Instinct 3 45mm Solar

Garmin

Instinct 3 45mm Solar

92 positive 0 neutral 31 negative

Based on 123 Reddit mentions

What people are saying

Discover what users really think based on Reddit discussions.

New positive MIP GBD-200's in the flesh/resin

I love my g shocks but this seems just like a money grab. I have the Garmin instinct 3 solar with a MIP display and you can switch from negative display to positive display. Casio could easily do this also.

jaotero77 in r/gshock

October 4, 2025 11:06 PM

45

Orange solar ring

Hi all,

Instinct 3 45mm solar owner for a while and I have got a question, maybe you guys could help me out.

First off all, I’m very pleased with the watch model and his features!

What I started to dislike after a while, is the orange solar ring related to the total look of the watch. I prefer a

...

TEMEIJERT in r/Garmininstinct

April 2, 2025 9:54 PM

76

Instinct 3 Tactical

I guess most people will not get it for the tactical functions, but because it's the only option to get the I3 with MIP that doesn't have stupid colored accent on the casing. Garmin knows that well and it's a scummy practice if you ask me.

pawlik23 in r/Garmininstinct

April 24, 2025 10:19 AM

52

replacing i3 orange bezel

Stupidest default colourway from garmin for the i3 The tactical has a different coloured flashlight as well, which is less tactical than the regular one That aint a solution

chandgaf in r/Garmininstinct

March 21, 2026 5:39 PM

15

Downgraded from Fenix 8 to original Instinct Solar in

My fenix 7 pro SS just leave me after 4-5 year, i just ordered an instinct 3 solar. It has all the feature you need, having a fenix is just too much yep. And the touch screen isn’t that much useful. I think the amoled display eat too much energy and kill the original reason that make us buy Garmin,

...

Affectionate_Load285 in r/Garmininstinct

March 23, 2026 12:51 AM

12

Ol' reliable & new reliable

Upgraded my 1 Solar to the 3 Solar Tactical to celebrate a new job. First thoughts: Resolution on the I3 is surprisingly noticeable Contrast is improved enough that I'm sticking with a black face (vs white on the I1) The gap between glass and display is harder to see, presumably due to solar rework

...

intelligent-goldfish in r/Garmininstinct

September 26, 2025 2:02 AM

20

Question regarding the Instinct Solar

Gestrue can be turned on and off on all Garmin watches. On an MIP screen with gesture or with a button press, you turn on the backlight. On an AMOLED screen it switches to full power. On the Instinct Solar if you are in daylight and there's enough light, you don't need the backlight but if you are i

...

hakapes in r/Garmininstinct

March 15, 2026 9:48 PM

6

What Garmin Watch for Surfr App

Instinct 3 solar, it has an amazing battery life between charges. Runs Surfr activity well. No touchscreen, just 5 buttons, which makes it very usable with wet hands and wetsuit gloves. Surfr will sometimes record and show a big jump on the watch, then when it uploads it to the app it deletes it. So

...

read-before-writing in r/Kiteboarding

November 11, 2025 12:15 AM

7

Love my new instinct 3 solar tactical, but the strap….

Well, I’ve been using these for a few years on my I2 and 2x tactical. Never had a problem, half the price of the Garmin ultrafit nylon bands but just as good. Cheap enough to change every yr or so. +you’ll almost forget you’ve anything on your wrist. Image is on my new I3 amoled.

Substantial_Jump8581 in r/Garmininstinct

February 21, 2026 9:26 AM

6

Do you trust the heart rate?

The original instinct is an older sensor. I2 and I3 have the gen 4. But also Apple is known to have a more accurate sensor than garmin watches. None of them will stack up to a chest strap of course.

Angry_Mountain_Man in r/Garmininstinct

October 27, 2025 1:55 AM

6

Top alternatives in Smartwatches

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Forerunner 165

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Forerunner 165

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