The Garmin Edge 800 was a fantastic little flagship product and it still remains as a popular product today since it sells a bit cheaper. But if you compare the product with an average smartphone, the Garmin Edge 800 looks heavily outdated. The GPS capabilities of a Garmin product will always be superior compared to any smartphone right now but the user interface and connectivity options have some room for improvement. The Garmin Edge 810 GPS bike computer represents the company’s attempt to make these improvements while matching the price of the Edge 800 when it first came out.
Design
The Garmin Edge 810 launched alongside the Garmin Edge 510 and it is easy to tell one from the other. The 810 has a slightly larger 2.6-inch display for better visibility. In fact, the Garmin Edge 810 GPS bike computer is exactly like its predecessor externally. That is a good thing because the design of the Edge 810 is meant to last for a long time because of its rugged structure and waterproof nature. It may not survive a lengthy period of time in the lake but harsh weather conditions shouldn’t put a dent on this device.
Although the touchscreen will serve as your navigation gateway, the Garmin Edge 810 still features a pair of physical buttons that make it easy for timekeeping purposes. The physical power button also functions as a screen lock and a brightness adjustment tool.
Features
One of the biggest improvements the Garmin Edge 810 GPS bike computer has over the older model is the refined user interface. In a nutshell, the Garmin Edge 810 sports a redesigned interface that eases the learning curve for new users and makes overall usability less complicated. In addition, working with different bikes is a lot less of a hassle. The device lets you predefine up to 10 bike types (up from 5) and pick the data fields you desire just like you can in the older model. You can also have 5 sub-categories assigned for each bike for more customization possibilities. The configuring does take a bit of work but once the various profiles are set, you can easily choose the one you wish to ride from the home screen.
The Garmin Edge 810 GPS bike computer is not just a slightly larger version of the Garmin Edge 510. The one feature that is exclusive to the 800 series is the built-in map navigation support. Just take note that a single map is preinstalled and it isn’t very detailed. If you can legally obtain a static image of your map area, you could upload it and manually align the coordinates for better map detail.
If you haven’t purchased the Garmin Edge 800 but were planning to, the Garmin Edge 810 is the better deal because of Edge 810’s ability to link to GLONASS satellites. With this new compatibility, the device locks on to satellites a lot faster and you are less likely to have signal issues in remote areas.
Thanks to the addition to Bluetooth, you can also pair the Edge 810 with any iOS or Android device running the free Garmin Connect app. This app makes it simple to upload statistics to your Garmin Connect account and optionally share it via Facebook or Twitter. It is also possible to share data as you progress through the LiveTrack feature if your device is constantly paired with the smartphone.
Bottom Line
Like its predecessor, the Garmin Edge 810 GPS bike computer is a reliable GPS device with ANT+ connectivity and 15+ hour battery life. The interface and connectivity improvements are very much welcome for new bike owners that need easy navigation.