Sunday, March 18, 2012

Garmin handheld GPS comparison chart

Garmin handheld GPSThe Garmin handheld GPS comparison chart below shows all current Garmin backcountry and marine handhelds (in alphabetical order) that include a high-sensitivity chipset. I do not recommend any units without such chipsets for backcountry use.

Links go to my Garmin handheld GPS review/resource pages for each model except where I’ve yet to post those; in that case the links go to the Garmin product page. Features in the headers are explained below the chart, while recently discontinued models are shown on a separate page. You might also find my handheld GPS buyers guide and specialty GPS buyers guides helpful. NEW: Click on column headers to sort chart.

Garmin handheld GPS comparison chart

Model Display
type
Display size Rated battery life (hrs) Weight with batt- eries Pre-loaded detailed maps Ability to add maps/ storage Accepts custom maps Elec- tronic compass Paper-
less
geo-
caching
Turn by turn Waypoints /Routes Trackpts. /Tracks Miscell-aneous Compare prices
Dakota 10 Color,
touch,
hi-res
1.43″ x 2.15″ 20 5.25 oz No 850 MB Yes No Yes Yes 1000/50
10K/200
Compare prices
Dakota 20 Color,
touch,
hi-res
1.43″ x 2.15″ 20 5.25 oz No microSD Yes 3-axis Yes Yes 1000/50
10K/200
Wireless data Compare prices
eTrex 10 Mono-
chrome
1.4″ x 1.7″ 25 5 oz No No No No Yes No 1000/50
10K/100

Compare prices

eTrex 20 Color,
hi-res
1.4″ x 1.7″ 25 5.25 oz No microSD Yes No Yes Yes 2000/200
10K/200

Compare prices

eTrex 30 Color,
hi-res
1.4″ x 1.7″ 25 5.25 oz No microSD Yes 3-axis Yes Yes 2000/200
10K/200
Wireless data
Compare prices

fenix Mono-
chrome
1.2″ x 0.2″ 50 2.9 oz No No No 3-axis Yes No 1000/50
10K/100

Compare prices

Foretrex 301 Mono-
chrome
1.4″ x 0.9″ 18 3.1 oz No No No No No No 500/20
10K/10
Compare prices
Foretrex 401 Mono-
chrome
1.4″ x 0.9″ 17 3.1 oz No No No 2-axis No No 500/20
10K/10
Wireless data Compare prices
GPS 72H Mono-
chrome
1.6″ x 2.2″ 18 7.7 oz No No No No No No 500/50
2K/10
Floats Compare prices
GPSMAP 62 Color 1.6″ x 2.2″ 20 9.2 oz No 1.7 GB Yes No Yes Yes 2000/200
10K/200
Compare prices
GPSMAP 62s Color 1.6″ x 2.2″ 20 9.2 oz No microSD Yes 3-axis Yes Yes 2000/200
10K/200
Compare prices
GPSMAP 62st Color 1.6″ x 2.2″ 20 9.2 oz Yes microSD Yes 3-axis Yes Yes 2000/200
10K/200
Compare prices
GPSMAP 62sc Color 1.6″ x 2.2″ 16 9.3 oz No microSD Yes 3-axis Yes Yes 2000/200
10K/200
Camera
Compare prices

GPSMAP 62stc Color 1.6″ x 2.2″ 16 9.3 oz Yes microSD Yes 3-axis Yes Yes 2000/200
10K/200
Camera
Compare prices
GPSMAP 64s Color 1.43″ x 2.15″ 16 9.2 oz No microSD Yes 3-axis Yes Yes 5000/200
10K/200
GLONASS Compare at Amazon
GPSMAP 78 Color 1.6″ x 2.2″ 20 7.7 oz No microSD Yes No Yes Yes 2000/200
10K/200
Floats
Compare prices

GPSMAP 78s Color 1.6″ x 2.2″ 20 7.7 oz No microSD Yes 3-axis Yes Yes 2000/200
10K/200
Floats Compare prices
Montana 600 Color,
touch,
hi-res
2″ x 3.5″ 16/22 10.2 oz/11.7 oz No microSD Yes 3-axis Yes Yes 4000/200
10K/200
Wireless data,
Screen rotates,
nuvi mode

Compare prices

Montana 650 Color,
touch,
hi-res
2″ x 3.5″ 16/22 10.2 oz/11.7 oz No microSD Yes 3-axis Yes Yes 4000/200
10K/200
Wireless data,
Screen rotates,
nuvi mode,
camera

Compare prices

Montana 650t Color,
touch,
hi-res
2″ x 3.5″ 16/22 11.7 oz/13.2 oz Yes microSD Yes 3-axis Yes Yes 4000/200
10K/200
Wireless data,
Screen rotates,
nuvi mode,
camera

Compare prices

Monterra Color,
touch,
hi-res
2″ x 3.5″ 16/22 10.2 oz/11.7 oz Varies microSD Yes 3-axis Yes Yes 4000/200
10K/200
Android-based,
wireless data,
screen rotates,
nuvi mode,
camera
Compare at Amazon
Oregon 450 Color,
touch,
hi-res
1.53″ x 2.55″ 16 6.8 oz No microSD Yes 3-axis Yes Yes 2000/200
10K/200
Wireless data Compare prices
Oregon 450t Color,
touch,
hi-res
1.53″ x 2.55″ 16 6.8 oz Topo microSD Yes 3-axis Yes Yes 2000/200
10K/200
Wireless data Compare prices
Oregon 550 Color,
touch,
hi-res
1.53″ x 2.55″ 16 6.8 oz No microSD Yes 3-axis Yes Yes 2000/200
10K/200
Camera, Wireless data Compare prices
Oregon 550t Color,
touch,
hi-res
1.53″ x 2.55″ 16 6.8 oz Topo microSD Yes 3-axis Yes Yes 2000/200
10K/200
Camera, Wireless data Compare prices
Oregon 600 Capacitive,
color,
touch,
hi-res
1.5″ x 2.5″ 16 7.4 oz No microSD Yes 3-axis, auto Yes Yes 4000/200
10K/200
Camera, Wireless data Compare at Amazon
Oregon 650 Color,
touch,
hi-res
1.5″ x 2.5″ 16 7.4 oz No microSD Yes 3-axis, auto Yes Yes 4000/200
10K/200
Camera, Wireless data Compare at Amazon
Oregon 650t Color,
touch,
hi-res
1.5″ x 2.5″ 16 7.4 oz Topo microSD Yes 3-axis, auto Yes Yes 4000/200
10K/200
Camera, Wireless data Compare at Amazon
Rino 650 Color,
touch
1.43″ x 2.15″ 14 11.3 oz No microSD Yes 3-axis ? Yes 2000/200
10K/200
Two-way radio
Compare prices

Rino 655t Color,
touch
1.43″ x 2.15″ 14 11.3 oz Yes microSD Yes 3-axis ? Yes 2000/200
10K/200
Two-way radio
Compare prices

Feature explanations

  • Display type – Monochrome and older high resolution (hi-res) units tend to be more difficult to read in daylight conditions. Even so, the newer hi-res units are suitable for handheld use, where you will intuitively tilt the screen for the best view. They can also be customized to enhance viewing in bright conditions. The only “hi-res” units I recommend for fixed mount, non-external power use (e.g., bike handlebars) are the Dakota and Oregon 6xx series.
  • Ability to add maps/storage – If a unit accepts maps, the storage medium or available internal memory is listed. Units with pre-loaded detailed maps also offer some internal storage, in addition to SD/microSD. Please note that there are lots of free maps available for these units.
  • Accepts custom maps – These units can accept custom raster maps and Garmin BirdsEye imagery.
  • Electronic compass – These units also have a barometric altimeter. You can read more about electronic compasses here. A two-axis compass must be held level; a three-axis (AKA tri-axial) compass does not need to be held level, but is more of a pain to calibrate. Units listed as auto generally do not need calibration.
  • Paperless geocaching – These units will display the full geocache description, cache size, difficulty and terrain ratings, and recent logs.
  • Turn by turn – These units can give turn-by-turn highway directions when the proper maps (usually City Navigator) are added, making them effective dual-use units.
  • Waypoints/Routes and Trackpoints/Tracks – The numbers listed are the number of waypoints and routes that can be saved, followed by the tracklog capacity and number of tracks that can be saved.
  • Miscellaneous – Wireless data refers to these unit’s ability to transfer data wirelessly with other compatible Garmin units. You can transfer waypoints, tracks, routes and geocache summaries (paperless caching details cannot be transferred).

Return to chart

Comments

  1. nongkim siang pertin says:

    sir
    i don’t know anything about this device but i heard that garmin is the best company for gps system and surveying, ,the thing thing is that i want to buy a device which could help me in measuring accurate latitudes ang longitudes for my projects can you suggest me which model might be best for this.

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