Edge 1060 and Edge 1050 share the same screen, battery life, GNSS, storage, and training features. The $100 difference in launch price, £50 in the UK, buys a microphone, a case that is 19g lighter and 11.5mm shorter, reverse charging, and side buttons that the 1050 never had. That is the whole hardware story, at least on the face of it.
The decision therefore comes down to two things:
- whether talking to a bike computer is worth it, and
- where the 1050 sits when periodically discounted as an outgoing model.
On launch day, Amazon UK listed the older Edge 1050 at £604 against £699.99 for the new one, and Amazon US at $699.99 against $799.99. Garmin’s euro list prices are €699.99 and €799.99.
What the extra money buys
The microphone is the reason Edge 1060 exists. A rider says, “Okay, Garmin”, and asks for a heart rate, a route to the nearest cafe, or to log a pothole, and the device answers through the speaker both models have. Garmin Messenger messages are read aloud, and voice replies go back from the bars. Edge 1050 can play prompts and the digital bell through its speaker, but it has no way to hear anything.
The buttons are the second real change. The 1050 has no side buttons and leans on its touchscreen, which is the one thing about it that fails in rain and gloves. Garmin says it added buttons to the 1060 for exactly those conditions, though it has not said how many or how much of the menu they reach, and I have not yet tried them. The smaller case puts the same 3.5-inch screen in a body closer in length to Edge 850. At 142g against 161g, the weight saving is real but small, and nobody will notice it on a climb. Reverse charging lets the Edge 1060 charge a Varia light or a phone over USB-C, which Garmin says is for emergencies rather than for use while riding. Power in the other direction is unchanged: both take in-ride charge through the Edge Power Mount or the Garmin Charge Power Pack, so the 1060 adds a way to give power without taking one away.
Garmin Edge 1060
Garmin's flagship bike computer. Change route, check your heart rate or report a pothole by voice, with both hands on the bars.
+other retailersWhat is the same
Both run the 3.5-inch 480 x 800 touchscreen with buttons, and both are rated at up to 20 hours of demanding use and 60 hours in battery saver. Multi-band GNSS, the barometric altimeter and the rest of the sensor list match. Storage is 64GB on both, the water rating is IPX7 on both, and both connect over Bluetooth, ANT+ and Wi-Fi. Varia radar and lights, inReach, electronic shifting and eBike systems pair with either. Both devices include ClimbPro, Power Guide, Course Demands, Cycling Ability, real-time stamina, Smart Fueling, GroupRide, Garmin Pay, and Trailforks mapping. They share a firmware line with the Edge 550 and 850, so bug fixes and features tend to arrive together.
Neither has solar. Riders who want days between charges still look at the Edge 1040 Solar.
Features
Most of what Garmin announced with Edge 1060 is software, and none of it needs the microphone.
- Route Options. Several routes to a destination, separated by ride time, elevation and bike type.
- Route Previews. Distance, estimated ride time, traffic and reported hazards before setting off.
- Road closure alerts. Closures reported by other Garmin riders, alongside the existing potholes, obstructions and animals.
- Free Flow Routing. Training routes with the fewest stops, junctions and slow sections.
- Up Ahead. Cafes, water and toilets along a loaded course, with the distance to each.
- High-zoom road visibility. Small and hidden roads stay on the map when zoomed right in.
- Pin drop navigation. A pin sent from Apple Maps becomes a bike route.
- Ride readiness menu. A pre-ride check of which sensors are paired and how much battery each has.
- GroupRide detection. Edge offers to join a nearby active group ride instead of asking for a code.
- Interactive workout screen. Upcoming steps, and a zoom across the whole session.
- Customisable home screen. The apps and widgets you use go to the front.
- TrainingPeaks sync. Plan workouts arrive on the device without being sent by hand.
Garmin has not said whether it will bring any of these to the Edge 1050.
Garmin’s Edge record is to push software features back a generation. The June 2025 update brought new features to the Edge 540, 840, 1040, and 1050 together, and the Q3 2026 update added voice control to watches with a microphone while leaving out those without. On that record, the routing and training additions are likely to reach Edge 1050 in a later update, and the voice features never will.
Edge 1060 vs Edge 1050
| Edge 1060 | Edge 1050 | |
|---|---|---|
| Launch price | £699.99 / $799.99 / €799.99 | £649.99 / $699.99 / €699.99 |
| Released | October 2026 | June 2024 |
| Weight | 142g | 161g |
| Dimensions | 58.5 x 107 x 16.3mm | 60.2 x 118.5 x 16.3mm |
| Display | 3.5 inch, 480 x 800, touchscreen | 3.5 inch, 480 x 800, touchscreen |
| Side buttons | Yes, added for gloves and wet weather | No |
| Battery, demanding use | Up to 20 hours | Up to 20 hours |
| Battery saver | Up to 60 hours | Up to 60 hours |
| Speaker | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone and voice control | Yes | No |
| Garmin Messenger voice messages | Yes | No |
| Reverse charging | Yes | No |
| In-ride power (Power Mount, Charge Power Pack) | Yes | Yes |
| Water rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Storage | 64GB | 64GB |
| Security updates until at least | 20 October 2028 | Not stated |
Which to buy
Buy Edge 1060 if you’ll use hands-free control on every ride, want to send and hear messages from the bars, or simply want the newest model with the longest support window.
Buy Edge 1050 if a discount of £90 / $100 or more is on the table and you have no interest in talking to a bike computer. You get the same screen, battery, and training analysis, and based on Garmin’s past form, most of the new routing features will probably follow. The Edge 1050 review covers how it rides.
The Garmin Edge series guide places both against the 850, 550 and 1040 Solar, and the Edge 1060 specification page has the full feature list, and the launch story covers the voice features in more depth. Garmin’s own Edge 1060 product page has the official specification.
Quick answers
Is Edge 1060 worth it over Edge 1050?
Only if you want voice control and voice messaging. The screen, battery life, GNSS and training features are the same, so a discounted Edge 1050 is the better buy for anyone who will not talk to the device.
Does Edge 1060 have better battery life than Edge 1050?
No. Both are rated at up to 20 hours of demanding use and up to 60 hours in battery saver mode.
Will Edge 1050 get the new routing features?
Garmin has not said. It has a history of pushing software features back a generation, as it did for the Edge 540, 840, 1040, and 1050 in June 2025, so Route Options, Route Previews, and Free Flow Routing may follow. Voice control cannot, because Edge 1050 has no microphone.
Is Edge 1060 smaller than Edge 1050?
Yes. It is 11.5mm shorter and 19g lighter, measuring 58.5 x 107 x 16.3mm and weighing 142g, with the same 3.5-inch screen.
How much cheaper is Edge 1050 now?
Garmin has not cut the list price. On 20 October 2026, the day the Edge 1060 launched, Amazon UK listed the Edge 1050 at £604 against £699.99 for the Edge 1060, and Amazon US at $699.99 against $799.99. Expect the gap to widen.
Last Updated on 20 October 2026 by tfk the5krunner
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin from any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafe stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
- Speedo earplugs: Fewer ear infections and no cold-water dizziness. I use them.
- Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
- Maurten: Race fuel that stays easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Beet It Sport nitrate shots: Beetroot shots I take in the days before a race. I use them.
- Garmin charging puck: The quickest way to top up before a session. I use one.
- Injinji: Toe socks that stop rubbing, so you run more. I use them.
- Ultimate toe protectors: Stop black toenails on long runs. They work. I use them.
- Compressport R2 v2 calf sleeves: My calf sleeves of choice. I use them.
- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
- TPU tubes: Schwalbe Aerothan, Tubolito and Pirelli SmarTube. Light, tiny spares. I use all three.
- G8 insoles: Adjustable insoles that are good. I use them.
- Cycplus Cube: A 97g electric pump that gets a road tyre rideable in two minutes. I carry one. 5% off with code THE5KRUNNER.
Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.
Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. See the gear tfk uses. ID
I’m holding out for a replacement to the 1040 Solar, now over 4 years old yet neither discontinued nor replaced.
My wish list is short:
* Same or better battery life with MIP display, good for an entire Badlands gravel adventure with a day to spare.
* Built-in InReach satellite comms, so I don’t need to carry a separate device during off-grid adventures
* Built-in SIM so I can leave my phone at home on shorter rides and still be able to call a taxi/ambulance/the mrs.
I hoped for something with this screen and the runtime of an Edge 1040. I dont need Solar because the normal one lasts me a whole week. Also, compatibility to daily suggested workouts coming from watches of the Fenix 8 series.
I skipped the 1050 and there need to arrive some awesome features for me to buy an 1060 as it seems.