Garmin reveals tough new Instinct 2 watch with potentially infinite battery life
Now in two sizes, and packed with new training tools
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Garminhas unveiled its latest rugged multi-sports watch: the Instinct 2. The new watch is a follow-up to 2018’sGarmin Instinct, and is now available in two case sizes: the original 45mm and a new, more compact 40mm model.
The originalGarmin Instinct Solaris one of our top-ratedGarminwatches, largely thanks to its remarkable battery life, and the Instinct 2 is no different. It’s available in both standard and solar versions, and with a regular dose of sunlight, the solar models can keep running indefinitely in smartwatch mode.
The Instinct 2 is also packing new training tools, including a VO2 max function, which waswidely requestedby owners of the original watch.
Like the original Instinct, it’s water resistant to 100 meters, making it suitable forsplashes, rain or snow, showering, swimming, diving into water, snorkeling, and high-speed water sports.
The watch also has a new look. Whereas most of Garmin’s recent releases have been available in tastefully muted shades of black, gray, and taupe, the Instinct 2 is available in colorways such as Electric Lime, Poppy and Neo-Tropic (a type of seafoam green).
Special editions
Like the original Instinct, the Garmin Instinct 2 comes in several special editions designed for specific environments and activities: Surf, Tactical, and Camo.
The Instinct 2 Surf Editions (available in both standard and solar versions) include a special tides widget and keep you up to date on surfing conditions. They’re also compatible withSurfline, so you can track your sessions and review them at a later date.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
The Instinct 2 Solar Tactical Edition is designed with military personnel in mind. It includes akill switchthat allows you to quickly reset the watch to factory settings and erase all your personal stats (a useful feature if your location data is sensitive). There’s also a stealth mode, which turns off location tracking and all wireless data transmission, night vision goggle compatibility,dual format position co-ordinates, and Jumpmaster activity mode for skydiving.
Finally, there are the Instinct 2 Camo Editions. These don’t throw any extra features into the mix, but have have Graphite and Mist patterns to blend in with desert and urban environments.
If none of those options appeal, you can also customize your Instinct 2 using Garmin’sYour Watch Your Waytool, which lets you pick and mix cases and bands.
At the moment there’s no counterpart to theGarmin Instinct E-Sports Edition, which launched in March 2021 and was able to display a player’s heart rate on-screen during streams. It’s possible that an updated E-Sports Edition might arrive in the coming months, but alternatively the company may choose to stick with watches for real-world adventures.
Analysis: what’s next?
Garmin started 2022 with a bang: the Garmin Venu 2 Plus smartwatch arrived in early January, followed by the long-awaited Garmin Fenix 7 and the super-luxe Garmin Epix just a few weeks later.
The arrival of theGarmin Forerunner 55last year suggested that the rest of the Forerunner series might soon get an update. We’ve already seen a hint that aForerunner 955triathlon watch might be on the cards: in January,a page briefly appeared on Garmin’s Australian websiteshowing a listing for a Forerunner 955 LTE bundle priced at AU$1,049 (about $750 / £550).
This page may have just been a dummy or placeholder, and we definitely have our doubts about the price, which seems low for an LTE watch – particularly one sold in a bundle with one or moreheart rate monitors.
Nevertheless, we’re cautiously optimistic. TheForerunner 945launched in April 2019, and Garmin typically leaves two or three years between watch launches, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed.
Cat is TechRadar’s Homes Editor specializing in kitchen appliances and smart home technology. She’s been a tech journalist for 15 years, and is here to help you choose the right devices for your home and do more with them. When not working she’s a keen home baker, and makes a pretty mean macaron.
The Samsung Galaxy Ring 2 could fix a major smart ring flaw according to patent
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 review: the cheapest fitness tracker you should consider buying
How to turn off Meta AI
