Comparing Garmin GPS Handheld Systems

Garmin make a wide range of GPS handheld systems to suit all needs, and these come in all different shapes and sizes to perform a wide range of different tasks.  Although the core function of all Garmin GPS is the same – to pinpoint your location on the earth’s surface by triangulating the signal from a network of satellites high in the sky above you, the actual way in which you read the data from them, and plan your journey using them varies considerably.

The simplest Garmin GPS are the small handheld devices.  These start from around $100 for a really basic system like the Garmin Etrex GPS, which simply tells you your co-ordinates with a high degree of accuracy.  The large monochrome screen provides you with all the information that you need to navigate including your current position, the direction of North, your current speed, and the exact time based on the Satellite signal.  This basic model provides everything that you need to get around, but it does need to be used in conjunction with appropriate mapping in order to be really useful

BY spending a little more, around $250 will buy you a much more complex system like the Garmin GPSMAP 76S.  With these higher level systems, you still get all the convenience of a hand held GPS device, but they also come with a number of additional features including a barometric altimeter, which means that they are more useful on land, and also an internal memory of around 24MB, which is enough to cope with mapping data for a relatively large area.

Top end handheld Garmin GPS like the Garmin Etrex Legend handheld feature a full color screen, and substantial features including the ability to use multiple maps on MicroSD cards. The Legend costs from around $270, and is ideal for land or sea use, as it is fully weather proof, and very accurate as a navigation tool.

An alternative to a dedicated handheld Garmin GPS is a plug in for your existing PDA.  While these fall down on their ability to offer the same kind of resilience and hard wearing shells of the actual Garmin GPS devices, they come in at a lower cost, and allow you to use the large high resolution screen of your PDA to display your position, and a map.  Prices start from around $135 for a basic system going up to more than $400 for a top of the range model with changeable maps and much more besides.

If you do not need to be able to swap your GPS from one vehicle to another, and have a cabin where you can protect your Garmin system from the worst of the elements, a fixed Mount GPS is a good choice.  These complex devices contain the same basic technology as a handheld, but feature larger screens, and more functions.  Because they are fixed into place, they are generally slightly more accurate.  They also do not rely on a battery supply, and so can be left on all the time to provide much more comprehensive tracking of your position as you travel.  Models such as the Garmin GPS 152-External series start from around $250 each, and are very easily fitted into almost any setting you require.

At the very top of the pile in terms of functionality (and cost), Garmin GPS Plotters offer the ultimate in navigation technology.  Thanks to their military grade hardware, ultra modern interfaces, and always on technology, they provide you with the best possible system for tracking your position anywhere in the world.  GPS Plotters such as the Garmin GPSMAP 276C feature a 3.8 inches color screen that displays an easy to read local map, and all the other features that you would expect from a top of the range model from as little as $599 – a fraction of the cost of some high end models from other manufacturers.
 
Choosing the right kind of GPS system is a matter of deciding what your needs are, and then picking the one that best fits you.  If you are not going to use it often, opt for a handheld device that will be adequate for general use, or alternatively choose a plug in for your existing PDA to save space.  For more hard working environments, choose a fixed mount GPS or a GPS plotter, which you know that you can rely on at any time to provide you with appropriate and accurate information when you need it.  You should always buy the best device you can comfortably afford, and bear in mind that your needs may change over time, so consider a model that is flexible enough to grow with you.