Garmin
Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar vs Venu® 3
Size, specs & wrist fit compared
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Which one fits you
On wrists narrower than about 53mm, the Venu® 3 is the safer pick — it stays proportionate down to roughly 47mm, where the Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar starts to hang over the edge. Above 53mm both sit cleanly, and the Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar gives you more presence.
The Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar wears larger than the Venu® 3 (50mm vs 45mm case), giving it more wrist presence — and needing a wider wrist to sit cleanly.
The Venu® 3 is the slimmer of the two (12mm vs 14.4mm), so it slides under a cuff more easily.
On the wrist the Venu® 3 feels lighter (30g vs 58g, case only).
Among the 385 45mm watches we hold thickness for, the Venu® 3 is thinner than 76%, so it wears flatter than its width suggests.
The Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar is 5mm wider, 5mm longer, 2.4mm thicker and 28g heavier than the Venu® 3. Both are circular.
Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar
Venu® 3
Case width
50mm
45mm−5mm
Lug-to-lug
50mm
45mm−5mm
Thickness
14.4mm
12mm−2.4mm
Weight
58g
30g−28g
Switch or add watches
Garmin
Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar
Garmin
Venu® 3
Fit tool
Watch Fit Tool
For sports watches, lug-to-lug (L2L) is what matters most — it decides whether a watch overhangs your wrist. Bulky is fine; overhang is not.
Your wrist
mm
≈ 146.9mm aroundHow to Measure Your Wrist
1
Measure at the point where you wear your watch — typically just below the wrist bone.
2
Flat width — lay your arm on a table, palm facing up, and measure straight across the top of your wrist with a ruler. Bone to bone; do not follow the curve down the sides.
3
Around — wrap a tape measure snugly round the wrist. No tape? Wrap a strip of paper, mark the overlap and hold the strip against a ruler.
⚠ Important
Width ≠ circumference. They are different numbers — around 170mm is about 64mm across — so set the toggle to whichever one you actually measured before you type it in.
Garmin Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar
Case 50.0mm · Lug-to-lug 50.0mm · Thickness 14.4mm · 58g
Sweet Spot
50mm on a 55mm wrist
Understated Balanced Sweet Spot Bold Overhang ⚠
Across the wrist it works — 2.5mm spare each side — but a tall watch on this wrist. Fine over a sleeve, awkward under one.
On a 55mm wrist the sweet spot is 47–53mm lug to lug. This one is 50mm.
How to Measure
Measure where you wear it, just below the wrist bone. Either of these works — the tool converts between them.
- 1. Flat width — arm flat on a table, palm up. Measure straight across the top of the wrist, bone to bone, ignoring the curve down the sides.
- 2. Around — a tape, or a strip of paper marked and held against a ruler, snug the whole way round.
Against one you know
Leather: Attaches at the lugs, so the case back rests on your skin. Thins and softens with wear. Typical figures, not this model’s own.
Show the measurementsHide the measurements
- Across the wrist2.5mm spare each side
Fills the wrist without reaching the edge.
- Off the wrist14.4mm off the skin
A tall watch on this wrist. Fine over a sleeve, awkward under one. (14.4mm case, back against the skin)
- How it seats~8.0mm under the rim
Wide enough that the edge of the case back lifts clear of the skin.
- Weight on the wrist58g
Substantial without being a burden — the usual weight of a steel watch on a wrist this size. (1.1g per mm of wrist)
Garmin Venu® 3
Case 45.0mm · Lug-to-lug 45.0mm · Thickness 12.0mm · 30g
Balanced Fit
45mm on a 55mm wrist
Understated Balanced Sweet Spot Bold Overhang ⚠
Comfortably inside the edges of your wrist, and it seats and sits low enough to wear without thinking about it.
On a 55mm wrist the sweet spot is 47–53mm lug to lug. This one is 45mm, so you could go bigger.
How to Measure
Measure where you wear it, just below the wrist bone. Either of these works — the tool converts between them.
- 1. Flat width — arm flat on a table, palm up. Measure straight across the top of the wrist, bone to bone, ignoring the curve down the sides.
- 2. Around — a tape, or a strip of paper marked and held against a ruler, snug the whole way round.
Against one you know
Leather: Attaches at the lugs, so the case back rests on your skin. Thins and softens with wear. Typical figures, not this model’s own.
Show the measurementsHide the measurements
- Across the wrist5.0mm spare each side
Comfortable, with visible skin either side.
- Off the wrist12.0mm off the skin
Normal sports-watch height for a wrist this size. (12.0mm case, back against the skin)
- How it seats~5.2mm under the rim
Seats well, with the case back following most of the wrist.
- Weight on the wrist30g
Light enough to forget you have it on. (0.5g per mm of wrist)
2D Dimension Schematics
Every case drawn to scale on a shared centre — from above, and in profile against the wrist.
Highlight
- Garmin Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar50mm · 14.4mm thick
- Garmin Venu® 345mm · 12mm thick
3D preview
Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar vs Venu® 3 on a wrist
Sized to your own wrist, turned any way you like.
Shapes are built from published measurements, not manufacturer 3D models — accurate proportions, generic dial.
Battery life compared
Furthest apart in Battery Saver mode, where the Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar lasts 3.8× as long as the Venu® 3 (100 days against 26 days).
Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, SolarVenu® 3
Battery Saver
100 days624 hoursExpedition GPS
60 days—Smartwatch
40 days14 daysMax Battery GPS
150 hours—GPS Only
60 hours +260 hours—All Satellite Systems
40 hours +80 hours—All Satellite Systems + Multi-Band
34 hours +60 hours—GPS
—26 hours
Amber figures are the solar-assisted runtime the manufacturer publishes for that mode.
Specifications
The short version
7 key specs| Spec | GarminInstinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar | GarminVenu® 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 50mm | 45mm |
| Thickness | 14.4mm | 12mm |
| Weight | 58g | 30g |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| Display type | Monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) | OLED/AMOLED |
| 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 mode: Up to 14 days (5 days display always-on) Battery Saver Smartwatch mode: Up to 26 days GPS-Only GNSS mode: Up to 26 hours All-Systems GNSS mode: Up to 20 hours All-Systems GNSS mode with music: Up to 11 hours See Details |
| Released | 2025 | 2023 |
Every specification
399 specs| Spec | Garmin Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar | Garmin Venu® 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Family | Garmin | Garmin |
| 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 mode: Up to 14 days (5 days display always-on) Battery Saver Smartwatch mode: Up to 26 days GPS-Only GNSS mode: Up to 26 hours All-Systems GNSS mode: Up to 20 hours All-Systems GNSS mode with music: Up to 11 hours See Details |
| Battery type | Lithium ion | Lithium ion |
| Display Size | custom, two-window design; 1.1” x 1.1” (27 x 27 mm) | 1.4" (35.4 mm) diameter |
| Case material | fiber-reinforced polymer | fiber-reinforced polymer |
| Lens Material | Power Glass™ | Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 |
| Bezel Material | fiber-reinforced polymer/aluminum | stainless steel |
| Memory/History | 128 MB | 8 GB |
| Strap material | silicone | silicone |
| Charging method | Garmin proprietary plug charger | Garmin proprietary plug charger |
| Display resolution | 176 x 176 pixels | 454 x 454 pixels |
| QuickFit® watch band compatible | yes (26 mm) | — |
| Color display | — | Yes |
| Large font option | — | Yes |
| Quick Release bands | — | yes (22 mm, Industry standard) |
| Built-in speaker/microphone | — | Yes |
| Sensors | ||
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | Yes |
| GLONASS | Yes | Yes |
| Galileo | Yes | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| Thermometer | Yes | yes (tempe™ sensor required) |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| SatIQ™ Technology | Yes | — |
| Barometric altimeter | Yes | Yes |
| Pulse Ox Blood Oxygen Saturation Monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Elevate™ wrist heart rate monitor | Yes | Yes |
| has GPS | — | Yes |
| has a compass | — | Yes |
| Has a barometer | — | Yes |
| has a gyroscope | — | Yes |
| Ambient light sensor | — | Yes |
| Has a cadence sensor | — | No |
| has an accelerometer | — | Yes |
| Monitors perspiration | — | No |
| Has a heart rate monitor | — | Yes |
| Has a temperature sensor | — | Yes |
| Monitors blood oxygenation levels | — | Yes |
| Product Info | ||
| Main SKU | 010-02935-00 | 010-02784-01 |
| Product ID | 1316857 | 873008 |
| Product Name | Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar | Venu® 3 |
| Release Date | 1/6/2025 | — |
| Product Variation | Black with Charcoal Band | Slate Stainless Steel Bezel with Black Case and Silicone Band |
| Clock Features | ||
| Timer | Yes | Yes |
| Stopwatch | Yes | Yes |
| Time/date | Yes | Yes |
| Alarm clock | Yes | Yes |
| GPS Time Sync | Yes | Yes |
| Sunrise/sunset times | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic daylight saving time | Yes | Yes |
| Gaming Features | ||
| Gaming Activity | Yes | Yes |
| GameOn™ app compatible | Yes | Yes |
| Cycling Features | ||
| Courses | Yes | — |
| MTB Grit & Flow | Yes | — |
| Race an activity | Yes | — |
| Power meter compatible | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced cycling dynamics | Yes | — |
| Compatible with Varia™ lights | Yes | Yes |
| FTP (Functional Threshold Power) | Yes | — |
| Speed and cadence sensor support (w/sensor) | Yes | yes (using ANT+ or BLE) |
| Bike lap and lap maximum power (with power sensor) | Yes | — |
| Compatible with Varia™ radar (rear-facing radar) | Yes | Yes |
| Compatible with Vector™ and Rally™ (power meters) | Yes | Yes |
| Compatible with Varia Vision™ (head-mounted display) | Yes | — |
| Alerts (triggers alarm when you reach goals including time, distance, heart rate or calories) | Yes | Yes |
| Golfing Features | ||
| Tournament legal | Yes | Yes |
| Digital scorecard | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin AutoShot™ | Yes | Yes |
| Round timer/odometer | Yes | Yes |
| Auto CourseView updates | Yes | — |
| Yardage to layups/doglegs | Yes | Yes |
| Hazards and course targets | Yes | Yes |
| Pairs with Garmin Golf app | Yes | Yes |
| Green View with manual pin position | Yes | Yes |
| CT10 Automatic club tracking compatible (requires accessory) | Yes | Yes |
| Yardage to F/M/B (distance to front, middle and back of green) | Yes | Yes |
| Stat tracking (strokes, putts per round, greens and fairways hit) | Yes | Yes |
| Measures shot distance (calculates exact yardage for shots from anywhere on course) | manual | automatic |
| PinPointer | — | Yes |
| Running Features | ||
| Run workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Running power | Yes | Yes |
| Race predictor | Yes | — |
| Foot pod capable | Yes | Yes |
| Running dynamics | Yes | Yes |
| Lactate threshold | yes (with compatible accessory) | — |
| Grade-adjusted pace | Yes | — |
| Trail run auto climb | Yes | — |
| Performance condition | Yes | — |
| Run/Walk/Stand detection | Yes | Yes |
| Stride length (real time) | Yes | — |
| PacePro™ Pacing Strategies | Yes | — |
| Vertical oscillation and ratio | Yes | Yes |
| Ground contact time and balance | yes (GCT balance with accessory) | — |
| GPS-based distance, time and pace | Yes | Yes |
| Cadence (provides real-time number of steps per minute) | Yes | Yes |
| What You'll Love | ||
| Display type | Monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) | AMOLED (optional always-on mode) |
| Water rating | 10 ATM | Swim, 5 ATM |
| Garmin Pay™ | Yes | Yes |
| LED flashlight | Yes | — |
| Multi-band GPS | Yes | — |
| Solar Charging | Yes | — |
| Training status | Yes | — |
| Training readiness | Yes | — |
| Pulse Ox blood oxygen | Yes | yes (spot-check, and optionally all-day and in sleep) |
| Sleep score and insights | Yes | Yes |
| Battery life (smartwatch mode) | Up to 40 daysUnlimited with solar | Up to 14 days |
| Touchscreen | — | Yes |
| Music storage | — | Yes |
| Garmin ECG App | — | Yes |
| Wheelchair mode | — | Yes |
| Make calls and send texts via voice | — | Yes |
| 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 |
| Swim | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming |
| Cycling | Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, BMX | Biking, Indoor Biking, eBiking, Handcycling, Indoor Handcycling |
| Wellness | Walking, Indoor Walking, Pilates, Yoga | Walking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking |
| Multisport | Triathlon | — |
| In the ring | Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts | Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts |
| Team sports | Basketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football/Soccer, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball | Basketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football/Soccer, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball |
| Motor sports | Motorcycling, Overlanding, Motocrossing, ATVing, Snowmobiling | — |
| On the Water | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Surfing, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Fishing, Boating, Water Skiing, Snorkeling, Wakeboarding, Wakesurfing, Tubing, Whitewater | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing |
| Racket sports | Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball | Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball |
| Snow & winter | Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, XC Skate Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing | Skiing, Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, 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 recreation | Hiking, Rucking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Climbing, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Golfing, Disc Golf, Archery | Hiking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Disc Golf |
| Other activity profiles | Tactical, Inline Skating | — |
| Swimming Features | ||
| Pool swim workouts | Yes | — |
| Time and distance alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Auto rest (pool swim only) | Yes | Yes |
| Drill logging (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Countdown start (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Underwater wrist-based heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| "Repeat on" rest timer (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Basic rest timer (up from 0) (pool swim only) | Yes | Yes |
| Stroke type detection (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly) (pool swim only) | Yes | Yes |
| Pool swim metrics (lengths, distance, pace, stroke count, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories) | Yes | Yes |
| Open-water swim metrics (distance, pace, stroke count/rate, stroke distance, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories) | Yes | Yes |
| Heart rate from external HRM (real-time during rests, interval and session stats during rests, and automatic heart rate download post-swim) | Yes | — |
| Tactical Features | ||
| XERO™ Locations | Yes | — |
| Dual grid coordinates | Yes | — |
| Outdoor Recreation | ||
| Tides | Yes | — |
| TracBack® | Yes | — |
| Sight 'N Go | Yes | — |
| Tide glance | Yes | — |
| Back to start | Yes | Yes |
| UltraTrac mode | Yes | — |
| Vertical speed | Yes | — |
| GPS coordinates | Yes | — |
| Reference point | Yes | — |
| Area calculation | Yes | yes (via Connect IQ™) |
| Elevation profile | Yes | — |
| Projected waypoint | Yes | — |
| Total ascent/descent | Yes | Yes |
| Future elevation plot | Yes | — |
| Distance to destination | Yes | — |
| Expedition GPS Activity | Yes | — |
| Sun and moon information | Yes | yes (via Connect IQ™) |
| Point-to-point navigation | Yes | — |
| Bread crumb trail in real time | Yes | — |
| Barometric trend indicator with Storm Alert | Yes | — |
| Fish forecast | — | yes (via Connect IQ™) |
| Daily Smart Features | ||
| Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Passcode | Yes | Yes |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth®, ANT+® | Bluetooth®, ANT+®, Wi-Fi® |
| Garmin Share | Yes | — |
| Find My Phone | Yes | Yes |
| Find My Watch | Yes | Yes |
| VIRB® Remote | Yes | — |
| Morning report | Yes | Yes |
| Weather forecasts | Yes | Yes |
| Smart Notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Smart trainer control | Yes | Yes |
| Smartphone compatibility | iPhone®, Android™ | iPhone®, Android™ |
| Controls smartphone music | Yes | Yes |
| On-device Connect IQ™ Store | Yes | Yes |
| Pairs with Garmin Connect™ Mobile | Yes | Yes |
| Compatible with Garmin Messenger app | Yes | Yes |
| Battery saver (customizable low power watch) | Yes | Yes |
| Realtime settings sync with Garmin Connect™ mobile | Yes | Yes |
| Text response/reject phone call with text (Android™ only) | Yes | Yes |
| Connect IQ™ (downloadable watch faces, data fields and apps) | Yes | Yes |
| Red shift mode | — | Yes |
| Plays and controls watch music | — | Yes |
| Find My Phone during GPS activity | — | Yes |
| Bluetooth phone calling and voice assistant support | — | Yes |
| View images from notifications on watch (Android™ only) | — | Yes |
| Activity Tracking Features | ||
| TrueUp™ | Yes | Yes |
| Move IQ™ | Yes | Yes |
| Step counter | Yes | Yes |
| Floors climbed | Yes | Yes |
| Calories burned | Yes | Yes |
| Distance traveled | Yes | Yes |
| Intensity minutes | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic rep counting | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Connect™ Challenges app | yes (optional Connect IQ app) | Yes |
| Move alerts (displays on device after a period of inactivity) | Yes | Yes |
| Auto goal (learns your activity level and assigns a daily step goal) | Yes | Yes |
| Push tracker | — | Yes |
| Weight shift alert | — | Yes |
| Workout and Training Plans | ||
| HIIT workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Yoga workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Cardio workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Pilates workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Strength workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Running Coach Experts | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Coach - Prebuilt Cycling Plans | Yes | — |
| Daily Suggested Workout - Cycling (Pace and Heart Rate Based) | Yes | — |
| Daily Suggested Workout - Running (Pace and Heart Rate Based) | Yes | — |
| On-screen workout animations | — | Yes |
| On-screen workout muscle maps | — | Yes |
| Workouts for wheelchair users | — | Yes |
| Health & Wellness Monitoring | ||
| Sleep | yes (advanced) | yes (advanced) |
| Hydration | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) | Yes |
| Breathwork | Yes | Yes |
| Fitness age | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep coach | Yes | Yes |
| Nap detection | Yes | Yes |
| All-day stress | Yes | Yes |
| Women's health | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) | Yes |
| Health snapshot | Yes | Yes |
| Respiration rate | Yes | Yes |
| Resting heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| Breathing variations | Yes | Yes |
| Relaxation reminders | Yes | Yes |
| Abnormal heart rate alerts | yes (high and low) | yes (high and low) |
| Relaxation breathing timer | Yes | Yes |
| Body Battery™ energy monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Wrist-based heart rate (constant, every second) | Yes | Yes |
| Meditation | — | Yes |
| Jet lag adviser | — | Yes |
| Skin temperature | — | Yes |
| Safety and Tracking Features | ||
| Assistance | Yes | Yes |
| Live Event Sharing | Yes | — |
| Incident Detection during select activities | Yes | Yes |
| Incident detection alert on phone for wearables | Yes | Yes |
| Kid Activity Tracking Features | ||
| Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app | yes (optional Connect IQ Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app) | — |
| Training, Planning and Analysis Features | ||
| % HRR | Yes | — |
| % HR max | Yes | Yes |
| HR zones | Yes | Yes |
| HR alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Shortcuts | Yes | — |
| HRV status | Yes | Yes |
| Load ratio | Yes | — |
| Manual lap | Yes | Yes |
| Rest timer | Yes | — |
| Auto max HR | Yes | — |
| Auto scroll | Yes | Yes |
| Finish time | Yes | — |
| HR calories | Yes | Yes |
| Voice alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Custom alerts | Yes | — |
| Physio TrueUp | Yes | Yes |
| Recovery time | Yes | Yes |
| Training load | Yes | — |
| VO2 Max (Run) | Yes | Yes |
| Course guidance | Yes | — |
| Training effect | Yes | — |
| Virtual Partner | Yes | — |
| Workout benefit | Yes | Yes |
| Race an Activity | Yes | — |
| Advanced workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Interval training | Yes | Yes |
| Race glance/widget | Yes | — |
| Training load focus | Yes | — |
| VO2 Max (Trail Run) | Yes | — |
| GPS speed and distance | Yes | Yes |
| Configurable lap alerts | Yes | — |
| Customizable data pages | Yes | Yes |
| Unified training status | Yes | — |
| Touch and/or button lock | Yes | Yes |
| Activity history on watch | Yes | Yes |
| Multisport auto transition | Yes | — |
| Downloadable training plans | Yes | Yes |
| Training effect (anaerobic) | Yes | — |
| Manual multisport activities | Yes | — |
| HRM running pace and distance | Yes | Yes |
| Heat and altitude acclimation | Yes | — |
| Customizable activity profiles | Yes | Yes |
| Auto Pause® automatic timer halt | Yes | Yes |
| Respiration rate (during exercise) | yes (with compatible accessory) | yoga, breathwork, meditation and archery only |
| Auto Lap® interval tracking feature | Yes | Yes |
| Primary benefit (Training Effect labels) | Yes | — |
| Power Modes - customizable in-activity battery settings | Yes | — |
| HR broadcast (broadcasts HR data over ANT+® to paired devices) | Yes | yes (using ANT+ or BLE) |
| Improved interval (includes open repeats, intervals data page, rest screen and auto detection) | Yes | Yes |
| Improved recovery time | — | yes (limited) |
| Design | ||
| width | — | 45 |
| height | — | 45 |
| volume | — | 24.3 cm³ |
| weight | — | 47 g |
| thickness | — | 12 |
| ATM rating | — | 5 ATM |
| resolution | — | 454 x 454 px |
| screen size | — | 1.4 inches |
| Display type | — | OLED/AMOLED |
| Has a display | — | Yes |
| pixel density | — | 458 ppi |
| width of band | — | 22 mm |
| water resistance | — | Waterproof |
| Always-On Display | — | Yes |
| has a touch screen | — | Yes |
| is designed for kids | — | No |
| Gorilla Glass version | — | Gorilla Glass 3 |
| waterproof depth rating | — | 50 m |
| Watch band is replaceable | — | Yes |
| Has sapphire glass display | — | No |
| maximum operating temperature | — | 55 °C |
| has branded damage-resistant glass | — | Yes |
| lowest potential operating temperature | — | -20 °C |
| Battery | ||
| charge time | — | 1 hours |
| battery life | — | 14 days |
| battery power | — | 297 mAh |
| has wireless charging | — | No |
| has a removable battery | — | No |
| battery life with GPS on | — | 26 hours |
| Has a solar power battery | — | No |
| has a rechargeable battery | — | Yes |
| battery life in power save mode | — | 624 hours |
| Features | ||
| CPU speed | — | 4 x 1.5 GHz |
| release date | — | 2023-08-30 |
| Has a stopwatch | — | Yes |
| Has smart alarm | — | No |
| warranty period | — | 1 years |
| Has call control | — | Yes |
| Has silent alarm | — | Yes |
| has HRV tracking | — | Yes |
| internal storage | — | 8GB |
| measures VO2 max | — | Yes |
| Has notifications | — | Yes |
| Has ECG technology | — | Yes |
| Locates your phone | — | Yes |
| has a front camera | — | No |
| has fall detection | — | Yes |
| has voice commands | — | No |
| Acquires GPS faster | — | Yes |
| Has vibrating alerts | — | Yes |
| shows readiness level | — | Yes |
| Can be used to answer calls | — | Yes |
| measures resting heart rate | — | Yes |
| has irregular heart rate warnings | — | Yes |
| has fast/slow heart rate notifications | — | Yes |
| Has a built-in camera remote control function | — | No |
| Languages | ||
| Device languages | — | Arabic, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English (US), Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (EU), Romanian, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish (International), Swedish, Thai, Traditional Chinese, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese |
| Connectivity | ||
| has NFC | — | Yes |
| Wi-Fi version | — | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) |
| supports ANT+ | — | Yes |
| supports Wi-Fi | — | Yes |
| supports Galileo | — | Yes |
| Bluetooth version | — | 5.3 |
| has a cellular module | — | No |
| Is compatible with iOS | — | Yes |
| Is compatible with Android | — | Yes |
| Miscellaneous | ||
| has aptX | — | No |
| Has auto pause | — | Yes |
| Available on PC | — | Yes |
| Is compatible with Windows | — | Yes |
| Is compatible with Mac OS X | — | Yes |
| has an external memory slot | — | No |
| Compatible with smart scales | — | Yes |
| has a battery level indicator | — | Yes |
| Provides the sunrise/sunset time | — | Yes |
| has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack | — | No |
| Compatible with external heart rate monitors | — | Yes |
| App & Software | ||
| Ad-free | — | Yes |
| Free app | — | Yes |
| Tracks BMI | — | Yes |
| Has coaching | — | Yes |
| Includes maps | — | Yes |
| Supports routes | — | Yes |
| Has achievements | — | Yes |
| Has goal setting | — | Yes |
| Has live tracking | — | Yes |
| Has exercise diary | — | Yes |
| Predicts ovulation | — | Yes |
| Can be personalised | — | Yes |
| Has weight tracking | — | Yes |
| Predicts start date | — | Yes |
| Tracks water intake | — | Yes |
| Has inactivity alerts | — | Yes |
| Has period notifications | — | Yes |
| Has temperature tracking | — | Yes |
| Doesn’t require account | — | No |
| Provides activity reports | — | Yes |
| Displays fertile window notifications | — | Yes |
| Counts how many calories you've burned | — | Yes |
| Activity tracking | ||
| Measures pace | — | Yes |
| Tracks distance | — | Yes |
| Tracks elevation | — | Yes |
| Designed for golf | — | Yes |
| Tracks your sleep | — | Yes |
| Tracks steps taken | — | Yes |
| Designed for diving | — | No |
| Has a route tracker | — | Yes |
| Has exercise tagging | — | Yes |
| Has multi-sport mode | — | No |
| Tracks calorie intake | — | Yes |
| Provides sleep reports | — | Yes |
| Detects activities automatically | — | Yes |
| Has a stroke counter for swimming | — | Yes |
Wrist Fit
Garmin Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar
Sits best on wrists ~53–71mm wide (≈ 14.2–19.0cm circumference).
Garmin Venu® 3
Sits best on wrists ~47–64mm wide (≈ 12.6–17.1cm circumference).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Garmin Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar bigger than the Garmin Venu® 3?
The Garmin Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar is bigger — 50mm vs 45mm case width.
Which fits a smaller wrist better, the Garmin Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar or the Garmin Venu® 3?
The Garmin Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar suits wrists around 53–71mm wide, and the Garmin Venu® 3 around 47–64mm. The one with the smaller lower bound is the safer pick for a small wrist.
Can I see the Garmin Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar and Garmin Venu® 3 side by side at true scale?
Yes — the schematics and photos above show both watches at matched scale, and our fit tool overlays each on your wrist width.
Related Comparisons
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