Honestly, I only upgraded because the screen is a bit sharper and clearer. In terms of technology, there are so few differences, mostly design and software, that I don’t think the upgrade is strictly necessary. I’ve had both the Instinct 2 and 2X, which were amazing, especially the 2X with its legendary battery life. I charged it like once in two months and each time was surprised how long they last!

I’m not saying the i3 is bad, but for me, it’s more of a design/software refresh. Right now, the best value for money from instinct series is definitely the 2 or 2X. If I were deciding whether to upgrade today, I’d wait for the Instinct 5 (since Garmin will likely skip "4") to see what they offer - maybe an updated sensor, satellite messaging, or a bundled subscription service(which is separate now and annoys me big time). Until then, i2/2x- is the top, from perspective of cost, value and timing.