UPDATE: Amazon now has the Garmin Approach G3 available for pre-order.

With the golf lover’s Garmin Approach G3, the Approach G5 now has a little brother. Modeled on the Garmin Dakota platform, the G3 is smaller and we suspect it will have the slightly brighter screen that made the Dakota 20 a real winner in our recent tests. The size and platform appears to be the only difference between the two models; the software should be the same.

In addition to a brighter screen, the smaller sized unit is $100 lighter on your pocket and 1.5 ounces lighter in your pocket. Like the G5, this new unit comes pre-loaded with 12,000 US and Canadian courses, with more being added over time. There is no subscription fee required. We have no word on when the G3 will be available, but will update this post once we know.

UPDATE: Expected to be available by February 1.