Customer reviews from Garmin
Garmin - Instinct E GPS Smartwatch 40 mm Fiber-reinforced Polymer - Black with Charcoal Band - (2025)
Average customer rating
4
(24 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 24 reviews
5 Stars
13
4 Stars
5
3 Stars
3
2 Stars
0
1 Star
3
Customer Reviews for Garmin - Instinct E GPS Smartwatch 40 mm Fiber-reinforced Polymer - Black with Charcoal Band - (2025)
Customer Rating
4
More features than my Forerunner 55
on June 11, 2026
Posted by: Jimbo1
Bought about two weeks ago to replace a Forerunner 55. Loved that 55. Wanted a few more features. I bought the 40 mm version because I'm not a big guy and I didn't want a huge watch to bang around. The watch band is kind of short so do some checking before you buy this. A replacement band is kind of pricey. In GPS mode, it seems to use a lot of battery compared to the old 55. Otherwise, battery life seems at least as good as the 55. Two 40 minute runs with gps over four days burned about 25% of the battery. The oxygen and barometer are nice features. The watch face is semi-customizable but there are limits to the primary face choices. I found a couple that would work. It's not super intuitive to customize but it generally doesn't take too much effort to figure it out. I thought this was a better choice than the Forerunner 70. I suspect the Forerunner would have been very simple and a good choice for what I typically need for running, tracking sleep and some health readings... I like the Instinct but i will look at the Forerunner line more closely next time. I like the Instinct well enough to not send it back. All three of my Garmin watches have been rock solid. None of them have been the expensive, top of the line models.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
3
Great watch for kids but not for connectivity
on June 15, 2026
Posted by: Dawgsfan
I bought this watch for my kids. I would give it a 5 star if I were able to track their workouts through my phones connect app. However, I also have a Garmi. Watch and the connect app is setup for 1 person on a single device. With that, it makes their workouts useless to track so Ive rated it a 3 star.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
1
Too small
on June 19, 2026
Posted by: Traah
I have a small wrist, and the band is too small. Would not recommend this watch
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
4
Watch is to complicated for my use
on June 19, 2026
Posted by: Top_Tiger
I purchased this watch about a month ago and I've still not learned how to use it. It has so many functions and they have to be setup. Also it has five buttons and each button has several functions. I had an older version that was much simpler to use. To me the manual ( or Youtube) doesn't do a very good job explaining setup of the was watch.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
4
Easy to use
on June 22, 2026
Posted by: Bethie
I love it! Not sure why the strap is so short, though.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Performs exactly as expected.
on June 23, 2026
Posted by: K2GSPs
I have not had my Instinct E very long but long enough to check out most of the capabilities. I purchased this device to work with my Garmin Pro 550 Plus and have worked with it enough to know that it performs exactly as expected. I'm looking forward to hunting in the fall and using GPS, hunting, and dog functions.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
E vs 2s
on June 23, 2026
Posted by: Jamie81
I got this as a replacement for my 2s. So far so good. I'm actually getting 16 days on a charge instead of the 14 it says. I got 17 on my 2s. Hopefully this one lasts longer than 2.5 yrs
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin
Customer Rating
5
Attractive watch with many functions.
on July 1, 2026
Posted by: Grahmpus
I’ve had it for a weeks now. So far it’s been exactly what I was wanting. Battery last a reasonable time unless you turn the GPS on. That really takes it down. I have the e40 which is about a perfect size for my wrist (7”). Any larger wrist than that you will need a longer band. It took me awhile to get it setup and a face that had all the info I wanted at a glance. Overall pretty happy with it.
Written by a customer while visiting Garmin