Garmin Instinct 3 45mm AMOLED vs Instinct Crossover Solar
Size, specs & wrist fit compared
Which one fits you
Both need much the same wrist: neither overhangs from 16 cm (6.3 in) round, and both are in their sweet spot around 17–19 cm. Wrist size will not decide between these two.
What else differs
- Screen: the Instinct 3 45mm AMOLED uses a bright AMOLED screen, the Instinct Crossover Solar a memory-in-pixel screen that is easy to read in sunlight and sips battery.
- Battery: 28 days for the Instinct Crossover Solar against 18 days for the Instinct 3 45mm AMOLED in everyday use; 32 hours for the Instinct 3 45mm AMOLED against 25 hours for the Instinct Crossover Solar with GPS on.
The Instinct 3 45mm AMOLED and Instinct Crossover Solar share a near-identical 45mm case, so on the wrist the difference is thickness and weight.
Among the 46 smartwatches 45mm across that we hold thickness for, the Instinct Crossover Solar is thicker than 93%, so it sits higher on the wrist than most of its size.
The Instinct 3 45mm AMOLED is 1.3mm thinner and 12g lighter than the Instinct Crossover Solar.
Instinct 3 45mm AMOLED
Instinct Crossover Solar
Case width
45mm
45mmsame
Thickness
14.9mm
16.2mm+1.3mm
Weight
53g
65g+12g
Instinct 3 45mm AMOLED or Instinct Crossover Solar by wrist size
| Wrist round (mm left each side) | Instinct 3 45mm AMOLED≈51.5mm lug to lug, est. | Instinct Crossover Solar≈51.5mm lug to lug, est. |
|---|---|---|
| 14 cm / 5.5 in | Overhangs (3.2mm over) | Overhangs (3.2mm over) |
| 15 cm / 5.9 in | Overhangs (1.6mm over) | Overhangs (1.6mm over) |
| 16 cm / 6.3 in | Bold (0.1mm) | Bold (0.1mm) |
| 17 cm / 6.7 in | Sweet spot (1.7mm) | Sweet spot (1.7mm) |
| 18 cm / 7.1 in | Sweet spot (3.3mm) | Sweet spot (3.3mm) |
| 19 cm / 7.5 in | Balanced (4.9mm) | Balanced (4.9mm) |
| 20 cm / 7.9 in | Balanced (6.5mm) | Balanced (6.5mm) |
Switch or add watches
Garmin
Instinct 3 45mm AMOLED
Garmin
Instinct Crossover Solar
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Battery life compared
Furthest apart in Battery saver mode, where the Crossover Solar lasts 3.0× as long as the 3 45mm AMOLED (71 days against 24 days).
3 45mm AMOLEDCrossover Solar
Battery saver
24 days71 daysExpedition
16 days40 days +327 daysSmartwatch
18 days28 days +70 daysMax battery GPS
68 hours111 hours +553 hoursGPS only
32 hours25 hours +31 hoursAll systems
25 hours—All systems + multi-band
23 hours—
Amber figures are the solar-assisted runtime the manufacturer publishes for that mode.
More comparisons
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2D Dimension Schematics
- Garmin Instinct 3 45mm AMOLED 45mm × ≈51.5mm (est.) · 14.9mm thick
- Garmin Instinct Crossover Solar 45mm × ≈51.5mm (est.) · 16.2mm thick
3D preview
Instinct 3 45mm AMOLED vs Instinct Crossover Solar on a wrist
Specifications
The short version
7 key specs| Spec | GarminInstinct 3 45mm AMOLED | GarminInstinct Crossover Solar |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 45mm | 45mm |
| Thickness | 14.9mm | 16.2mm |
| Weight | 53g | 65g |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| Display type | AMOLED (always-on) | Monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) |
| Battery life | Smartwatch: Up to 18 days (7 days always-on) Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 24 days GPS Only: Up to 32 hours All Satellite Systems: Up to 25 hours All Satellite Systems + Multi-Band: Up to 23 hours* Max Battery GPS: Up to 68 hours Expedition GPS: Up to 16 days *Assuming typical use with SatIQ technology | Smartwatch: Up to 28 days/70 days with solar* Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 71 days/Unlimited with solar* GPS: Up to 25 hours/31 hours with solar** Max Battery GPS Mode: Up to 111 hours/553 hours with solar** Expedition GPS Activity: Up to 40 days/327 days 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 |
| Released | 2025 | 2022 |
Where the specifications differ
31 differences| Spec | Garmin Instinct 3 45mm AMOLED | Garmin Instinct Crossover Solar |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Battery life | Smartwatch: Up to 18 days (7 days always-on) Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 24 days GPS Only: Up to 32 hours All Satellite Systems: Up to 25 hours All Satellite Systems + Multi-Band: Up to 23 hours* Max Battery GPS: Up to 68 hours Expedition GPS: Up to 16 days *Assuming typical use with SatIQ technology | Smartwatch: Up to 28 days/70 days with solar* Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 71 days/Unlimited with solar* GPS: Up to 25 hours/31 hours with solar** Max Battery GPS Mode: Up to 111 hours/553 hours with solar** Expedition GPS Activity: Up to 40 days/327 days 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 |
| Display Size | 1.2" (30 mm) diameter | custom, with a center hole: 0.9” x 0.9” (23 x 23 mm) |
| Lens Material | Chemically Strengthened Glass | Power Glass™ |
| Bezel Material | fiber-reinforced polymer/aluminum | fiber-reinforced polymer/stainless steel |
| Memory/History | 4 GB | 64 MB |
| Display resolution | 390 x 390 pixels | 176 x 176 pixels |
| Product Info | ||
| Main SKU | 010-02936-00 | 010-02730-11 |
| Product ID | 1316397 | 819727 |
| Product Name | Instinct® 3 – 45 mm, AMOLED | Instinct® Crossover Solar |
| Release Date | 1/6/2025 | 11/9/2022 |
| Product Variation | Black with Black Band | Graphite |
| Running Features | ||
| Running dynamics | Yes | yes (with compatible accessory) |
| Stride length (real time) | Yes | yes (with compatible accessory) |
| Vertical oscillation and ratio | Yes | yes (with compatible accessory) |
| Ground contact time and balance | yes (GCT balance with accessory) | yes (with compatible accessory) |
| What You'll Love | ||
| Display type | AMOLED (always-on) | Monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) |
| Battery life (smartwatch mode) | Up to 18 days (7 days always-on) | Up to 28 days70 days with solar |
| Activity Profiles | ||
| Cycling | Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, BMX | Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking |
| Wellness | Walking, Indoor Walking, Pilates, Yoga | Walking, Pilates, Yoga |
| On the Water | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Surfing, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Fishing, Boating, Water Skiing, Snorkeling, Wakeboarding, Wakesurfing, Tubing, Whitewater | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Surfing, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Fishing, Boating, Sailing, Sail Racing, Water Skiing, Wakeboarding, Wakesurfing, Tubing, Sailing Expedition, Whitewater |
| Racket sports | Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball | Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel |
| Snow & winter | Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, XC Skate Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing | Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing |
| Indoor running | Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual Running | Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running |
| Outdoor running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Obstacle Racing | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running |
| Outdoor recreation | Hiking, Rucking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Climbing, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Golfing, Disc Golf, Archery | Hiking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Climbing, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Archery |
| Other activity profiles | Tactical, Inline Skating | Jumpmaster, Tactical |
| Health & Wellness Monitoring | ||
| Sleep | yes (advanced) | Yes |
| Hydration | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) | yes (in Garmin Connect™) |
| Women's health | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) | yes (in Garmin Connect™) |
| Training, Planning and Analysis Features | ||
| Respiration rate (during exercise) | yes (with compatible accessory) | Yes |
| HR broadcast (broadcasts HR data over ANT+® to paired devices) | Yes | yes (using ANT+) |
The other 192 specifications both list are identical.
Full Garmin Instinct 3 45mm AMOLED specifications →Full Garmin Instinct Crossover Solar specifications →