Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm — case dimensions and design

Garmin · 2023

Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mmSize, Dimensions & Wrist Fit

Case Width

43mm

Thickness

14.3mm

Battery

10 days

Weight

49.3g

The Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm sits best on flat wrist widths of about 45–61mm (≈ 12.0–16.3cm wrist circumference). Adjust the slider below to check your wrist.

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The Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm in short

The figures that decide whether this watch suits you, pulled out of the full specification sheet further down.

Between 6 hours and 12 days per charge depending on the power mode — battery saver at best, all satellite systems + music at worst.
Water rated to Dive (200 meters).
49.3g on the wrist. Heavier than 70% of the 43mm watches we have weights for.
1.2” (30.4 mm) diameter AMOLED display.
Takes 20mm bands, so third-party straps fit without an adapter.

Does the Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm fit your wrist?

Drag the slider to your wrist width and see the Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm overlaid at true scale. Lug-to-lug — not case diameter — decides whether a watch overhangs your wrist.

Watch Fit Tool

For sports watches, Lug-to-Lug (L2L) is what matters most. Bulky is fine — overhang is not.

Your Wrist Top Width

40.0mm (small)80.0mm (large)

How to Measure

Lay arm flat, palm up.

Measure the flat width across top of wrist.

Wrist Width Measurement Guide →

Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm

010-02753-13

Case: 43mmL2L: 43mmThick: 14.3mm

Edge Clearance

+6mm

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Balanced Fit6mm clearance. Comfortable everyday wear with room to spare.

Understated Balanced Sweet Spot Bold Overhang ⚠

Happy with the fit? Check current availability for the Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm.

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2D Dimension Schematics

The Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm drawn to scale — from above, and in profile against the wrist.

Highlight

From above — true scale

From the side — how far it sits off the wrist

Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm43mm · 14.3mm thick

3D preview

Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm on a wrist

On an arm sized to your own wrist — the view a product photo never gives you.

Open 3D try-on

Shapes are built from published measurements, not manufacturer 3D models — accurate proportions, generic dial.

Which Descent Mk3i size fits you?

This model comes in 2 versions. Set your measurement and each one reports its own verdict — tap any size to open its page.

Which of these fits your wrist?

Flat wrist width55.0mm

Roughly a 14.7cm wrist circumference — the measurement a tape gives you. Compared against lug-to-lug where we have it, case width otherwise.

All 2 Descent Mk3i variants fit this wrist. The 51mm gives you the most presence without overhanging; the smallest is the discreet end of the range.

43mmViewing

Balanced Fit

Width: 43mm
Thick: 14.3mm
Weight: 49.3g

6.0mm clear a side

51mmBest fit

Sweet Spot

Width: 51mm
Thick: 16.4mm
Weight: 77.8g

2.0mm clear a side

View this size

How long the Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm lasts, by power mode

Runtime changes by a factor of 48 depending on what you leave switched on. Bars are scaled against the longest mode.

always-on displayraise-to-wake

Battery Saver12 days
Smartwatch10 days · 4 days always-on
Expedition GPS10 days
Max Battery GPS44 hours
Dive30 hours
GPS Only28 hours · 22 hours always-on
All Satellite Systems20 hours · 16 hours always-on
All Satellite Systems + Multi-band17 hours · 14 hours always-on
Dive with Air Integration15 hours
All Satellite Systems + Music6 hours

How the Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm ranks on battery

Against the 268 Garmin watches in our database, ranked on each figure Garmin publishes.

Everyday use10 days#179 of 257
GPS tracking28 hours#103 of 233
Power save12 days#99 of 106

See all 268 Garmin watches ranked by battery life

What size band does the Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm take?

Lug width

20mm

Any 20mm strap fits, so you are not restricted to Garmin's own bands. Quick-release pins let you swap without tools — check that a replacement lists 20mm and quick-release before buying.

Shop 20mm bands

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Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm specifications

The figures that decide a purchase, followed by every line Garmin publishes.

Battery life: Smartwatch: Up to 10 days (4 days always-on) Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 12 days GPS Only: Up to 28 hours (22 hours always-on ) All Satellite Systems: Up to 20 hours (16 hours always-on) All Satellite Systems + Multi-band: Up to 17 hours (14 hours always-on) All Satellite Systems + Music: Up to 6 hours Max Battery GPS: Up to 44 hours Expedition GPS: Up to 10 days Dive Mode: Up to 30 hours Dive Mode with Air Integration: Up to 15 hours
Display: 1.2” (30.4 mm) diameter
Resolution: 390 x 390 pixels
Water rating: Dive (200 meters)
Case material: fiber-reinforced polymer with titanium rear cover
Bezel: Diamond-like Carbon (DLC) coated titanium or bronze PVD coated titanium
Glass: sapphire crystal
Strap: silicone
Storage: 32 GB
Charging: Garmin proprietary clip charger

Full specification sheet

347 published lines across 23 groups, unedited

Overview

Family: Garmin

General

Battery life: Smartwatch: Up to 10 days (4 days always-on) Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 12 days GPS Only: Up to 28 hours (22 hours always-on ) All Satellite Systems: Up to 20 hours (16 hours always-on) All Satellite Systems + Multi-band: Up to 17 hours (14 hours always-on) All Satellite Systems + Music: Up to 6 hours Max Battery GPS: Up to 44 hours Expedition GPS: Up to 10 days Dive Mode: Up to 30 hours Dive Mode with Air Integration: Up to 15 hours
Display Size: 1.2” (30.4 mm) diameter
Case material: fiber-reinforced polymer with titanium rear cover
Color display
Lens Material: sapphire crystal
Bezel Material: Diamond-like Carbon (DLC) coated titanium or bronze PVD coated titanium
Memory/History: 32 GB
Strap material: silicone
Charging method: Garmin proprietary clip charger
Large font option
Display resolution: 390 x 390 pixels
Leakproof inductive buttons
QuickFit® watch band compatible: yes (20 mm)

Sensors

GPS
Compass
GLONASS
Galileo
Gyroscope
Thermometer
Depth sensor
Accelerometer
SatIQ™ Technology
Ambient light sensor
Barometric altimeter
Pulse Ox Blood Oxygen Saturation Monitor
Garmin Elevate™ wrist heart rate monitor

Product Info

Main SKU: 010-02753-13
Product ID: 852217
Product Name: Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm
Release Date: 11/15/2023
Product Variation: Bronze PVD Titanium with French Gray Silicone Band

Clock Features

Timer
Stopwatch
Time/date
Alarm clock
GPS Time Sync
Sunrise/sunset times
Automatic daylight saving time

Diving Features

PO2: Up to 2.0 with customizable deco PO2 setting
Tides
Backlight: yes (configurable time and intensity; auto-on at depth)
Gas mixes: Air, Nitrox and Trimix, up to 100% O2; 1 bottom gas and up to 11 deco and/or backup gasses.
APNEA mode
Deep Stops: yes (using custom gradient factors)
Gauge mode
Pool APNEA
No fly time
Safety Stop: yes (customizable off/3min/5min)
Dive planner: yes (basic NDL + multi-gas deco planner)
Multi-gas mode
Nitrox support
Trimix support
APNEA hunt mode
Air integration: yes (via Subwave™)
Alerts & alarms: Audible and vibration alarms for ascent rate, PO2, CNS/OTU, NDL, deco, gas switching, tank pressure, gas consumption rate. Customizable (up to 40) audible and/or vibration per dive mode, based on depth or time
Single-gas mode
Gas time remaining
Subwave™ Support
3-axis dive compass: yes (with adjustable heading, quick change to 90R, 90L and reciprocal). Indicates degrees and direction back to set heading
Auto start/end dive
Decompression model: Bühlmann ZHL-16c with gradient factors
Missed Deco Lockout: yes (can be disabled prior to dive with user acknowledgement)
Gas consumption rate
Custom end-dive timeout: yes (20s to 10 m)
Custom dive data screens
Customizable conservatism: yes (low/medium/high or custom using gradient factors)
Surface diver status widget: yes (surface interval, N2/HE loading, CNS, OTU and tissue compartment status)
Automatic altitude adjustment
Residual Tissue Loading Reset: yes (on the surface with user acknowledgement)
Closed Circuit Rebreather (CCR)
Number of transmitters supported: 8
Dive ascent/descent rate indicator
Dive activity maximum operating depth: 200 meters
Sync dive log to Garmin Dive™ Mobile app
Automatically saves dive entry and exit locations

Gaming Features

Gaming Activity
GameOn™ app compatible

Boating Features

Anchor Alarm
Countdown timer
Tack assist mode
Autopilot Control
Boat Data Streaming: CIQ
Virtual starting line
Available Boating Profiles: Boating, Sailing, Sail Racing
Wearable trolling motor remote
Built-in barometer and tide tables: yes (downloadable tides)

Cycling Features

Courses
Power guide
MTB Grit & Flow
Race an activity
Power meter compatible
Advanced cycling dynamics
Power curve and % FTP workouts
Compatible with Varia™ lights
FTP (Functional Threshold Power): yes (with compatible accessory)
Compatible with Varia headlight camera
Speed and cadence sensor support (w/sensor)
Cycle Map (routable cycling-specific street map)
Bike lap and lap maximum power (with power sensor)
Compatible with Varia™ radar (rear-facing radar)
Compatible with Vector™ and Rally™ (power meters)
Compatible with Varia Vision™ (head-mounted display)
Alerts (triggers alarm when you reach goals including time, distance, heart rate or calories)

Golfing Features

PinPointer
Custom targets
Tempo Training
Virtual caddie
Full vector map
Handicap scoring
Tournament legal
Digital scorecard
Garmin AutoShot™
PlaysLike distance
Round timer/odometer
Auto CourseView updates
Yardage to layups/doglegs
Hazards and course targets
Pairs with Garmin Golf app
Green View with manual pin position
Preloaded with 43,000 courses worldwide
Green Contours (with Garmin Golf membership)
CT10 Automatic club tracking compatible (requires accessory)
Yardage to F/M/B (distance to front, middle and back of green)
Stat tracking (strokes, putts per round, greens and fairways hit)
Wind speed and direction (requires connection to Garmin Golf app)
Touch-targeting (touch target on display to see the distance to any point)
Measures shot distance (calculates exact yardage for shots from anywhere on course): automatic

Running Features

Hill score
Run workouts
Running power
Race predictor
Foot pod capable
Running dynamics
Lactate threshold: yes (with compatible accessory)
Grade-adjusted pace
Trail run auto climb
Performance condition
Run/Walk/Stand detection
Stride length (real time)
PacePro™ Pacing Strategies
Vertical oscillation and ratio
Ground contact time and balance
GPS-based distance, time and pace
Course- and weather-specific race predictor
Cadence (provides real-time number of steps per minute)

What You'll Love

Touchscreen
Display type: AMOLED
Water rating: Dive (200 meters)
Garmin Pay™
Music storage
Multi-band GPS
Training status: yes (improved)
Built-in mapping
Training readiness
Pulse Ox blood oxygen
Sleep score and insights
Battery life (smartwatch mode): Up to 10 days (4 days always-on)

Activity Profiles

Gym: Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing
Swim: Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming
Cycling: Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, BMX
Wellness: Walking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking
Multisport: Swimming/Running, Triathlon
In the ring: Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts
Team sports: 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, Sailing, Sail Racing, Water Skiing, Wakeboarding, Wakesurfing, Tubing, Snorkeling, Sailing Expedition, Whitewater
Racket sports: Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball
Snow & winter: Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing
Indoor running: Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual Running
Outdoor running: Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running, Obstacle Racing
Outdoor recreation: Hiking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Climbing, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Golfing, Disc Golf, Archery
Other activity profiles: Jumpmaster, Tactical, Inline Skating

Swimming Features

Pool swim workouts
Critical swim speed
Time and distance alerts
Auto rest (pool swim only)
Drill logging (pool swim only)
Pacing alerts (pool swim only)
Countdown start (pool swim only)
Underwater wrist-based heart rate
"Repeat on" rest timer (pool swim only)
Basic rest timer (up from 0) (pool swim only)
Stroke type detection (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly) (pool swim only)
Pool swim metrics (lengths, distance, pace, stroke count, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories)
Open-water swim metrics (distance, pace, stroke count/rate, stroke distance, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories)
Heart rate from external HRM (real-time during rests, interval and session stats during rests, and automatic heart rate download post-swim): yes (with HRM-Tri, HRM-Swim, HRM-Pro or HRM-Pro Plus)

Tactical Features

Kill switch
Stealth Mode
Ballistics solver: yes (unlock required)
Night vision mode
XERO™ Locations
Dual grid coordinates

Outdoor Recreation

Tides
Up Ahead
Auto rest
TracBack®
Sight 'N Go
Tide glance
Back to start
Fish forecast
Explore Nearby
UltraTrac mode
Vertical speed
GPS coordinates
Reference point
Area calculation: yes (via Connect IQ™)
Elevation profile
Projected waypoint
Total ascent/descent
Future elevation plot
NextFork™ navigation
Distance to destination
Expedition GPS Activity
Sun and moon information
Point-to-point navigation
Preloaded ski resort maps
ClimbPro™ Ascent Planner
Rest Timer (Ultra Run only)
Preloaded road and trail maps
Bread crumb trail in real time
Downloadable cartography support
Barometric trend indicator with Storm Alert

Daily Smart Features

Stocks
Calendar
Connectivity: BLUETOOTH®, ANT+®, Wi-Fi®, Subwave™
Garmin Share
Find My Phone
Find My Watch
VIRB® Remote
Morning report
Red shift mode
Weather forecasts
Smart Notifications
Smart trainer control
Smartphone compatibility: iPhone®, Android™
Controls smartphone music
On-device Connect IQ™ Store
Plays and controls watch music
Find My Phone during GPS activity
Pairs with Garmin Connect™ Mobile
Compatible with Garmin Messenger app
Battery saver (customizable low power watch)
Realtime settings sync with Garmin Connect™ mobile
View images from notifications on watch (Android™ only)
Text response/reject phone call with text (Android™ only)
Connect IQ™ (downloadable watch faces, data fields and apps)

Activity Tracking Features

TrueUp™
Move IQ™
Step counter
Floors climbed
Calories burned
Distance traveled
Intensity minutes
Automatic rep counting
Garmin Connect™ Challenges app: yes (optional Connect IQ app)
Move alerts (displays on device after a period of inactivity)
Auto goal (learns your activity level and assigns a daily step goal)

Workout and Training Plans

HIIT workouts
Yoga workouts
Cardio workouts
Pilates workouts
Strength workouts
Garmin Cycling Coach
Garmin Running Coach
Garmin Running Coach Experts
On-screen workout animations
On-screen workout muscle maps
Daily Suggested Workout - Cycling
Daily Suggested Workout - Running
Garmin Coach - Prebuilt Cycling Plans

Health & Wellness Monitoring

Sleep: yes (advanced)
Hydration: yes (in Garmin Connect™)
Breathwork
Fitness age: yes (in app)
Nap detection
All-day stress
Women's health: yes (in Garmin Connect™)
Health snapshot
Jet lag adviser
Respiration rate
Skin temperature
Resting heart rate
Abnormal heart rate alerts: yes (high and low)
Relaxation breathing timer
Body Battery™ energy monitor
Wrist-based heart rate (constant, every second)

Safety and Tracking Features

Assistance
Live Event Sharing
Incident Detection during select activities
Incident detection alert on phone for wearables

Kid Activity Tracking Features

Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app: yes (optional Connect IQ Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app)

Training, Planning and Analysis Features

% HRR
% HR max
HR zones
HR alerts
Shortcuts
HRV status
Load ratio
Manual lap
Rest timer
Auto max HR
Auto scroll
Finish time
HR calories
Voice alerts
Custom alerts
Physio TrueUp
Recovery time
Training load
VO2 Max (Run)
Course guidance
Endurance score
Training effect
Virtual Partner
Race an Activity
Realtime stamina
Advanced workouts
Interval training
Race glance/widget
Training load focus
VO2 Max (Trail Run)
Garmin Live Segments
Strava Live Segments
GPS speed and distance
Improved recovery time
Configurable lap alerts
Customizable data pages
Unified training status
Touch and/or button lock
Activity history on watch
Downloadable training plans
Training effect (anaerobic)
Manual multisport activities
HRM running pace and distance
Heat and altitude acclimation
Customizable activity profiles
Trendline™ Popularity Routing
Auto Pause® automatic timer halt
Respiration rate (during exercise): yes (with compatible accessory)
Auto Lap® interval tracking feature
Primary benefit (Training Effect labels)
Round-trip course creator (running/cycling)
Power Modes - customizable in-activity battery settings
HR broadcast (broadcasts HR data over ANT+® to paired devices)
Improved interval (includes open repeats, intervals data page, rest screen and auto detection)
HRV stress test (measures your heart rate variability while standing still, for 3 minutes, to provide you with an estimated stress level; the scale of this is 1 to 100; low scores indicate lower stress levels): yes (with compatible accessory)

Compare the Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm head to head

How each one differs in the three measurements you can feel on the wrist. Figures are relative to the Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm.

Garmin

Descent™ G2

Width: +2.5mm
Thick: +0.9mm
Weight: +15.7g

Full comparison

Garmin

Descent™ G1 Solar

Width: +2.5mm
Thick: +0.9mm
Weight: +16.7g

Full comparison

Garmin

Descent™ G1 Solar - Ocean Edition

Width: +2.5mm
Thick: +0.9mm
Weight: +11.7g

Full comparison

Garmin

Descent™ Mk3i – 51 mm

Width: +8mm
Thick: +2.1mm
Weight: +28.5g

Full comparison

Alternatives to the Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm

Watches that cover a similar amount of wrist, with the measurements that separate them.

Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm — Frequently Asked Questions

Will the Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm fit my wrist?

The Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm looks balanced on flat wrist widths of roughly 45–61mm (about 12.0–16.3cm circumference). Drag the slider above to check it against your own measurement.

What size band does the Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm take?

20mm. Any 20mm strap fits, so you are not limited to Garmin's own bands — look for a quick-release fitting if you want to swap without tools.

How long does the Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm battery last?

Between 6 hours and 12 days per charge, depending on the power mode. Garmin rates Battery Saver at 12 days and All Satellite Systems + Music at 6 hours; the chart above lists all 10 modes.

How does the Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm battery compare with other Garmin watches?

At 10 days in everyday use it ranks #179 of the 257 Garmin watches in our database — below the middle of the range. The full ranking, including GPS and power-saving figures, is on our Garmin battery life comparison.

Is the Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm thick for a 43mm watch?

At 14.3mm, thicker than 74% of 43mm watches — it will sit noticeably high on the wrist. Thickness, not case width, is what decides whether a watch catches on a shirt cuff.

Should I get the 43mm or 51mm Descent Mk3i?

The Descent Mk3i comes in 2 case sizes — 43mm, 51mm. Which one suits you depends on the flat width of your wrist rather than preference: the larger sizes need a wider wrist to sit inside the edge. Set your measurement in the size picker above and each variant reports its clearance in millimetres.

What other watches are the same size as the Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm?

OnePlus Watch 3 43mm, Oppo Watch X2 Mini, Omega Speedmaster Moonphase Stainless Steel / Black Meteorite / Bracelet, Zenith Defy Extreme Diver Shadow / Bracelet all sit within half a millimetre of the Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm's 43mm case, so they cover the same amount of wrist.

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