Amazon in November is one of the best places to hunt for discounted Garmin watches. The Black Friday sale has not even started yet, but the online giant has already treated us to some excellent early deals. The price of the wallet-friendly Forerunner 265, for example, has just been slashed by a third, while the runners' favorite, the Forerunner 965, is now a huge 25% off. The offer that takes the cake for us, however, is the one on the Garmin Instinct 3.
The Garmin Instinct 3 Solar GPS smartwatch is now 22% off and at its lowest-ever price at Amazon.
Andrew Williams is a freelance journalist and fitness tech reviewer based near London, England. He has written extensively about smartwatches, mobile phones and computers for sites such as WIRED, TechRadar, TrustedReviews, Wareable, Stuff, T3 and Pocket-lint. He has reviewed nearly two dozen Garmin watches for Live Science, and is one of the biggest contributors to our guides on the best fitness trackers and best running watches.
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The Garmin Instinct 3 has won our approval on several accounts, but what impressed us the most was its relatively light build. Most GPS smartwatches with such high-octane specifications — 10ATM water resistance, 24 days of battery life and built-in LED flashlight, to name just a few — are heavy and uncomfortable to wear. Not the Instinct 3, though. While still a relatively bulky wearable, it does not weigh your wrist down and you can comfortably wear it in bed.
Moreover, the Garmin Instinct 3 packs an excellent range of tracking features. This GPS smartwatch will easily keep up with your outdoor adventures, whether you are a triathlete prepping for the next season, an avid hiker or a seasoned marathon runner. The Garmin Instinct 3 may not have the advanced mapping features and smartwatch capabilities of the Fenix 8, but it is surely the next-best thing if you are not willing to spend a four-figure fortune. For less than $350? It is simply a steal.
Key features: 1.3-inch 416 x 416 AMOLED display, 10ATM water resistance, dual-band GPS, 4 GB internal storage, up to 24 days of battery life.
Product launched: January 2025
Price history: Before today's deal, the lowest price on the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar was $399.99, and for the better part of this year, the price sat at $449.99. Today's offer from Amazon brings the price down to $349.99, which is the lowest price we have ever seen.
Price comparison: Amazon: $349.99 | Walmart: $449.99 | Best Buy: $449.99 | REI: $450
Reviews consensus: The Garmin Instinct 3 received a lot of positive feedback across the board, with most reviews praising this rugged GPS smartwatch for its highly accurate navigation features, long battery life and vibrant display. Many testers also appreciated its relatively light, comfortable build and intuitive button-based controls. Negative remarks, on the other hand, often revolved around the lack of a touchscreen, full topographic maps and onboard music storage. Some testers also complained about the relatively high price of the Garmin Instinct 3.
TechRadar: ★★★★½ | Toms Guide: ★★★★½ | Android Central: ★★★★ | T3: ★★★★
Featured in guides: Best Garmin watches
✅ Buy it if: You want a rugged GPS adventure smartwatch at a reasonable price.
❌ Don't buy it if: You want advanced mapping features, music storage and other frills typical of premium smartwatches (and if that is what you are after, consider the Garmin Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar, now a huge $350 off at Walmart).
Check out our other guides to the best fitness trackers, smart rings, sleep trackers, budget fitness trackers and much more.
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