My favorite Garmin sports watch ever just got a new version, and it's actually cheaper

ZDNET's key takeaways

• The Garmin Enduro 3 is available now in a single 51mm size for $900
• The battery life is stunning, data captured by the watch is accurate and comprehensive, the LED flashlight is essential, and the price is $200 less than its successor
• The MIP display is not as brilliant as an AMOLED display, and the 51mm size is too large for smaller wrists.

Garmin recently announced its newest flagship GPS sports watches: the Fenix 8 lineup and the Enduro 3. Surprisingly, the Enduro 3 is $300 less than the comparable Fenix 8 51mm model with a memory-in-pixel (MIP) display and solar charging. Given my obsession with the Enduro 2 and this value difference, I ordered my own Enduro 3 the day that Garmin announced the new watch.

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The $300 premium for the Fenix 8 series gets you a speaker/microphone, dive features, and a slightly thinner 14.7 mm design. None of these are significant to me, so I chose to get the Enduro 3.

The Enduro 3 is available with MIP and in one size: 51mm. The $900 price tag is $200 less than the Enduro 2 was when it launched in 2022. Compared to the Enduro 2, the Enduro 3 is lighter by 6 grams.

Nevertheless, it has a longer battery life, twice the solar energy harvesting capability, the new Garmin Elevate fifth-generation heart rate sensor, new activity and mapping functions, and a redesigned user interface. Some of these software-related improvements could come to the Enduro 2, but the extended battery life and improved heart rate sensor are alone worth the upgrade.

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The fantastic LED flashlight remains a staple and I continue to use it daily. When you double press the top left button to turn on the flashlight, the Enduro 3's updated interface lets you quickly access one of four white LED levels via the red light button that appears on the left side of the watch face. All the other exercise flashlight modes remain, and I am still surprised that only Garmin incorporates such a useful dedicated LED flashlight on a watch.

I've been walking, running, biking, rowing, hiking, fishing, sleeping, and living with the Garmin Enduro 3 for the past month, and it has earned a permanent home on one of my wrists. I love the amp-yellow highlights on this watch, so when I placed my order, I also bought the Amp Yellow UltraFit nylon strap. These straps are comfortable, flexible, and lightweight, so it was an easy choice.

Note the difference in the optical heart rate sensors.

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The Enduro 3 is the standard I use to measure the GPS on other watches I test. Its reliability and accuracy makes it a watch I trust without hesitation. The Enduro 3 obtains a GPS signal quickly, even as I travel around the country and exercise in other locations. Heart rate accuracy is also solid, and there's the ability to also capture an ECG to check for atrial fibrillation.

Also: The best sports watches of 2024: Expert tested and reviewed

Despite the updated watch software, you still access the widgets in the same way: by pressing the down button or swiping up on the display. You also press the up button or swipe up to see the new notifications interface. That said, notifications are now grouped by app. You can dismiss notifications by app or dismiss all of them on your phone via the button at the top of the display. It took a bit of use to get comfortable with this new notification interface, but grouping them by app is certainly more efficient.

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A single press of the amp yellow top-right select button shows you another new user interface element with icons for your three favorite activities and an icon for all your installed and organized activities. Below these activities are your map, clocks, workouts, and more. You can customize and order the items by using the edit button at the bottom of the display. Press that button one more time to jump into that favorite activity or view the rest of your activities.

Also: The best sports watches you can buy: Expert tested

Once you select an activity, you can swipe up to view another updated interface that groups activity settings by function. While running, for example, the functions are base, training, navigate, activity options, and watch settings, with a final button to jump to the data screens that you can customize to your heart's content. It's tough to beat the customizability and personalization of a Garmin sports watch.

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Battery life is advertised as up to 36 days in smartwatch mode, 90 days with daily solar charging, and 120 hours with GPS or 320 hours with solar. If you enable all satellite systems and multi-band mode for the most precise tracking, the watch can still provide up to 60 hours of battery life or 90 hours with adequate solar charging. Throw music playback in and you can still exercise for 22 hours.

With my average of three days per week of exercise and 24/7 wear, I am seeing three weeks of battery life. I have only charged the watch once so far.

ZDNET's buying advice

The Garmin Enduro 3 is the best value flagship sports watch available today. While AMOLED displays provide a modern look, the always-on visibility and long battery life of a MIP display is powerful. This watch is advertised as an endurance watch for athletes, and it will certainly excel in that role.

Even a casual athlete like me appreciates having a watch that only needs to be charged once per month and performs consistently and reliably every single time it is used. I'm impressed that Garmin improved my favorite watch while reducing the price by $200, especially given the uncertainty in the economy.