Garmin Descent MK3 – New Sports Watch for Divers Surfaced
It seems that Garmin is gearing up to launch more sports watches this year, as the Garmin Descent MK3, a new diving sports watch, has appeared on one of Garmin’s Mexican support webpages.
The Descent is a sports watch series aiming at divers and water sports enthusiasts. The current models, MK2 and MK2i, were introduced in 2020 and were complemented by a smaller version, the Descent MK2s, in May 2020.
The Descent MK2i is the model that includes air integration capability.
Descent MK3 comes in four variants
The support page reveals little, except that the Descent MK3 will be released in four variants:
- Garmin Descent MK3
- Garmin Descent MK3i
- Garmin Descent MK3s
- Garmin Descent MK3si
So, the watch will continue to be available in two sizes, likely 43mm and 52mm. For the first time, the air integration capability will also be available in the smaller model.
The support page doesn’t disclose the features, but it’s likely that the watches will have an AMOLED display, which is becoming more common in sports watches. AMOLED displays have also been tested for durability in models like the Tactix 7 AMOLED, which passed US military tests. However, this is still speculation on my part…
The watch will also incorporate all the new features from recent times. As the Descent MK3 is likely to be in the upper price range, the new model will include the latest version of the Elevate sensor. Whether the ECG capabilities will be activated in the US at the time of launch remains to be seen.
Prices and Availability
Garmin currently offers the Descent MK2 with the following price range:
| Model | Price |
|---|---|
| Descent MK2i | $1,499.99 |
| Descent MK2 | $1,299.99 |
| Descent MK2s | $999.99 |
If we look at the prices and surcharges of similar models and generational changes, I would estimate the Garmin Descent MK3 as follows:
| Model | est. Price |
|---|---|
| Descent MK3i | $1,600 |
| Descent MK3 | $1,400 |
| Descent MK3s | $1,200 |
| Descent MK3si | $1,400 |
The prices would be moderately more expensive than the introductory prices of the MK2/MK2i, and they would likely account for the additional cost of AMOLED displays, as is typical with Garmin. I even received indication that the Descent MK3 may cost between $1,200 and $1,800 (depending on the model and material). The $1,800 price could refer to the bundle of the Descent MK3 and the Descent T2 (which will also be launched soon).
Garmin hasn’t quite adhered to its two-year release cycle for the Descent. Therefore, the unveiling of the new model isn’t strictly bound by a specific timeframe.
If Garmin wanted to capitalize on the holiday season, the introduction would likely need to happen in early to mid-November. Should Garmin skip that opportunity, the CES in Las Vegas would provide a good stage for the release.
