We’re big fans of Garmin’s satellite messengers, which let you keep in touch when venturing outside of cellphone coverage. It’s one of the best tech gadgets you can take in your outdoor adventures. If you ever found the smaller screens of previous models a bit too limiting, you might be interested in the latest addition to the line, the Garmin inReach Mini 3 Plus.
Like previous iterations, this device enables satellite communication via text messaging, allowing you to stay in touch even in the most remote locations, along with features like SOS messaging, location sharing (so your family knows where you are), and more. Unlike them, it comes with a full touchscreen display, allowing you to do all things right on the device, instead of constantly switching between it and your phone.
The Garmin inReach Mini 3 Plus retains the compact form factor of previous models, making it small enough to fit inside most pockets. Out front, it gets a 1.9-inch full color touchscreen display, making it a lot more useful for a whole host of stuff. Not only is it easy to read messages on it, you can now type directly on the touchscreen (no more scrolling through letters and numbers to type on the device), on top of being very usable for navigation, photo viewing, and more. Suffice to say, there’s less need to constantly switch between your phone and the satellite messenger the way you did in previous iterations. Oh yeah, the expanded text messaging to 1,600 characters this time around, so you can send even longer messages than before.
Not only can you type messages on the touchscreen, you can also send and receive 30-second voice messages to save you from having to type entirely. That’s right, the device now comes with a mic and speaker combo for doing exactly that. Even better, there’s a transcription feature for those times you don’t want to have your messages read out loud, so you can just have it converted to text and read it in silence.
The Garmin inReach Mini 3 Plus also lets you send and receive photos, so you can send photo updates to family and friends, as well as receive them. Do note, the satellite messenger doesn’t come with its own camera, so you’ll have to pair it to your phone to actually take photos. As with previous versions, the device can transmit your current location at set time intervals, so people back home can check in on your position any time. There’s also SOS messaging when encountering emergencies, all of which are handled by Garmin Response, an international coordination center that boasts 24/7 operation.
The integrated battery is rated to run for up to 350 hours with the tracking updating your location every 10 minutes. Obviously, that will be shorter if you send lots of messages and photos, but it still delivers very good battery life. Other features include an IP67 waterproof rating, MIL-STD-810 rating for shock and thermals, navigation features when paired with the Explore app on your phone, a safety siren, and weather updates.
The Garmin inReach Mini 3 Plus is available now, priced at $499.99.
