Garmin Instinct 3 50mm Solar vs Venu 3
Size, specs & wrist fit compared
Which one fits you
Under 18 cm (7.1 in) round, the Instinct 3 50mm Solar's lugs overhang and the Venu 3's do not; the Venu 3 fills the wrist at 17–19 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 Venu 3 a bright AMOLED screen.
- Battery: 40 days for the Instinct 3 50mm Solar against 14 days for the Venu 3 in everyday use; 2.5 days for the Instinct 3 50mm Solar against 26 hours for the Venu 3 with GPS on.
- Only the Instinct 3 50mm Solar has solar charging.
2.4mm thinner, the Venu 3 is the one that slides under a shirt cuff.
The Instinct 3 50mm Solar is 5mm wider and 2.4mm thicker than the Venu 3.
Instinct 3 50mm Solar
Venu 3
Case width
50mm
45mm−5mm
Thickness
14.4mm
12mm−2.4mm
Instinct 3 50mm Solar or Venu 3 by wrist size
| Wrist round (mm left each side) | Instinct 3 50mm Solar≈57.5mm lug to lug, est. | Venu 3≈51.5mm lug to lug, est. |
|---|---|---|
| 14 cm / 5.5 in | Overhangs (6.2mm over) | Overhangs (3.2mm over) |
| 15 cm / 5.9 in | Overhangs (4.6mm over) | Overhangs (1.6mm over) |
| 16 cm / 6.3 in | Overhangs (2.9mm over) | Bold (0.1mm) |
| 17 cm / 6.7 in | Overhangs (1.3mm over) | Sweet spot (1.7mm) |
| 18 cm / 7.1 in | Bold (0.3mm) | Sweet spot (3.3mm) |
| 19 cm / 7.5 in | Sweet spot (1.9mm) | Balanced (4.9mm) |
| 20 cm / 7.9 in | Sweet spot (3.5mm) | Balanced (6.5mm) |
Switch or add watches
Garmin
Instinct 3 50mm Solar
Garmin
Venu 3
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Battery life compared
Furthest apart in Battery saver mode, where the Instinct 3 50mm Solar lasts 3.8× as long as the Venu 3 (100 days against 26 days).
Instinct 3 50mm SolarVenu 3
Battery saver
100 days26 daysExpedition
60 days—Smartwatch
40 days14 daysMax battery GPS
150 hours—GPS only
60 hours +260 hours26 hoursAll systems
40 hours +80 hours—All systems + multi-band
34 hours +60 hours—
Amber figures are the solar-assisted runtime the manufacturer publishes for that mode.
More comparisons
Garmin Epix Pro Gen 2 Sapphire Edition 51mm vs Garmin Instinct 3 50mm SolarGarmin Instinct 3 50mm Solar vs Garmin Venu 4 45mmGarmin Instinct 2X Solar vs Garmin Instinct 3 50mm SolarGarmin Descent G1 Solar vs Garmin Instinct 3 50mm SolarGarmin Venu 3 vs Garmin Venu 4 45mmGarmin Venu 3 vs Garmin Instinct E 45mm
2D Dimension Schematics
- Garmin Instinct 3 50mm Solar 50mm × ≈57.5mm (est.) · 14.4mm thick
- Garmin Venu 3 45mm × ≈51.5mm (est.) · 12mm thick
3D preview
Instinct 3 50mm Solar vs Venu 3 on a wrist
Specifications
The short version
6 key specs| Spec | GarminInstinct 3 50mm Solar | GarminVenu 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 50mm | 45mm |
| Thickness | 14.4mm | 12mm |
| 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 |
Where the specifications differ
33 differences| Spec | Garmin Instinct 3 50mm Solar | Garmin Venu 3 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Display Size | custom, two-window design; 1.1” x 1.1” (27 x 27 mm) | 1.4" (35.4 mm) diameter |
| Lens Material | Power Glass™ | Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 |
| Bezel Material | fiber-reinforced polymer/aluminum | stainless steel |
| Memory/History | 128 MB | 8 GB |
| Display resolution | 176 x 176 pixels | 454 x 454 pixels |
| Sensors | ||
| Thermometer | Yes | yes (tempe™ sensor required) |
| Product Info | ||
| Main SKU | 010-02935-00 | 010-02784-01 |
| Product ID | 1316857 | 873008 |
| Product Name | Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar | Venu® 3 |
| Product Variation | Black with Charcoal Band | Slate Stainless Steel Bezel with Black Case and Silicone Band |
| Cycling Features | ||
| Speed and cadence sensor support (w/sensor) | Yes | yes (using ANT+ or BLE) |
| 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 (optional always-on mode) |
| Water rating | 10 ATM | Swim, 5 ATM |
| Pulse Ox blood oxygen | Yes | yes (spot-check, and optionally all-day and in sleep) |
| Battery life (smartwatch mode) | Up to 40 daysUnlimited with solar | Up to 14 days |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| On the Water | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Surfing, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Fishing, Boating, Water Skiing, Snorkeling, Wakeboarding, Wakesurfing, Tubing, Whitewater | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing |
| 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 |
| Outdoor Recreation | ||
| Area calculation | Yes | yes (via Connect IQ™) |
| Sun and moon information | Yes | yes (via Connect IQ™) |
| Daily Smart Features | ||
| Connectivity | Bluetooth®, ANT+® | Bluetooth®, ANT+®, Wi-Fi® |
| Activity Tracking Features | ||
| Garmin Connect™ Challenges app | yes (optional Connect IQ app) | Yes |
| Health & Wellness Monitoring | ||
| Hydration | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) | Yes |
| Women's health | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) | Yes |
| Training, Planning and Analysis Features | ||
| Respiration rate (during exercise) | yes (with compatible accessory) | yoga, breathwork, meditation and archery only |
| HR broadcast (broadcasts HR data over ANT+® to paired devices) | Yes | yes (using ANT+ or BLE) |
The other 137 specifications both list are identical.
Full Garmin Instinct 3 50mm Solar specifications →Full Garmin Venu 3 specifications →