.
  • Wireless charging is not available on either product.

Main Differences

  • Screen size is 1.3″ on Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and 1.1″ on Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition.
  • Display resolution is 416 x 416 px on Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and 176 x 176 px on Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition.
  • Weight is 59 g on Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and 58 g on Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition.
  • Pixel density is 452 ppi on Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and 226 ppi on Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition.
  • Battery life is rated at 9 days on Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and Infinity days on Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition.
  • Battery life with GPS on is 40 hours on Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and 260 hours on Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition.
  • Battery life in training mode is 30 hours on Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and 60 hours on Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition.
  • Solar power battery support is available on Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition but not available on Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition.
  • Internal storage capacity is 4GB on Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and 0.128GB on Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition.
Specs Comparison
Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition

Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition

Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition

Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition

Design:
screen size 1.3" 1.1"
Display type OLED/AMOLED OLED/AMOLED
water resistance Waterproof Waterproof
has branded damage-resistant glass
ATM rating 10 ATM 10 ATM
resolution 416 x 416 px 176 x 176 px
Watch band is replaceable
has a touch screen
weight 59 g 58 g
Has sapphire glass display
thickness 14.4 mm 14.4 mm
Always-On Display
height 50 mm 50 mm
pixel density 452 ppi 226 ppi
Has a display
width 50 mm 50 mm
width of band 26 mm 26 mm
volume 36 cm³ 36 cm³

The Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition both share many design features, with a few key differences in size and display resolution. Both watches have a 50 mm height and width, and both are 14.4 mm thick. The watch bands on both are replaceable, and both models feature waterproofing with a 10 ATM rating, meaning they can withstand depths up to 100 meters. The weight is slightly different, with the AMOLED Tactical Edition weighing 59 g and the Solar Tactical Edition being a bit lighter at 58 g.

In terms of display, the AMOLED Tactical Edition has a larger 1.3" screen, compared to the 1.1" screen on the Solar Tactical Edition. The AMOLED Tactical Edition also has a higher resolution of 416 x 416 px, offering a much crisper display with a pixel density of 452 ppi. On the other hand, the Solar Tactical Edition has a resolution of 176 x 176 px and a pixel density of 226 ppi, making its display notably less sharp.

Both models feature an Always-On Display and are equipped with OLED/AMOLED technology, but neither has a touch screen. Neither watch offers sapphire glass or branded damage-resistant glass, and both have the same volume of 36 cm³. There is no additional information on whether the Solar Tactical Edition includes any different display protection features compared to the AMOLED Tactical Edition.

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

The Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition are equipped with a comprehensive set of sensors, which are identical in both models. Both watches include GPS, a heart rate monitor, a blood oxygenation sensor, a barometer, an accelerometer, a compass, a temperature sensor, a cadence sensor, and a gyroscope. These sensors provide a wide range of tracking capabilities, making both models suitable for various outdoor activities and fitness monitoring.

Neither model includes a wind speed sensor or monitors perspiration, so these features are absent in both products. Aside from these, the sensor configurations are exactly the same in both the AMOLED and Solar Tactical Editions, ensuring consistent performance across both models for tracking a variety of metrics.

In summary, the sensor sets in the Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition match perfectly, with no differences in the types of sensors included.

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

The Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition offer identical activity tracking features. Both watches include a route tracker, distance tracking, pace measurement, trackback mode, and automatic activity detection. They also track elevation, steps taken, and provide sleep reports. Additionally, both models have a multi-sport mode, exercise tagging, a stroke counter for swimming, and calorie intake tracking, making them suitable for a wide range of activities.

Neither model is designed for diving, but both are designed for golf, ensuring they cater to sports enthusiasts with those specific needs. The sleep tracking capabilities are the same on both devices, with both offering detailed sleep reports.

In summary, the activity tracking features in the Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition are identical, with no differences between the two models in terms of the functionality provided.

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

The Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition offer the same connectivity features. Both models are compatible with iOS and Android devices, ensuring wide compatibility with smartphones. Neither model supports Wi-Fi or includes a cellular module, so both are reliant on Bluetooth for wireless communication. Additionally, both watches support ANT+ connectivity, allowing for compatibility with a variety of sensors and devices. Both models also feature NFC, which can be used for payments or pairing with compatible devices.

In summary, the connectivity options are identical across both the AMOLED and Solar Tactical Editions, with no differences in their wireless capabilities or supported features.

Battery:
battery life 9 days Infinity days
battery life with GPS on 40 hours 260 hours
battery life in training mode 30 hours 60 hours
has wireless charging
Has a solar power battery
has a rechargeable battery
has a removable battery

The Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition differ significantly in battery life. The AMOLED Tactical Edition offers a battery life of 9 days under normal use, while the Solar Tactical Edition provides an impressive battery life of Infinity days, thanks to its solar power battery. With GPS on, the AMOLED Tactical Edition lasts 40 hours, while the Solar Tactical Edition can run for 260 hours with GPS active. In training mode, the AMOLED Tactical Edition lasts 30 hours, and the Solar Tactical Edition offers up to 60 hours of battery life.

Both models feature rechargeable batteries, but neither has wireless charging or removable batteries. The major difference is the Solar Tactical Edition's solar power capability, which allows it to extend battery life indefinitely under optimal sunlight conditions, unlike the AMOLED Tactical Edition, which does not support solar charging.

In summary, the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition offers a significant advantage in battery life due to its solar power capabilities, whereas the AMOLED Tactical Edition has more standard battery performance.

Features:
release date April 2025 April 2025
has HRV tracking
measures VO2 max
measures resting heart rate
has fast/slow heart rate notifications
shows readiness level
Can upload maps
Has vibrating alerts
Has a stopwatch
Locates your phone
Has silent alarm
has irregular heart rate warnings
has fall detection
Has notifications
Acquires GPS faster
Has call control
Provides the sunrise/sunset time
internal storage 4GB 0.128GB
Can be used to answer calls
supports Galileo
Has smart alarm
Informs about the risk of thunderstorms
warranty period 1 years 1 years
has voice commands
Has a built-in camera remote control function

The Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition share most of the same features. Both models include HRV tracking, VO2 max measurement, resting heart rate tracking, fast/slow heart rate notifications, and the ability to show a readiness level. Both also have a stopwatch, phone locator, silent alarm, fall detection, notifications, and the ability to acquire GPS faster. They both provide sunrise and sunset times, support Galileo, and inform users about the risk of thunderstorms. Additionally, both have a warranty period of 1 year and lack voice commands or built-in camera remote control functions.

One key difference is in internal storage: the AMOLED Tactical Edition offers 4GB of storage, while the Solar Tactical Edition only has 0.128GB. Another difference is that the AMOLED Tactical Edition has vibrating alerts, whereas the Solar Tactical Edition does not. Both models also lack the ability to upload maps, smart alarm functionality, and call control features. Neither can be used to answer calls, and neither includes irregular heart rate warnings.

In conclusion, the features of the two models are largely the same, with differences primarily in storage capacity and the presence of vibrating alerts on the AMOLED Tactical Edition.

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 weight tracking
Tracks BMI
Tracks water intake
Has live tracking
Has coaching
Has temperature tracking
Has period notifications
Supports routes
Syncs with existing calendars
Has voice feedback
Has music playback
Displays fertile window notifications
Includes maps
Doesn’t require account
Predicts start date
Predicts ovulation
Has video tutorials
Supports widgets
Can be personalised
Has barcode scanner on app

The Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition are nearly identical in terms of app and software features. Both models provide activity reports, inactivity alerts, calorie counting, goal setting, achievements, and free apps. They also support an exercise diary, are ad-free, and include features like weight tracking, BMI tracking, water intake tracking, live tracking, coaching, temperature tracking, and period notifications. Additionally, both models support routes, sync with existing calendars, and offer voice feedback, music playback, fertile window notifications, and map functionality.

Both watches also share the same capabilities when it comes to predicting start dates, ovulation, and providing video tutorials. They both support widgets and can be personalized, and neither requires an account to use. However, both models lack a barcode scanner in the app, which could be a potential feature for some users.

In summary, the app and software features are identical for the Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition, with no differences between the two models in this category.

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

The Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition share identical miscellaneous features. Both models include a battery level indicator, are compatible with Windows and Mac OS X, and can be used on a PC. They also support auto pause, are compatible with external heart rate monitors, and can sync with smart scales. Neither model includes an external memory slot or a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack.

In summary, the miscellaneous features for both the AMOLED Tactical Edition and Solar Tactical Edition are the same, with no differences between the two products in this category.

Comparison Summary

This specification comparison outlines the shared features and key differences between Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Tactical Edition and Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition. Both models feature an OLED or AMOLED display, a 10 ATM water resistance rating, built-in GPS support, and extensive activity tracking such as sleep, distance, and multi-sport modes, while remaining compatible with both iOS and Android. Differences emerge in display and power characteristics, including a 1.3″ screen versus 1.1″, 416 x 416 px resolution versus 176 x 176 px, and 452 ppi pixel density versus 226 ppi. Battery specifications also vary notably, with 9 days battery life compared to Infinity days, 40 hours versus 260 hours with GPS active, and the presence of solar power support on only one model. Storage capacity further differs, at 4GB versus 0.128GB.