Editor’s rating: 3.6/5 In the last few years, the connected tech market has seen tremendous growth in India. One of the key drivers in this segment has been smart wearables like fitness bands and smartwatches. There are more than two dozen brands that are catering to Indian customers but if you look at the premium segment there only three brands stand out – Apple, Samsung, and Garmin. Yes, Garmin, is an American brand that looking to woo fitness enthusiasts in India with its highly accurate fitness tracking sensors. Display Performance Battery Health Features Recently we tried out Garmin’s Instinct 2S Solar. The smartwatch offers many unique features like VO2 Max, Sleep score, and more. I have been using Instinct 2S Solar for some time here’s my experience with the watch:
Garmin Instinct 2S Solar Smartwatch Review: Design
The Garmin Instinct 2S Solar smartwatch is made for those who love adventure and the outdoors and its look is synonymous with the idea behind it. The watch has a rugged look with a circular dial made of a Power Glass lens. The watch has thick bezels made of fiber-reinforced polymer. The watch comes in 3 colorways- Graphite, Mist Grey, and Neo Tropic. The one we have is Mist Grey and it looks decent.
UnboxingPrice and availabilityDesignDisplayPerformanceHealth featuresBatteryShould you buy the Instinct 2S Solar watch?
Garmin Instinct 2S Solar Smartwatch: Price In India
Garmin Instinct 2S Solar smartwatch Unboxing
The box contains-
Instinct 2S Solar watchUser ManualWarranty CardCharging cable
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The Garmin Instinct 2S Solar doesn’t have a touchscreen like most other smartwatches these days. It comes with physical buttons that help navigate through the menu. The right side of the display has GPS and SET buttons whereas the left bezel houses CTRL, Menu, and ABC physical buttons. The buttons help navigate through the menus as well as move up, down, and more. Like the SET button is also used to go back to the previous menu whereas the MENU button also helps in scrolling up. On the backside of the Instinct 2S Solar, one will find some sensors and a charging pin. The smartwatch has a strong build quality and feels light as it weighs mere 43 grams. The straps of the watch are made of silicone so it is comfortable to wear throughout the day without breaking a sweat.
Garmin Instinct 2S Solar Smartwatch Review: Display
The Instinct 2S Solar has a monochrome display that is always on and shows time, day, date, battery life, and times of sunrise and sunset. The display is clearly visible under sunlight and if there is darkness, you can switch on the light of the display to make the screen visible. The display comes with 156×156 pixel resolution and the screen is easily legible so you never have to strain your eyes. Since it is not a touchscreen, so physical navigation might need some time to adjust but once you get the hang of it, things will get smoother. The watch has options for customizable watch faces, to change the look of the display.
Garmin Instinct 2S Solar Smartwatch Review: Performance & Features
Garmin Instinct 2S Solar is a watch meant for the outdoors and its features are designed that way. The watch comes with built-in sports apps for running, cycling, swimming, strength training, and more. The watch has features like recovery time, VO2 Max, Intensity minutes, and Training effect as well. VO2 Max indicates how someone performs during an activity. It takes into account changes like altitude and heat. Recovery Time helps one know how much time he/she will take to get ready for another activity after completing one successfully. Intensity minutes tell you how many vigorous minutes you get and in which activity. The data will be reflected in Garmin’s Connect app and will help while running or cycling. GPS accuracy of the watch is decent which helps in finding your way while long stretches of cycling/running. The Instinct 2S Solar is 10ATM water resistant which means you won’t have to worry in case of rain falling on it or if water falls on your hand due to some reason. The watch can be used to track calories, distance, stroke count, pace, and more during swimming, running, cycling, etc. The swimming profile offers 2 modes- Pool swimming and Open Water swimming. Garmin also claims that the watch can detect stroke types- freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly. Garmin Instinct 2S Solar also allows smartwatch features like calls, texts, and app alerts. You cannot answer back or reply, but get notified only which is a drawback. You can toggle on/off alerts for these 3 things anytime. The notification tone should be on or off and can also be chosen by you. Music controls are also offered by the watch as one can play, pause, and play previous or next songs with this watch. The volume level can be controlled via the app as well.
Garmin Instinct 2S Solar Smartwatch Review: Health Features
Garmin Instinct 2S Solar tracks vitals like heart rate, respiration rate, and SpO2 levels. The readings were close to accurate most of the time and there was no major deviation during our usage. Body battery indicates how much energy a person’s body has depending on his heart rate, stress levels, and activity throughout the day. Stress monitoring gives a score out of 100 and was random most of the time. Sleep tracking is also available and it worked decently most of the time. One can also turn on the DND mode during one’s sleep window.
Garmin Instinct 2S Solar Smartwatch Review: Battery
Battery performance is one of the major highlights of the Instinct 2S Solar watch. The company claims the watch can last up to 21 days on a single charge. During our usage, the claim was found to be almost true as it did last for around 18-19 days. There is an option for cable charging as well as solar charging. To charge the watch with solar energy, make sure that it is exposed to 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions. It is not easy to charge this watch with solar power as keeping the device outdoors for 3 hours can be tricky, especially in the summer heat. It can be useful for those who travel for adventure trips and can’t carry a cable charger with them. For general users, a charging cable is a better option.
Garmin Instinct 2S Solar Smartwatch Review Verdict: Should you buy it?
Garmin Instinct 2S Solar is an all-rounder meant for adventure and fitness freaks. It has a strong build quality, long battery life, good display, host of health and other features, and is water resistant for outdoor usage. Priced under 45k, this watch can be a smart choice for those who need a fitness and travel companion.
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