Waumbek
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The February 2009 issue of Consumer Reports rates seven GPS models and ranks them as follows:
1) Garmin Oregon 400t (overall score 73) $600
2) Garmin Colorado 400t (71) $600
3) Garmin Oregon 200 (61) $450
4) Magellan Triton 2000 (60) $500
5) Garmin GPSMap 60CSx (60) $400
6) Magellan Triton 500 (59) $250
7) Garmin eTrex Venture HC (58) $150
Ratings are based on guidance, geocaching, portability, display and "extras" as well as features (topo map, battery life, screen size). Scores are Ex, VG, G, F, P.
CR recommends the #3 and #7 Garmin models. They don't explain their choice of #3 (perhaps it's the relatively longer battery life of 13 hours and cheaper price than #1 and #2). #7 is praised as a basic no-frills model with "performance" matching that of the more expensive models.
They note that #5 has electronic compass and altimeter.
It's unclear to me what the "guidance" test includes--accuracy? ability to receive a signal in cover? Or is that "performance"? I would like to see different--or perhaps more specifically described--criteria used in their ratings.
I'd also like to know why CR recommends the Garmin Oregon 200 over the GPSMap 60CSx. They're only 1 point apart in overall rating, but $50 in price. The biggest difference is that the Oregon rates an "excellent" on geocaching, the 60CSx a "good." Neither includes topo maps.
Has anyone used the Garmin Oregon 200?
1) Garmin Oregon 400t (overall score 73) $600
2) Garmin Colorado 400t (71) $600
3) Garmin Oregon 200 (61) $450
4) Magellan Triton 2000 (60) $500
5) Garmin GPSMap 60CSx (60) $400
6) Magellan Triton 500 (59) $250
7) Garmin eTrex Venture HC (58) $150
Ratings are based on guidance, geocaching, portability, display and "extras" as well as features (topo map, battery life, screen size). Scores are Ex, VG, G, F, P.
CR recommends the #3 and #7 Garmin models. They don't explain their choice of #3 (perhaps it's the relatively longer battery life of 13 hours and cheaper price than #1 and #2). #7 is praised as a basic no-frills model with "performance" matching that of the more expensive models.
They note that #5 has electronic compass and altimeter.
It's unclear to me what the "guidance" test includes--accuracy? ability to receive a signal in cover? Or is that "performance"? I would like to see different--or perhaps more specifically described--criteria used in their ratings.
I'd also like to know why CR recommends the Garmin Oregon 200 over the GPSMap 60CSx. They're only 1 point apart in overall rating, but $50 in price. The biggest difference is that the Oregon rates an "excellent" on geocaching, the 60CSx a "good." Neither includes topo maps.
Has anyone used the Garmin Oregon 200?
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