Jump to content

Oregon 450 vs. GPSMAP 62s


Recommended Posts

Narrowed my choices down to these 2 devices; seems from their features they are very similar.

Most of this now seems to be coming down to small detail, so wonder if anyone can help sway one way or the other. Might seem minor but I don't want to make an expensive mistake.

 

My main question is about the screen. I like the larger screen on the Oregon but I am concerned about reflectiveness of the touch screen and how sensitive is the screen? I like the sensitivity of the touchscreen on my Nuvi but not on other products.

 

I assume loading maps, paperless geocaching and accuracy are pretty much the same on both? Is there anything else that's particularly different that I should consider?

 

Thanks! :)

Danielle

Link to comment

I have a Nuvi and Oregon 450.....I have no problem with the touch screens or the visibility of the 450 screen....it has a VERY high resolution screen while the 62S is less so but brighter.

The 450 , when is compass mode, has issues ,esp. under canopy, with " freezing up " and not continuing to record your movements.....its a GREAT unit otherwise. Cachers in this forum have stated that the compass on the 62S is smooth and records all movements....assuming this is true I'd get the 62S....by a very small margin.

Link to comment

The 450 , when is compass mode, has issues ,esp. under canopy, with " freezing up " and not continuing to record your movements.....its a GREAT unit otherwise. Cachers in this forum have stated that the compass on the 62S is smooth and records all movements....assuming this is true I'd get the 62S....by a very small margin.

 

Not sure where you got that part from. First, the behavior you describe is not related to the compass mode at all. Second, the chipset and software used in the 62 is pretty much identical to the Oregons, and so the 62 exhibits the same behavior (there's threads on this issue in here as well). I've found that the most recent firmware fixes the issue for me.

Link to comment

The 450 , when is compass mode, has issues ,esp. under canopy, with " freezing up " and not continuing to record your movements.....its a GREAT unit otherwise. Cachers in this forum have stated that the compass on the 62S is smooth and records all movements....assuming this is true I'd get the 62S....by a very small margin.

 

Not sure where you got that part from. First, the behavior you describe is not related to the compass mode at all. Second, the chipset and software used in the 62 is pretty much identical to the Oregons, and so the 62 exhibits the same behavior (there's threads on this issue in here as well). I've found that the most recent firmware fixes the issue for me.

 

I always use the " compass screen " as I walk to a cache ( distance to the cache is also shown ) ....at some point the distance will freeze, be it at 75', 120', etc and not change although I may have walked 50' further.The latest firmware has helped a lot but it will still do it on occasion. I've been told by forum users that this does not happen with the 62S....I'm taking their word for it and because of this I would lean to the 62S although I like the 450 better in almost every other way. I've never had issues with movement " freezing " with quad helix ant. units like my 60 CSx and Magellan Platinum which I still use and the 62S has the quad ant. so that may be the answer. I know its been said the "type" of ant. dosen't matter that much but its been written that the " size " does matter......you can't miss the quad on the CSX or the 60S. If the chip sets, hardware, software, etc of the newer units lock in faster and shows more satellites why can't it see me walking when the older ones can??

 

I've said it before.....they just needed to make the CSx paperless.....it DOES NOT ,as sold today, exhibit the problems discussed in these forums related to the 450 AND 62S.

Link to comment
I always use the " compass screen " as I walk to a cache ( distance to the cache is also shown ) ....at some point the distance will freeze, be it at 75', 120', etc and not change although I may have walked 50' further.The latest firmware has helped a lot but it will still do it on occasion. I've been told by forum users that this does not happen with the 62S....I'm taking their word for it ...

 

Maybe you should reconsider.

And the screen you have open doesn't matter, I've seen it do it on the map screen as well, and the recorded tracklog will also show it.

Link to comment

Bamboozle, the CSx was what I wanted originally but I was concerned that in 6 months I'd just want to spend a few hundred dollars more for paperless.

I am currently paperless but with 2 devices.

 

There are already quite a few threads on here about this. Did you read any of them?

 

I've read hundreds of pages of reviews, spent more $$ in time reading than the things cost. What I couldn't find were specific comparison of this question of these 2 units. If there are threads with the same question of these 2 models then I missed them when I was picking through the hundreds of other things to learn about them.

Link to comment

Bamboozle, the CSx was what I wanted originally but I was concerned that in 6 months I'd just want to spend a few hundred dollars more for paperless.

I am currently paperless but with 2 devices.

 

There are already quite a few threads on here about this. Did you read any of them?

 

I've read hundreds of pages of reviews, spent more $$ in time reading than the things cost. What I couldn't find were specific comparison of this question of these 2 units. If there are threads with the same question of these 2 models then I missed them when I was picking through the hundreds of other things to learn about them.

 

I hear you but its hard to believe that some one reads more about these gadgets than me :D

I've got a couple dozen or more GPS units....kind of a hobby in a hobby, all I believe are Magellans and Garmins. I've also got 4 Clie's and a few Palms.....you can be almost paperless with a CSx and a PDA but you won't be able to upload your finds to your computer for logging ( a WONDERFULL feature)

 

You're going to want to be paperless and I think you narrowed it down to the correct two units ( IMO....I picked the same two ) and I don't think you could go wrong either way.We got the 450 and have used it for almost 1000 caches side by side with a Magellan Platinum and Garmin 60 CSx but because of the " lock up " issues ( they don't happen as much or last as long with the newest firmware) I don't quite have the confidence in it I have in my older units. All else is REALLY nice...great case, sharp maps, very intuitive right out of the box....I use NiMH batteries and about 90 % of the time I have to change them once during 8 hours or so which I don't find to be a problem.All my other units have buttons but we found the touch screen kind of nice.

Owners of the 62S love it for the most part......I almost got one at the last REI sale.The last few to comment to me in the forum said they didn't have the " freeze" issue.

 

Really, take your pick and I think you'll like it :)

Link to comment
I always use the " compass screen " as I walk to a cache ( distance to the cache is also shown ) ....at some point the distance will freeze, be it at 75', 120', etc and not change although I may have walked 50' further.The latest firmware has helped a lot but it will still do it on occasion. I've been told by forum users that this does not happen with the 62S....I'm taking their word for it ...

 

Maybe you should reconsider.

And the screen you have open doesn't matter, I've seen it do it on the map screen as well, and the recorded tracklog will also show it.

 

Interesting ( I do now remember reading those )....yet the last few 62S owners to comment to me said they didn't experience it.

 

I know it dosen't only happen in the compass screen its just that its the screen I use when testing.

 

Like I told the OP, really it seems to be a toss up....I think he'd be happy with either.

I like the 450, I'm keeping it, and in the near future I'll maybe get a 62S as well ( or a handtruck and a Montana )

Link to comment
Interesting ( I do now remember reading those )....yet the last few 62S owners to comment to me said they didn't experience it.

 

Might've been due to the firmware. Like I said I'm also not seeing it any more on my Oregon.

Link to comment
Interesting ( I do now remember reading those )....yet the last few 62S owners to comment to me said they didn't experience it.

 

Might've been due to the firmware. Like I said I'm also not seeing it any more on my Oregon.

 

I put the 4.50 on a few weeks ago

Weekend before last it locked up/ pointed incorrectly in 1 of about 35 hunts ( serious canopy/jungle.....unit bordered being almost useless during this one hunt )

Last weekend in about 35 hunts it temp. locked up during 1 hunt for about 30 sec. then all was fine ( some canopy )

 

Maybe a future firmware will clear it up totally.

Link to comment

If there are threads with the same question of these 2 models then I missed them when I was picking through the hundreds of other things to learn about them.

There are, because many people have come down to the same two choices (or perhaps with a 3rd thrown in) and many have replied in kind.

 

If you are comparing the 62s and the 450, from a functional perspective, the difference is in the user interface - button vs. touchscreen -and how a given user reacts to that difference. The base functionality is otherwise the same.

Link to comment

I have found the touch screen in my 450 to be very similar to the touch screen on my Nuvi 500. I really like the 450 and wouldn't give it up for anything (except maybe the upcoming Montana.) With that said if you are curious I would go to a store like Best Buy or Gander Mountain. At least all of those stores by me have them out on display so you can see them in person.

Link to comment

The sunlight readability issue of the Oregon high resolution display won't be apparent looking at the units in the lighting of a Best Buy or Gander Mountain store. If buying one, buy it from someone with a good return policy like REI or Amazon so you can evaluate it outdoors under real world conditions for more than a few minutes.

 

Unless of course you intend to use it handheld, indoors, to navigate Best Buy stores.

Link to comment

I Just bought an Oregon 450 a couple weeks ago, and WHAT Sunlight issue?

 

Used it for 2 long days, Monday and Tuesday, outside in the sun all day and had 0 issues.

 

Had a friend in the area buy a 62s and regrets it. Says it locks up all the time, and was a mistake. That was a deal breaker for me. It's a coke/pepsi thing. Use them both, see what works for you.

 

I Had a 60csx before and loved it. That's why I was leaning to the 62, when I heard that I got the Oregon, and never looked back.

Link to comment

I Just bought an Oregon 450 a couple weeks ago, and WHAT Sunlight issue?

 

michaelnel here is pretty much the only one who keeps insisting on there being a sunlight issue. I think he just saw what he wanted to see.

Link to comment

Thanks guys! :D

 

I'd read several people mention a sunlight issue, hence my question to just boil it down to that one issue. I decided to take the plunge & order the 450 from Amazon. It arrives tomorrow so I will play with it and if we have a bright day, I can test out my worries. I am leery of touchscreens from past experience with other devices (sunlight and sensitivity) but I was also being outvoted at home (though *I* am the one with my face in the map when we are out so *I* should get the final say so LOL)

 

Bamboozle, lol I have spend nearly all week, every spare minute, reading about GPS. Also spend hour upon hour trying to get MapSource to work with free maps, only to find my W7 64 bit is a nightmare with it, so I also shelled out for the 450T b/c I figured the 6 hours at work rate it was just cheaper to buy the darn maps <_<

 

thanks again.

Link to comment

I think you'll be quite happy with it.

 

Be sure to get a couple belt clip sets. I find they wear out after a while and it's good to have the replacement ready when the old one isn't keeping it on my backpack shoulder strap. (Also, get a tube of epoxy or super glue and put a dab of it on the peg which projects through the metal spring on the inside, they often pop out and then the clip won't work without fiddling it back with a screwdriver or such. I should post some pictures of this...)

 

Had mine for just over a year now and about 2,000 finds. I'm quite spoiled on how easy it is to navigate screens and menus, not all of it is intuitive or customisable, but i put up with it. Get a screen guard as scratches will accumulate with use. I saw at least one which sells for about 12$, worth it really.

 

The 450 is a tough unit. I've had mine fall onto pave from 5 feet or so a couple times now. No damage, so far. zomg.gif

Link to comment

Thanks guys! :D

 

I'd read several people mention a sunlight issue, hence my question to just boil it down to that one issue. I decided to take the plunge & order the 450 from Amazon. It arrives tomorrow so I will play with it and if we have a bright day, I can test out my worries. I am leery of touchscreens from past experience with other devices (sunlight and sensitivity) but I was also being outvoted at home (though *I* am the one with my face in the map when we are out so *I* should get the final say so LOL)

 

Bamboozle, lol I have spend nearly all week, every spare minute, reading about GPS. Also spend hour upon hour trying to get MapSource to work with free maps, only to find my W7 64 bit is a nightmare with it, so I also shelled out for the 450T b/c I figured the 6 hours at work rate it was just cheaper to buy the darn maps <_<

 

thanks again.

 

I think you'll really like it a LOT.....if the unit didn't ship with ver 4.50 software you can download the web updater program from the Garmin website which will load the latest software to the unit.I bought the City Nav maps on a micro SD card for mine. Since we started caching I've been a fan of the soft canvas belt cases....the screens on all my units look like new.

Link to comment

I Just bought an Oregon 450 a couple weeks ago, and WHAT Sunlight issue?

 

michaelnel here is pretty much the only one who keeps insisting on there being a sunlight issue. I think he just saw what he wanted to see.

 

I don't think he took off those sun glasses when he was using it :D

 

Sorry Michael.....I couldn't pass it up :)

Link to comment

Tips for improving sunlight readability on Oregon:

 

1. Turn backlight to 100%.

2. Change your background to pure white, not one of the fancy ones Garmin provided. This page has instructions, and a bunch of white backgrounds with colored edges available in a ZIP file.

3. When outdoors in sun, try tilting your GPS receiver till it faces the sun. Experiment with it.

Link to comment

And yes, I always wear sunglasses when I am outdoors. Shouldn't a GPS be readable when I do?

 

That depends. Are they polarized? If they are, they will cause problems with any LCD screen, and it will depend on how you look at it (sideways, straight, etc).

 

FWIW, the Oregon's screen is made to work right with polarized sunglasses when looking at it straight, not so much when looking at it sideways.

Edited by dfx
Link to comment

And yes, I always wear sunglasses when I am outdoors. Shouldn't a GPS be readable when I do?

 

That depends. Are they polarized? If they are, they will cause problems with any LCD screen, and it will depend on how you look at it (sideways, straight, etc).

 

FWIW, the Oregon's screen is made to work right with polarized sunglasses when looking at it straight, not so much when looking at it sideways.

 

A couple of years ago my wife and I were caching in Houma, LA and I took a picture of an old church. The picture was dark and distorted on the LCD and I thought my new camera was ruined. My wife said it looked O.K. and the discussion got quite animated with me suggesting that she had vision problems ( I was actually worried )....She said, hey, I'm seeing it perfect, YOU have the problem.........then I took off the sunglasses...we still laugh about that one. :D

Link to comment

Thanks for the tips. I await FedEx impatiently and hope the clouds go away!

I wear polarized sunglasses, I will check with them too :) They are Rx so don't want to have to take 'em off, get my specs out, check the GPS, take my specs off, put on my sunglasses... or I could just teach kids how to use it and I follow.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...