Cheaper than its rival, the Coros Nomad has a bigger show, a unique strap mechanism, Coros’ wonderful suite of metrics, and is lighter. It’s obtained decrease battery life and water resistance, although.
The newest in Garmin’s standard Instinct line of rugged outside watches, the Instinct 3 has a number of totally different {hardware} variants, together with totally different sizes and Solar variations, swapping its AMOLED display for a duller MIP model with battery-extending Power Glass.
In 2025, the listing of the best fitness trackers out there to select from is an extended one. However, when you’re an open air fanatic excited about a rugged sports activities watch, two merchandise have probably caught your eye – the Coros Nomad and the Garmin Instinct 3. Both include stable GPS monitoring credentials, a number of outdoor-focused options and weeks of battery life in smartwatch mode. However, while you put them side-by-side, which one reigns supreme?
We’ve obtained you lined with our detailed comparability beneath that can assist you choose the precise mannequin for you.
Coros Nomad vs Garmin Instinct 3: Price
The Coros Nomad is essentially aimed at customers wanting a Garmin-like expertise with out essentially spending Garmin cash, and to that finish, it is $50 cheaper than even the most affordable model of the Garmin Instinct 3.
The Coros will set you again $349 / £319 / AU$$649.95, with no additional choices for sizes or screens, however the 45mm Garmin Instinct 3 begins at $399 / £349 / AU$829 and goes up from there relying on which dimension you are after and whether or not you need photo voltaic charging or a brighter AMOLED display.
That means the Coros has the benefit out of the gate by being cheaper total, however you would possibly discover that the Garmin has the choices you want, akin to bigger fashions and photo voltaic charging.
A less expensive Garmin Instinct E, a stripped-back model of the watch with out lots of its options and fewer dependable single-band GPS in comparison with the Instinct 3’s multi-band, retails for $299 / £259 / AU$549. Coros acts as a midpoint right here, between worth and superior options.
Specs
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
Coros Nomad |
Garmin Instinct 3 |
|---|---|---|
|
Price |
$349/£319 |
From $399/£349 |
|
Dimensions |
47.8 x 47.8 x 16.4 mm |
45 x 45 x 14.9 mm (45mm) or 50 x 50 x 14.4 mm (50mm) |
|
Display |
1.3-inch MIP touchscreen |
0.9-inch MIP or 1.1-inch MIP for Solar versions, 1.2-inch or 1.3-inch AMOLED |
|
Battery Life |
22 days in smartwatch mode, 50 hours in GPS mode |
28 days in smartwatch mode, 100 hours in GPS mode |
|
Water Resistance |
Up to 50 meters |
Up to 100 meters |
|
GPS |
Dual-frequency |
Dual-frequency |
Design
At a quick glance, you’d be forgiven for struggling to tell each of these smartwatches apart. Garmin has set a template for its Instinct rugged smartwatches in recent years, and it seems not only is it sticking to it, but some of its rivals like Coros are, too. As a result, there are no slimline bezels here, with each watch feeling pleasingly chunky.
Still, once you go hands-on, there are major differences: the Coros has a touchscreen display, whereas the Garmin Instinct 3 navigate via buttons only. That helps the Instinct 3 hit more battery life on a single charge, but the AMOLED panel on the Coros is a little easier to read in brighter conditions.
The Coros panel is a little larger, too, presumably because it needs the space for users poking and prodding the display. The Coros packs three physical buttons including its Apple-style digital crown, whereas the Garmin makes use of its now-classic five-button configuration for navigation.
Coros and Garmin’s straps really feel very totally different, with Garmin’s molded silicon straps making a camber as you may see within the images, and so they can’t be modified. The Coros Nomad, then again, makes use of a traditional analog watch-style pin system with a simple launch, permitting you to lie the watch flat and alter straps.
Software-wise, the design may be very related, the primary UX being an inventory of low-power widget previews that increase when interacted with.
Features
With these being rugged devices designed for endurance sports, it’s important to make sure they’ll go the distance, if you’ll pardon the pun. Both have chassis made from polymer, and there’s aluminum reinforcement underneath both, too.
Still, durability goes to the Garmin for us because it can theoretically survive at a depth of 100m underwater while the Coros can only withstand half of that.
They’re both pretty close when it comes to features, too. There’s dual-frequency GPS across both devices, meaning each should be just about as accurate as the other. While we haven’t done a comparative test between both GPS systems, previous Coros watches such as the Pace 3 have compared favorably to the Apple Watch Ultra 2, our customary take a look at unit, as has the Garmin Instinct 3. You can see how we examined the Garmin against the Apple Watch on a hike earlier this 12 months.
There is a tradeoff, nonetheless. Do you need extra detailed sleep monitoring? The Garmin shall be best for you, nevertheless it lacks the ECG sensor that you’re going to discover on the Coros, permitting it to verify for atrial fibrilation and coronary heart charge variability.
The Coros can obtain navigational information and boasts helps for offline maps that can assist you discover your approach dwelling. The Instinct 3 does not have correct maps assist, as an alternative counting on its TracBack and primary directional route options as you may see within the image above.
Workout modes are nicely stocked, too. There are over 50 exercise modes on the Coros, whereas there are greater than 100 on the Instinct 3. The Nomad additionally boasts a really cool journey journal characteristic, together with voice notes to seize on the transfer, and even eight totally different sorts of fishing actions.
Battery life
The Coros Nomad places up stable numbers right here, operating for over three weeks (22 days) in smartwatch mode, or 50 hours with GPS mode enabled.
The Garmin Instinct 3 blows its rival away, although, providing as much as 28 days in smartwatch mode and as much as 100 hours in GPS mode for its largest mannequin.
The caveat is that that is with the Solar mannequin, and that quantity goes up or down relying in your mannequin. The customary, non-Solar mannequin, nonetheless hits 68 hours or 86 hours, relying on its dimension, whereas the Solar 50mm model can attain a whopping 150 hours.
- Battery Life: Garmin Instinct 3
Coros Nomad vs Garmin Instinct 3: Verdict
There are a couple of key issues when pitting the Coros Nomad in opposition to the Garmin Instinct 3, with each providing one thing slightly totally different to the opposite however with loads of overlap.
If you want longer battery life, the Garmin is your greatest guess, and it additionally has higher sleep monitoring, however at the price of a touchscreen show and an ECG scan.
On the flipside, the Coros has fewer exercise modes, nevertheless it’s cheaper, is lighter, and has a touchscreen that is more likely to be barely simpler for newcomers to health trackers. Our early verdict is a tie based mostly on our temporary time with the Nomad, however we’ll get again to you as soon as we have given it an intensive take a look at run.