Then there’s the point of actual GPS functionality. That said, this point is moot if you have a wired power connection on your motorcycle for a phone or GPS. And, if you find yourself in trouble at the end of the day, it’s probably better to have a dead GPS and a fully charged phone than the other way around. Both can be tailored to use less battery life by changing settings, but there’s a good chance the standalone GPS unit will outperform a phone. A GPS is built to provide maximum performance for one thing, navigating. For a phone, running GPS-based apps takes a lot of effort. If size matters, which some say it does, there’s no real competition for the smartphone.īattery life is another point of consideration. That said, I don’t need all of those pixels while I’m on the motorcycle, and GPS units made specifically for riding put an emphasis on visibility in adverse or pleasant sunny conditions. And while the Montana 700i screen is pretty brilliant for a GPS, the Samsung’s is at a different level. The Garmin Montana 700i sitting on my desk has a five inch screen while the Samsung Galaxy’s next to it measures over 6.5 inches. Afterward, it worked as though nothing had happened without a scratch on the thing.Īt one time you might have been able to argue that the screens on cell phones were too small, but that’s no longer the case. Heck, when I was on vacation in Nevada, my GPS unit ended up separated from the motorcycle and down the trail from a hard, fast get-off. Most GPS units built for motorcycling or outdoor use are built to MIL-spec standards that include weatherproofness and impact resistance. That is significantly less than the Samsung Galaxy S20+ that I keep safely stowed in my pack during rides. I think I paid $120 for the first Garmin GPS that I used for navigating off-road. On the flip side, I wouldn’t want to mount my smartphone – that I use and rely on for so many other things – on the handlebars of my dirtbike. Having one device to carry around is the ultimate convenience. You can do so much with modern smartphones in addition to navigation.
#Garmin mobile xt on iphone pro
In fact, convenience is probably the biggest pro that smartphones have going for them. Most smartphones have a lot to offer by way of modern conveniences. Let’s have a closer look at the pros and cons of both. So are standalone GPS units even worth having around anymore? As phones continue to advance – as well as GPS units – the lines between the two continue to become more blurred. A smartphone works quite well for nav among dozens of other things, occasionally at the same time. Navigation, however, is one of the features people from all walks – and levels of technological literacy – use on a daily basis. Before we get too far into this, let’s face it, smartphones have come a long way and are capable of doing things most don’t understand and some can’t comprehend.