Garmin 62s for $199 vs Garmin 62sc for $249?

[+antigocache]

Ok, so I am looking at buying a secondary unit to have for the sad and inevitable day that my current Colorado 300 calves... I am seeing these two units being

offered at their respective prices. Is the extra 50 bucks well worth it to have the camera feature and double the internal memory? To be honest, the 5megapixel

camera with the 62sc is not whatsoever a selling point to me as my Iphone camera would seemingly take better pictures anyways. I guess what I am asking for is

for people to either help persuade or disuade me to purchase the 62sc for 249... What else is there that I would be benefiting from by buying the 62sc rather

than the 62s? Are the pre-installed basemaps garbage quality on the two units or are they decent?

antigocache

[Forkeye]

The basemaps are useless. look for free maps at GPSFileDepot.com . Also Garmin topo USA and Canads are also so so. Garmin topo National parks and Backroads topo in Canada { not Garmin } are pretty good as is the free Nortwest topo, but I have no Idea where you live either. I have the 62sc, the jury is still out on the camera....its a little disappointing, photos are darker and really not as good as an Iphone but not bad if shot in bright light. Lets just say on a hiking trip, I will use my Panasonic Lumix for trip photos any day, even beats my Iphone hands down. Also you cant see the camera screen on the 62sc at all in bright sunlight, even if you turn on the backlight, its not like looking at the daylight gps screen at all, which was another disappointment. Just aim and hope for the best. I got it for geo tagging photos other than that the differences are 62s gets 4 hours more battery life, has less internal memory and has a jack for an external antenna which the 62sc lost for the camera. I wouldn't worry too much about the internal memory because you can put either maps or photos on an add on chip. Unless you buy maps pre loaded on a chip and then you may have to use your internal memory for other maps and photos, thats when internal memory can be an issue. This is a plus the 62sc has. I am glad I have lots of memory since I have lots of different maps since I live on the 49th parallel and spend lots of time in the USA and Canada, but my situation is a bit unique, and since I hike alot topo maps are what I load on my unit. I like the color of the band around the 62sc better than the red on the 62s...but who cares about that.

The 62 series has a battery saver mode where the screen shuts off, but it keeps recording tracks and receiving your sat. signal tracking your position ,press any key to wake it up, you set the screen time out for battey saver mode by setting the backlight display timeout. So unless you want the screen on all the time then maybe the 4 hrs extra time on the 62s may not be an issue.

I may pick up a 62s this black Friday as well...I have no real regrets buying the 62sc though.

I have lots of memory in my 62sc as I have the internal and then ordered my deadicated chip for Backroads topo with a 4 gig chip which has just over 2 gig extra unused space when all my map tiles for the topo are installed on that chip. Those map tiles will only work ,be unlocked on that chip. Hope I didn't confuse you too much. The 1.7 gig of internal memory on my Etrex 30 has never been an issue for me either. Just load less map tiles or geo tagged photos, the camera on the 62sc is really for geo tagging photos for Garmin Adventures, not for taking great trip pictures.

Edited November 26, 2013 by Forkeye

[insig]

The 62sc has a faster processor than the 62s. If you can hold them side-by-side, try flipping through the menus or panning/zooming on the map (make sure the map settings are identical).

[Forkeye]

Oh really, maybe thats what causes the slight decrease in battery life. Map panning is very fast. When I bought my 62sc I also had the 62s for 2 days and then sent it back.

I dont remember comparing map redraw times though.

[+BlackRose67]

Assuming the 62s for $199 is the one from REI in the US.

Add on currency exchange, shipping costs to Canada, plus you'll most likely get nailed with duty and/or brokerage fees (if they use UPS, don't even bother trying) and the price could go well past the $249 for the 62sc.

 

I think the choice was just made easier:

 

Sorry. We no longer have this item in stock.

The item you selected, Garmin GPSMAP 62s GPS, is no longer available.

Edited November 26, 2013 by BlackRose67

[+BAMBOOZLE]

Assuming the 62s for $199 is the one from REI in the US.

Add on currency exchange, shipping costs to Canada, plus you'll most likely get nailed with duty and/or brokerage fees (if they use UPS, don't even bother trying) and the price could go well past the $249 for the 62sc.

 

I think the choice was just made easier:

 

Sorry. We no longer have this item in stock.

The item you selected, Garmin GPSMAP 62s GPS, is no longer available.

 

Yep.....not offered at any price at REI.

It was a great deal that I don't think will be surpassed on black Friday or cyber Monday.

[Forkeye]

I saw them last night on REIs site still for sale at $199 shipping only to USA address only though. If you had a postal drop box you would be fine, but the duty and taxes could make it not worth it for Canadians.

GPS City is having some sort of black Friday sale but I dont think it will be as low as $199 for a 62s

Edited November 26, 2013 by Forkeye

[+luvvinbird]

I saw them last night on REIs site still for sale at $199 shipping only to USA address only though. If you had a postal drop box you would be fine, but the duty and taxes could make it not worth it for Canadians.

GPS City is having some sort of black Friday sale but I dont think it will be as low as $199 for a 62s

Since you own a 62sc, do you think $249 is a good price to pay? I live in Canada (Toronto) and I can order it on-line from Costco. Shipping costs are included, BTW. Good deal?

[+antigocache]

I think my plan at this point is to hold off and wait and see what comes up in terms of deals for Black Friday as well as next Monday's "Cyber Monday", and if nothing

else comes up that stands out as a stellar deal, it appears as though the GarminGPSMap62sc from Costco for 249 is the way to go, at least here for us in Canada that is...

antigocache

[Forkeye]

Wow..$249 is excellent, http://www.gpscity.ca/garmin-gpsmap-62sc.html , $359 at GPS City in Calgary, I think that's what I paid. I never thought of Costco online. GPS City is supposed to have some Black Friday deals coming up ,but I bet they wont be going for $249.If you get one and get the Garmin Case for it, which is good, make sure you get the correct one as the one for the 62sc has a little different cut on the back for the camera lens as opposed to the one for the 62s.

I am sure you guys will like the 62sc, its very fast and gets the same displayed accuracy as my Etrex 30 does with Glonass

Oh..I remember my 62sc came with a 120/240 volt battery charger, with different power plugs for use any where, and 2 AA rechargeable batteries too, while the 62s I had for a couple of days didn't come with it.

Here is the battery/charger kit $30 separate... http://www.gpscity.ca/garmin-aa-rechargable-battery-kit.html not worth the $100 more I paid, who knows maybe you will get it too for $249

Costco one comes with the batteries and charger too..great deal

Edited November 27, 2013 by Forkeye

[+BlackRose67]

I am sure you guys will like the 62sc, its very fast and gets the same displayed accuracy as my Etrex 30 does with Glonass

That is good to know.

 

I have an eTrex 20 and while I like it, I need a GPS with a 3-axis compass, does Chirps, and can transfer caches to other units.

I didn't want to give up the GLONASS, which has helped me when under a heavy canopy.

 

I'm waiting to see what GPSCity has for their Black Friday sale and will decide after seeing what they have.

[Forkeye]

The 62sc does fine in thick forest to bad they missed putting glonass in it though.

Still like my Etrex 30 too, smaller, lighter,25hrs battery time

Much slower but its still a good unit and I dont seem to have the problems others seem to.

Edited November 27, 2013 by Forkeye

[+BlackRose67]

Wow..$249 is excellent, http://www.gpscity.ca/garmin-gpsmap-62sc.html , $359 at GPS City in Calgary, I think that's what I paid. I never thought of Costco online. GPS City is supposed to have some Black Friday deals coming up ,but I bet they wont be going for $249.

They did.

 

GPSCity has dropped the price to beat Costco by 4 cents. $249.95

 

The 62s is currently $199.95

Edited November 28, 2013 by BlackRose67

[+BAMBOOZLE]

The 62sc does fine in thick forest to bad they missed putting glonass in it though.

Still like my Etrex 30 too, smaller, lighter,25hrs battery time

Much slower but its still a good unit and I dont seem to have the problems others seem to.

 

The 62S is indeed very accurate under canopy....IMO glonass would add very little ( if any ? ) improvement.....there is just not much to improve on.

[Forkeye]

GPS CITY 62s for $199 in CANADA ships from Calgary and the 62sc for $249 todays price for black Friday sale

Edited November 28, 2013 by Forkeye

[+BlackRose67]

GPS CITY 62s for $199 in CANADA ships from Calgary and the 62sc for $249 todays price for black Friday sale

yeah, one of those (62s) landed in my shopping cart today. Should have it tomorrow

Edited November 28, 2013 by BlackRose67

[+antigocache]

Better processing speed and a few other factors have led me (and two others that I cache with) to go ahead and order the 62cs from GPSCity today. Should be

in sometime late next week via regular post.