Does Purchasing the Colorado 300 Make More Sense?

[GOSALUKIS]

Hello, I've been reading this great forum for a while, but this is my first post. There are so many threads about the Colorado units that I wasn't sure where to put this question, so I just figured I would start a new thread, sorry. This may be a dumb question to some of you, but I'm a noob, I can't help it.

 

I noticed in another thread recently that the 400t does not have as much memory as some were expecting. Due to this, does it make more sense to purchase a 300 and the Mapsource software separately? I thought I read somewhere on this site that the 300 would end up with more free memory than the 400t if you downloaded Topo 2008 from your computer to an SD card instead of purchasing the 400t with the preinstalled software.

 

Also, just so I have clarification: A 300 using an SD card loaded with Topo 2008 is absolutely no different than a 400t, right?

 

Thanks in advance, and I'm sorry for starting a new thread.

[+g-o-cashers]

Hello, I've been reading this great forum for a while, but this is my first post. There are so many threads about the Colorado units that I wasn't sure where to put this question, so I just figured I would start a new thread, sorry. This may be a dumb question to some of you, but I'm a noob, I can't help it.

 

I noticed in another thread recently that the 400t does not have as much memory as some were expecting. Due to this, does it make more sense to purchase a 300 and the Mapsource software separately? I thought I read somewhere on this site that the 300 would end up with more free memory than the 400t if you downloaded Topo 2008 from your computer to an SD card instead of purchasing the 400t with the preinstalled software.

 

Also, just so I have clarification: A 300 using an SD card loaded with Topo 2008 is absolutely no different than a 400t, right?

 

Thanks in advance, and I'm sorry for starting a new thread.

 

The FAQ linked in my signature has this question answered in detail -- see the General Information section.

 

But in summary I think it comes down to this:

 

1. If you already have Topo2008 or don't need Topo2008 it makes sense to purchase a 300, otherwise

2. It is a trade off between these two items:

 

* If you want the ability to manage maps and plan trips on your PC then you should by a 300 because you can use the Topo2008 DVD on your PC, the 400t maps don't support this.

* If you want to have lots (> 4-5GB) of map or other data loaded on your Colorado (particularly Topo2008) then you should consider a 400t because of its larger memory configuration.

 

There are other minor differences as pointed out in the FAQ but I think these are the big differences.

 

GO$Rs

[tgfoyl1472]

Hello, I've been reading this great forum for a while, but this is my first post. There are so many threads about the Colorado units that I wasn't sure where to put this question, so I just figured I would start a new thread, sorry. This may be a dumb question to some of you, but I'm a noob, I can't help it.

 

I noticed in another thread recently that the 400t does not have as much memory as some were expecting. Due to this, does it make more sense to purchase a 300 and the Mapsource software separately? I thought I read somewhere on this site that the 300 would end up with more free memory than the 400t if you downloaded Topo 2008 from your computer to an SD card instead of purchasing the 400t with the preinstalled software.

 

Also, just so I have clarification: A 300 using an SD card loaded with Topo 2008 is absolutely no different than a 400t, right?

 

Thanks in advance, and I'm sorry for starting a new thread.

 

The FAQ linked in my signature has this question answered in detail -- see the General Information section.

 

But in summary I think it comes down to this:

 

1. If you already have Topo2008 or don't need Topo2008 it makes sense to purchase a 300, otherwise

2. It is a trade off between these two items:

 

* If you want the ability to manage maps and plan trips on your PC then you should by a 300 because you can use the Topo2008 DVD on your PC, the 400t maps don't support this.

* If you want to have lots (> 4-5GB) of map or other data loaded on your Colorado (particularly Topo2008) then you should consider a 400t because of its larger memory configuration.

 

There are other minor

 

 

But I thought the memory difference between the 300 & 400 was know irrelevant since Garmin decreased it with the new chipset

differences as pointed out in the FAQ but I think these are the big differences.

 

GO$Rs

[+g-o-cashers]

If you want all/most of Topo2008 loaded then the 400t might still make sense even with the smaller internal memory in the newer units.

 

With all/most of Topo2008 loaded on an SD card you'll have about 380MB of free memory on a 300. With all of Topo2008 on a 400t you still haven't touched the SD card so you have about 4GB free memory for other things (other map data, images, etc).

 

Granted I do think most people will opt for the 300 unless they really need all of the memory in the 400t.

 

GO$Rs

[+Evshro & son]

If you want all/most of Topo2008 loaded then the 400t might still make sense even with the smaller internal memory in the newer units.

 

With all/most of Topo2008 loaded on an SD card you'll have about 380MB of free memory on a 300. With all of Topo2008 on a 400t you still haven't touched the SD card so you have about 4GB free memory for other things (other map data, images, etc).

 

Granted I do think most people will opt for the 300 unless they really need all of the memory in the 400t.

 

GO$Rs

 

Do you agree, that for the cacher who would still use the Colorado for trip planning every so often, that the 300 would be best because it now seems to have more internal memory. Unless somthing has changed you can't place GPX files on the sd card and read them...right? I am also wondering if cache descriptions are being viewed more quickly now with the updates. Thanks for the input on the board..it has been helpful!

[tgfoyl1472]

If you want all/most of Topo2008 loaded then the 400t might still make sense even with the smaller internal memory in the newer units.

 

With all/most of Topo2008 loaded on an SD card you'll have about 380MB of free memory on a 300. With all of Topo2008 on a 400t you still haven't touched the SD card so you have about 4GB free memory for other things (other map data, images, etc).

 

Granted I do think most people will opt for the 300 unless they really need all of the memory in the 400t.

 

GO$Rs

 

Do you agree, that for the cacher who would still use the Colorado for trip planning every so often, that the 300 would be best because it now seems to have more internal memory. Unless somthing has changed you can't place GPX files on the sd card and read them...right? I am also wondering if cache descriptions are being viewed more quickly now with the updates. Thanks for the input on the board..it has been helpful!

 

I have also read somewhere else in this forum that the world basemap on the 300 has more detail than the 400t. Is that true? If that's the case it may definitely prove better once you add the Topo 2008. You may not even need to purchase City Navigator....

[+apersson850]

Not that I've seen any 400, but that's most certainly not true. If they remove details from the basemap in the 300, then only things like galaxies remain.

[tgfoyl1472]

Not that I've seen any 400, but that's most certainly not true. If they remove details from the basemap in the 300, then only things like galaxies remain.

 

But the details that you mentioned (like major cities and borders I believe) are only available on the 300 not the 400t, right?

Edited February 13, 2008 by tgfoyl1472

[rwsmith123]

The 300 comes with a worldwide basemap, the 400t comes with an americas basemap. With no aditional maps loaded the 400t will only show country borders and some dots for major citys outside of North/South America. The 300 will show major highways in those same ares.

[+Evshro & son]

The 300 comes with a worldwide basemap, the 400t comes with an americas basemap. With no aditional maps loaded the 400t will only show country borders and some dots for major citys outside of North/South America. The 300 will show major highways in those same ares.

 

So correct me if I am wrong here, but it sounds like with the 300 and the purchase of Topo 2008 you are missing nothing that the 400t has, and you have the added benefit of using topo on the PC and a little extra internal memory on the GPS.

[+apersson850]

As you'll have to put the Topo maps on the SD card, you are missing the ability to combine having the topo maps and some maps on a pre-loaded card in the unit at the same time. But that's all I can think of.

[+Evshro & son]

Well, I downgraded to the 300. I like the idea of having the maps on the computer as well, and the extra internal memory doesn't hurt either. I am still wondering if the cache descriptions are loading faster than they were.