Garmin Instinct 2 v Instinct 2x v Tactical - What are the differences?
In this article/ video review we look at the differences between the Garmin Instinct 2, the Garmin Instinct 2x and the Tactical versions of these GPS watches.
The Garmin Instinct 2x has all the great features and attributes that we already have on the very popular Instinct 2 Solar version, but with its increased size give us a much larger battery life and some great additional features as per the information below:
Increased size / Design
The first thing you will notice with the Instinct 2x Solar is the increased sizing compared to the Instinct 2 Solar.
The Instinct 2x Solar measures 50 x 50 x 14.5mm compared to the Instinct 2 Solar which measures 45 x 45 x 14.5mm.
This gives us a larger screen of 1.1” diameter, which also increases the solar panels by 50%.
Despite its large size the Instinct 2x solar is still a light watch weighing in at 67g, compared to the 57g of the Instinct 2 Solar.
The silicone band width of the Instinct 2x solar is 26mm compared to the 22mm of the Instinct 2 solar.
The Instinct 2x Solar as per the Instinct 2 Solar has a bold rugged design and a noticeable change is the addition of 4 x screws on the front of the bezel which is a design change over the Instinct 2 solar and gives the watch and even more rugged look.
Improved Battery
With the increased size of the Instinct 2x Solar we have both a bigger battery and 50% larger solar panel than the Instinct 2 solar giving us some impressive battery figures as shown below:
Instinct 2x Solar – Smart Watch mode 40 days / Unlimited with Solar**
Instinct 2 Solar - Smart Watch mode 28 days / Unlimited with Solar**
Instinct 2x Solar – GPS Activity Recording 60 Hours / 145 Hours with Solar**
Instinct 2 Solar – GPS Activity Recording 30 Hours / 48 Hours with Solar**
** Assumes all day wear with 3 hours per day outside with 50,000 lux of sunlight on watch face
Further Additional Features over the Instinct 2 Solar
Added Multiband / Dual-Frequency GPS/GNSS
Dual Frequency allows the Instinct 2x Solar to track multiple radio signals from each satellite on different frequencies. This improves the accuracy and consistency of the watch's track logs and positioning, especially in challenging environments.
Dual-frequency GPS can help reduce errors caused by environmental interference, such as inaccurate signals reflecting from buildings, trees, or mountains.
Added Flashlight / Strobe
The flashlight is a great edition to help guide your way in low-light conditions, a built-in multi-LED flashlight provides variable intensities and strobe that matches your running cadence — plus a red safety light mode to help keep an eye on your nighttime surroundings.
Instinct 2x Solar Tactical edition additional features
We also have in stock the Garmin Instinct 2x Solar Tactical Editon, this version as all the features of the Instinct 2x solar but with the edition of the following:
A GREEN LIGHT MODE
The green flashlight mode to help keep an eye on your immediate surroundings while operating at night.
STEALTH MODE
Go dark by enabling stealth mode to stop storing and sharing your GPS position and disable wireless connectivity and communication.
DUAL-POSITION FORMAT
Easily sync your location with others by seeing both the universal transverse mercator and military grid reference system on the same screen.
BALLISTICS CALCULATOR
Unlock the Applied Ballistics® calculator via the AB Synapse™ – Garmin app (unlock fee required) to access aiming solutions for long-range shooting in the field.
KILL SWITCH
If security becomes an issue, the kill switch wipes the device of all user memory.
JUMPMASTER MODE
Calculate high-altitude release points according to military guidelines while navigating to your objective once you’ve jumped.
TACTICAL ACTIVITY
See time, pace, time of day, elevation and your location in both coordinate types.
Further Reading:
2. Walk and talk - Garmin Instinct 2 Solar
3. Garmin Instinct GPS Watches