Garmin Edge 820
With the Garmin Edge 820, Garmin has a more compact and more affordable alternative to the Edge 1030 on offer, going for € 399.99. How does it differ from its big brother
The Garmin Edge 820 appears overshadowed by the much larger Edge 1030, but comes with almost the same features. The colour display is much smaller at 2.3 inches but is still large enough not to force a squint when trying to read the map. The adjustable touch screen cannot keep up with the advanced version of its big brother and doesn’t respond as sensitively.
Uploading gpx files from your smartphone to the GPS unit is quite complicated as you have to use the Internet browser to upload it to the Garmin Connect platform before sending it from the Garmin Connect app to the Edge 820 via Bluetooth. Using the USB connection on your laptop is a lot easier since you only have to drag the gpx file into the “New Files” folder of the Garmin using the Explorer or Finder.
We repeatedly encountered issues with the stability of the connection: whenever the GPS device tried to communicate with a smartphone or other wireless network, it often took a while for the items to sync. It became clear that Garmin lacks simple and smooth solutions, and thus lags noticeably behind the benchmark set by Wahoo.
With arrows and very specific prompts, route navigation is slower than the Edge 1030. Occasionally the device had difficulty keeping up with the automatic map rotation, such as at large roundabouts. Its route calculation also took longer than the Edge 1030, which was by no means quick. This gives the impression that the processor of the Edge 820, which was launched in September 2016, is overstrained by the range of functions required of it – in the 3 minutes it took to calculate a route on our test track, you can go and have an espresso while you wait. The depth of detail on the map, shown in different colours, certainly offers added value off-road. However, according to Garmin, the map is mainly intended for road bike navigation, and in combination with the smaller display, it often provides a poor overview of the route. A big plus: if you do happen to deviate off the planned route, the Edge 820 automatically re-routes with a short delay.
GPX-transfer: 16 Klicks
GPS accuracy:
Navigation:
Battery runtime:
Price: € 399.99
Route calculation time: 02:58 Min
Usability:
Value for money:
Design:
Weight: 68 g
More info: garmin.com
There is a price difference of about € 200 between the Garmin Edge 820 and its big brother, the Edge 1030. With its compact size, the Edge 820 provides all the key functions but compared to the Edge 1030 you have to accept a reduction in processing speed, display sensitivity and readability. Regarding usability and connectivity, both Edge models need to step up their game.
