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).
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.
the budget is below 15k