Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm vs Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mmSize, Specs & Wrist Fit Compared
The Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm is 1.3mm wider, 1mm shorter, 6.3mm thicker and 18g heavier than the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm. Both are circular.
Measured against the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm.
- Case width
- 45mmbaseInstinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm43.7mm−1.3mmGalaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm
- Lug-to-lug
- 45mmbaseInstinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm46mm+1mmGalaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm
- Thickness
- 14.9mmbaseInstinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm8.6mm−6.3mmGalaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm
- Weight
- 52gbaseInstinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm34g−18gGalaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm
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Garmin
Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm
Samsung
Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm
Which one fits you
Both need much the same wrist — roughly 47–66mm across the flat of the wrist. Neither will fit where the other won't, so decide on thickness, weight and features instead.
The Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm wears larger than the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm (45mm vs 43.7mm case), giving it more wrist presence — and needing a wider wrist to sit cleanly.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm is the slimmer of the two (8.6mm vs 14.9mm), so it slides under a cuff more easily.
On the wrist the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm feels lighter (34g 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 303 44mm watches we hold thickness for, the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm is thinner than 99%, so it wears flatter than its width suggests.
Specification Comparison
| Spec | GarminInstinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm | SamsungGalaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 45mm | 43.7mm |
| Lug-to-Lug | 45mm | 46mm |
| Thickness | 14.9mm | 8.6mm |
| Weight | 52g | 34g |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| Water Resistance | 10 ATM | 5 ATM |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Display type | LCD | OLED/AMOLED |
| Screen size | 0.9 inches | 1.47 inches |
| Always-On Display | Yes | Yes |
| Battery life | Unlimited days | 2 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 | 2025 |
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 Watch8 - LTE · 44mm43.7mm × 46mm · 8.6mm thick
Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm vs Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm on a wrist
Put Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm and Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm 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 Watch8 - LTE · 44mm — 43.7mm case, 46mm lug-to-lug, standing 8.6mm 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 Watch8 - LTE · 44mm
GPS
130 hours—Smartwatch
—2 daysTraining
40 hours—
Full Specification Comparison
125 specs| Spec | Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm | Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm |
|---|---|---|
| Design | ||
| width | 45 | 43.7 |
| height | 45 | 46 |
| volume | 30.17 cm³ | 17.29 cm³ |
| weight | 52 g | 34 g |
| thickness | 14.9 | 8.6 |
| ATM rating | 10 ATM | 5 ATM |
| resolution | 176 x 176 px | 480 x 480 px |
| screen size | 0.9 inches | 1.47 inches |
| Display type | LCD | OLED/AMOLED |
| Has a display | Yes | Yes |
| pixel density | 276 ppi | 327 ppi |
| width of band | 22 mm | 20 mm |
| water resistance | Waterproof | Water resistant |
| 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 |
| maximum operating temperature | — | 35 °C |
| Ingress Protection (IP) rating | — | IP68 |
| lowest potential operating temperature | — | 0 °C |
| Battery | ||
| battery life | Unlimited days | 2 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 | — |
| battery power | — | 435 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 | Yes |
| Monitors blood oxygenation levels | Yes | Yes |
| Features | ||
| release date | 2025-04-30 | 2025-07-09 |
| Has a stopwatch | Yes | Yes |
| Has smart alarm | No | No |
| warranty period | 1 years | — |
| Has call control | No | Yes |
| Has silent alarm | Yes | Yes |
| has HRV tracking | Yes | Yes |
| internal storage | 0.13GB | 32GB |
| 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 | — | 2GB |
| Has ECG technology | — | Yes |
| Connectivity | ||
| has NFC | Yes | Yes |
| supports ANT+ | Yes | No |
| supports Wi-Fi | No | Yes |
| supports Galileo | Yes | Yes |
| has a cellular module | No | Yes |
| Is compatible with iOS | Yes | No |
| Is compatible with Android | Yes | Yes |
| SIM cards | — | 1 eSIM |
| Wi-Fi version | — | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) |
| Bluetooth version | — | 5.3 |
| 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 | 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 | 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 | Yes |
| 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 Watch8 - LTE · 44mm
Sits best on wrists ~48–66mm wide (≈ 12.8–17.6cm circumference).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm bigger than the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm?
The Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm is bigger — 45mm vs 43.7mm case width.
Which fits a smaller wrist better, the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm or the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm?
The Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm suits wrists around 47–64mm wide, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm around 48–66mm. 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 Watch8 - LTE · 44mm 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.