Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm vs Samsung Galaxy Watch8 LTE ClassicSize, Specs & Wrist Fit Compared
The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 LTE Classic is 1.4mm wider, 1.4mm longer, 4.3mm thinner and 11.5g heavier than the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm. Both are circular.
Measured against the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm.
- Case width
- 45mmbaseInstinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm46.4mm+1.4mmGalaxy Watch8 LTE Classic
- Lug-to-lug
- 45mmbaseInstinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm46.4mm+1.4mmGalaxy Watch8 LTE Classic
- Thickness
- 14.9mmbaseInstinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm10.6mm−4.3mmGalaxy Watch8 LTE Classic
- Weight
- 52gbaseInstinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm63.5g+11.5gGalaxy Watch8 LTE Classic
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Garmin
Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm
Samsung
Galaxy Watch8 LTE Classic
Which one fits you
On wrists narrower than about 49mm, the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm is the safer pick — it stays proportionate down to roughly 47mm, where the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 LTE Classic starts to hang over the edge. Above 49mm both sit cleanly, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 LTE Classic gives you more presence.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 LTE Classic wears larger than the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm (46.4mm vs 45mm case), giving it more wrist presence — and needing a wider wrist to sit cleanly.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 LTE Classic is the slimmer of the two (10.6mm vs 14.9mm), so it slides under a cuff more easily.
On the wrist the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm feels lighter (52g vs 63.5g, 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 158 46mm watches we hold thickness for, the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 LTE Classic is thinner than 97%, so it wears flatter than its width suggests.
Specification Comparison
| Spec | GarminInstinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm | SamsungGalaxy Watch8 LTE Classic |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 45mm | 46.4mm |
| Thickness | 14.9mm | 10.6mm |
| Weight | 52g | 63.5g |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| Water Resistance | 10 ATM | 5 ATM |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Display type | LCD | OLED/AMOLED |
| Screen size | 0.9 inches | 1.34 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 Classic46.4mm · 10.6mm thick
Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm vs Samsung Galaxy Watch8 LTE Classic on a wrist
Put Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm and Samsung Galaxy Watch8 LTE Classic 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 Classic — 46.4mm case, standing 10.6mm 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 Classic
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 Classic |
|---|---|---|
| Design | ||
| width | 45 | 46.4 |
| height | 45 | 46.4 |
| volume | 30.17 cm³ | 22.82 cm³ |
| weight | 52 g | 63.5 g |
| thickness | 14.9 | 10.6 |
| ATM rating | 10 ATM | 5 ATM |
| resolution | 176 x 176 px | 438 x 438 px |
| screen size | 0.9 inches | 1.34 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 | — | 445 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 | 64GB |
| 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 Classic
Sits best on wrists ~49–66mm wide (≈ 13.1–17.6cm circumference).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm bigger than the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 LTE Classic?
The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 LTE Classic is bigger — 46.4mm vs 45mm case width.
Which fits a smaller wrist better, the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm or the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 LTE Classic?
The Garmin Instinct 3 Solar Tactical Edition 45mm suits wrists around 47–64mm wide, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 LTE Classic around 49–66mm. 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 Classic 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.