Speculation is rife about Garmin’s strategy and the potential features of the upcoming Instinct 3 series. It seems Garmin is steering the Instinct line into more premium territory. Originally launched as an affordable, rugged outdoor watch, the Instinct line may see significant upgrades that could position it closer to Garmin’s higher-end lines like the Fenix series.

Garmin Instinct 2 Solar line

A Shift to Premium

Garmin appears to be focusing less on low-cost products where it could struggle to compete with Chinese brands. Instead, the company is moving towards the luxury fitness segment, as seen with its latest launch of the Fenix 8, all priced above $999.99. While it is unlikely that the Instinct 3 would approach that figure, a price tag of $500 or more is highly likely. Several new features and hardware upgrades aligning the Instinct 3 more closely with Garmin’s high-end models could justify this price increase.

The Need for an Update

The Instinct 2 series, released in February 2022, is beginning to show its age, particularly in its GPS chipset, which still relies on the older Sony chipset. In contrast, the Instinct Crossover released nine months later in November 2022, was equipped with the more advanced Airoha chipset—the same one found in Garmin’s Fenix 7 and Epix series. While this represents a significant improvement over the Sony chipset, the Crossover still lacks multiband (dual-frequency) capabilities.

Instinct 2X: A Test Bed for Future Features

The Instinct 2X, launched in April 2023, served as a platform for Garmin to test new features before rolling them out more broadly. It introduced a larger screen, multiband GPS, and an LED flashlight, setting the stage for what we might see in the Instinct 3 series. The success of these features in the Instinct 2X suggests that Garmin might expand the lineup to include three size variations: Instinct 3S (40mm), Instinct 3 (45mm), and Instinct 3X (51mm).

Instinct 2X with flashlight turned on

What the Fenix 8 Might Tell Us About the Instinct 3

The recent release of the Fenix 8 offers some clues about what we might expect in the Instinct 3. While it’s possible that Garmin could add a microphone and speaker to the Instinct 3, similar to the Fenix 8, these features might be omitted to maintain the simplicity that many Instinct users value. It’s unlikely that Garmin will include the scuba diving features from the Fenix 8 in the Instinct 3, especially considering that the Descent G1 series already offers diving capabilities in a form factor similar to the Instinct.

On the software side, Garmin will certainly update the UI, but whether they can align it with the new Fenix UI is unclear. The unique black-and-white, non-touch display with a small Casio-like circular display and overall smaller screen size of the Instinct series could make it challenging to copy the Fenix UI directly. However, many of the other updates, upgrades, and features from the Fenix 8 could easily make their way into the Instinct 3.

Expected Upgrades

One of the most demanded upgrades in the Instinct 3 is the addition of mapping capabilities. Given Garmin’s positioning of the Instinct line as an outdoor watch, mapping capabilities are overtly missing. This would require a more powerful CPU, increased RAM, and more onboard storage, aligning the Instinct 3 with Garmin’s other premium models. The higher specs would not only justify the price increase but also improve the watch’s performance. Users point to the old Fenix 2 (released in 2014), which has a black-and-white MIP screen with full mapping capabilities.

Garmin Fenix 2 (2014) full mapping capabilities

Other expected upgrades include:

• Elevate 5 Heart Rate Sensor: The Instinct 3 is expected to feature the Elevate 5 HR sensor, which is now standard amongst Garmin’s new watch models. Due to the casing materials, this watch may be released without the ECG functionality seen on other watches.
• Larger Screen: Leaks have displayed a smaller bezel and larger screen, providing better visibility and more room for displaying data fields and maps.
• Flashlight: An LED flashlight to bring it in line with the Fenix 8 and Instinct 2X.
• Solar Improvements: More efficient solar panel, with a blacker color that blends in better with the bezel like the Enduro 3 and Fenix 8
• ClimbPro: The Instinct 3 will include ClimbPro, a feature currently found in the Fenix line, which provides real-time information on upcoming climbs.
• SatIQ: Further battery improvements with SatIQ technology, which intelligently selects the best satellite system for your environment to balance accuracy and battery usage.
• Drowsiness Alert: According to Garmin’s patent US10966647B2, a drowsiness detection feature may be included. This could be particularly useful for their DEZL model, which is targeted towards truckers.

A recently leaked prototype suggested that Garmin was already testing a new design for the next Instinct series, but there’s no clear indication if this prototype reflects what the final version will look like or what features the device would have.

Leaked prototype of Garmin Instinct 3

Launch Timeline

The Instinct 3 could launch as early as November of this year, before the holiday season, or by March, to coincide with the Mobile World Congress (MWC). An incrementally upgraded Instinct 3X or, more likely, 3 Pro might roll out towards the end of 2025 or early 2026.