Originally Posted by
CreakingCrank
Just curious. What's the advantage of a dedicated GPS unit over a phone with offline maps and voice nav? Serious question.
I've thought about buying a GPS device but envision spending hundreds so I can see a line with an arrow on it 98% of the time.
Some of the advantages of dedicated GPS
1) You’re not risking a $600 smartphone on a $20 mount on the h-bar
2) Unit dependent, the GPS unit screens tend to be easier to read in sunlight and in general.
3) GPS unit’s are generally waterproof, vs. having to get an $100 Otterbox or pay for a waterproof phone. That’s related to the Android/Apple debate as well.
4) Battery life is generally much better on a GPS vs. a phone. That can be alleviated with the use of a battery pack.
5) GPS unit’s don’t rely on cell service and have the maps built in. On a phone and if riding in areas with no cell service, have to use a mapping app that has maps reside on the phone. Doable but just another thing to consider.
Many people just find GPS unit’s easier to setup and use, others have done very clever tricks to use a phone, and have demonstrated that it can work as well as a GPS, you just have to read up on all the tricks and apply them