Is Garmin’s InReach Mini 3 the New King of Satellite Messaging?

Today, Garmin launched the inReach Mini 3 and inReach Mini 3 Plus. They’re the the successors to the Mini 2, which came out almost four years ago and has become the most popular satellite communicator on the market for backpackers, hikers, thru-hikers, and plenty of other outdoor lovers. In short, the Mini 3 takes all of the technical upgrades that it debuted in the Garmin Messenger Plus—our current pick for best satellite communicator—and packed them into the Mini form-factor, with a few new features like a touchscreen, full-color display, and speaker/microphone. But should you rush to buy one? Let’s get into the nitty-gritty.

The Mini 2 vs the Mini 3

Setting aside the technical advances in messaging speed and size, which we’ll get into in the next section, the biggest difference between the old and new generations of Mini is in the interface and screen. Where the Mini 2 has a simple .9 x .9-inch black and white screen controlled by a few side buttons, the Mini 3 has a 1.52 x 1.14-inch full-color display and a touchscreen interface. That means you can use the Mini 3’s teeny-tiny QWERTY keyboard to type out messages instead of laboriously using just a few buttons. The Mini 3 Plus adds a speaker and microphone to the mix, along with the ability to send voice messages and photos (both features introduced with the Messenger Plus).

The Mini 3 Plus weighs 4.42 ounces—almost a full ounce heavier than the Mini 2. Both Minis have comparable battery life on paper. The Mini 2 retails for $400, the Mini 3 at $450, and the Mini 3 Plus comes in at $500.

The Mini 3 vs the Messenger Plus

As we predicted when we reviewed the Messenger Plus, Garmin seems to be upgrading all of its satellite communicators to use the Iridium Short Burst Data system, which can send messages approximately 300 times larger than previous inReach devices. In our experience testing the Messenger Plus, this is a massive upgrade over previous generations of satellite communication, allowing you to receive and send larger messages in seconds rather than minute-plus speeds. Both devices include this upgrade.

The Messenger Plus is a smaller, lighter device overall at 4.1 ounces. It has a tiny display bar that allows you to send pre-set messages and slowly type out new messages, but it’s really a last-ditch effort to communicate. Instead, it acts as the satellite communicator hardware for your paired smartphone and the Garmin Messenger app. Both the Mini 3 and Messenger Plus pair with the Messenger app, and that’s where most people will do their texting, voice-messaging, and photo-sharing. The Messenger Plus seems to have a significantly more robust battery life given the lack of a real display, with 600 hours of tracking every 10 minutes versus the Mini 3’s 350 hours, although real-world testing is needed before making that call.

Our Take: Which Device is Best? 

The Mini 3 is undoubtedly a huge upgrade over the Mini 2. Not only does it have faster, more robust communication capabilities, but it also makes using the Mini 3 as a standalone device more feasible. You can text with a new level of proficiency and navigate using touch. With the Mini 3 Plus, you can also send photos and record and listen to voice memos on the device itself. It is quite a bit heavier than the Mini 2 (in the world of ultralight, an ounce is a big deal). If you want to use your inReach device as a stand-alone messenger, at least occasionally, the Mini 3 Plus looks like a great choice.

We would probably spring for the Mini 3 Plus over the Mini 3 given the voice and photo capabilities, especially if you’re using it as a standalone device. If you’re after a device that can truly replace your smartphone, Garmin’s relatively new GPSMAP H1i Plus is a standalone GPS device with all of the brand’s latest technologies, a massive screen, and the same messaging capabilities as the Mini and Messenger.

But the reality is that most backpackers and hikers will carry their smartphone into the wild. There’s only a very small subset of ultralighters who are looking for a way to lose the weight of their smartphone while also having an emergency messaging device. At least on paper, that makes it hard to recommend the Mini 3 over the Messenger Plus, our current top pick for satellite messenger. With a smartphone to pair with, there’s nothing the Mini 3 does that the Messenger Plus doesn’t do, and it comes at a minor weight and battery penalty to boot.

The Messenger Plus is currently on sale for $350, while the old Mini 2 (still a great buy!) is going for $250. We’ll have a more definitive answer on the very best satellite messenger after a season of testing.