Garmin is working on a super-sized new watch that could be a follow-up to its five-star outdoor sports watch, the Garmin Instinct 2, according to several listings on regulators’ websites.
First spotted by Flo of Fitness Tracker Test, who often reports tips and leaks about upcoming models, a list with the same registration number appeared on Singapore Government website (opens in a new tab) as good as US Federal Communications Commission (opens in a new tab). This has also been discussed on our sister site adventure.
The new watch listed in the @FCC under IPH-4600 is probably the Garmin Instinct 2X/2X Solar. The width is around 57mm, which is much larger than the Instinct 2’s 45mm. Source/Screenshot: #instinct2x #solar #outdoor #sport pic.twitter.com/p7pj3DZeG1March 12, 2023
The report details the watch as a “low-power communication device transmitter” with Instinct’s signature “screen-in-screen” design, suggesting the watch is part of the Instinct range and measures 57mm x 13mm, larger than any other watch from the Instinct series and even bigger than the Garmin Enduro 2.
If these dimensions are correct, it would be Garmin’s largest watch yet, although Flo adds that “I wouldn’t put too much weight on the dimensions found in the test reports other than the fact that the watch is larger than the Instinct 2.”
I wouldn’t attach too much importance to the dimensions found in the test reports, other than the fact that the watch is larger than the Instinct 2.March 12, 2023
This is exciting news as the Garmin Instinct 2 sits (at the time of writing) at the top of our list of the best Garmin watches. Two other versions of the watch – the Instinct 2 Solar, which includes Garmin’s life-extending Power Glass technology, and the analog hybrid Garmin Instinct Crossover – have been released since the first launch of the Instinct 2 in February 2022.
Since the Instinct 2 was only released last year, the big watch is believed to be the Instinct 2X, a larger version of the original watch, rather than the Instinct 3. However, we didn’t think the Garmin Forerunner 955 and 255 would get full-fledged sequels less than a year after launch; but here’s the Forerunner 965 and Garmin Forerunner 265 came out nine months after their predecessors.
Analysis: Garmin is getting bigger – but what about a better one?
The Garmin Instinct 2 is already one of the best Garmin watches for outdoor athletes. In terms of value for money, it is significantly cheaper than the ultra-premium Garmin Enduro 2, which at the time of writing is the largest watch in Garmin’s range.
The Enduro 2 is a watch beast, with a GPS battery that lasts over 100 hours, a massive dial, and all the bells and whistles you could need to get through multi-day endurance events. On the other hand, the Instinct 2 can be seen as a more affordable outdoor watch for all-day adventures. Does this increased size mean the lines between the two watches will be blurred? What will differentiate the Instinct 2X from the Enduro series?
Garmin is releasing more and more models at a faster pace than ever before – just look at the speed with which new Forerunners are released and you’ll notice that the intervals between watch releases are getting closer and closer. While rivals like Apple only have two or three models to choose from, a layman might not be able to tell the difference between different Garmin watches.
Fortunately, we’ve created a ranking of all the Garmin watches launched last year to help newbies get started.