Do I need the new Monterra?

[+zeus661]

I already have the Montana 650t and am wondering if I should add a Monterra to my equipment? Other than wifi and FM radio what does the Monterra have to offer?

 

Also am I right the Monterra will fit in the Montana mounts?

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Bugs... I hear-tell.

[insig]

Also am I right the Monterra will fit in the Montana mounts?

 

Yes.

[+Mineral2]

Do you need a Monterra?

 

No.

 

So let's rephrase the question: Do you want a Monterra?

[dictum9]

I am in the same boat. Have a Montana 650T and wondering if I should upgrade to Monterra. Thus far I am inclined not too.

 

I am waiting for something a little better. The thing that will sell me is a higher resolution. Any Garmin device looks awful compared to even a low-resolution 'smart phone', let alone a High-Definition smart phone. Garmin really needs a higher DPI. Montana is a huge upgrade from 60CSX but still has a way to go. I am surprised Monterra did not upgrade the resolution. And possibly a larger screen. Larger battery drain notwithstanding.

[insig]

A lower resolution screen has more space between the pixels which allows more sunlight to reflect off the screen. This makes it easier to read outside without cranking up the backlight and burning through your batteries quickly. Just about any transflective handheld GPS screen out there is much easier to read than a smartphone in bright sunlight.

[dictum9]

I am aware of the obvious. As I indicated, I am willing to pay that price for better picture quality. Make it take 4xAA batteries. Increase the capacity of the Li-Ion cell as well to double or triple where it's at. It's too low anyway.

 

Smart phone makers are coming out with 4K smart phones real soon. What will that do to pic quality. The 1080 HD models already look stunning in about a 6" package. I will get a Garmin if they seriously increase the DPI and possibly the screen size. To me, the DPI count is more important than screen size but a 1080P in a 5.5" unit looks stunning.

 

Monterra is the same recycled stuff we already have.

[+Mineral2]

A GPS is not a smart phone. If you want all the bells and whistles of a mini computer, then use your smartphone or mini tablet. But a GPS has a very different purpose, and that is why the GPS manufacturers haven't rushed to build one that competes with a smart phone. I also predict that the Monterra is doomed and that Garmin will eventually abandon it for a more traditional handheld.

[dictum9]

I don't want all the bells and whistles of a mini computer. I want a high quality large display where I can see every detail on the map. I don't need wifi or even a camera.

I used 60CSX for a number of years, then Montana which was a big upgrade from that. But I can see where they can make further improvements. Stick a 9,000 MaH Li-Ion cell in it if you have to, like I did in my smart phone to get a 2-day runtime. I want PQ at any price.

 

Looking at the google maps in my HD smart phone next to 24K maps in Montana, the latter looks so 2005.

 

They don't need to replicate a smart phone. I want PQ and water resistance and shock resistance and all these GPS features. Smart phones make very poor GPS units. If that was not the case, I would have dumped Garmin a long time ago.

[+Mineral2]

I just don't share your same sentiment. I find the map on my Oregon 450 to be just fine in readability and detail. I like being able to use AA batteries that I can exchange in the field when they do dead. I like that I can read my screen in daylight (and even dim light) without having to turn on the backlight.

 

You're comparing the way a Garmin map looks to Google maps. It's apples and oranges because of the way the maps are built and rendered. It's not just about screen resolution, but Google Maps look better on a computer than Garmin maps do in Basecamp. Then again, no maps look as good as a paper map.

[dictum9]

Yes, I know about AA batteries. To build up the same voltage, they need to use 4xAA cells. With NiMh chemistry, that's 1.2V*4 =4.8V or surpassing Li-Ion in voltage or capacity. 3 cells is an odd number anyway.

[+twinjayhawks]

I received mine this week and so far I have seen very few bugs. I loaded 5000 geocaches very quickly. I love it so far.

[Fangamon]

Probably better to get something else.