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Coros APEX 4 (42mm) vs Garmin Instinct 3 Solar 45mm

Weight and specs compared for 2026 — and which one to choose.

Coros APEX 4 (42mm) is the lighter option — 9 g lighter than the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar 45mm (17% less weight). If grams matter to you, that is the one to beat.
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Spec Coros APEX 4 (42mm) Garmin Instinct 3 Solar 45mm
Weight 44 g · 0.044 kg · 0.10 lb
42mm, with the nylon band
 53 g · 0.053 kg · 0.12 lb
Brand Coros Garmin
Category Electronics Electronics
Coros APEX 4 (42mm)
44 g

Mountain sports GPS watch with dual-frequency satellite positioning for improved accuracy, ECG heart rhythm monitoring, and barometric altimeter for navigation

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Garmin Instinct 3 Solar 45mm
53 g

Rugged solar-powered GPS watch. 36-90 days smartwatch battery with solar charging capability.

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Coros APEX 4 (42mm) vs Garmin Instinct 3 Solar 45mm: which should you buy?

If saving weight is your priority, the Coros APEX 4 (42mm) wins — at 44 g it is 9 g (17%) lighter than the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar 45mm (53 g). That said, the heavier option may justify the extra grams with more capacity, durability or comfort, so weigh the trade-off against how you'll use it.

See where both rank against everything else in this category on the lightest electronics page, or browse the full gear weight database.

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