Garmin Colorado 400t Handheld GPS Unit with U.S. Topographic Preloaded Maps by Garmin
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Digital camera reviews of Garmin Colorado 400t Handheld GPS Unit with U.S. Topographic Preloaded Maps
Digital camera Review: A high end handheld GPS with lots of potential but hold off on your purchases for now.
Summary: 3 Stars
The Garmin Colorado is the third Garmin outdoor handheld which I've owned in the last ten years. I use GPSs for geocaching, hiking, boating and auto navigation and I have used the Garmin Colorado in all of these activities. Currently I have the Topo maps which come pre-installed on the unit and I also have the City Navigator North America NT 2009 driving maps installed. This review was written based on the Software version 2.51 and GPS Software 2.4.
I purchased the unit in January when it first came out. The first four months, like with many new tech products, have been bumpy. So far there have been 3 software releases which have made things much better but there is still much room for improvement. Overall I'll give the Colorado 3 out of 5 stars but I would recommend holding off on any purchase right now. Read on for more details.
First the good stuff.
- Paperless geocaching mode. Works very well and eliminates the need to carry paper or a Palm/PPC.
- Compact well balanced case and design. The design feels sturdy and fits well in your hand.
- Lots of memory and preloaded map data. This handheld has 4GB of internal memory (2.7GB used by Topo2008 maps) and you can expand with an SD card. I use an 8GB San Disk card.
- Profiles allow you to save and recall configuration depending on your mode of use (e.g. auto or hiking) or by user if there are multiple users.
- Big, high resolution screen as compared to most handhelds
- Autorouting. The Colorado was based on a Nuvi platform so I guess it makes sense that it is pretty good at autorouting using the optional City Navigator maps. No speech and no touch screen but it makes a decent unit if you don't have money for both.
Mixed bag.
- User interface. The Rock'n Roller and soft key entry method works pretty well for most tasks except text entry. Text entry is very time consuming and I avoid it whenever possible. Garmin has improved some aspects of the user interface by making it more simple but in the process they have removed many of the nice shortcuts available on the 60csx series that "expert users" enjoyed. Context sensitive setup options are a prime example. On the 60csx when you entered something like the altimeter page you could easily access the setup and calibration functions, not so on the Colorado. The result is a simpler interface for new users but a much less optimized interface for power users.
The not so good.
- Screen brightness. As compared to the 60cs(x) the screen is hard to read and you'll need to use the backlighting more frequently.
- Battery life. You'll need to use NiMH batteries and you'll need to use good ones, 2500 mAh or more. If you are willing to invest in these batteries and a good charger you'll still only get about 10hrs out of a pair.
- GPS accuracy. A lot of debate on this issue but personally I believe the unit isn't as stable and mature as the Sirf receiver in the 60csx. There are times when the unit wonders and has errors in the 400-500' range. Unfortunately recovery is slow and sometimes power cycling is the fastest way to get it back to normal.
- Waterproofness. IPX7 rated but many reports of leakage. This may be a design flaw or just a issue with early units, time will tell.
- There are many (mostly minor) software features (as of v2.51) that you will find on the 60csx but not the Colorado including waypoint averaging, search from a location on the map, search by waypoint symbol, calendar based recording of events, personalized startup screen, night/day mode, custom waypoint symbols, proximity alarms, viewing multiple tracks on map page and trackback. Some of this will probably be added over time but the list is pretty long so I'm sure some won't.
And the big issue:
- Hardware issues. I've watched a lot of the forums and news groups associated with the Colorado and many early owners have had to exchange their units two, three and in some cases even four times. The issues vary and are well documented but for this reason alone I would suggest holding off on a purchase for at least a few months until Garmin gets the formula right.
Digital camera Review: Accuracy unreliable
Summary: 2 Stars
This would be a fantastic unit if the accuracy was there. The Geocaching functionality is great, the 3D topo maps are beautiful for a base map, and the unit is fun to use. Compared to Garmin's star product, the Garmin GPSMap 60CSx 2.6-Inch Mapping Handheld GPS, it's a little harder to figure out how to do various things such as enter a route, and figure out the distance between two points. I would have kept the unit if only it were accurate. I had trouble finding a cache and noticed the location of the cache kept bouncing all over the place. I started to test the unit by taking a reading and checking it against Google Earth and Nat Geo Topo! software, as well as another GPSr. It was off by as much as 400 ft, and only as close as 40 ft. I also tested it with a few known benchmarks. At that point I did some research to determine if there was some calibration I could do to solve the problem, and found that other people have experienced the same problem. Several people reported it as a recurring problem cured by a power reset. My guess is the new chip Garmin put into the Colorado is not as reliable as the SiRF Star III chip used in the past. If that is the case, an update will not cure the problem. I personally want a unit I can rely on and needed to purchase now, so I exchanged it for the well regarded but older Garmin 60CSx, which contains the trusted SiRF Star III chip. If you really want the new features and can hold off buying, I recommend you wait until the accuracy has been tested by consumers for a longer period of time. If you don't mind an occasional reset, and having to guess if your unit is giving you accurate readings or not, this is a good GPSr.Digital camera Review: Amazing Device!
Summary: 5 Stars
I am amazed at the new Garmin Colorado 400T. It is nice, feels good and does not look cheap. I use regular batteries and it has a long enough life for one day being full on, and display at maximum brightness. Is is not 100% accurate as when I was walking in New York city my path (trail) was not marked by a straight line, but instead with curvy lines that followed the streets I walked on. It did not lose reception anywhere, even when in building 'canyons'. Another interesting part is that when on the train to New York it kept reception at all times unless I was in tunnel before the city. Lastly when I was flying from Florida to New Jersey I figured I would try device to see what it found. It picked my location while I was sitting in an aisle seat, kept track of flight, and showed plane airspeed. I am very happy with this unit and now take it everywhere. It is interesting to know where you are all of the time!Digital camera Review: Amazing...once you update the firmware
Summary: 4 Stars
I used to have a Garmin eTrex Vista and loved it. I used it for geocaching, driving in unfamiliar places and other stuff. I recently sold it and bought the 400t. I had read reviews talking about poor battery life, inaccurate tracking, and complex interface and was a little apprehensive about getting it. I did take the plunge and have no regrets. The first thing I did when I got it was update the firmware (2.51 right now) which has corrected just about every major and minor problem I've ever read about this unit.
It is super accurate, very easy to read, and navigation is a one hand operation thanks to that "Rock 'n' Roller" gadget on top. In fact, the only thing that really bugs me about this unit is that when the USB is plugged in, I can't use it for anything except xferring of data. That means that when plugged into a car mount and wanting to use the car power for the device, it won't function, and that just makes no sense to me what so ever. Garmin, if you're listening...this thing could be a five star product if you'd just allow the thing to be used on vehicle power!
Digital camera Review: Awesome GPS
Summary: 5 Stars
Awesome GPS. Be sure to buy the world map from Garmin, really increases functionality of this GPS if you go outside of America.