Deal | Amazon deal: Garmin Instinct 2X Solar smartwatch with rugged outdoorsy design and offline GPS gets discounted in sale
The Garmin Instinct 2X Solar launched in 2023, earning itself a reputation as a solid alternative for Gamin's more expensive Fenix series smartwatches. That position is only strengthened by a recent Amazon deal that puts the Instinct 2X Solar at a record-low price of just $278.99. Almost the entire Instinct 2X Solar line-up is on sale, but the Standard version in the Graphite colourway has the biggest discount at the time of writing, with the Whitestone version coming in a close second at $299.99.
The Garmin Instinct 2X Solar packs a 32.3 mm display into a rugged 50 mm case that is rated for 10 ATM of water resistance (roughly 100 m submersion). The Instinct 2X Solar features Garmin's solar charging tech, which it claims can keep the watch charged indefinitely with just three hours of sunlight exposure in 50,000 lux conditions.
Garmin Instinct 2X Solar feature highlights
The Garmin Instinct 2X Solar fulfils most of the needs of an average smartwatch, as it connects to both iOS and Android smartphones via Bluetooth, shows notifications, and tracks health data. The Instinct 2X Solar packs a heart rate sensor, GPS and GNSS sensors with offline route tracking, a compass, a gyroscope, an altimeter, and blood-oxygen saturation monitor. It also allows Android users to respond to texts and decline phone calls with texts.
In terms of design, the Instinct 2X Solar strongly resembles the high-end Fenix series, whose models are also often discounted, although the Instinct 2X Solar features a more muted colour palette. The round monochrome transflective display offers a simplistic, utilitarian user-interface, with clicky buttons on the side serving as navigation aids. The case itself is plastic, although it is rated to withstand 10 ATM of pressure underwater, and the straps are user-replaceable, which should be a boon for longevity.
Supported activity tracking on the Instinct 2X Solar includes the usual stuff, like running, swimming, cycling, hiking, and strength training, as well as less conventional stuff, like HIIT, yoga, motorcycling, boxing and MMA, rock climbing, white river rafting, and more. Additionally, the Instinct 2X Solar offers general health features, like sleep and tracking, menstrual cycle tracking, and hydration tracking.
Garmin claims that the Instinct 2X Solar can deliver 36 hours of battery life — with three hours of solar charging at 50,000 lux — in the worst-case scenario, with all the satellite features and sensors running, and up to 60 days of battery life in Expedition mode, which disables many of the smart features and only takes a GPS reading once every hour.
Reviews of the Garmin Instinct 2X Solar praise the smartwatch for making significant strides over its predecessor in a number of areas, including build quality, display brightness and clarity, and useful features, like the LED torch, useful solar charging feature, and the standout battery life.
