Garmin handheld GPS comparison chart

The 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).

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