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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 7, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerApple Watch Series 10 vs Garmin Instinct 3 Solar
Looking at the Apple Watch Series 10 vs Garmin Instinct 3 Solar, the deciding factor is battery life: 18 hours vs potentially unlimited with solar charging. The Apple Watch Series 10 is the premium option here, boasting the largest 1.9" always-on display in a standard Apple Watch, but it requires daily charging, which can be a hassle. In real-world use, the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar's solar charging feature means you can enjoy smartwatch functionality potentially forever, making it perfect for outdoor enthusiasts. However, its monochrome display at 176x176 pixels lacks the vibrancy of the Apple Watch's OLED screen, which shines at up to 2000 nits brightness. So, what does this mean for you? If you prioritize battery life and ruggedness, Garmin's your go-to; if display quality and advanced health features are key, Apple’s your pick.
⚖️ Weight: 1.28 oz vs 1.83 oz🏷️ Display: 1.9" vs 0.9"🔋 Battery: 18h vs unlimited with solar
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Apple Watch Series 10
★4.7
(15,669)•Amazon
Compatibility:iPhone Xs or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), with iOS 18 or later
Operating System:watchOS 11
Case Size:46mm (46mm H x 39mm W x 9.7mm D) or 42mm (42mm H x 36mm W x 9.7mm D)
Case Material:Aluminum (Jet Black, Rose Gold, Silver) or Titanium (Slate, Gold, Natural)
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Garmin Instinct 3 Solar
★4.6
(1,634)•Amazon
Compatibility:iPhone (iOS 16 or later); Android (8.0 or later)
Operating System:Proprietary Garmin OS
Case Size:45mm (45 x 45 x 14.5 mm)
Case Material:Fiber-reinforced polymer case with metal-reinforced bezel; Power Glass lens
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Key spec differences
Only the specs that differ are shown here. Winners are highlighted when the data is clear.
Winner= clear advantage
Spec
Apple Watch Series 10
Garmin Instinct 3 Solar
Display2 specs
Display SizeKey
Apple Watch Series 10
1220 sq mm (46mm) / 989 sq mm (42mm) display area
Garmin Instinct 3 Solar
Custom two-window design; 0.9 in (23 mm) diameter
Resolution
Apple Watch Series 10
416 x 496 pixels (46mm); 374 x 446 pixels (42mm)
Garmin Instinct 3 Solar
176 x 176 pixels
Performance1 specs
Storage
Apple Watch Series 10
64GB
Garmin Instinct 3 Solar
64MB (History and CIQ apps only; No onboard music storage)
Battery1 specs
Battery CapacityKey
Apple Watch Series 10
Up to 18 hours (normal use); Up to 36 hours (Low Power Mode)
Garmin Instinct 3 Solar
Smartwatch: Unlimited with solar (28 days without); GPS: Up to 30 hours (48 hours with solar); Expedition GPS: Unlimited with solar
Design2 specs
Weight
Apple Watch Series 10
Aluminum: 36.4g (46mm) / 30g (42mm); Titanium: 41.7g (46mm) / 34.4g (42mm)Winner
Garmin Instinct 3 Solar
52 g
Water Resistance
Apple Watch Series 10
50 m (ISO 22810:2010); Swimproof
Garmin Instinct 3 Solar
10 ATM (100 meters)
Software1 specs
Operating System
Apple Watch Series 10
watchOS 11
Garmin Instinct 3 Solar
Proprietary Garmin OS
Connectivity1 specs
Connectivity
Apple Watch Series 10
LTE and UMTS (GPS + Cellular models); Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n); Bluetooth 5.3; 2nd-gen Ultra Wideband chip
Garmin Instinct 3 Solar
Bluetooth 5.3; ANT+; USB
+Full specs, pros, and cons
Everything side-by-side with ratings and the full spec list.
Expand
Full specs, pros, and cons
Everything side-by-side with ratings and the full spec list.
Comparison: Apple Watch Series 10 vs Garmin Instinct 3 Solar
Apple Watch Series 10
★4.7(15,669)Amazon
Garmin Instinct 3 Solar
★4.6(1,634)Amazon
| Criterion | Apple Watch Series 10 | Garmin Instinct 3 Solar |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4.7(15,669)Amazon | ★4.6(1,634)Amazon |
Compatibility | iPhone Xs or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), with iOS 18 or later | iPhone (iOS 16 or later); Android (8.0 or later) |
Operating System | watchOS 11 | Proprietary Garmin OS |
Case Size | 46mm (46mm H x 39mm W x 9.7mm D) or 42mm (42mm H x 36mm W x 9.7mm D) | 45mm (45 x 45 x 14.5 mm) |
Case Material | Aluminum (Jet Black, Rose Gold, Silver) or Titanium (Slate, Gold, Natural) | Fiber-reinforced polymer case with metal-reinforced bezel; Power Glass lens |
Display Type | Always-On Retina LTPO3 OLED; Wide-angle; Up to 2000 nits brightness; Minimum 1 nit | Monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) with solar charging |
Display Size | 1220 sq mm (46mm) / 989 sq mm (42mm) display area | Custom two-window design; 0.9 in (23 mm) diameter |
Resolution | 416 x 496 pixels (46mm); 374 x 446 pixels (42mm) | 176 x 176 pixels |
Always On Display | Yes | Yes (MIP display is always visible) |
Water Resistance | 50 m (ISO 22810:2010); Swimproof | 10 ATM (100 meters) |
Durability | IP6X dust resistant; Crack-resistant front crystal | MIL-STD-810 thermal, shock, and water resistance; Metal-reinforced polymer bezel |
GPS | L1 GPS, GNSS, Galileo, and BeiDou | Multi-band GNSS with SatIQ technology; GPS, GLONASS, Galileo |
Connectivity | LTE and UMTS (GPS + Cellular models); Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n); Bluetooth 5.3; 2nd-gen Ultra Wideband chip | Bluetooth 5.3; ANT+; USB |
NFC Payments | Apple Pay | Garmin Pay |
Sensors | Electrical heart sensor (ECG); 3rd-gen optical heart sensor; Temperature sensor; Compass; Always-on altimeter; High-g accelerometer; High dynamic range gyroscope; Ambient light sensor; Depth gauge (to 6m); Water temperature sensor | Garmin Elevate Gen 4 wrist heart rate monitor; Pulse Ox; Barometric altimeter; Compass; Gyroscope; Accelerometer; Thermometer |
Health Features | Sleep Apnea notifications; Blood Oxygen app; ECG app; Cycle Tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates; High/low heart rate notifications; Irregular rhythm notifications; Medications; Mindfulness; Vitals app | Sleep Coach; Nap detection; Body Battery energy monitoring; HRV Status; Morning Report; Stress tracking; Respiration rate |
Workout Modes | Strength, HIIT, Pilates, Yoga, Swimming (Pool & Open Water), Running, Cycling, Hiking, Multisport, Tai Chi, Kickboxing, Dance, Cooldown, and more via Workout app | Strength; HIIT; Cardio; Elliptical; Stair Stepping; Indoor Rowing; Running (Outdoor/Trail/Treadmill); Cycling; Swimming (Pool/Open Water); Obstacle Racing; Triathlon |
Storage | 64GB | 64MB (History and CIQ apps only; No onboard music storage) |
Speaker Mic | Speaker (media playback supported); Microphone with Voice Isolation | — |
Calls | Yes (GPS + Cellular models standalone); GPS models via paired iPhone | No (Call notifications only) |
Battery | Up to 18 hours (normal use); Up to 36 hours (Low Power Mode) | Smartwatch: Unlimited with solar (28 days without); GPS: Up to 30 hours (48 hours with solar); Expedition GPS: Unlimited with solar |
Charging | Fast charge (0–80% in approx. 30 min); Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable (1m) included | Garmin proprietary plug charger; Solar charging (Power Glass) |
Weight | Aluminum: 36.4g (46mm) / 30g (42mm); Titanium: 41.7g (46mm) / 34.4g (42mm) | 52 g |
Band Sizes | Fits 140–245mm wrists (46mm); Fits 130–200mm wrists (42mm) | Fits wrists 135-230 mm; Compatible with QuickFit 22 watch bands |
Extras | S10 SiP with 4-core Neural Engine; Double tap gesture; On-device Siri; Crash Detection; Fall Detection | Built-in LED Flashlight (White/Red strobe); Safety and Tracking features; Reference Point; TracBack routing |
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Apple Watch Series 10
Rating:★4.7(15,669)Amazon
Compatibility:iPhone Xs or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), with iOS 18 or later
Operating System:watchOS 11
Case Size:46mm (46mm H x 39mm W x 9.7mm D) or 42mm (42mm H x 36mm W x 9.7mm D)
Case Material:Aluminum (Jet Black, Rose Gold, Silver) or Titanium (Slate, Gold, Natural)
Display Type:Always-On Retina LTPO3 OLED; Wide-angle; Up to 2000 nits brightness; Minimum 1 nit
Display Size:1220 sq mm (46mm) / 989 sq mm (42mm) display area
Resolution:416 x 496 pixels (46mm); 374 x 446 pixels (42mm)
Always On Display:Yes
Water Resistance:50 m (ISO 22810:2010); Swimproof
Durability:IP6X dust resistant; Crack-resistant front crystal
GPS:L1 GPS, GNSS, Galileo, and BeiDou
Connectivity:LTE and UMTS (GPS + Cellular models); Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n); Bluetooth 5.3; 2nd-gen Ultra Wideband chip
NFC Payments:Apple Pay
Sensors:Electrical heart sensor (ECG); 3rd-gen optical heart sensor; Temperature sensor; Compass; Always-on altimeter; High-g accelerometer; High dynamic range gyroscope; Ambient light sensor; Depth gauge (to 6m); Water temperature sensor
Health Features:Sleep Apnea notifications; Blood Oxygen app; ECG app; Cycle Tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates; High/low heart rate notifications; Irregular rhythm notifications; Medications; Mindfulness; Vitals app
Workout Modes:Strength, HIIT, Pilates, Yoga, Swimming (Pool & Open Water), Running, Cycling, Hiking, Multisport, Tai Chi, Kickboxing, Dance, Cooldown, and more via Workout app
Storage:64GB
Speaker Mic:Speaker (media playback supported); Microphone with Voice Isolation
Calls:Yes (GPS + Cellular models standalone); GPS models via paired iPhone
Battery:Up to 18 hours (normal use); Up to 36 hours (Low Power Mode)
Charging:Fast charge (0–80% in approx. 30 min); Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable (1m) included
Weight:Aluminum: 36.4g (46mm) / 30g (42mm); Titanium: 41.7g (46mm) / 34.4g (42mm)
Band Sizes:Fits 140–245mm wrists (46mm); Fits 130–200mm wrists (42mm)
Extras:S10 SiP with 4-core Neural Engine; Double tap gesture; On-device Siri; Crash Detection; Fall Detection
✓ Pros:
- • Largest, most advanced display in a standard Apple Watch
- • Thinnest design ever (9.7mm) with lighter weight options
- • Faster charging (80% in 30 mins) aids sleep tracking
- • New health features including Sleep Apnea notifications
- • Includes depth gauge and water temperature sensor
✗ Cons:
- • Battery life remains 18 hours (requires daily charging)
- • Titanium finish commands a significant price premium
- • Requires iPhone Xs or newer (Android incompatible)
- • Some features (Blood Oxygen) strictly dependent on region
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Check Price on Amazon→
Garmin Instinct 3 Solar
Rating:★4.6(1,634)Amazon
Compatibility:iPhone (iOS 16 or later); Android (8.0 or later)
Operating System:Proprietary Garmin OS
Case Size:45mm (45 x 45 x 14.5 mm)
Case Material:Fiber-reinforced polymer case with metal-reinforced bezel; Power Glass lens
Display Type:Monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) with solar charging
Display Size:Custom two-window design; 0.9 in (23 mm) diameter
Resolution:176 x 176 pixels
Always On Display:Yes (MIP display is always visible)
Water Resistance:10 ATM (100 meters)
Durability:MIL-STD-810 thermal, shock, and water resistance; Metal-reinforced polymer bezel
GPS:Multi-band GNSS with SatIQ technology; GPS, GLONASS, Galileo
Connectivity:Bluetooth 5.3; ANT+; USB
NFC Payments:Garmin Pay
Sensors:Garmin Elevate Gen 4 wrist heart rate monitor; Pulse Ox; Barometric altimeter; Compass; Gyroscope; Accelerometer; Thermometer
Health Features:Sleep Coach; Nap detection; Body Battery energy monitoring; HRV Status; Morning Report; Stress tracking; Respiration rate
Workout Modes:Strength; HIIT; Cardio; Elliptical; Stair Stepping; Indoor Rowing; Running (Outdoor/Trail/Treadmill); Cycling; Swimming (Pool/Open Water); Obstacle Racing; Triathlon
Storage:64MB (History and CIQ apps only; No onboard music storage)
Speaker Mic:—
Calls:No (Call notifications only)
Battery:Smartwatch: Unlimited with solar (28 days without); GPS: Up to 30 hours (48 hours with solar); Expedition GPS: Unlimited with solar
Charging:Garmin proprietary plug charger; Solar charging (Power Glass)
Weight:52 g
Band Sizes:Fits wrists 135-230 mm; Compatible with QuickFit 22 watch bands
Extras:Built-in LED Flashlight (White/Red strobe); Safety and Tracking features; Reference Point; TracBack routing
✓ Pros:
- • Potentially infinite battery life in smartwatch mode with solar charging
- • Built-in LED flashlight is now available on the standard 45mm size
- • Multi-band GPS with SatIQ delivers superior accuracy in difficult terrain
- • Extreme durability with new metal-reinforced bezel design
✗ Cons:
- • Monochrome low-resolution display (176x176) lacks detail compared to AMOLED rivals
- • No onboard music storage or maps (breadcrumb navigation only)
- • Lacks the newest Gen 5 Heart Rate sensor (No ECG support)
- • Proprietary charging cable is still required if solar is insufficient
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Check Price on Amazon→
Which one is better?
The Apple Watch Series 10 is the better buy for most people - its 1.9" always-on display crushes the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar's smaller screen. That said, grab the Garmin if you need unlimited battery life for outdoor adventures - it's lighter at 1.83oz.
Who should buy each?
Choose the Apple Watch Series 10 if: you want the largest display at 1.9", need advanced health features like ECG, or prefer fast charging to stay on top of your fitness.
Choose the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar if: you need unlimited battery life for long outdoor trips, want a rugged design with a built-in flashlight, or prefer a similar-weight watch during your workouts. (1.83 oz weight)
Conclusion
There is no wrong answer here. Focus on the features you will use daily and pick the model that aligns with them.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
Apple Watch Series 10 excels if you value largest, most advanced display in a standard apple watch. Garmin Instinct 3 Solar is better if you prioritize potentially infinite battery life in smartwatch mode with solar charging. Pick based on your budget and daily use.
+Is this an independent review?
Yes. We use affiliate links for monetization, but recommendations are research-driven and unbiased.
+Do newer models exist?
Check release timelines from the manufacturers and compare pricing before you buy. We refresh this page when major updates land.
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