I've got a new Garmin, as the old one was getting a bit shonky, and it is better.
As well as the usual minor software changes that promise to transform my cycling life, it has a couple of genuine improvements:
(i) it has a new screen, which is (slightly) larger and clearer,
(ii) it has a new chipset, which is claimed to use less battery,
(iii) it has a bigger battery.
These last two seem to work. I used it for the Tri-Vets last week and it came in with 42% battery left. I then fiddled with it to reduce battery usage (it was using the backlight constantly, for example) and rode a 100k Audax on Sunday. It came in with 75% battery left.
This is a considerable improvement, and, for the real long distance rider, it is possible to buy a battery pack that clips under the GPS and extends the range even more. Garmin claim 40 hours + with one of these.
Garmin 830 - in shops now, as they say.
Mark
2 comments:
Longer battery life a much-needed enhancement - pity Garmin can't retro-fit a battery-life extender to the earlier 820. Mine rarely lasts 8hours, even with optimised screen saver, and a power-pack is used to boost battery life - that still wasn't enough on the Tri-Vets. 830 will have to go on a long wish-list!
I've long found with my even earlier 800 that navigating with map display on eats battery as it is continually redrawing. My solution was to set turn notifications on and ride with a data screen including "distance to next turn " and "off course" warnings. I found that gave plenty of battery for a century ride and the map pops up as a turn is approached.
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