The Instinct series and Fenix series are Garmin’s two main ‘outdoors’ and adventure-focused watch series. And while these two models have continued to converge, there are a ton of differences. Somewhere in the 100+ differences range if you were to add them all up (and those are just big-ticket differences).
In this post (and the above video), I dive into every single difference I could find, hands-on, with these two watches. It’s as simple as that. Let’s get into it.
The Pricing and Models:
First up, is the most obvious – pricing. The Fenix 8 is 2-3x the price of the Instinct 3, depending on which exact model you get. The Instinct 3 starts at $399 and goes up to $499, while the Fenix 8 starts at $999, and goes up to $1,199
Thus, here are the core models from the Instinct 3 realm::
Instinct 3 AMOLED (45mm): $449USD
Instinct 3 AMOLED (50mm): $499USD
Instinct 3 SOLAR (45mm): $399USD
Instinct 3 SOLAR (50mm): $449USD
Note – I’m *NOT* including the new Instinct E in this comparison. The Instinct E is not an Instinct 3, nor even an Instinct 2. It’s like an Instinct 1.5. And given I still can’t get clarity on what features are actually in the darn watch (versus ripped out), I’ll wait until the unit I ordered has arrived. At this point, I see that model as dead in the water from a price/features standpoint. But again, it’s *NOT* an Instinct 3 or anything near it. Just go buy an Instinct 2 on sale for $200.
In any case, and on the Fenix 8 side:
Fenix 8 AMOLED (43mm): $999USD ($1,099 for Sapphire/Titanium)
Fenix 8 AMOLED (47mm): $999USD ($1,099 for Sapphire/Titanium)
Fenix 8 AMOLED (51mm): $1,099USD ($1,199 for Sapphire/Titanium)
Fenix 8 SOLAR (47mm): $1,099USD (Sapphire/Titanium only)
Fenix 8 SOLAR (51mm): $1,199USD (Sapphire/Titanium only)
Now, before we get too far, I will point out that if price is the barrier to your Fenix, the most logical solution is Garmin’s own Epix (Gen 2) at $399 most days. Remember, the Epix naming is simply what they called the AMOLED version of the Fenix 7/7 Pro, before merging the names in the Fenix 8 series. And given the Fenix 8 was mostly about adding dive and speaker functionality (rather than any other new sport/fitness features), you won’t be missing out if you don’t care about dive/speaker. Note that the Epix Pro/Fenix 7 Pro are floating in the $600-$700 range, and that includes the Gen5 sensor and LED flashlight.
Still, the Epix at $399 gives you far more software functionality than the Instinct 3 AMOLED, in a package that’s equally durable. It’s kinda a no-brainer unless you really want the Instinct-specific look.
The Hardware Differences:
Next, let’s look at how they differ from a hardware standpoint. Obviously, the biggest difference is frankly, just the styling design. The Instinct series roughly imitates the look of a Casio G-Shock watch, while the Fenix lineup has a pretty consistent design style of its own, over the last 10 versions.
Still, setting that styling aside, there are practical hardware and materials differences, they are as follows:
– Fenix 8 offers 3 case sizes (43/47/51mm) while Instinct offers two case sizes (45/50mm)
– Fenix 8 bezel materials is either stainless steel or titanium (depending on model) vs plastic for Instinct
– Fenix 8 backing (underside) is metal, whereas Instinct is plastic
– Fenix 8 has larger displays at 1.3” & 1.4”, versus Instinct 3 AMOLED at 1.2”/1.3” and SOLAR at 0.9”/1.1””
– Fenix 8 has a touchscreen, Instinct 3 has no touchscreen
– Fenix 8 MIP-display is color, whereas Instinct 3 MIP display is black/white (both units AMOLED displays appear identical in color range)
– Fenix 8 has sapphire display lens option, Instinct 3 does not
– Fenix 8 has a speaker for audibly playing voice/music/voice commands/assistant, whereas Instinct 3 has a beeper only
– Fenix 8 has a microphone for taking calls (if phone is nearby), whereas Instinct 3 does not
– Fenix 8 has WiFi for syncing data/music/maps, whereas Instinct 3 has no WiFi
– Fenix 8 has offline music playback/storage (Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube Music), Instinct 3 does not
– Fenix 8 has 32GB of storage, whereas Instinct 3 has 3GB (AMOLED) or 90MB (SOLAR)
– Fenix 8 has ELEVATE Gen 5 optical heart rate sensor (with ECG & skin temp), whereas Instinct has Gen 4 (no ECG/Skin Temp)
– Fenix 8 has a nacho cheese dispenser, Instinct 3 does not
– Fenix 8 has a depth gauge, for measuring diving down to 40m, Instinct 3 does not have any depth gauge
– Fenix 8 has inductive buttons (theoretically leak-proof design), whereas Instinct 3 has traditional o-ring seal buttons
– Fenix 8 has a ‘sensor guard’ to protect the microphone/barometer in between the two right buttons, Instinct 3 does not
– Fenix 8 weight ranges from 72g to 92g, whereas Instinct weighs 52g to 59g
Note that from a hardware standpoint, they are similar in this respect:
– Both units have 5 buttons
– Both units have barometric altimeters
– Both units have a magnetic compass
– Both units dual-frequency/multi-band GNSS/GPS with SatIQ
– Both units have a flashlight with white/red LED
– Both units have SOLAR on the MIP displays (not on AMOLED)
– Both units use newer SOLAR panel tech on MIP displays (not on AMOLED)
– Both units use standard watch strap/band sizing and attach systems
– Both units are compatible with Garmin QuickFit bands/straps
– Both units have 100m water resistance rating
– Both units have Garmin Pay
– Neither unit has built-in cellular connectivity (requires your phone nearby for cellular connectivity)
Next, there’s the battery differences. Now obviously, there’s a lot of models here, and they all have different battery claims. Thus…umm…yeah. I’m just gonna give you two battery charts. TLDR: Both AMOLED product lines honestly give you relatively similar AMOLED life if comparing 50mm Instinct 3 AMOLED to 47mm Fenix 8 AMOLED, and both SOLAR product lines give you relatively similar life between 50mm Instinct 3 SOLAR & 47mm Fenix 8 Solar. Here’s the Instinct 3 lineup first:
The core line items I’d personally be comparing are:
1) Smartwatch battery life (always-on)
2) SatIQ battery life (the main GPS sports mode). In the Instinct chart above, SatIQ is presumed on for “All Systems Plus Multi-band”, as it should be.
And then the Fenix 8 lineup next:
Of course, where things get a bit crazy is on the Instinct 3 SOLAR side in basic smartwatch mode, where you can basically get to unlimited power if you’ve got enough sun.
Ok, got all that? Good, let’s start looking at the software side, which is where things get quite a bit more complex.
The Software Feature Differences:
Garmin is arguably the king of software differentiation between devices. Arguably, it’s why they are so successful as a business, due to their ability to upsell you on higher-end devices with more features. Some of these are obvious differences (e.g. no maps), but many are actually much more nuanced. I’d wager that on a device like the Garmin Fenix 8, there are probably between 800 and 1,000 features. Maybe more. Every toggle is effectively a feature. Silly things like “Is the water salt or fresh?” in the dive gas calculation settings, is a feature. As are other features you’ve likely never used, like the beat type for the running metronome, or whether or not ‘Spot Soundings’ are enabled in the map view, or whether it avoids ferries during routing.
The point is, the below is my best attempt at distilling those 1,000 different features into something manageable. But I’ll warn you, this list is 1,000 features long. As such, when I say “maps aren’t on the Instinct 3”, then in turn, the 30-50 different map-related features and settings aren’t there either. Most of them I won’t line-item out. Make sense? Good. Let’s get cooking.
– No mapping of any type on the Instinct 3 (you route via breadcrumb routes)
– No unplanned offline routing (e.g., round trip routing, route to a point via trails, etc…) on Instinct 3
– No ECG features/Afib detection/Skin Temp tracking on Instinct 3
– No Endurance Score on Instinct 3
– No Hill Score on Instinct 3
– No ClimbPro on Instinct 3 (just total/full elevation plot)
– No Cycling Ability feature on Instinct 3
– No Stamina feature on Instinct 3
– No JetLag advisor on Instinct 3
– No Scuba/Diving features on Instinct 3
– No Voice Assistants on Instinct 3
– No Voice Commands on Instinct 3
– No Voice notes on Instinct 3
– No Calling on Instinct 3
– No Countdown calendars/timers on instinct 3
– No DogTrack widget on Instinct 3
– No Fish Forecast widget on Instinct 3
– No Recovery widget on Instinct 3
– No Stocks widget on Instinct 3
– No ‘Focus Modes’ on Instinct 3
– No cloud re-processing of Instinct 3 GPS tracks (using internal sensor data to improve accuracy)
– No new UI on Instinct 3 (‘Active Navigation’ menu, notifications menu)
– No customizable low battery alert on Instinct 3 (Fenix 8 can customize it)
Again, that covers most of the major features, though of course, each one of the above features typically has a pile of features/settings within it.
Note, the Instinct 3 AMOLED does technically have a city map-thingy. It’s near-impossible to describe, because it’s so useless. But essentially, if you zoom out far enough on the empty ‘map’, you’ll see a single dot for medium to large cities. I suppose the idea here is that if you’re so horribly lost that just the right general direction towards a big city will help, then this might work. And had Garmin done this for smaller towns, I’d say it actually would be useful. But if you need help, navigating to a big city is really not super helpful. I want to know the small town that can probably save me 3-4KM away, not a city with an airport 50KM away.
Otherwise, navigation on the Instinct 3 is essentially just following a breadcrumb trail on the watch, with occasional turn notifications (e.g. to turn left or right). Here’s side-by-side with a Garmin Fenix 8:
And while that generally gets you where you’re going (as it has on many devices for close to 20 years), in 2025 I struggle to see how that’s competitive to most other watches on the market at or below this price point.
Sport Modes & Sensor Support:
When it comes to sport modes, this is an entirely ugly beast by itself, so, I’ve painstakingly written them all out. But essentially the additive differences are in bold at the end. You’re welcome.
Instinct 3 Sport Profiles (as of Jan 14th, 2025): Multisport, Walk, Golf, Climb, Bouldering, Fish, Hunt, Disc Golf, Horseback, Archery, Inline Skating, Walk, Run, Treadmill, Trail Run, Hike, Virtual Run, Track Run, Indoor Track, Obstacle Racing, Triathlon, Swimrun, Bike, Bike Indoor, MTB, eBike, eMTB, CycloCross, Gravel Bike, Bike Commute, Bike Tour, Road Bike, BMX, Pool Swim, Openwater Swim, Swimrun, Strength, Cardio, HIIT, Yoga, Pilates, Elliptical, Stair Stepper, Walk Indoor, Row Indoor, Climb Indoor, Floor Climb, Boxing, Mixed Marital Arts, Ski, Snowboard, Backcountry Ski, Backcountry Snowboard, XC Classic Ski, XC Skate Ski, Snowshoe, Ice Skating, Kayak, Row, SUP, Surf, Kiteboarding, Windsurf, Whitewater, Boat, Wakeboard, Wakesurf, Water Ski, Tube, Snorkel, Soccer/Football, American Football, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Volleyball, Cricket, Lacrosse, Rugby, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Ultimate Disc, Gaming, Tennis, Pickleball, Padel, Racquetball, Squash, Badminton, Table Tennis, Platform Tennis, ATV, Snowmobile, Overland, Motocross, Motorcycle, Horseback, Breathwork, Tactical, Gaming, Expedition, Other
Fenix 8 Sport Profiles (as of Jan 14th, 2025): Multisport, Walk, Golf, Climb, Bouldering, Fish, Hunt, Disc Golf, Horseback, Archery, Inline Skating, Walk, Run, Treadmill, Trail Run, Hike, Virtual Run, Track Run, Indoor Track, Obstacle Racing, Triathlon, Swimrun, Bike, Bike Indoor, MTB, eBike, eMTB, CycloCross, Gravel Bike, Bike Commute, Bike Tour, Road Bike, BMX, Pool Swim, Openwater Swim, Swimrun, Strength, Cardio, HIIT, Yoga, Pilates, Elliptical, Stair Stepper, Walk Indoor, Row Indoor, Climb Indoor, Floor Climb, Boxing, Mixed Marital Arts, Ski, Snowboard, Backcountry Ski, Backcountry Snowboard, XC Classic Ski, XC Skate Ski, Snowshoe, Ice Skating, Kayak, Row, SUP, Surf, Kiteboarding, Windsurf, Whitewater, Boat, Wakeboard, Wakesurf, Water Ski, Tube, Snorkel, Soccer/Football, American Football, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Volleyball, Cricket, Lacrosse, Rugby, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Ultimate Disc, Gaming, Tennis, Pickleball, Padel, Racquetball, Squash, Badminton, Table Tennis, Platform Tennis, ATV, Snowmobile, Overland, Motocross, Motorcycle, Horseback, Breathwork, Tactical, Gaming, Expedition, Other, ***Mountaineering, Adventure Race, Ultra Run, Jump Rope, Sail, Sail Expedition, Tempo Training (Golf), Scuba Dive, Apnea Dive, Meditation***
Essentially, the Fenix series gives you the scuba diving and free diving you’d expect, plus sailing sport profiles and a few others. Though, I’d love to hear the reason they thought they had for withholding Jump Rope from the Instinct. Is the Jump Rope Mafia so big that they specifically want to upsell them?
When it comes to sensor types, here’s what each unit supports:
Garmin Instinct 3 sensors: External HR (BT/ANT+), Speed/Cadence (BT/ANT+), Power (BT/ANT+), Foot pod (BT/ANT+), Garmin VIRB, Garmin Tempe, Cycling Lights (ANT+), Cycling Radar (ANT+), Extended Display (ANT+), RD Pod (ANT+), Xero Laser Locations, Garmin inReach, DogTrack, Smart Trainers (ANT+), eBike (ANT+)
Garmin Fenix 8 sensors: External HR (BT/ANT+), Speed/Cadence (BT/ANT+), Power (BT/ANT+), Foot pod (BT/ANT+), Garmin VIRB, Garmin Tempe, Cycling Lights (ANT+), Cycling Radar (ANT+), Extended Display (ANT+), RD Pod (ANT+), Xero Laser Locations, Garmin inReach, DogTrack, Smart Trainers (ANT+), eBike (ANT+), ***Golf Club Sensor, Rangerfinder, Headphones (Bluetooth), Shifting (ANT+), Shimano Di2 (ANT)***
The differences above being the last 5 sensor types are available on Fenix, but not Instinct 3. Also, for lack of anywhere else to mention it – both watches support offline data transfer from the Garmin HRM-PRO series of straps, and both watches support Garmin Rally power meter pedal Cycling Dynamic metrics.
Things That Are The Same:
Now, there’s an absolute boatload of features that are either identical, or effectively identical (meaning maybe slight UI styling differences). They are as follows:
– Both have Daily Activity tracking that seems identical (e.g., steps/stairs/HR/etc…)
– Both have sleep and nap tracking (except wrist temp tracking as noted above)
– Both have the same flashlight levels and software features
– Both have Sleep Coach & Sleep Score features
– Both have Garmin Body Battery features
– Both have Garmin Training Readiness features
– Both have HRV tracking/status features
– Both have stress tracking features
– Both have Blood oxygen tracking (aka SpO2/PulseOx)
– Both have Respiration rate tracking
– Both can create folders for widgets/glances
– Both do altitude acclimation
– Both have Health Snapshot feature
– Both have Garmin Messenger app
– Both have Garmin Share app
– Both have music controls (of phone)
– Both have tide tracking features/widgets
– Both have moon phase tracking features/widgets
– Both support Connect IQ watch faces/apps/data fields
– Both have customizable watch faces
– Both have project waypoint and reference waypoint features
– Both have broadcasting of heart rate (on both ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart)
– Both have Garmin PacePro (on Fenix 8 can also do unplanned PacePro routes)
– Both have triathlon auto transition
– Both have Performance Conditions, Training Load, Training Load Focus, Load Ratio
– Both have strength training Muscle Maps & Workout Animations (though not Instinct 3 SOLAR)
– Both have Garmin LiveTracking (with phone nearby)
– Both have safety and incident detection features (e.g., fall/crash detection)
– Both have Battery Power Saver Mode
– Both have Battery Power Manager modes/customizations (e.g., Extended/Max Battery/Jacket/etc…)
Finally, when it comes to accuracy, from a GPS track standpoint, both, as noted earlier, likely share the exact same chipset, and from a specs standpoint, both are identical. More importantly though, all of my testing across openwater swimming, cycling (road and gravel), running (trails & road) and hiking, has shown them to be identical and highly accurate from a GPS perspective. Garmin’s multi-band/dual-frequency GPS implementation continues to be the market leader:
However, when it comes to heart rate sensor accuracy, there is a moderate difference. The Instinct 3 features Garmin’s much older ELEVATE Gen4 optical heart rate sensor, whereas the Garmin Fenix 8 uses the newer but still nearly two-year-old Gen5 optical heart rate sensor. That sensor is among the best in the industry.
In many scenarios, you frankly won’t notice a difference. However, in more challenging scenarios, you will. Challenging in the case of optical HR sensors means things like outdoor cycling (indoor cycling is easy), cold conditions, or some very high-intensity interval conditions. As a simple example of those sometimes vast differences, here’s an interval run last night in cooler temps (~50°F/12°C). In this case, we see the Instinct 3 with Gen4 struggle heavily on these intervals, whereas the Gen5-based Fenix 8 had no issues:
Inversely, on this trail run in warmer temps, there was no meaningful difference between the Instinct 3 and the reference data:
As always, you can decide which features are most important to you. Note that there’s also the MIP-based/solar Enduro 3, which sits at $899, which has all the Fenix 8 features except the dive/speaker function. But does contain the newer Gen5 optical HR sensor.
Wrap-Up:
Ultimately, it’s probably going to come down to how much you value maps or the optical HR sensors. Those continue to stand out as the big-ticket items. And as I’ve said many times above here, if you don’t care as much about the optical HR sensor, then you can easily pick up a Fenix 7/Epix (Gen 2) unit, which has virtually every software feature outlined above, for pretty much the same price as the Instinct 3 (and with better case materials). But of course, it’s not all about features. Some prefer the styling of the Fenix, or perhaps the lighter feel of the Instinct 3.
Either way, there’s plenty of choices in this market, from not just Garmin, but Suunto (Suunto Race series), Polar (Polar Vantage series), or COROS (Pace Pro or Vertix series). And, of course, even more budget options like the AmazFit (T-Rex 3).
Ultimately, most people are buying into the Garmin Instinct or Fenix ecosystem for the depth of the watch features, but also the depth of the online/app platform – neither of which their competitors come anywhere near.
With that – thanks for reading!
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Hopefully you found this review/post useful. At the end of the day, I’m an athlete just like you looking for the most detail possible on a new purchase – so my review is written from the standpoint of how I used the device. The reviews generally take a lot of hours to put together, so it’s a fair bit of work (and labor of love). As you probably noticed by looking below, I also take time to answer all the questions posted in the comments – and there’s quite a bit of detail in there as well.
If you're shopping for the Garmin Instinct 3 Series or Garmin Fenix 8 Series or any other accessory items, please consider using the affiliate links below! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, but your purchases help support this website a lot.
And finally, here’s a handy list of accessories that work well with this unit (and some that I showed in the review). Given the unit pairs with ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart sensors, you can use just about anything though.
This wifi-connected scale will track your weight and related metrics both on the scale display and in Garmin Connect (plus 3rd party apps like TrainingPeaks). It'll also then sync your weight to your watch/bike computer, to ensure accurate calorie data.
This is a dual ANT+/Bluetooth Smart cycling cadence sensor that you strap to your crank arm, but also does dual Bluetooth Smart, so you can pair it both to Zwift and another Bluetooth Smart app at once if you want.
Seriously, this will change your life. $9 for a two-pack of these puck Garmin chargers that stay put and stay connected. One for the office, one for your bedside, another for your bag, and one for your dog's house. Just in case.
This speed sensor is unique in that it can record offline (sans-watch), making it perfect for a commuter bike quietly recording your rides. But it's also a standard ANT+/BLE sensor that pairs to your device. It's become my go-to speed sensor.
These are one of my favorite power meters, due to both cost and accuracy. These have mostly become my defacto gravel pedals, and also get used on a lot of other comparison testing.
The Garmin Rally series is effectively 3 power meters in one, for three pedal types. I use these often in accuracy testing. While they're a bit more expensive than the Favero pedals, they offer the ability to swap pedal types easily.
The HRM-PRO Plus is Garmin's top-end chest strap. It transmits dual ANT+/Bluetooth Smart, but also transmits Running Dynamics & Running Pace/Distance metrics, stores HR data during a swim, and can be used without a watch for other sports. Also, it can transmit XC Skiing Dynamics as well.
And of course – you can always sign-up to be a DCR Supporter! That gets you an ad-free DCR, access to the DCR Quarantine Corner video series packed with behind the scenes tidbits...and it also makes you awesome. And being awesome is what it’s all about!
Thanks for reading! And as always, feel free to post comments or questions in the comments section below, I’ll be happy to try and answer them as quickly as possible. And lastly, if you felt this review was useful – I always appreciate feedback in the comments below. Thanks!
According to change log / blog post Garmin fixed the 50 course point limitation:
link to dcrainmaker.com
According to Garmin the limitation is still in place:
link to support.garmin.com
According to Reddit it might be possible that Garmin just removed the error popup but is still limiting courses (speculation warning):
link to reddit.com
–> What is the truth now?
If the Instinct 3 really still has the 50 course point limitation it would be nuts. This is 2025…
No problems pulling in either my 180KM Tour de Mont Blanc route, or my now 65KM route for tomorrow, and rendering it fully on the Instinct 3.
As noted in that thread, it seems like simply converting it to .FIT solves it. That takes 2 seconds, because as soon you import a file into Garmin Connect, it automatically converts it and syncs it to your watch. That also has the benefit of correcting the elevation (as both Strava & Komoot often have wonky elevations for summits).
Is that on the instinct 3 amoled of mip? I had a conversation with Garmin support and they said the instinct 2 has too little memory for large routes to be displayed with all the waypoints. Maybe the instinct 3 Mip suffers from the same lack of memory. Can you test this with the mip version too? Thanks!
Is this tested with the instinct 3 Mip or olrd? According to Garmin support the instinct 2 has too little memory for large routes to be displayed with all the waypoints. Maybe the instinct 3 Mip suffers from the same lack of memory.
You are slightly missing the point: The memory limitation is ithe explanation for GPX files ONLY. It does not apply to FIT files (after the update).
No problems with either Instinct 3 AMOLED or SOLAR (or even 2X) loading the routes, which were pushed from Garmin Connect, and thus automatically .FIT.
All datapoints and turn notifications yesterday showed up throughout the 60KM route, as did elevation profiles. But again, that was solved previously with the other update.
I cannot live without the nacho cheese dispenser 😅
Where are you seeing the Epix gen 2 for $399?
As noted above, it comes and goes basically every other day. It’s been $399 for months (and on/off before that). If it’s not $399 today, give it a few hours, or a day, and it will be soon again.
According to this price history
link to camelcamelcamel.com
it hasn’t been 399, ever. Maybe the wrong product is linked?
It’s been $399 throughout a fair chunk of the fall. There are four different SKU’s at play (white/black, and then sapphire/non-sapphire), but all of them have been $399. Attached example screenshot from this fall, direct from Amazon. Gazillions of DCR readers picked it up at that price over the last few months.
No idea why CamelCamelCamel is showing weird stuff though.
Is Garmin closing out new old stock with the Epix Gen 2 sales or are they still making them? It makes no sense at all to keep
manufacturing Epix gen 2 while also having the Fenix E in the market at a much higher price point. They are almost identical products. Heck the components and manufacturing process might be literally the same. Other than software the difference seems to be engraving, finish colors, and the die or CNC to machine the bezel — which is slightly different. Is the discounted Epix always white 47mm? Are there sales like this in the EU also or is Garmin only dumping them in the States?
Epix Gen 2 Sapphire is available for EURO 449 at http://www.i-run.com for those in Europe. Very competitive pricing
So odd. I just looked for the gazillionth time, and, as usual it never shows $399. Usually in the $500 range, sometimes even higher. I’d grab one in a second if it wasn’t $500 (or the white, which I don’t like).
I want the $399 price thing to be true! :-)
You’re right, there’s something going on with the SKUs on amazon or something; If I do a search for “epix gen 2 -pro” I can find it for sale for 485 – amazon is mixing up the pro and non-pro epix onto the same page, somehow; then one I found for 485 is recognized by camelcamelcamel as tthe 941 pro model.
I suspect once we see Amazon themselves have stock of it again, it’ll be back at $399. Right now, the only Epix Gen2 sellers are non-Amazon. As noted, Amazon’s SKU assignment on that page is really wonky, hence why CamelCamelCamel is having a problem with it.
But, according to my Amazon tracking from readers of this site, hundreds of Epix 2 units at ~$399-$419 were bought in Oct/Nov/Dec (they show up as different SKU’s for me depending on which exact model people selected). And that’s just people coming from here.
EUR399 now for the white Sapphire Titanium. EUR449 with an extra strap.
I am not sold on the Fenix 8 Nacho Cheese Dispenser maybe when they upgrade it.
“Fenix 8 has a nacho cheese dispenser, Instinct 3 does not” ??!! :):)
OK, you didn’t call it a comparison, you referred to the differences. This should be clear to a buyer when they see the price differences between the both series. So why did you take the trouble to point out the differences between the watches? Were you bored and had nothing better to do?
“So why did you take the trouble to point out the differences between the watches?”
Because people constantly ask? Especially long-term. And because they’re among my most popular posts/videos.
It might be clear to you, but the 100+ differences are hardly clear to most people.
Hello,
Nice work as usual.
For triathlon still the 965? , i am a Polar V2 user but thinking about going to the darkside.
Hans
Realistically, for triathlon, it’s just what you prefer from a styling standpoint. Of course, the FR965 and Fenix watches do support shifting (mostly useful for battery status), if you have that.
Otherwise, all act the same for purposes of triathlon.
Thanks for diving into another comparison rabbit hole for us, Ray!
Given the “adventure focus” of Instinct series in general, wouldn’t the new Enduro 3 be a better comparison?
P.S. Shifting seems an odd omission from Instinct 3 (or Instinct series in general).
Yeah, I was trying to avoid going down the “Well, Enduro 3 is a Fenix 8 minus Dive/speaker…but you can also get the Fenix 7 Pro & Epix Pro without those too, but with ECG for cheaper, and then have you considered the FR965 minus ECG but with maps…” 😂
As…such is the Garmin lineup….
Interesting to see how things evolve. If I look back to my original Fenix 2, I’d say its physical design is closer to the Instinct 3 than the Fenix 8. Back then I thought of it as a rugged, go anywhere, throw-anything-at-it watch. I wouldn’t take that approach with a modern Fenix, but it is what I wear my Instinct for.
The key Fenix 8 upgrade is waterproofing. There is a known issue with Epix 2 and Fenix 7 where sea swimmers and surfers are finding that buttons stop working. I sent back 3 Epix Gen 2 watches with this issue. Now waiting to see if the Fenix 8 dive functionality will fix this.
“Garmin is arguably the king of software differentiation between devices.”
Garmin, long ago, cross the line from consumers paying a little more to get a little more features (Instinct Gamer, Instinct Surf, Instinct Iron Chef) to consumers not bothering upgrading because they’re confused by the mess. As the article already states, it’s trying to brand and sell a device that’s inferior to the half a decade old Instinct 2.
If a user has an Apple Watch 7, it’s dead simple to read the reviews and decide if the Apple Watch 9 is enough of an upgrade. On the other hand, going from a Fenix 6X Sapphire to a Fenix 8 is a mess of upgraded features, sidegraded features, don’t matter features, and downgraded features. For someone, the Garmin Instinct eSports is a better watch than the shiny new Instinct 3.
Just to be clear, definitely not saying being the king of that title is a good thing…
Thanks for this review. Your work is great, as always.
I agree with you : I don’t understand the instinct watch in the actual context, in the same way I don’t understand the Fenix E. It COULD make sense if the Fenix 7 or Fenix 7 pro (or Epix) would be discontinued. But they are still available.
The E version and the whole Instinct series seems like a poorly handled obsolescence.
So if you want all newest and greatest, go Fenix 8.
If you don’t care about the diving, go Fenix 7 PRO/Epix PRO
If you don’t care about diving and the GEN 4 sensor is fine, go Fenix 7.
There is simply no advantage of getting the Instinct of any trim or Fenix E.
No more Fenix 7 from Garmin. It still shows the model on the website, but does not allow to order one (and, hence, does not show a price). So all Fenix 7 for sale are third party retailers – and presumably existing stock.
At least for most markets but there are some exceptions.
> – Fenix 8 has a nacho cheese dispenser, Instinct 3 does not
Sold. I’m buying a Fenix 8.
As an aside, your review mentions cold weather heart rate monitoring and this is an important issue for me as I do 90% of my exercise in sub 50F weather and most of it sub 40. I honestly don’t care about maps or screen but all the gen5 Garmin are out of my budget. Way out of my budget. Not even close.
So what realistic choices do I have? What good are all the metrics and software when it is garbage in garbage out? I am so tired of my Garmin being cadence locked because it is 32F outside. Ridiculous. Maybe you could do an article that compares cold weather performance of various watches from various brands. But maybe that’s not so easy living the island life!
Honestly, most watches will struggle to a certain degree in cooler temps for intervals , depending on your wrists/etc… The Gen 5 sensor and Apple’s sensors tend to do a good job at mitigating much of it, again, depending on the structure of your workout (longer warm-ups helps), body comp, outside temps, clothing, etc…
There comes a certain point where switching to either an arm-band (e.g. Polar Verity Sense/COROS HR), or a chest strap (Polar H9/10 or Gamrin HRM-200/HRM-PRO Plus) will solve it. Personally, for really colder weather I prefer the chest strap approach merely because 97% of the time I’ll get all layered up and then remember the armband, and realize there’s no viable way to get that up on your bicep under long-sleeves. Sigh.
My feeling is that if you are casually interested in HR then the wrist measurement is fine. For casual activities like walking and all day monitoring and sleep it also good enough. However if you are interested in accurate HR numbers during intense activities like running, bike, gym weight stuff… then you really want an accessory heart rate monitor because the accuracy and reliability is much better. Like Ray, I prefer an ECG-type chest strap and I am a prolific sweater for me these always work in any temperatures. I like the Polar H10 for most things and the Garmin HRM-Pro+ for the special integrations where that is useful — such as indoor treadmill and swimming. I prefer the modular design of the Polar where the straps are replaceable and I use a rotation of 2 straps at any given time and I wash them in the shower with every use. The reasonably recent optical sensors on the bicep also appear to be quite good.
Just as a minor demonstration of pricing fun, the Fenix 7 is marked down to $429 right now: link to amzn.to
And heck, it even got a few new beta features in the past few days…(not all of them, but some).
Have you noticed these special prices are usually specifically for the 47mm size?
Generally yes. Though I’ve sometimes seen other sizes too at solid deals.
I suspect the 47mm size is simply the one Garmin makes the most units of.
– “No cloud re-processing of Instinct 3 GPS tracks (using internal sensor data to improve accuracy)”.
I wonder which version of the track Strava/TrainingPeaks/… get? Pre or post cloud processing?
– “Fenix 8 has a ‘sensor guard’ to protect the microphone/barometer”.
I have issues with the barometric altimeter, first on my Fenix 3 HR and now again on my FR 955. I wonder if the new position and/or the sensor guard would help there? My guess is salt (from dried sweat), dead skin cells, or just generic tiny dust and particles end up accumulating on the sensor through the tiny opening at the rear bottom of the watch, though cleaning did not help.
– “Fenix 8 has a nacho cheese dispenser, Instinct 3 does not”.
Keep the dream alive!
Hmm, that’s a good question. I’ll ask re track cleanup.
I doubt the sensor guard will help there. Most of the things you noted tend to get sorted out with just showering each day with it. Whereas this is aimed a bit more at guarding it from direct hits. Certainly though, Garmin learned a heck of a lot since the Fenix 3HR (2016) in this arena.
I had to dig into this one further, because I actually use it quite frequently on the Instinct 2. According to this link from Garmin below, the Instinct 3 AMOLED, Solar, and Instinct E all have the dog tracking widget: link to support.garmin.com
Nope, not as of yet. Just checked again (on weekend build fresh firmware from last night). Not there on Instinct 3.
Now, it’s plausible you could download it from the Garmin Connect IQ app store (as was the case with Jumprope), but I’m looking at purely what’s on-watch.
Also, one minor thought – it’s plausible the widget doesn’t show up until you pair a DogTrack sensor (which is listed as a sensor type). though, that’s, not a requirement on the Fenix 8.
Oh, and finally, usually Garmin is pretty good/quick about letting me know about any minor technical corrections/mistakes, and frankly, especially the Instinct/Fenix team. I’d expect one of them would have said something on that time if so.
A million years ago before maps being included on certain Garmin watches became common, you had a guide on using open source maps and selecting a small area of maps that could fit into the limited storage of the watch. I think it may have been on the Fenix 3HR or 5 back when. Any chance that would work on these new Instinct watches, especially the model with OLED? Maybe what is old will become new again in terms of tech knowledge.
It was the Fenix 1, and it always seemed to me that it was an accident, something they left on for testing or something. Garmin removed the capability from later models of the Fenix until they included real maps on the original Epix and later models of the Fenix. I think the 5 was the first Fenix that came with maps.
The web site still exists: link to gmaptool.eu
If I remember right, the procedure was to download the map and then use Garmin’s MapInstall to select a (very small because of the limited storage on the watch) region to put on the Fenix. (I think MapInstall has been rolled into BaseCamp.). The trick was that the Fenix knew what to do with a gmapsupp.img file, and would display the map contained in it. I had about a Pennsylvania county’s worth of maps on my Fenix. These were grayscale, non-routable maps, but they were better than nothing, and all that was available until the original Epix came out. No ideal if it would work on an Instinct; you’d need to try it. My guess is it won’t because Garmin removed the “mistake” from the later Fenix models, and they have other watches that fully support maps now.
I haven’t tried it on Instinct 3.
But, I did try the Komoot ones, which works ‘fine’, if ‘fine’ is the definition of minimum viability. This is no fault of Komoot’s, but rather Garmin’s. For example, you can’t move around the map, and the zoom level is stuck very low (tight), so, it’s kinda hard to use. But technically speaking, yes, that works.
The fenix 5X had mapping capability and came with maps for the home region where it was purchased. You had to buy other maps from Garmin at exorbitant prices as they were actually OpenStreetMap tiles. There were open source channels and 3rd parties that still exist — like tally toaster. Garmin started offering free worldwide map downloads for the fenix 7 series.
Last year I’ve made a decison and leaped into a new garmin from my trusty FR235, and moved to an Epix gen 2, which is more in line with my current use.
I really like the looks, and I really like the looks of the AMOLED. It’s just so nice when you’re using it as smartwatch mode, i can even use analog hands which look OK with AOD.
In 90% of the cases the battery life is also OK. I have to charge it more frequently, but here is the thing.
Couple of times a year, I’d need more battery.
These can be a week long nomad camp, or a bikepacking tours or racing, where I’m using my watch to HR broadcast and backup, but generally I’m using my Garmin Edge.
Now on these day, one more cable, one more device which can die is not that good.
I’m thinking to add an other watch next to the Epix, for the long sunny days out.
I was thinking about a Fenix 7 / Pro, Instinct 2/2X, (or any of these 2nd hand) then Instinct 3 came out. Or a 955?
I really like the features of my Epix. 80% of the time I’d wear this.
What makes sense as seconary watch, which does not break the bank?
Enduro 3 looks very appealing, but I’m not there yet to go back to MIP from AMOLED full time, and that is not the category of a 2nd watch.
any ideas?
Why not bring a powerbank to charge your watch during these longer days or weekends?
It would be nice to not charge.
With the powerbank my main issue is that when i’m charging, its usually when i sleep, and port count is limited. I’m charging multiple bike lights, potentially a headlamp, the garmin edge and my cell phone, some nights the gps tracker device (like inreach, just the one they provide) . So there are already a couple of devices to manage, one less is always good. Also garmin needs an extra cable which i can forget, looose etc.
On camp, it’s easier to manage, but i can unintentionally forget to pack it…
I would consider selling your 47mm Epix and replacing it with a 51mm Epix or Fenix 8. The range difference is significant because the 51mm has the battery from the Enduro. The 51mm range during an activity is comparable to a fenix 7X. The difference between the 47mm and 51mm is about +1.8x hours of range during an activity.
1.8x?? tahat is massive, I need to deep dive the battery charts.That might just solve, with appropriate battery saving setup.
Honestly i was already thinking of giving a try for the 51mm. Kind of weird. I was in my old watch for so long, I was ok with the minimalistic fetures of it, and now moving on I’d kind of try everythin, as there are so many paths to go.
The weirdest thing is that i was considering the 51mm due to mapping (bigger screen, better visiblity).
Never tought I’ll use general mapping on my watch. On my Edge, I’m using it for preloaded tracks. If i need to stop to navigate I use phone. Usually it’s mounted on handlebar.
But during walks and hike – one of the main use case of the epix – i find it very helpful to see where to next fork is comming, does that track put me back the direction where I’m comming from, and I’m reaching way less for my phone, which stays in my pocket that way.
I’m a bit worried about the size, but i think i can get used to it.
For those that were asking/waiting for the Epix to drop back down again, seeing it for $429 again right now (link to amzn.to), and that’s the Titanium edition (so Sapphire Glass + Multiband), plus a longer 2-year extended warranty too.
I’ve noticed on the fenix 7 pro that the MIP display is much duller/ less crisp than on e.g. a instinct 2 non-solar.
According to online discussion this is due to the solar panel on the fenix 7 pro.
Now you mentioned that both the instinct 3 and fenix 8 MIP have a new solar panel.
Does that fix those dullness/crispness issues?
Hi Ray, I read your posts and watch your videos all the time and they are excellent! Thanks for the in depth content! I am very interested in the Instinct 3 Solar but I’ve also heard good things about the Amazfit T-rex 3 (I watched your review on that one too) and there are appealing aspects about that one as well. Which of these two watches would you choose and why? I’d love to get your thoughts.
You forgot to mention the instinct 3 has a Pez dispenser, preferable to a watch that squirts cheese.