It represents the most featured medium-format GPS cycling ‘head unit’ and has even more features that you never knew could exist yet, being fair, some of them are patently useful. The 1030 is very similar…but bigger.
The announcement of the Edge 830 is complicated by the simultaneous launch of the Edge 530. The 530 is highly similar, minus the touchscreen. I’ll cover that separately.
In Brief
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Price - 85%
85%
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Build Quality & Design - 88%
88%
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Features, Including App - 99%
99%
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Openness & Compatability - 98%
98%
Provisional Summary
I will look a LOT closer at the 830 throughout 2019 to see if it really has what I need as a bike computer. It looks like the screen and processor issues have been addressed. But that still leaves the ‘Garmin menu’ and general usability issues that arise from the complexity of most Garmin devices.
I do like what I see and the price does seem justifable. Yet for a hundred bucks less there is the Edge 530 or a more user-friendly Wahoo and my own personal choice for 2019 is likely going to be there.
Even ‘normal’, power meter-related metrics, once the preserve only of Garmin, are available at lower price points from Bryton, MIO, Polar and serveral others. It’s the overall Garmin feature set that no-one else can compete with.
Personally, I do like my gadgets and features, and I buy things for lots of different reasons. Nevertheless, if you buy one, I you will be happy with it for 98% of the time.
It’s also future-proof as any new Garmin cycling feature for the next couple of years, or any new CIQ app, will almost certainly work with the Edge 830. But they’ll also work on the button-only Edge 530.
Garmin Edge 830 Specs – What’s New
Here are most of the new changes and it’s nods, boxes ticked and hand claps all round.
Much of this was broadly expected or leaked. But there are welcomed surprises.
On the outside it’s a nicely rounded unit, with a slightly bigger shell and a slightly bigger colour touchscreen than the previous 820. Optionally you can plug on a Garmin CHARGE battery pack to your Garmin 830 and charge in-ride.
Hardware
Again we see the new Sony GPS chip make its way into a new Garmin unit. For a bike device I’m NOT expecting any GPS issues to arise. So the resulting 5 extra hours of battery life is just a win-win.
We also see a new processor making its way into all new Garmin devices. Again this resolves some of the dire navigation performance on the underpowered earlier model (820).
- BLE sensor support has been added.
- Theft-alarm feature added
Firstbeat Analytics are spreading their physiological wings further into the Edge devices and we are seeing the heat and altitude refinements that better model some of the FB stats when in more extreme environmental and physical conditions. Yet the integration of these metrics into the flow of using the 830 has also changed. It just all now seems…better.
I know that some people love the FIrstbeat metrics so I will be going into the Edge 830’s 14 Firstbeat later, in more detail.
Hydration and nutrition tracking & alerts are covered by new functionality in the Edge 830. I’m guessing these might help some people but I remain to be convinced on usefulness over and above a basic timer feature.
New Features
However the features that grabbed my attention were
- CP Curve – your best CP curve & performances over 3, varied, time periods. This is ‘old hat’ sports maths on a new head. I was wondering only last week why this was not on Garmin Edge units and expect to see this relatively basic initial implementation expanded significantly over coming year. It’s useful info for a performance cyclist and Garmin do not provide any such analysis on CONNECT.
- CLIMBPRO – Superficially, it’s another simple feature that has existed partly on Wahoo for a while and even Hammerhead Karoo implemented something similar recently. It’s an elevation plot of your upcoming hill with supporting metrics and is genuinely useful when doing proper climbing. The Edge 830 ‘knows’ the elevation profile only if you are following a pre-loaded course or navigating. However Garmin take this one step further and produce upcoming climb stats for the NEXT climb you are coming to.
- POPULARITY ROUTING – has long been available on CONNECT but now the rather extensive routing and re-routing navigational engine within the Edge 830 includes it too. I like Garmin’s popularity routing…others don’t.
Price, Availability & Garmin Edge 830 Discount
The RRP for the Garmin EDGE 830 is US$399.99 / GBP349.99 with a likely delivery to you around mid-May for orders placed in April.
- Garmin Edge 830 (UK) via wiggle.co.uk, New Customer Code: NEWGB
- Garmin Edge 830 (USA) via powermetercity.com Code: THE5KRUNNER10 (will only work at the end of Garmin’s MAP period)
I’ll be producing a Garmin Edge 830 review later but for now you might want to check out the Garmin Edge 530 Review as it’s the same product but with buttons
Sources: garmin.com, dcrainmaker.com
Garmin 830 Specs & Garmin Edge 830 Comparisons
Source: Garmin (modified where known to be wrong)
| Edge 530 | Edge 820 | Edge 830 | Edge 1030 | |
| $299.99 USD | $349.99 USD | $399.99 USD and Up | $599.99 USD and Up | |
| Performance GPS cycling computer with mapping and insights to help you improve | Advanced performance GPS bike computer with a 2.3″ color touchscreen display | Performance GPS cycling computer with mapping and touchscreen | Ultimate connected GPS bike computer | |
| General | ||||
| Physical dimensions | ?1.9″ x 3.2″ x 0.8″ (50 x 82 x 20 mm) | 1.9″ x 2.9″ x 0.8″ (49.0 x 73.0 x 21.0 mm) | ?1.9″ x 2.9″ x 0.8″ (49.0 x 73.0 x 21.0 mm) | 58 x 114 x 19 |
| Touchscreen | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Display size | 2.6″ | 2.3″ (58.4 mm) | 2.6″ | 3.5″ (88.9 mm) |
| Display resolution | 246 x 322 pixels | 200 x 265 pixels | 246 x 322 pixels | 282 x 470 pixels |
| Weight | 2.8 oz (78 g) | 2.4 oz (67.7 g) | ?2.4 oz (67.7 g) | 123 g |
| Battery | rechargeable lithium-ion | rechargeable lithium-ion | rechargeable lithium-ion | rechargeable lithium-ion |
| Battery life | 20 hours, more in other modes, less in some usage scenarios | up to 15 hours GPS training mode | 20 hours, more in other modes, less in some usage scenarios | up to 20 hours |
| Water rating | IPX7 | IPX7 | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Color display | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| High-sensitivity receiver | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Maps & Memory | ||||
| Ability to add maps | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Basemap | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Storage and Power Capacity | 16 GB plus microSDª | |||
| Waypoints/favorites/locations | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 |
| Routes | 100 Courses | 100 Courses | 100 Courses | 100 Courses |
| History | up to 200 hours | up to 200 hours | up to 200 hours | up to 200 hours |
| Sensors | ||||
| GPS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| GLONASS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Barometric altimeter | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Accelerometer | Yes | |||
| GNSS Chipset | Sony | MediaTek | Sony | MediaTek |
| Daily Smart Features | ||||
| Smart notifications | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VIRB¨ Camera Remote | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Training, Planning and Analysis Features | ||||
| Customizable data pages | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Auto Pause¨ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Interval training | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced workouts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Auto Lap¨ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| V02 max | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Training Effect (aerobic) | Yes (specs say no) | Yes | ||
| Virtual Partner | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Race an Activity | Specs say no | Specs say no | Specs say no | Yes |
| Auto scroll | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Physio TrueUp | Yes (specs say no) | Yes | Specs say no | Yes |
| Courses | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Time/distance alerts (triggers alarm when you reach goal) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cycle Map (routable cycling-specific street map) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Compatible with Vectorª (power meter) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Power meter compatible (displays power data from compatible third-party ANT+ª-enabled power meters) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Connectª | ||||
| Garmin Connectª compatible (online community where you analyze, categorize and share data) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic sync (automatically transfers data to Garmin Connect) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Additional | Alerts (triggers alarm when you reach time, distance, HR, calories goals): yes | Smart notifications displays texts and calls only | Smart notifications displays texts and calls only | Recovery Advisor |
| Internal memory: 16 GB | Internal memory: 16 GB | |||
| Personal cycling records: yes | Personal cycling records: yes | Personal cycling records: yes | Personal cycling records: yes | |
| Compatible with Variaª bike radar and lights: yes | Compatible with Variaª bike radar and lights: yes | Compatible with Variaª bike radar and lights: yes | Integrated in-ride power capable | |
| Bike trainer profile for compatible Turbo trainer data display and control | Edge¨ remote compatibility: yes | Edge¨ remote compatibility: yes | Set-up streamlined via app | |
| On-device segment compatibility for dynamic and engaging in-ride competition | LiveTrack: yes | LiveTrack: yes | Physiological measurements | |
| LiveTrack: yes | GroupTrack: yes | GroupTrack: yes | GroupTrack: yes | |
| Advanced performance and power analysis, including new Time in Zone, FTP tracking, cycling-specific VO2 and recovery and cycling dynamics | Advanced performance and power analysis, including VO2 max, Recovery Adviser, FTP/Watts/kg tracking, Performance condition/lactate threshold/stress score as well as advanced cycling dynamics and connected features | Advanced performance and power analysis, including VO2 max, Recovery Adviser, FTP/Watts/kg tracking, Performance condition/lactate threshold/stress score as well as advanced cycling dynamics and connected features | . | |
| Bike trainer profile for compatible Turbo trainer data display and control | Bike trainer profile for compatible Turbo trainer data display and control | Connected capability: Upload, LiveTrack, weather, notifications, incident detection, GroupTrack, audio prompts, rider to rider messaging | ||
| On-device segment compatibility for dynamic and engaging in-ride competition: yes | On-device segment compatibility for dynamic and engaging in-ride competition: yes | 3rd-party app access: via Connect IQª, including preloaded Strava and Training Peaks | ||
| Operating temperature: -20°C to +55°C | Operating temperature: -20¡C to +55¡C | Operating temperature: -20¡C to +55¡C | Preloaded Garmin Cycle Map | |
| Connected features via a smartphone: yes | Connected features via a smartphone: yes | Connected features via a smartphone: yes | Connected features via a smartphone: yes | |
| Compatible with Garmin Connectª and Garmin Connectª Mobile: yes | Compatible with Garmin Connectª and Garmin Connectª Mobile: yes | Training status/training load | ||
| Integration with Shimano Di2 electronic shifting: yes | Integration with Shimano Di2 electronic shifting: yes | Integration with Shimano Di2 electronic shifting: yes | Navigation via device, apps, popularity routing and recalculation | |
| Weather alerts: yes | Weather alerts: yes | Weather alerts: yes | Open API available with select partners | |
| Wi-Fi¨ compatible: yes | Wi-Fi¨ compatible: yes | Connectivity: Wi-Fi¨, ANT+ª, Bluetooth¨ | ||
| Ambient light: yes | Ambient light: yes | Ambient light sensor | ||
| Round-trip routing: yes | Round-trip routing: yes | FTP / watts/kg tracking | ||
| Route planner: yes | Route planner: yes | Advanced power | ||
| Incident detection: yes | Incident detection: yes | . | ||
| Training plans/workouts: yes | Training plans/workouts: yes | . | ||
| Connect IQª compatible: yes | Connect IQª compatible: yes | . | ||
| Audio prompts: yes | Audio prompts: yes | . | ||
| Auto start (timer starts automatically at custom speed): yes | Auto start (timer starts automatically at custom speed): yes | . | ||
| ANT+ª electronic shifting compatibility: yes | ANT+ª electronic shifting compatibility: yes | . | ||
| ANT+ bike trainer compatible: yes | ANT+ bike trainer compatible: yes | . | ||
| Strava Segments compatible: yes | Strava Segments compatible: yes | Segments: Strava | ||
| Stress score: yes | Stress score: yes | . | ||
| Battery save mode: Extends battery life up to 50 percent while still tracking ride detail | Battery save mode: Extends battery life up to 50 percent while still tracking ride detail | . | ||