Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm vs Samsung Galaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mmSize, Specs & Wrist Fit Compared
The Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm is 5.7mm wider, 4.6mm longer, 5.1mm thicker and 25.4g heavier than the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm. Both are circular.
Measured against the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm.
- Case width
- 45mmbaseInstinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm39.3mm−5.7mmGalaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm
- Lug-to-lug
- 45mmbaseInstinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm40.4mm−4.6mmGalaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm
- Thickness
- 14.9mmbaseInstinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm9.8mm−5.1mmGalaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm
- Weight
- 52gbaseInstinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm26.6g−25.4gGalaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm
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Garmin
Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm
Samsung
Galaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm
Which one fits you
On wrists narrower than about 47mm, the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm is the safer pick — it stays proportionate down to roughly 43mm, where the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm starts to hang over the edge. Above 47mm both sit cleanly, and the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm gives you more presence.
The Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm wears larger than the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm (45mm vs 39.3mm case), giving it more wrist presence — and needing a wider wrist to sit cleanly.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm is the slimmer of the two (9.8mm vs 14.9mm), so it slides under a cuff more easily.
On the wrist the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm feels lighter (26.6g vs 52g, case only).
Among the 386 45mm watches we hold thickness for, the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm is thicker than 83% — it will sit high even though the case width reads modest.
Among the 405 39mm watches we hold thickness for, the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm is thinner than 73%, so it wears flatter than its width suggests.
Specification Comparison
| Spec | GarminInstinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm | SamsungGalaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 45mm | 39.3mm |
| Lug-to-Lug | 45mm | 40.4mm |
| Thickness | 14.9mm | 9.8mm |
| Weight | 52g | 26.6g |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| Water Resistance | 10 ATM | 5 ATM |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Display type | LCD | OLED/AMOLED |
| Screen size | 0.9 inches | 1.2 inches |
| Always-On Display | Yes | Yes |
| Battery life | Unlimited days | 0.9 days |
| Has wireless charging | No | Yes |
| Has a removable battery | No | No |
| Has a solar power battery | Yes | No |
| Has a rechargeable battery | Yes | Yes |
| Has a battery level indicator | Yes | Yes |
| Released | 2025 | 2024 |
Hover a row to highlight that measurement in the schematics below.
2D Dimension Schematics
Every case drawn to scale on a shared centre — from above, and in profile against the wrist. Built from the measurements, so it works for every watch whether or not it has a photo.
- Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm45mm · 14.9mm thick
- Samsung Galaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm39.3mm × 40.4mm · 9.8mm thick
Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm vs Samsung Galaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm on a wrist
Put Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm and Samsung Galaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm on the same arm, sized to your own wrist, and turn it. Side by side or stacked on one spot, whichever answers the question faster.
- Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm — 45mm case, standing 14.9mm off the wrist.
- Samsung Galaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm — 39.3mm case, 40.4mm lug-to-lug, standing 9.8mm off the wrist.
Whether that clears your wrist edges is the question worth answering, and it depends on your wrist rather than on the case diameter.
See them on a wrist in 3DCase shapes are generated from each watch's published measurements — case width, lug-to-lug and thickness — not from manufacturer 3D models, so the proportions are accurate while the dial is generic.
Battery life compared
Runtime for every power mode either watch publishes, aligned by mode.
Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mmSamsung Galaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm
GPS
130 hours—Training
40 hours—Smartwatch
—0.9 days
Full Specification Comparison
125 specs| Spec | Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm | Samsung Galaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm |
|---|---|---|
| Design | ||
| width | 45 | 39.3 |
| height | 45 | 40.4 |
| volume | 30.17 cm³ | 15.56 cm³ |
| weight | 52 g | 26.6 g |
| thickness | 14.9 | 9.8 |
| ATM rating | 10 ATM | 5 ATM |
| resolution | 176 x 176 px | 396 x 396 px |
| screen size | 0.9 inches | 1.2 inches |
| Display type | LCD | OLED/AMOLED |
| Has a display | Yes | Yes |
| pixel density | 276 ppi | 330 ppi |
| width of band | 22 mm | 20 mm |
| water resistance | Waterproof | Waterproof |
| Always-On Display | Yes | Yes |
| has a touch screen | No | Yes |
| Watch band is replaceable | Yes | Yes |
| Has sapphire glass display | No | Yes |
| has branded damage-resistant glass | No | No |
| is designed for kids | — | No |
| waterproof depth rating | — | 50 m |
| Ingress Protection (IP) rating | — | IP68 |
| Battery | ||
| battery life | Unlimited days | 0.9 days |
| has wireless charging | No | Yes |
| has a removable battery | No | No |
| battery life with GPS on | 130 hours | — |
| Has a solar power battery | Yes | No |
| has a rechargeable battery | Yes | Yes |
| battery life in training mode | 40 hours | — |
| charge time | — | 2 hours |
| battery power | — | 247 mAh |
| Sensors | ||
| has GPS | Yes | Yes |
| has a compass | Yes | Yes |
| Has a barometer | Yes | Yes |
| has a gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| Has a cadence sensor | Yes | No |
| has an accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Monitors perspiration | No | No |
| Has a heart rate monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Has a temperature sensor | Yes | No |
| Monitors blood oxygenation levels | Yes | Yes |
| Features | ||
| release date | 2025-04-30 | 2024-06-13 |
| Has a stopwatch | Yes | Yes |
| Has smart alarm | No | No |
| warranty period | 1 years | 1 years |
| Has call control | No | Yes |
| Has silent alarm | Yes | Yes |
| has HRV tracking | Yes | Yes |
| internal storage | 0.13GB | 16GB |
| measures VO2 max | Yes | Yes |
| Has notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Locates your phone | Yes | Yes |
| has fall detection | Yes | Yes |
| has voice commands | No | Yes |
| Acquires GPS faster | Yes | Yes |
| Has vibrating alerts | Yes | Yes |
| shows readiness level | Yes | Yes |
| Can be used to answer calls | No | Yes |
| measures resting heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| has irregular heart rate warnings | No | Yes |
| has fast/slow heart rate notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Has a built-in camera remote control function | No | Yes |
| RAM | — | 1.5GB |
| Has ECG technology | — | Yes |
| has a front camera | — | No |
| number of microphones | — | 1 |
| Connectivity | ||
| has NFC | Yes | Yes |
| supports ANT+ | Yes | No |
| supports Wi-Fi | No | Yes |
| supports Galileo | Yes | Yes |
| has a cellular module | No | No |
| Is compatible with iOS | Yes | No |
| Is compatible with Android | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi version | — | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) |
| Bluetooth version | — | 5 |
| Miscellaneous | ||
| Has auto pause | Yes | Yes |
| Available on PC | Yes | — |
| Can upload maps | No | — |
| Has trackback mode | Yes | — |
| Has a wind speed sensor | No | — |
| Is compatible with Windows | Yes | No |
| Is compatible with Mac OS X | Yes | No |
| has an external memory slot | No | No |
| Compatible with smart scales | Yes | Yes |
| has a battery level indicator | Yes | Yes |
| Provides the sunrise/sunset time | Yes | — |
| has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack | No | No |
| Informs about the risk of thunderstorms | Yes | — |
| Compatible with external heart rate monitors | Yes | Yes |
| Has passcode | — | Yes |
| App & Software | ||
| Ad-free | Yes | Yes |
| Free app | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks BMI | Yes | Yes |
| Has coaching | Yes | Yes |
| Includes maps | Yes | — |
| Supports routes | Yes | Yes |
| Has achievements | Yes | Yes |
| Has goal setting | Yes | Yes |
| Has live tracking | Yes | — |
| Has exercise diary | Yes | Yes |
| Predicts ovulation | Yes | — |
| Can be personalised | Yes | — |
| Has weight tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Predicts start date | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks water intake | Yes | Yes |
| Has inactivity alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Has period notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Has temperature tracking | Yes | No |
| Doesn’t require account | No | — |
| Provides activity reports | Yes | Yes |
| Displays fertile window notifications | Yes | — |
| Counts how many calories you've burned | Yes | Yes |
| Activity tracking | ||
| Measures pace | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks distance | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks elevation | Yes | Yes |
| Designed for golf | Yes | No |
| Tracks your sleep | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks steps taken | Yes | Yes |
| Designed for diving | No | No |
| Has a route tracker | Yes | Yes |
| Has exercise tagging | Yes | Yes |
| Has multi-sport mode | Yes | No |
| Tracks calorie intake | Yes | Yes |
| Provides sleep reports | Yes | Yes |
| Detects activities automatically | Yes | Yes |
| Has a stroke counter for swimming | Yes | Yes |
Wrist Fit
Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm
Sits best on wrists ~47–64mm wide (≈ 12.6–17.1cm circumference).
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm
Sits best on wrists ~43–58mm wide (≈ 11.5–15.5cm circumference).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm bigger than the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm?
The Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm is bigger — 45mm vs 39.3mm case width.
Which fits a smaller wrist better, the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm or the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm?
The Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm suits wrists around 47–64mm wide, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm around 43–58mm. The one with the smaller lower bound is the safer pick for a small wrist.
Can I see the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm and Samsung Galaxy Watch FE - Bluetooth · 40mm 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.