Garmin Instinct 2S Solar vs Instinct E 40mm
Size, specs & wrist fit compared
Which one fits you
Both need much the same wrist: neither overhangs from 14.5 cm (5.7 in) round, and both are in their sweet spot around 15–17 cm. Wrist size will not decide between these two.
What else differs
- Battery: 21 days for the Instinct 2S Solar against 14 days for the Instinct E 40mm in everyday use; about 21 hours each with GPS on.
The Instinct 2S Solar and Instinct E 40mm share a near-identical 40mm case, so on the wrist the difference is thickness and weight.
The Instinct 2S Solar is thicker than 90% of the 40 smartwatches 40mm across that we hold thickness for, the Instinct E 40mm is thicker than 98% — so both sit higher than their widths suggest.
The Instinct 2S Solar is 0.3mm thinner and 2g heavier than the Instinct E 40mm.
Instinct 2S Solar
Instinct E 40mm
Case width
40mm
40mmsame
Thickness
13.3mm
13.6mm+0.3mm
Weight
43g
41g−2g
Instinct 2S Solar or Instinct E 40mm by wrist size
| Wrist round (mm left each side) | Instinct 2S Solar≈46mm lug to lug, est. | Instinct E 40mm≈46mm lug to lug, est. |
|---|---|---|
| 14 cm / 5.5 in | Overhangs (0.4mm over) | Overhangs (0.4mm over) |
| 15 cm / 5.9 in | Bold (1.2mm) | Bold (1.2mm) |
| 16 cm / 6.3 in | Sweet spot (2.8mm) | Sweet spot (2.8mm) |
| 17 cm / 6.7 in | Balanced (4.4mm) | Balanced (4.4mm) |
| 18 cm / 7.1 in | Balanced (6mm) | Balanced (6mm) |
| 19 cm / 7.5 in | Balanced (7.6mm) | Balanced (7.6mm) |
| 20 cm / 7.9 in | Balanced (9.3mm) | Balanced (9.3mm) |
Switch or add watches
Garmin
Instinct 2S Solar
Garmin
Instinct E 40mm
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Battery life compared
2S SolarE 40mm
Battery saver
50 days35 daysExpedition
25 days17 daysSmartwatch
21 days +51 days14 daysMax battery GPS
54 hours +114 hours43 hoursGPS only
22 hours +28 hours21 hoursAll systems
—14 hours
Amber figures are the solar-assisted runtime the manufacturer publishes for that mode.
More comparisons
2D Dimension Schematics
- Garmin Instinct 2S Solar 40mm × ≈46mm (est.) · 13.3mm thick
- Garmin Instinct E 40mm 40mm × ≈46mm (est.) · 13.6mm thick
3D preview
Instinct 2S Solar vs Instinct E 40mm on a wrist
Specifications
The short version
7 key specs| Spec | GarminInstinct 2S Solar | GarminInstinct E 40mm |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 40mm | 40mm |
| Thickness | 13.3mm | 13.6mm |
| Weight | 43g | 41g |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| Display type | Monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) | Monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) |
| Battery life | Smartwatch: Up to 21 days/51 days with solar* Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 50 days/Unlimited with solar* GPS: Up to 22 hours/28 hours with solar** Max Battery GPS Mode: Up to 54 hours/114 hours with solar** Expedition GPS Activity: Up to 25 days/105 with solar* *Solar charging, assuming all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions **Solar charging, assuming use in 50,000 lux conditions | Smartwatch: Up to 14 days Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 35 days GPS: Up to 21 hours All Satellite Systems: 14 hours Max Battery GPS Mode: Up to 43 hours Expedition GPS Activity: Up to 17 days |
| Released | 2022 | 2025 |
Where the specifications differ
27 differences| Spec | Garmin Instinct 2S Solar | Garmin Instinct E 40mm |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Battery life | Smartwatch: Up to 21 days/51 days with solar* Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 50 days/Unlimited with solar* GPS: Up to 22 hours/28 hours with solar** Max Battery GPS Mode: Up to 54 hours/114 hours with solar** Expedition GPS Activity: Up to 25 days/105 with solar* *Solar charging, assuming all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions **Solar charging, assuming use in 50,000 lux conditions | Smartwatch: Up to 14 days Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 35 days GPS: Up to 21 hours All Satellite Systems: 14 hours Max Battery GPS Mode: Up to 43 hours Expedition GPS Activity: Up to 17 days |
| Display Size | custom, two-window design; 0.79” x 0.79” (20 x 20 mm) | custom, two-window design; 0.86” x 0.86” (22 x 22 mm) |
| Lens Material | Power Glass™ | Chemically Strengthened Glass |
| Memory/History | 32 MB | 128 MB |
| Display resolution | 156 x 156 pixels (active area) | 166 x 166 pixels (active area) |
| Product Info | ||
| Main SKU | 010-02564-10 | 010-02932-00 |
| Product ID | 741462 | 1314137 |
| Product Name | Instinct® 2S Solar | Instinct® E – 40 mm |
| Release Date | 2/9/2022 | 1/6/2025 |
| Product Variation | Graphite | Black with Charcoal Band |
| Running Features | ||
| Running dynamics | yes (with compatible accessory) | Yes |
| Stride length (real time) | yes (with compatible accessory) | Yes |
| Vertical oscillation and ratio | yes (with compatible accessory) | Yes |
| Ground contact time and balance | yes (with compatible accessory) | yes (but not balance) |
| What You'll Love | ||
| Battery life (smartwatch mode) | Up to 21 days51 days with solar | Up to 14 days |
| Activity Profiles | ||
| Cycling | Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross | Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, BMX |
| On the Water | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Surfing, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Fishing | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Fishing, Boating, Whitewater |
| Racket sports | Tennis | Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball |
| Snow & winter | Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Snowshoeing | Skiing, Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, XC Skate Skiing, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing |
| Indoor running | Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running | Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual Running |
| Outdoor recreation | Hiking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Climbing, Hunting, Horseback Riding | Hiking, Climbing, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Archery |
| Other activity profiles | Tactical, Obstacle Course | Tactical |
| Health & Wellness Monitoring | ||
| Sleep | Yes | yes (advanced) |
| Hydration | yes (in Garmin Connect™) | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) |
| Women's health | yes (in Garmin Connect™) | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) |
| Training, Planning and Analysis Features | ||
| Respiration rate (during exercise) | Yes | Yoga and Breathwork only |
| HR broadcast (broadcasts HR data over ANT+® to paired devices) | yes (using ANT+) | Yes |
The other 160 specifications both list are identical.
Full Garmin Instinct 2S Solar specifications →Full Garmin Instinct E 40mm specifications →