In this Garmin Instinct Crossover vs. TicWatch Pro 3 comparison article, we’ll compare the sports features, smart functionalities, design, display, and pricing of the two smartwatches.
Whether you are a fitness enthusiast or a relentless adventurer, a smartwatch can make a good companion while you are strength training or climbing mountains. A good watch includes everything from sports modes to an in-built location, fitness tracking, real-time health monitoring, and text/call support.
But when buying a smartwatch, you should choose one based on your needs. If you like to work out more, a watch with plenty of professional sports modes will be perfect. Or, if you are health-conscious, a watch with real-time health monitoring will be more ideal for you.
After going through many trial and errors, we’ve picked two smartwatches for you that comes with an abundance of premium specifications.
Garmin Instinct Crossover
Released on 8th Nov 2022, the new Garmin Instinct Crossover is a welcome addition to the new generation of hybrid smartwatches.
Featuring analog hands and a digital display, this smartwatch is an upgrade over Instinct Series with its new RevoDrive technology that auto-calibrates hands after impact.
A Super-LumiNova coating on hands and hour markers glows in the dark for easy readability. Available in Tactical and Solar variants, Garmin Instinct Crossover is a watch exclusively designed for rugged sports.
TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS
Released on 13th Oct 2021, TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS is an upgrade over Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 smartwatch. It boasts more premium health tracking features, customizable backlights, long battery life, and an FSTN display that can conserve energy in battery-saver mode.
The dual-screen is responsive to touch, even in the water, while a stainless steel housing displays its rugged design. A Snapdragon Wear 4100 plus Dual System Platform makes it a high-performing smartwatch.
In a line of Wear OS smartwatches, TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS has one advantage over the Google Pixel watch. It is compatible with both Android and iOS.
Garmin Instinct Crossover vs. TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS: Design and Display
Garmin Instinct Crossover
Garmin Instinct Crossover features a MIL-STD-810G rugged design, a 0.9in MIP screen, a squarish display, and a bright backlight. The MIP screen is bright but transflective, providing excellent sunlight visibility while still conserving battery power.
A Super-LumiNova coating covering the analog hands and hours markers doesn’t compromise readability in the dark. Another new addition to the design is RevoDrive technology, which auto-calibrates the hands of the watch if it falls or receives a whack.
Furthermore, analog hands get out of the way while navigating the applications. The watch also provides four buttons for toggling. A 10ATM water resistance rating makes it wearable without damage while swimming in up to 100 meters of water.
TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS
TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS boasts a MIL-STD-810G rugged and bulky design, a 1.4in touch screen AMOLED always-on display, and an FSTN screen underneath. The monochrome FSTN LCD helps conserve power in ambient mode. Visibility is also quite good for dual screens.
You can also use the option low-power mode to utilize the FSTN screen for all time. In addition, the top display features a fantastic backlight that is customizable. You can pick from 18 colors for the backlight to enhance visibility.
Two buttons featuring a knurled surface offer shortcuts to navigate menus. Moreover, the rear casing of the watch houses sensor slots and a charging port. An IP68 rating allows it to endure water sports and protect against dust, intense heat, and cold.
Garmin Instinct Crossover vs. TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS: Smart Features
Garmin Instinct Crossover
The built-in dual format GPS of Garmin Instinct Crossover covers five satellites, beating all other GPS devices regarding location accuracy and situational awareness.
An Incident Detection function will automatically send your live location to your close contacts in case an accident befalls you. It also offers Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity. Furthermore, a TracBack Routing feature offers breadcrumb navigation and turn-by-turn directions.
Other smartwatch features include wellness tracking, women’s health monitoring, and collecting sleep data to measure the patterns of sleep cycles.
It also covers functions such as monitoring heart rate, blood sugar, and blood oxygen levels. A Body Battery Energy Monitor measures your energy reserves around the clock, while a stress sensor measures your stress levels.
The tactical functions of the watch provide stealth mode to disable the wireless connection and position when you want to go dark. A night vision compatibility offers readability with night vision goggles, while a kill switch function wipes all user data if a security risk arises.
It also includes an added barometer, a 3-axis compass, and an altimeter. This smartwatch delivers support for contactless payments like Garmin pay, Garmin Connect and IQ apps, smartphone app notifications, calls, and music control. It doesn’t have storage but offers 64MB of memory history.
TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS
TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra comes with a built-in location tracking system, offering acute positioning for both mountainous and urban regions. It also provides 5.0 Bluetooth and NFC connectivity.
In addition, this smartwatch provides continuous fitness tracking that leverages SpO2, oxygen saturation, and HD PPG heart rate sensors. An IHB/AFib sensor also detects irregular heartbeat and Atrial Fibrillation, while a BIA sensor analyzes body composition.
As it is a Wear OS watch, you can install third-party apps like Strava and Spotify. It also supports Google Pay, Play Store, and Maps. An included mic and speaker help listen to music and receive calls on the go while wellness tracking monitors sleep and breathing.
Other features include a barometer, altimeter, and compass to measure altitude, weather, and location, just like in Instinct Crossover. This smartwatch also delivers 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of storage.
A Snapdragon Wear 4100+ Dual System Platform chip provides extended battery life and high performance while navigating apps.
However, performance can be a bit choppy while navigating the UI. You may also have to wait sometime to receive the new Wear OS 3 upgrade for TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS.
Garmin Instinct Crossover vs. TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS: Sports Specifications
Garmin Instinct Crossover
The Instinct Crossover watch by Garmin comes with a multitude of sports modes, including MTB cycling, strength training, running, golf, yoga, etc. It also includes intensity workouts like HIIT, AMRAP, EMOM, and Tabata.
A remarkable Grit and Flow measurement reveal trail difficulties while mountain biking. Additionally, you can create your own custom sports modes and track the intensity minutes of your training activities.
A recovery time status lets you know when you’ll be ready for the next workout, while an HRM-Pro Plus monitor measures your energy reserves while running. This smartwatch will also suggest your daily workouts by considering your fitness levels.
TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS
TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra comes with an in-built TicExercise app that provides 100+ sports modes with sport tracking for biking, running, cycling, and swimming. It also includes obscure options like planks, deadlifts, ice hockey, and fencing.
A fatigue assessment function checks your exhaustion levels and energy level trends in TicHealth app. This smartwatch provides real-time tracking for indoor and outdoor sports like HIIT.
An added auto-detect function identifies sports modes like running, biking, and walking when you open them. Having a Wear OS and Google backing means you don’t have to rely only on this smartwatch’s custom-built applications. So, you can download any kind of sports app on your smartwatch.
Garmin Instinct Crossover vs. TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS: Battery Performance
Garmin Instinct Crossover
The Garmin Instinct Crossover Solar Edition offers a battery life of 28 days in smartwatch mode. With solar charging, it can last up to 71 days. In saver mode, the charging is unlimited with solar.
Whereas in GPS mode, the battery can last up to 25 hours, and in location tracking with solar up to 31 hours. Thus, you can set up on your adventure without worrying about the battery power running out.
TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS
TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra offers two energy-saving modes. In Smart mode, the 577mAh battery can last up to 72 hours. Moreover, by shifting to the FSTN monochrome display in Essential mode, you can eke out the battery life for 45 days.
With regular use of health tracking apps and one or two sports modes, it can last for up to 3 days. If you also switch on location tracking, the battery life will last for up to 2 days.
In short, Ticwatch Pro 3 Ultra has a good battery life over any other Wear OS watch. But it is nowhere near Instinct Crossover’s battery life with solar charging.
Garmin Instinct Crossover vs. TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS: Pricing
Garmin Instinct Crossover
Garmin Instinct Crossover is available in Tactical Solar, Standard Solar, and Standard Non-Solar Editions. The Standard Solar Edition is available at $549.99, Non-Solar at $499.99, and Tactical Solar at $599.99.
TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS
TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS is currently available in shadow black at $254.99 from Mobvoi’s official store. You can also have the convenience of paying in 6 installments of $42.50 with zero interest.
Garmin Instinct Crossover vs. TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS: Which one to buy?
After reading our above comparison, you’ve probably come to a conclusion about which smartwatch to buy. If you are still doubtful, we suggest the new Garmin Instinct Crossover. It is an excellent watch for those who want a traditional watch but with modern functionality.
In short, it is ideal for those who want the classic look of analog watches while the premium functionality of digital watches. Garmin devices are all about the accuracy of health, fitness, and location tracking. It’s no wonder the military all over the world uses their watches.
The acute fitness, stress, sleep, and health tracking in any situation makes Instinct Crossover stand tall above all smartwatches. Moreover, the premium highlight is its latest RevoDrive technology that automatically calibrates its analog hands on harsh impact.
Another addition is its glow-in-the-dark coating that allows you to read the watch’s faces even in the pitch dark. Its longer battery time of 28 days extends to unlimited with solar charging, enabling you to use it without worrying about running out of juice.
Other premium features include tactical activity tracking, stealth mode, night vision, and a kill switch making it the perfect watch for an exciting adventure.
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