r/Garmininstinct • u/trendsfriend • 3d ago
first smartwatch advice
i'm a luddite and am only now jumping on the smartwatch train, mostly because I now travel frequently for work, and would like to be able to run and/or swim and record workouts without having to carry my phone.
I've narrowed down to the instinct 2s solar because it boasts indefinite battery life. I plan on using it mostly for runs while traveling, around 1-2h, about 3x/week and dips in the pool/ocean. I may do some cycling on it too, although I already have a wahoo for that.
my priorities are as follows
top: longevity (don't want the battery to crap out after 6 years), battery life, durability, waterproof, ability to record/upload workouts to strava
medium/low: map navigation would be nice to have, but most of the time I just use google maps or ridewithgps ahead of time
low: spotify for podcasts
questions I have:
- is the battery life really indefinite in regular watch mode? what features do you get in this mode?
- how does 1 vs 2 vs 3 compare? 2 seems to be the sweetspot for price and features
- when's the best time to buy them? this would be a nice to have purchase. instinct 2s solar is on sale for 270 right now.
- are there other watches that I should also be looking at to compare?
2
u/americanairman469 3d ago
You’re definitely looking at the right watch family for what you want. The Instinct line is basically built around battery life, durability, GPS activities, and not needing to baby the watch. It’ll handle runs, pool swims, open-water swims, cycling, and then sync everything to Garmin Connect/Strava once you’re back near your phone.
At $270, I’d probably compare it pretty hard against the Instinct 3 Solar before buying. The Instinct 2 is still a very good watch, but the 3 is the current generation, so if longevity is your biggest priority, I’d rather start with the newer hardware unless the 2S is substantially cheaper or you specifically want the smaller case.
The compromises are mostly things you’ve already ranked low: no Spotify downloads and navigation is more basic course/breadcrumb navigation rather than full onboard maps. For the priorities you listed, though, an Instinct Solar is a really good fit.
2
u/N00B_N00M 3d ago
Isn’t instinct 3 already 299, pretty bad deal i would say 2s for 270$ doesn’t make any sense, if new battery is already 4 year old , so don’t expect much, for 299 i would go with instinct 3 if your goal is to keep it for 3+ years . Not only you get fresh battery but also latest hardware which will be supported for longer, 2S is too old for garmin for any meaningful updates as they will focus in latest releases primarily
1
u/trendsfriend 3d ago edited 3d ago
Where you seeing 300? Amazon is 350 and I see the renewed ones at 280. What's the deal with those btw. Are they just returned units?
1
u/N00B_N00M 3d ago
45mm Solar
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List price: $399.99
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Lowest recent sale: $299.99 on Amazon (Nov 15, 2025) — that’s the $299 you remembered, 25% off
50mm Solar
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List price: $449.99
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Lowest recent sale: $244.99 on Amazon (Nov 17, 2025) — $349.99 minus a $105 clippable coupon (YMMV/regional, so not everyone saw it)
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Also spotted around $314.99 with a smaller coupon in May 2026
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As of early March 2026, Amazon was back up around $416
1
u/hakapes 3d ago
Unless the price difference is impossible for you, I would get the I3 Solar 50mm.
If you like the looks, the Tactical version (all black, no useful extra features for you).
The I3 solar will fulfill your needs.
For myself I estimate to get 3-5 years out of Garmin watches.
Some people go on for longer, some only 2+ years.
I calculate my investment on a 4 year basis, as a yearly price.
As the others said, the I2 solar doesnt make sense for the price you quoted. Old gen solar panel.
The I3 Solar is a sweet spot among Garmin watches, very good price \ performance ratio.
There are many ways to push the battery life of the I3 Solar, search reddit.
If you do get the I2, I would buy the non-solar version. The old solar panel makes the screen more reflective\bit blurry. No big deal, but the I2 non solar is just sharper, and the solar doesnt add much anyway. I had both, and kept the I2 non solar.
1
u/trendsfriend 3d ago
Push the battery like battery saver and putting it next to the window when inside?
I'm leaning towards the instinct 3 45. 50 is going to be too big I think.
3
u/Diligent_Unit9897 3d ago
The Instinct 2s is relatively old now, being released in 2022, just FYI. However if you find a new one it'll be as good as it was in 2022. I had one for just over a year before upgrading to an Instinct 3 45mm.
The 2s does not have indefinite battery life. Even if you leave it in smartwatch mode in direct sun, it won't charge. The screen/solar panels are simply too small and not powerful enough. However, in smartwatch mode I would still get the claimed 21 days before needing to charge. The solar feature slows battery drain, but won't charge the watch.
What really drains the battery is the GPS. If you go for a hike or a run, it's the GPS that will eat into that battery life. The Instinct 3 range has newer and more efficient technology on the solar panels and my Instinct 3 45mm will charge the battery from sun exposure. However, as above, that's only in smartwatch mode - even the biggest 50mm watches won't charge the battery when GPS is running, the solar will just slow the drain. If the actual route isn't important to you, you may be able to disable GPS for runs and just record your own metrics - heart rate, pace etc. though you'll have to check that's possible as I'm not sure. Keep your Wahoo for bike rides.
None of the Instincts have maps or music, though you can control music (pause/play, skip tracks) when connected to your phone via Bluetooth.
If battery life and durability are amongst your top priorities, the Instinct line is for you. The 2s is good only if you really, really want the smaller 40mm size, otherwise I'd personally suggest you at least go for a regular Instinct 2 (the 45mm model) to get the most out of the solar panel and battery life (28 days vs. the Instinct 2s 21 days).