Garmin Instinct 3 50mm Solar vs MARQ Athlete Gen 2 Carbon Edition
Size, specs & wrist fit compared
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Which one fits you
Under 18 cm (7.1 in) round, the Instinct 3 50mm Solar's lugs overhang and the MARQ Athlete Gen 2 Carbon Edition's do not; the MARQ Athlete Gen 2 Carbon Edition fills the wrist at 17.5–19.5 cm, the Instinct 3 50mm Solar at 19–21 cm.
What else differs
- Screen: the Instinct 3 50mm Solar uses a memory-in-pixel screen that is easy to read in sunlight and sips battery, the MARQ Athlete Gen 2 Carbon Edition a bright AMOLED screen.
- Battery: 40 days for the Instinct 3 50mm Solar against 16 days for the MARQ Athlete Gen 2 Carbon Edition in everyday use; 2.5 days for the Instinct 3 50mm Solar against 42 hours for the MARQ Athlete Gen 2 Carbon Edition with GPS on.
- Only the MARQ Athlete Gen 2 Carbon Edition has a sapphire lens.
The Instinct 3 50mm Solar is 4mm wider, 0.6mm thinner and 17g lighter than the MARQ Athlete Gen 2 Carbon Edition.
Instinct 3 50mm Solar
MARQ Athlete Gen 2 Carbon Edition
Case width
50mm
46mm−4mm
Thickness
14.4mm
15mm+0.6mm
Weight
58g
75g+17g
Instinct 3 50mm Solar or MARQ Athlete Gen 2 Carbon Edition by wrist size
| Wrist round (mm left each side) | Instinct 3 50mm Solar≈57.5mm lug to lug, est. | MARQ Athlete Gen 2 Carbon Edition≈53mm lug to lug, est. |
|---|---|---|
| 14 cm / 5.5 in | Overhangs (6.2mm over) | Overhangs (3.9mm over) |
| 15 cm / 5.9 in | Overhangs (4.6mm over) | Overhangs (2.3mm over) |
| 16 cm / 6.3 in | Overhangs (2.9mm over) | Overhangs (0.7mm over) |
| 17 cm / 6.7 in | Overhangs (1.3mm over) | Bold (0.9mm) |
| 18 cm / 7.1 in | Bold (0.3mm) | Sweet spot (2.5mm) |
| 19 cm / 7.5 in | Sweet spot (1.9mm) | Sweet spot (4.1mm) |
| 20 cm / 7.9 in | Sweet spot (3.5mm) | Balanced (5.8mm) |
Switch or add watches
Garmin
Instinct 3 50mm Solar
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Garmin
MARQ Athlete Gen 2 Carbon Edition
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Battery life compared
Furthest apart in Battery saver mode, where the Instinct 3 50mm Solar lasts 4.8× as long as the MARQ Athlete Gen 2 Carbon Edition (100 days against 21 days).
Instinct 3 50mm SolarMARQ Athlete Gen 2 Carbon Edition
Battery saver
100 days21 daysExpedition
60 days14 daysSmartwatch
40 days16 daysMax battery GPS
150 hours75 hoursGPS only
60 hours +260 hours42 hoursAll systems
40 hours +80 hours32 hoursAll systems + multi-band
34 hours +60 hours20 hoursAll systems with music
—10 hours
Amber figures are the solar-assisted runtime the manufacturer publishes for that mode.
More comparisons
2D Dimension Schematics
- Garmin Instinct 3 50mm Solar 50mm × ≈57.5mm (est.) · 14.4mm thick
- Garmin MARQ Athlete Gen 2 Carbon Edition 46mm × ≈53mm (est.) · 15mm thick
3D preview
Instinct 3 50mm Solar vs MARQ Athlete Gen 2 Carbon Edition on a wrist
Specifications
The short version
7 key specs| Spec | GarminInstinct 3 50mm Solar | GarminMARQ Athlete Gen 2 Carbon Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 50mm | 46mm |
| Thickness | 14.4mm | 15mm |
| Weight | 58g | 75g |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| Display type | Monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) | AMOLED (always-on) |
| Battery life | Smartwatch: Up to 40 days/Unlimited with solar* Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 100 days/Unlimited with solar* GPS Only: Up to 60 hours/ 260 hours with solar** All Satellite Systems: Up to 40 hours/80 hours with solar** All Satellite Systems + Multi-Band: Up to 34 hours/60 hours with solar*** Max Battery GPS: Up to 150 hours/Unlimited with solar** Expedition GPS: Up to 60 days/Unlimited 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 ***Solar charging, assuming use in 50,000 lux conditions; assuming typical use with SatIQ technology | Smartwatch: Up to 16 days (6 days always-on) Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 21 days GPS Only: Up to 42 hours (30 hours always-on ) All Satellite Systems: Up to 32 hours (24 hours always-on) All Satellite Systems + Multi-band: Up to 20 hours (15 hours always-on) All Satellite Systems + Music: Up to 10 hours (9 hours always-on) Max Battery GPS: Up to 75 hours Expedition GPS: Up to 14 days |
| Released | 2025 | 2023 |
Where the specifications differ
34 differences| Spec | Garmin Instinct 3 50mm Solar | Garmin MARQ Athlete Gen 2 Carbon Edition |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Battery life | Smartwatch: Up to 40 days/Unlimited with solar* Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 100 days/Unlimited with solar* GPS Only: Up to 60 hours/ 260 hours with solar** All Satellite Systems: Up to 40 hours/80 hours with solar** All Satellite Systems + Multi-Band: Up to 34 hours/60 hours with solar*** Max Battery GPS: Up to 150 hours/Unlimited with solar** Expedition GPS: Up to 60 days/Unlimited 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 ***Solar charging, assuming use in 50,000 lux conditions; assuming typical use with SatIQ technology | Smartwatch: Up to 16 days (6 days always-on) Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 21 days GPS Only: Up to 42 hours (30 hours always-on ) All Satellite Systems: Up to 32 hours (24 hours always-on) All Satellite Systems + Multi-band: Up to 20 hours (15 hours always-on) All Satellite Systems + Music: Up to 10 hours (9 hours always-on) Max Battery GPS: Up to 75 hours Expedition GPS: Up to 14 days |
| Display Size | custom, two-window design; 1.1” x 1.1” (27 x 27 mm) | 1.2” (30.4 mm) diameter |
| Case material | fiber-reinforced polymer | fused carbon fiber with titanium rear cover |
| Lens Material | Power Glass™ | domed sapphire crystal |
| Bezel Material | fiber-reinforced polymer/aluminum | titanium (Grade 5)/fused carbon fiber |
| Memory/History | 128 MB | 32 GB |
| Strap material | silicone | silicone rubber |
| Charging method | Garmin proprietary plug charger | Garmin proprietary magnetic charger |
| Display resolution | 176 x 176 pixels | 390 x 390 pixels |
| QuickFit® watch band compatible | yes (26 mm) | yes (22 mm) |
| Sensors | ||
| Pulse Ox Blood Oxygen Saturation Monitor | Yes | yes (with acclimation) |
| Product Info | ||
| Main SKU | 010-02935-00 | 010-02722-10 |
| Product ID | 1316857 | 815448 |
| Product Name | Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar | MARQ® Athlete (Gen 2) - Carbon Edition |
| Release Date | 1/6/2025 | 10/12/2023 |
| Product Variation | Black with Charcoal Band | Modern Tool Watch |
| Cycling Features | ||
| FTP (Functional Threshold Power) | Yes | yes (with compatible accessory) |
| Golfing Features | ||
| Measures shot distance (calculates exact yardage for shots from anywhere on course) | manual | automatic |
| What You'll Love | ||
| Display type | Monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) | AMOLED (always-on) |
| Training status | Yes | yes (improved) |
| Battery life (smartwatch mode) | Up to 40 daysUnlimited with solar | Up to 16 days (6 days always-on) |
| Activity Profiles | ||
| Gym | Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing | Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing, Jump Roping |
| Wellness | Walking, Indoor Walking, Pilates, Yoga | Walking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking |
| Multisport | Triathlon | Swimming/Running, Triathlon |
| 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, Snorkeling, Sailing Expedition, Whitewater |
| Outdoor running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Obstacle Racing | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running, Obstacle Racing |
| Outdoor recreation | Hiking, Rucking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Climbing, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Golfing, Disc Golf, Archery | Hiking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Climbing, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Golfing, Disc Golf, Archery |
| Other activity profiles | Tactical, Inline Skating | Jumpmaster, Tactical, Inline Skating |
| Swimming Features | ||
| Heart rate from external HRM (real-time during rests, interval and session stats during rests, and automatic heart rate download post-swim) | Yes | yes (with HRM-Tri, HRM-Swim, HRM-Pro or HRM-Pro Plus) |
| Outdoor Recreation | ||
| Tides | Yes | yes (via Connect IQ™) |
| Area calculation | Yes | yes (via Connect IQ™) |
| Daily Smart Features | ||
| Connectivity | Bluetooth®, ANT+® | Bluetooth®, ANT+®, Wi-Fi® |
| Health & Wellness Monitoring | ||
| Fitness age | Yes | yes (in app) |
| Training, Planning and Analysis Features | ||
| Respiration rate (during exercise) | yes (with compatible accessory) | Yes |
The other 209 specifications both list are identical.
Full Garmin Instinct 3 50mm Solar specifications →Full Garmin MARQ Athlete Gen 2 Carbon Edition specifications →