Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED vs Oppo Watch S

Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED

The headline change: a bright, vibrant AMOLED panel — a first for the Instinct line and a major readability upgrade over the old monochrome MIP screen. There is no touchscreen. The trade-off is battery life versus the Solar model.

• The AMOLED panel is high-resolution, vibrant and bright — Chase the Summit estimates around 1,000 nits, readable in dim light and direct sun alike.
• DC Rainmaker had no problem reading the display in any lighting, including the final dark hours of a 60km trek.
• Color-coded data is easier to read than ever — Strength Sweat Succeed notes the morning report's HRV, sleep and recovery pop at a glance.
• The trade-off: the AMOLED uses more power than the Solar model's MIP screen — some reviewers who tried both still prefer the Solar for battery.

Oppo Watch S

A 1.46-inch round AMOLED at 464 x 464 (317 ppi). It can hit a brilliant 3,000-nit peak — but only automatically, in Oppo's workout modes under strong sunlight. In everyday use it's capped at 600 nits, with a 1,500-nit high-brightness mode.

• 1.46-inch round AMOLED, 464 x 464 at 317 ppi — sharp and vibrant, with Splash Touch that keeps the screen usable when wet.
• The 3,000-nit peak is genuinely bright — but it only activates automatically in Oppo's workout modes when the watch detects strong sunlight.
• Everyday brightness is capped at 600 nits, with a 1,500-nit high-brightness mode — OPTechWithAskar notes that at the typical 600 nits 'this is just a normal good display.'
• In bright outdoor workouts the screen is excellent — you can read pace and heart rate without the wrist-tilt dance.

Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED

The Instinct 3 keeps Garmin's older Gen 4 optical heart-rate sensor — so it has Pulse Ox (SpO2) and HRV Status but no ECG and no skin-temperature sensing. Heart-rate accuracy is middling in hard workouts; sleep tracking is reasonable.

• It uses Garmin's older Gen 4 optical HR sensor — meaning no ECG and no skin-temperature sensing, unlike Garmin's newer Elevate 5 watches.
• Heart-rate accuracy is middling — The Quantified Scientist measured roughly 20 bpm deviations during fast interval drops against a Polar H10 chest strap.
• Sleep-stage tracking is reasonable — about 64% deep-sleep agreement against an EEG headband, which The Quantified Scientist calls 'pretty okay.'
• Pulse Ox (SpO2) and HRV Status are included, plus a 2-minute Health Snapshot that captures heart rate, SpO2, respiration and stress in one reading.
• For hard workouts, the5krunner recommends pairing a chest strap or optical armband for the best accuracy.

Oppo Watch S

For a budget watch the Oppo Watch S carries a serious sensor array — an 8-channel optical heart-rate sensor, a 16-channel SpO2 sensor, ECG electrodes and a skin-temperature sensor — anchored by a 60-second check that reads around 14 health indicators at once. ECG availability depends on regional certification.

• A serious sensor array — an 8-channel optical heart-rate sensor, a 16-channel optical SpO2 sensor, ECG electrodes and a wrist-temperature sensor.
• A 60-second health check measures around 14 indicators — heart rate, ECG, SpO2, vascular elasticity and more — in a single reading.
• On-demand ECG via a side-button electrode takes about 30 seconds — Oppo's ECG is certified as a class 2 medical device in China and in around 30 countries.
• ECG availability is region-dependent — it may be disabled depending on local certification where you buy the watch.
• Day-to-day it does continuous heart-rate monitoring with high/low alerts, all-day SpO2 and wrist-temperature trends, plus sleep stages and a sleep score.

Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED

Garmin's deep training toolkit — Body Battery, Training Readiness, VO2 Max, Recovery Time, broad sport profiles — all on a rugged frame. GPS is the standout, with highly accurate multi-band tracking. The gap versus pricier Garmins is the missing endurance-tier metrics and maps.

• GPS accuracy is genuinely flagship-grade — DC Rainmaker found a 60km hike track 99.5% identical to multi-band reference watches.
• On a hike, TechRadar measured the Instinct 3 within 0.13km of an Apple Watch Ultra 2 and the AllTrails route reference.
• Garmin's full recovery suite — Body Battery, HRV Status, Training Readiness, Recovery Time and VO2 Max — gives genuinely actionable training cues.
• GPS fix is fast — Ultra Value Tech clocked a cold-start lock in roughly 2-3 seconds outdoors.
• It lacks the deeper endurance-tier training analytics found on the Fenix line — capable, but not Garmin's most advanced training tool.

Oppo Watch S

The Oppo Watch S covers 100+ workout modes with built-in GPS and an AI sports coach that gauges readiness from HRV and recent training load. It's a capable everyday fitness tracker — though there's little independent accuracy testing to confirm how it stacks up.

• 100+ workout modes with built-in GPS, plus swim tracking thanks to the 5 ATM water rating.
• Oppo bills it as featuring an AI sports coach that analyzes readiness from HRV during sleep and your last 7 days of workouts.
• In workout modes the display ramps to its 3,000-nit peak — a real advantage for reading stats outdoors mid-exercise.
• Independent accuracy testing is limited — there is far less hands-on GPS and heart-rate validation than for flagship rivals.

Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED

Excellent for a smartwatch — Garmin rates up to 18 days on the 45mm and 24 days on the 50mm. Real-world results land lower with the always-on display and flashlight, but multi-day endurance is never in doubt. There is no wireless charging.

• Rated up to 18 days (45mm) and 24 days (50mm) in smartwatch mode — about 7-9 days with the always-on display enabled.
• The Run Testers got 9 days of general use on the 45mm AMOLED including 7 hours of GPS training and 2 hours of indoor cardio.
• GPS endurance is strong — the 45mm AMOLED is rated about 23 hours of multi-band tracking, the larger Solar models far more.
• Overnight drain is low — The Wearableist measured around 2% per night, and after 11.5 days the AMOLED still held about 60%.
• No wireless charging — it charges via Garmin's proprietary cable, with a full charge in roughly an hour.

Oppo Watch S

The Oppo Watch S's strongest card. Oppo rates the 330mAh battery at up to 10 days maximum, 7 days typical and about 4 days with the always-on display on — and fast charging adds a full day in 10 minutes, with a complete charge in roughly 75-90 minutes.

• Oppo rates the battery at up to 10 days maximum, 7 days typical, and about 4 days with the always-on display enabled.
• The Tech Shed confirms about 7 days for an active user doing regular GPS workouts, with the headline 10-day figure reserved for lighter use.
• With the always-on display on, real-world life drops to around 4 days — still competitive with most smartwatch rivals.
• Fast charging is excellent — a 10-minute top-up returns a full day of use.
• A full 0-100% charge takes roughly 75-90 minutes via the magnetic pin charger.

Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED

Garmin OS with Connect IQ apps and the Garmin Connect platform — a deep, if occasionally overwhelming, data ecosystem. Garmin Pay handles contactless payments. It works with both iOS and Android. The glaring software gap is the lack of on-watch maps.

• Garmin Connect offers a deep well of health and training stats that sync to Strava and TrainingPeaks within seconds.
• No on-watch maps — only breadcrumb navigation; Chase the Summit calls it a big miss when cheaper rivals include full mapping.
• DC Rainmaker's blunt take: 'I would buy this in 10 seconds if it had maps.'
• Garmin Pay handles contactless payments, and the watch works with both iPhone and Android.
• Garmin Connect's sheer volume of stats can feel overwhelming — most users settle in, but it has a learning curve.

Oppo Watch S

The Oppo Watch S runs ColorOS Watch 7.1 on a power-efficient BES2800BP chip with 4GB of storage — not Wear OS. That choice is the reason the battery lasts a week, but it also means no Google Play app store and a simpler, more limited software experience.

• It runs ColorOS Watch 7.1 — a power-efficient platform that is the direct reason the battery lasts a week, not Wear OS.
• The trade-off is a simpler experience — there's no Google Play app store, so third-party app support is far more limited than on Wear OS.
• A power-efficient BES2800BP processor with 4GB of eMMC storage keeps the lightweight OS running smoothly.
• The companion health app works with both Android and iPhone — you don't need to own an Oppo phone to use the watch.

Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED

This is the Instinct's home turf — built to MIL-STD-810 for thermal, shock and water resistance, with a fiber-reinforced polymer case, metal-reinforced bezel and a chemically-strengthened lens. Water resistance is 100m (10 ATM).

• Built to MIL-STD-810 military standards for thermal, shock and water resistance — the Instinct's signature toughness.
• 100m (10 ATM) water resistance — fine for swimming, though not a dive computer.
• Fiber-reinforced polymer case with a metal-reinforced bezel and a chemically-strengthened lens.
• Long-term owners report the rugged build and bezel hold up well under hard outdoor use.

Oppo Watch S

The Oppo Watch S is rated 5 ATM plus IP68 (and IP69), with Splash Touch that keeps the screen usable when wet. It's fine for swimming and everyday water — but Oppo specifically warns against hot showers, saunas and diving.

• 5 ATM water resistance plus IP68 and IP69 dust and water ratings — rated for swimming and everyday water exposure.
• Splash Touch keeps the touchscreen usable even when the watch is wet — handy after a swim or in the rain.
• Oppo specifically warns it's not meant for hot showers, saunas, hot springs or diving — and notes water resistance can reduce over time.

Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED

Multi-band (dual-frequency) GPS is the standout — fast-locking and highly accurate. Garmin Pay via NFC, Bluetooth and ANT+ round it out. There is no LTE and, critically, no downloadable maps.

• Multi-band / dual-frequency GPS with SatIQ — the most accurate Garmin positioning, and power-efficient with it.
• Bluetooth and ANT+ — pair chest straps, footpods and cycling sensors.
• No LTE — the Instinct 3 relies on a paired phone for connectivity.
• No downloadable maps of any kind — only breadcrumb route navigation, the watch's biggest connectivity-side limitation.

Oppo Watch S

Built-in GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and NFC cover the everyday essentials. There's no cellular model, so the Oppo Watch S relies on a paired phone for connectivity.

• Built-in GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and NFC — the standard everyday connectivity set.
• There's no cellular model — the Oppo Watch S relies on a paired phone for connectivity and can't go fully standalone.
• NFC supports contactless payments where the service is available.

Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED

At $449.99 (45mm) and $499.99 (50mm), the Instinct 3 AMOLED sits in a crowded mid-range, and reviewers are split. It's a tough, gorgeous watch — but the missing maps and older sensors make rivals like a discounted Fenix 7 or the Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro genuinely tempting.

• $449.99 for the 45mm and $499.99 for the 50mm — and GearJunkie still calls it 'the answer' for a rugged outdoor smartwatch with exceptional battery.
• the5krunner's reviewed verdict is blunt: the Instinct 3 AMOLED 'is not the best value for money,' though still 'a tough, good-looking watch.'
• Chase the Summit notes a Fenix 7 with sapphire, mapping, music and a touchscreen can be found for $50 less than a 50mm Instinct 3.
• Garmin permanently cut the list price soon after launch — DC Rainmaker notes that signals the original pricing was too high.
• Best for: outdoor enthusiasts who want a tough, great-looking AMOLED adventure watch with multi-week battery and pinpoint GPS — and don't need maps.

Oppo Watch S

The Oppo Watch S launched at around $399 NZD (roughly $230 USD) and is not officially sold in the US. For the price it's a strong value — week-long battery, ECG, a premium-feeling build — as long as you accept the simpler ColorOS platform.

• The Tech Shed's verdict: 'the Oppo Watch S is one of the best value smartwatches I've ever tested.'
• It launched at around $399 NZD — roughly $230 USD — undercutting flagship smartwatches significantly.
• It's a niche device — Oppo doesn't officially sell wearables in the US, so availability and support are limited there.
• FutureFive frames it well — it focuses on design, health tracking and battery life rather than software complexity.
• Best for: anyone who wants a featherweight, week-lasting health smartwatch at a budget price and doesn't need a deep app ecosystem.