Garmin Edge 1050 – What We Know so Far
This content was replaced by: Garmin Edge 1050 Review / Opinion
When: 25 June (one tentative confirmation of this date)
Housekeeping: Check @flo’s Twitter feed as he has some different sources than me. Thanks to everyone who has added thoughts as comments to the earlier posts! This one summarises the situation so far.
We’ve had quite a bit of info confirmed now.
The images have come from an unknown source in Asia via Reddit and elsewhere. It’s almost certainly the real thing we are seeing.
The case shape is very much like earlier Bryton bike computers but with a wrap-around screen that seems to limit the possibility of buttons on the sides. However, Garmin is reported to have introduced a new slider control which we believe to be a hardware feature and not an onscreen software feature.
Latest Edge 1050 news (some via @fftest_en, @Nikitka below)
Hardware
The specs have now firmed up nicely but are not yet completely known. The biggies are the lower battery life and the superior screen, although it’s hi-res LCD and not AMOLED. Speakers and Garmin PAY are added but there is neither SOLAR nor LTE on offer on the 1050. It’s a one-model wonder…take it or leave it.
- 3.5″ High-resolution LCD screen (480x800px) with approximately 50% better pixel density than 1040. It looks like AMOLED but isn’t!
- A Slider control/button-like thing which might work like the Zoom feature on Wahoo’s screens.
- Note the left side top button but also notice two different coloured much larger areas to the top of each side (around the top left button). These larger areas could be the slider or the button itself might be the slider referred to. I can’t see how such a small button/slider would work effectively with gloves.
- Or the slider could be the curved touchscreen on each side
- There are still power and lap buttons at the bottom on each side (3 buttons in total)
- No solar option
- Reduced battery life (due to the screen) – Up to 20 hours is possible, in power saving mode, up to 60 hours
- Garmin PAY is confirmed. Coverage is expanded to include T-money and AliPAY
- Integrated speaker(s) eg for audio coaching. Is this the small central dot we can see on the top-front of the screen?
- Reduced battery life
- 64Gb disk space for maps/map layers and maybe audio? (was 32Gb on 1040 non-solar)
- LTE is not rumoured
- Dimensions: 60.2 x 118.5 x 16.3 mm
- Weight: 161 grams (might include the mount, as commented below 161g seems a bit on the heavy side)
- Waterproof Rating: IPX7
The following images are directly linked to their source and will disappear if Garmin’s original source image is deleted. They are given as links to the Wayback engine in the comments below….they won’t be deleted from there.
Image deleted: These are from @Nikita
Software / Features
Check out the images above closely. The second one has some pretty hi-res charts and the fourth one clearly shows Garmin PAY in action. Read the following bullets before turning your attention to the second image.
- Some interface ‘improvements’
- Crowd-sourced road hazards (100% certain, from some other written sources which I won’t disclose)
- New and improved GroupRide features around in-ride performance sharing, locations, hills, awards and rankings (100% certain, see images above and look closely)
So. Those are new Edge software features I’ve broadly known about for a long time and wrote about last month. I wasn’t sure if they were coming in a few more weeks or destined for the Edge 1050. It is now almost certain they are both coming to the Edge 1050. Hazard reporting is specifically mentioned and the new improved GroupRide features seem to be shown in the second image.
The rider’s position is shown on the elevation profile in that image. The coloured lines above *MAY* indicate other group riders’ relative positions AND the line colour may indicate the intensity of their current effort. Super Cool! This feature could have far-reaching effects to gamify our outdoor rides or simply make us a bit more competitive.
Edit: Training Plans
There are several new training plan types added.
Take Out
The Edge 1050 does not seem to be a direct replacement for the 1040. Instead, it offers an alternative to Karoo 3 with a superior resolution screen rather than superior battery life or solar which are only on the 1040 models.
The new visual aesthetic is likely to provoke mixed feelings as the Twitter poll, below, shows.
Leading Designer: “If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it”
Garmin: “We fixed it.”
I’m very unimpressed with the concept of Hazard reporting but I accept it might help some. Furthermore, I’m not overly excited about the visuals of the Edge 1050’s case and shape. However, the onscreen charts and data metrics look great and the abilities of GroupRide chart metrics and league tables look EXCITING to me. With an advanced GroupRide, Garmin once again offers a feature that others will find very hard to copy both from a technical standpoint AND the standpoint of the number of riders in your group using the same vendor’s tech.
Please, this site has no links with Garmin. If you want to laugh or laud the 1050’s design or features say what you think below, or vote in the Twitter poll.
NOTE: If you post more than one link most WordPress sites automatically hold the comment for approval.
*If* this is the new Edge 1050, what do you think of the work of Garmin’s newly promoted hardware designer (s/he used to design the menu user experience)
— the5krunner (@the5krunner) June 15, 2024
Some movements at retailers indicate that the Garmin Edge 1050’s release may be imminent.#garmin #edge1050 #cycling #sportshttps://t.co/zG7ssHKYef
— Flo | FTT (en) (@fttest_en) June 14, 2024
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This is fugly beyond belief. The side profile is OK, and still looks like existing ones, but the front… why break it?
The only, really only way the sides would make sense would be for Varia “cars behind you” thing, which on the 1040 eats from the screen. But it’s fugly as hell, would not buy if it really looks like this.
the new iPhones have some round the edge illumination thing (I have one but haven’t played with it yet).
Perhaps this could work something like that for the Varia display??? (I’m hoping!…otherwise, as you say, I’m struggling to see it visually working well with Varia.
we’ll find out next week I guess!
i want to know what the price be, i hold off the 1040 solar as was hoping to see what this is like. i wonder if it has all the maps or just the regional ones
also thank you for getting out all the info out. it helps me plan accordingly.
there is more space on the 1050. so i guess it has global maps.
BUT I suspect the map info will be greater (eg more map layers)
price: a guess would be the launch price of the edge1040 plus a maximum of $100.
FWIW the 1040 solar has 64GB of storage, the standard 1040 has 32 GB.
161 grams seem heavy, but considering that display didn’t get bigger and case didn’t get smaller, I assume the battery got much bigger to compensate for more graphics and display power needed. More battery means heavier, so could actually make sense.
20h battery life would be ok-ish for most use cases, but somewhat miserable compared to the much cheaper 540.
Upset with Hazard reporting??? Hmmmm, could save a life! As to the overall design, well, keep same design as has been as it works. I do know a different case design screams we have improved drastically what we offer. The proof is in the pudding though. What I would like to see in future Edge gens is simple………quicker reactions and readout to grade changes, HR fluctuations, easier programming screen needs as it is still a bit tedious even for a veteran user, better battery life (although, the new 1040 I bought is pretty good as was my 1030), really never had complaints on battery life for past two gens personally. But have more color schemes to customize fields and then package it up with included silicone case, screen protectors, and offer the unit with a mount system other than the old wrap around round bars! Most cyclist have gone to aero carbon bars or at least package it with that to as an option for the one you need.
> Upset with Hazard reporting??? Hmmmm, could save a life!
What unexpected road hazard have you ever encountered that is both deadly and able to be communicated via a glorified SMS message in an actionable manner?
Dogs, potholes when going dh with 80 km/h etc.
how would it be marked and communicated in those scenario?
what if the dog has gone (likely)
downhill at 80…i wouldn’t be able to mark it until the hill finished.
i’m not saying it’s useless but rather that the true usefulness appears very limited to me.
my tests with the 1040 strongly implied that grade change info came from 3D GPS changes. ie if you stopped on a slope the grade didn’t show. maybe its changed since then. If garmin continues to use 3d gps i can’t see there being responsive grade.
Is there any chance that the new device also has a mic that can be used as a loudspeaker? All my rides end in the same way… My wife calling and shouting “You are late!”
maybe if she said “OK Garmin, you’re late” it might work
seriously though i guess there is NOT a MIC but don’t know for sure
there IS supposed to be a SPEAKER for audio coaching. some others have said it doubles as a HORN but I wasn’t sure if they’re joking !!
I think the release dat willbe 26/06.
Its written on the 1050 has “Garmin Cycling Group Ride 26/06 8:00 AM ” 🙂
I always…ALWAYS use a tempered glass screen protector. I mostly mountain bike, and I do crash from time to time. Sometimes my 1040 takes a hit…and has broken a mount at one time.
…So looking at this curved edge design, a tempered glass protector is not going to be a good option on the 1050. I don’t care for the thin film scratch protectors.
Unless there is a good reason for the curved sides, I just don’t know why they’d do this to a head unit that is exposed to the elements.
I cannot stand modern phones with curved edges, and you can feel the edge of the flat glass protector that doesn’t cover the entire screen.
It will also be interesting for people who prefer silicon covers for the sides.
The screen will be plastic (Garmin has never used a glass screen on a cycling product, don’t see why they’d start now) and you can clearly see that the visible area is the traditional rectangle and so won’t extend to the sides. You could potentially add a series of Wahoo ELEMNT style LEDs there for the Varia but why?
If you have Strava Premium you have insurance for your Garmin anyway.
>> If you have Strava Premium you have insurance for your Garmin anyway.
Wut? 😀
Will be interesting if they pass on realtime hazard reporting to the 1040. While they’d love a feature delta over the 1040, having 1040 (plus 840??) users reporting could be needed to create a critical mass to make the feature worthwhile at all, certainly in the early days.
The 1050 is online on the German website.
The estimated availability is 5 – 8 weeks
https://www.garmin.com/de-DE/p/1196129/pn/010-02890-01
Looks like it is has been released in the UK this morning…
https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/p/1196129/pn/010-02890-01
okay, it’s out.
Substantially more heavy AND much less battery runtime compared to Edge 1040 – wtf? In return, we get primarily a higher-resolution display. Hmm….
you forgot the beeper 😉