This post aims to give you all the information you need to choose between the Garmin Edge 1030 vs 820 vs 520. First I have a chart that highlights the key differences. Then I discuss those differences. I also offer informed opinions on whether the new features of the Edge 1030 will be rolled out to the other units. Then I offer some advice on which Garmin Edge to buy, based on your needs. Finally, I present a chart comparing all of the key features of all 3 bike computers, for those who want to know every single detail. If you don’t have enough time to read all of this, you can jump to the Bottom Line on which Garmin Edge bike computer is right for you. Otherwise, please read on!
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Buying Options
If you find this review useful and decide to buy one of these bike computers, please consider using the affiliate links to buy. It’s the only way I can get paid for the many hours of research and writing I do. And of course, it costs you nothing – so it’s a win/win! At the end of this post, I offer a variety of reputable online buying options, including Amazon, Competitive Cyclist, Backcountry, and REI.com. Click here for buying options.
First off, here is a chart that highlights the differences between these three bike computers.
Chart Highlighting Just the Differences between the Garmin Edge 1030 vs 820 vs 520
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|---|---|---|---|
| Big picture | Much awaited upgrade to 1000. Key features are bigger screen and MUCH more battery life. Improved Strava functionality & other new features | Great for training and navigation. Smaller than the 1030, but the same size as the 520. Color touchscreen | Great for training but not for navigation. Buttons, not touchscreen. Color |
| Lowest Price on Amazon Right Now: | Because price is lower than manufacturer's recommended price, we cannot display it. Please click here for current price. | $329.99 | Price not available |
| Unit Size | 2.3 x 4.5 x 0.8" (5.84 x 11.4 x 2.1 cm) | 1.9” x 2.9” x 0.8” (4.9 x 7.3 x 2.1 cm) | 1.9” x 2.9” x 0.8” (4.9 x 7.3 x 2.1 cm) |
| Display resolution, Width x Height | 282 x 470 pixels; color | 200 x 265 pixels; color | 200 x 265 pixels; color |
| Screen size | 3.5" (88.9 mm) diagonal, high res | 2.3" (58.4 mm) diagonal, high res | 2.3" (58.4 mm) diagonal, high res |
| Touchscreen | Yes - improved, much better in rain, and claimed to be compatible with gloves | Yes | No, buttons |
| Weight | 4.8 ounces (123 g) | 2.4 oz (67.7 g) | 2.1 oz (60 g) |
| Battery life | Up to 20 hours | Up to 15 hours | Up to 15 hours |
| Battery save mode available? (Extends battery live up to 50% while still tracking ride details) | Yes (powers down the screen) | Yes ( powers down the screen) | No |
| Additional external battery? | Yes, Garmin Charge power pack increases battery life from 20 hours to 44 hours | No | No |
| History that can be stored on unit | Up to 200 hours of history | Up to 200 hours of history | Up to 180 hours of history |
| Out front mount (as well as original quarter turn)? | Yes, but it is a new, improved flush-fitting front mount, more aerodynamic | Yes | Yes |
| Is the screen responsive to level of ambient light? | Yes, it will brighten when ambient light darkens | Yes, it will brighten when ambient light darkens | No |
| Unit-to-unit transfer (shares data wirelessly with similar units) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Smart phone Connected features (depends on having a Bluetooth enabled smartphone, and you may have to install the Garmin Connect mobile app on your phone) | Yes - Live Tracking, Group Tracking, send/receive courses, workouts and training plans wirelessly, social media sharing, smart notifications (texts and calls). PLUS it has canned replies (such as "Cannot speak now" and "Sent from my Garmin Edge 1030"!) | Yes - Live Tracking, Group Tracking, send/receive courses, workouts and training plans wirelessly, social media sharing, weather updates in real time, smart notifications (texts and calls) | Yes - Live Tracking, send/receive courses, workouts and training plans wirelessly, social media sharing, weather updates in real time, smart notifications (texts and calls) |
| Group tracking | Yes | Yes | No |
| BlueTooth Smart? | Yes | No | No |
| Accepts data cards | Yes, including optional memory card in the micro-SD slot. Weather protection for the card slot has been improved from the 1000 | No. However, has 16 GB of internal memory | No |
| Message other cyclists directly? | Yes, but for now, only if they also have an Edge 1030! Uses canned messages | No | No |
| Preloaded with TrainingPeaks? (a virtual coach to guide your workouts and training plan) | Yes | No, but you can download it from the App store | No, but you can download it from the App store |
| Training calendar? | Yes | Yes | No |
| Download Strava Real-Time segments? | Yes, if you have Strava premium. NEW advanced feature - can alert you to nearby segments | Yes, if you have Strava premium | Yes, if you have Strava premium |
| Automatically download new routes created in Strava to the unit? | Yes | No | No |
| New feature: Trendline popularity routing - when mapping, Trendline uses the routes most popular with cyclists, drawing from Garmin's database | Yes | No | No |
| Navigation? | Yes - once you pick a location, it will guide you to that location. IMPROVED because it uses popularity routing | Yes - once you pick a location, it will guide you to that location | No, it cannot figure out how to get to places. However, you can upload a breadcrumbs course and then follow that. When doing that, you do get turn notifications, plus an alert if you go off course |
| Turn-by-turn guidance? | Yes - just like a car GPS, it will warn you a turn is coming, and tell you when to turn (with text and a beep). Also now has alerts of upcoming sharp turns | Yes - just like a car GPS, it will warn you a turn is coming, and tell you when to turn (with text and a beep) | Yes, for courses you have downloaded from your computer |
| Preloaded basemap? | Yes, preloaded and IMPROVED Garmin Cycle Map with bike-specific navigation so it can give you turn-by-turn navigation instructions | Yes, preloaded Garmin Cycle Map with bike-specific navigation so it can give you turn-by-turn navigation instructions | Yes, but very basic. It's just to give you a rough idea of where you are |
| Points of Interest (POIs) specifically for cyclists | Yes | Requires optional City Navigator® maps to access general points of interest | No |
| Plan and download new routes to follow (a route is a sequence of waypoints that leads you to your final destination) | You can upload routes you create elsewhere, and follow them; plus you can also enter in an address on the computer itself and it will create a route | Yes. You can upload routes you create elsewhere, and follow them; plus you can also enter in an address on the computer itself and it will create a route | Yes. The Edge 520 lets you upload routes you create elsewhere, and follow them, using pretty basic breadcrumb directions |
As you can see, there are several differences. Also, the Edge 1030 looks quite different to the other two. The Edge 820 and 520 are the same size and weigh almost exactly the same. They look like big, beautiful bike computers. The Edge 1030 looks more like a smart phone. All three have the sleek good looks and quality feel that comes with the latest offerings from Garmin. Below is a visual of the differences between these 3 Garmin Edge bike computers.
So How to Decide: Garmin Edge 1030 vs 820 vs 520?
All 3 are top-quality bike computers that offer a dazzling number of advanced bike training features. You can connect all 3 to a range of useful devices and sensors, such as heart rate monitors, and speed, power, and cadence meters. They all have access to both GPS and Glonass satellite systems, so they acquire a GPS signal fast. All 3 will record your bike rides and will wirelessly transfer your data to Garmin Connect (or Strava, which you can read about here). All 3 offer live tracking – which means designated people can track where you are. All 3 are very connected, with phone call and text message alerts. All 3 have beautiful color screens. But the prices are very different!
To simplify matters, I have summed up the 3 bike computers below.
The Garmin Edge 520, summed up
The Garmin Edge 520 has been widely hailed as the biggest leap forward in bike computers, ever. This model introduced new advanced performance and power analysis, including new Time in Zone, FTP (Functional Threshold Power) tracking, cycling-specific VO2 and recovery and cycling dynamics. All of these are now shared by the Edge 820 and 1030.
You can read the complete specs of the Garmin Edge 520 bike computer in an in-depth review here.
The Garmin Edge 520 has gone back to button control, not touch screen control. Personally, I prefer button control. Sometimes I find screen swiping doesn’t work perfectly, especially in the rain. However, the new Garmin Edge 1030 has solved that rain problem. Button control gives you complete control, all the time, even with gloves on. On the other hand, many people prefer touchscreen control (which is offered by both the Edge 820 and the 1030). Some people find they have become so used to touchscreen controls that it has become intuitive. If this is you, you may find that not having touchscreen control is disconcerting or annoying.
Important: note that the Garmin Edge 520 does not give you cycling-specific maps and cannot calculate routes for you. For that you are going to have to look at the Edge 820 or Edge 1030. All you get with the Edge 520 are the most basic of maps, plus breadcrumbs-type navigation if you download courses to it. Also, thanks to new software upgrades, it now has the incredibly useful feature of being able to give you turn-by-turn navigation prompts for routes that you devise yourself with an app and then download to it. This is shown in this video:
OR, buy an Edge 520 from one of these reputable online suppliers:
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In a nutshell, the Garmin Edge 520 is for you if you want absolutely premium bike training features in a small, light, affordable package, and can figure out your own routes. Plus, you are more into button control than touchscreen control.
The Garmin Edge 820, summed up
The Garmin Edge 820 is a massive upgrade on the Edge 810, and arrived with brand new features that had not previously been seen in Garmin Edge bike computers. These include Group Track, Incident Alert, Battery Save Mode and Stress Score. It was also rolled out with compatibility with Connect IQ from the start. Of course, the Edge 520 now has almost all of those features (except for Group Track and Battery Save Mode), and the brand new Edge 1030 shipped with all of them – and then some.
Of course, the Garmin Edge 820 has true turn-by-turn navigation built into it, right out of the box.
The Garmin Edge 820 offers a huge number of features, including advanced training options, great maps and turn-by-turn navigation, as well as connectivity with every possible sensor, and smart notifications. The Garmin Edge 820 is excellent for both bike training and figuring out routes, much like a car GPS. You can read a complete review of the Garmin Edge 820 here.
OR, buy an Edge 820 from one of these reputable online suppliers:
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In a nutshell, the Garmin Edge 820 is for you if you want absolutely premium bike training features in a small, light, package, and you also want premium mapping and navigation features, plus connectivity with every possible sensor, smart notifications, and the latest apps. Plus, you prefer touchscreen control over buttons.
The Garmin Edge 1030, summed up
The Garmin Edge 1030 offers a dazzling array of features, plus great user friendliness. If you need high-end training metrics and high-end maps and navigation, connectivity with every possible sensor, and smart notifications, then the Garmin Edge Bike Computer 1030 may be the right bike computer for you. Also, the big innovation with the Edge 1030 is the improved battery life – you can read more about that further down in this post.
The Edge 1030 also has the largest screen of any bike computer. This makes it great for seeing maps with ageing eyes. It is actually half an inch taller than the Edge 1000, which was previously the biggest bike computer. A bigger screen is not only easier to read, but also a bigger screen makes it that much easier to work the touch screen controls (something I personally find quite important when riding a bike in the rain). Finally, the Edge 1030 has somehow managed to greatly improve touch screen control in the rain – something which some users complained about with the Edge 820.
Naturally, as with the Garmin Edge 820, the Edge 1030 has true turn-by-turn navigation built into it, right out of the box.
OR, buy an Edge 1030 from one of these reputable online suppliers:
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Will the Other Garmin Units Get the New Garmin Edge 1030 Features?
The Edge 1030 is the newest of these 3 new bike computers, and as such has the greatest range of features. But as always with Garmin, it is only a matter of time before most of those features are rolled out to the other units. I go into depth about these features, and when/if they will be rolled out to the other Garmin units, in this in-depth post comparing the Edge 1030 to the 1000. For those who don’t want to read all that, I prepared this handy little chart just for you – it summarizes the new Edge 1030 features, and my best-guess predictions.
| Improved Battery Life – 44 hours instead of 15 hours | No, it is a hardware change |
| Improved touch screen that works well in rain | No, it appears to be hardware related |
| Ships preloaded with the new Garmin Connect app TrainingPeaks | You can download this app from the app store to other Garmin units right now! |
| The start/stop buttons moved to the bottom of the device (facing you) | No, it is hardware |
| Additional connectivity via BlueTooth Smart | No, it appears to be hardware related |
| Improved Strava Connectivity – you can download routes automatically, plus it alerts you to nearby segments and updates you in real time | Yes, most likely in the very next software updates |
| New feature: Uses Trendline Popularity Routing for mapping. So it focuses on the routes most popular with cyclists, drawing from Garmin Connect's database | Probably not any time soon, as it is a unique selling point. But some time in the future, it will have to be shared |
| Notifies you of upcoming sharp turns when navigating | Perhaps, but it’s hardly a deal breaker either way |
| Rider to Rider Messaging with canned messages | Probably not any time soon, as it is a unique selling point. But some time in the future, it will have to be shared - for messaging to succeed, a mass user baser is required! |
| Dashboard of the new Garmin Edge 1030 is much improved | Unlikely |
| New controls area | Yes, most likely in the next software update |
| Improved, more aerodynamic out front mount | Yes, definitely. Of course, you will have to actually buy it ... |
Next I have more details on the major differences between the Garmin Edge 1030, 820, and 520.
The Major Differences Between the Garmin Edge 1030, 820 and 520, summed up
Do You Need Tons of Battery Power?
Probably the most important change in the Edge 1030 is the vastly improved battery power. It now has a claimed battery strength of 20 hours, as opposed to the 15 hours of the Edge 520 and 820. PLUS, it also has Garmin Charge, which adds 24 hours to battery life. This is basically an external battery pack that clamps onto the bottom of the Garmin out front mount, and seamlessly and automatically connects with the Edge 1030. This is an optional extra – it does not ship with the basic unit.
I have not been able to cycle for a continuous 44 hours to test this battery life … and I am quite sure I never will achieve that in this particular life time. However, I have always found Garmin battery claims to be quite reliable. Plus, the Edge 1030 has Bluetooth Smart, which is a low-energy way to connect wirelessly to your smartphone and upload data, and so use less battery power.
Also, both the Edge 1030 and the 820 have battery save mode. You engage this if you are worried about running out of battery power. The screen will blank out, but it will keep recording your ride. You can bring the screen back to life at any time. This extends the battery life by several hours, and helps keep the 820 competitive with the 1030.
Maps and Navigation
If you need a bike computer that comes with useful, cycling-specific maps, and which you can use for navigation as it will calculate routes and give you turn-by-turn directions, then you probably need to rule out the Edge 520. Only the Edge 1030 and 820 come with these advanced navigation features. The Edge 520 cannot figure out how to get to places. However, you can download a breadcrumbs route to the 520 and then follow that. When doing that, you can get turn-by-turn notifications, plus an alert if you go off course. However, it lacks the ability to “re-calculate” on the fly, which you may have come to rely on if you use a motor car GPS unit.
Also, the Edge 1030 uses Trendline Popularity Routing, which means that it draws on the massive Garmin Connect database to choose bike routes that are used by real life cyclists. You can learn more about that in this short video:
Touchscreen vs. Button Control
The Edge 1030 and 820 both have touchscreen controls, while the Edge 520 is operated with buttons. So your preference on this matter is important. Bear in mind that there have been some user complaints about touchscreen controls on the Edge 820 in the rain. However, the Edge 1030 has vastly improved in this respect, and performs really well in the rain. It is still hard to operate when wearing bulky cycling gloves, however.
Does Size Matter to You?
These 3 bike computers have quite significant differences in size and weight. The Edge 1030 weighs 4.8 oz (123 g), the 820 weighs 2.4 oz (67.7 g), and the 520 weighs 2.1 oz (60 g). The 820 and the 520 are identical in size and display resolution: 2.3″ diagonal screens with 200 x 265 pixels high resolution. The Edge 1030 is very noticeably bigger, with a 3.5″ screen, looking more like a smart phone.
One way in which the 1030 is superior to the Edge 820, is that the 820 has a substantially smaller screen (the Edge 1030 screen is 1.2″ taller). This means it is easier to see maps on the Edge 1030. This could be important if you have eyesight that is less than perfect. In fact, I find the Garmin Edge 1030 (and the 1000) are the only bike computers I can see without difficulty (with the exception of the much cheaper CatEye Padrone, but that of course is a whole different class of bike computer).
However, if you don’t have any vision issues (and seldom cycle for 44 hours straight) the Edge 820 offers a remarkable range of features in a substantially cheaper unit.
Micro-SD Slot
Of these 3 bike computers, only the Edge 1030 has a micro-SD slot for an external memory card. These are usually used to add on a whole lot of maps, for example if you were off to the Netherlands for a bike tour. However, the Edge 820 has 16 GM of internal memory into which you can download maps, so it is unlikely to be a problem. Bear in mind that you can delete maps you are not using, for example, if you immigrate. You can also download a limited number of maps to the Edge 520, but if navigation is a primary concern for you, you are unlikely to have an Edge 520.
Note that the Edge 1030 has improved on the Edge 1000, in that the micro-SD slot has much improved weather protection.
Cutting Edge Improvements on the Garmin Edge 1030
As you can see from the chart above, the Garmin Edge 1030 also has a range of improvements that are not yet shared with the other units in the range (and some of them never will be). These include using Bluetooth Smart for improved battery life, coming preloaded with TrainingPeaks, improved interaction and functionality with Strava, and rider to rider messaging (with other riders who have a 1o30).
These are all nice-to-haves, but none of them on their own justifies the higher price tag for most cyclists.
Bottom Line on Garmin Edge 1030 vs 820 vs 520
- Buy the Edge 520 if you don’t care about navigation, as it gives you all the training features you could want in a cheaper unit. UNLESS you really want touchscreen, in which case you might want to choose the Edge 820. Or unless your eyesight requires the bigger screen of the 1030.
- Buy the Edge 1030 if navigation is important and your eyes are not that great. Or if you want enormous battery power. Or if you ride a lot in the rain, as its touch screen works really well in the rain.
- Buy the Edge 820 if training features AND navigation are important to you, and you can manage to see maps on a smaller unit just fine.
It comes down to what you need and value, and how much you are prepared to pay for it. It’s a tough choice, but somebody’s got to make it!
Finally, for those who want every single detail, this chart includes all of the key features on these three bike computers.
Chart Comparing Features of the Garmin Edge 1030 vs 820 vs 520
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|---|---|---|---|
| Big picture | Brand new, much awaited upgrade to Edge 1000. Key features are bigger screen and MUCH more battery life (thanks to add-on external battery). Improved Strava functionality & other new features | Great for training and navigation. Smaller than the 1030, same size as the 520. Color touchscreen | Great for training but not for navigation. Buttons, not touchscreen. Color |
| Lowest Price on Amazon Right Now: | Because price is lower than manufacturer's recommended price, we cannot display it. Please click here for current price. | $329.99 | Price not available |
| Unit Size | 2.3 x 4.5 x 0.8" (5.84 x 11.4 x 2.1 cm) | 1.9” x 2.9” x 0.8” (4.9 x 7.3 x 2.1 cm) | 1.9” x 2.9” x 0.8” (4.9 x 7.3 x 2.1 cm) |
| Display resolution, Width x Height | 282 x 470 pixels; color | 200 x 265 pixels; color | 200 x 265 pixels; color |
| Screen size | 3.5" (88.9 mm) diagonal, high res | 2.3" (58.4 mm) diagonal, high res | 2.3" (58.4 mm) diagonal, high res |
| Touchscreen | Yes - improved, much better in rain, and claimed to be compatible with gloves | Yes | No, buttons |
| Landscape mode available? | No - landscape discontinued as it was not much used | No | No |
| Water rating | IPX7 (able to withstand immersion in water up to 1 m - 3.2 feet - for up to 30 mins) | IPX7 (able to withstand immersion in water up to 1 m - 3.2 feet - for up to 30 mins) | IPX7 (able to withstand immersion in water up to 1 m - 3.2 feet - for up to 30 mins) |
| Weight | 4.8 ounces (123 g) | 2.4 oz (67.7 g) | 2.1 oz (60 g) |
| Battery life | Up to 20 hours | Up to 15 hours | Up to 15 hours |
| Battery save mode available? (Extends battery live up to 50% while still tracking ride details) | Yes (powers down the screen) | Yes ( powers down the screen) | No |
| Additional external battery? | Yes, Garmin Charge power pack increases battery life from 20 hours to 44 hours | No | No |
| History that can be stored on unit | Up to 200 hours of history | Up to 200 hours of history | Up to 180 hours of history |
| Garmin Edge Remote Control support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Round-trip routing (input a starting point and distance, and the Edge will suggest up to 3 bike ride options) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Out front mount (as well as original quarter turn)? | Yes, but it is a new, improved flush-fitting front mount, more aerodynamic | Yes | Yes |
| Is the screen responsive to level of ambient light? | Yes, it will brighten when ambient light darkens | Yes, it will brighten when ambient light darkens | No |
| Incident alert? (to tell your spouse if you have an accident) | Yes. You can switch it off if you are uninjured | Yes. You can switch it off if you are uninjured | Yes. You can switch it off if you are uninjured |
| Compatible with Garmin Varia Vision and Garmin Varia Rearview Radar Tail Light? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Unit-to-unit transfer (shares data wirelessly with similar units) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Automatic sync (automatically transfers data to your computer) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Relive and share your rides with Garmin Connect™ (online community where you can analyze, categorize and share data) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Smart phone Connected features (depends on having a Bluetooth enabled smartphone, and you may have to install the Garmin Connect mobile app on your phone) | Yes - Live Tracking, Group Tracking, send/receive courses, workouts and training plans wirelessly, social media sharing, smart notifications (texts and calls). PLUS it has canned replies (such as "Cannot speak now" and "Sent from my Garmin Edge 1030"!) | Yes - Live Tracking, Group Tracking, send/receive courses, workouts and training plans wirelessly, social media sharing, weather updates in real time, smart notifications (texts and calls) | Yes - Live Tracking, send/receive courses, workouts and training plans wirelessly, social media sharing, weather updates in real time, smart notifications (texts and calls) |
| Automatically send your activity to Garmin Connect as soon as you finish recording | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Live tracking (allows others to follow your activities in real time, if you invite them) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Group tracking | Yes | Yes | No |
| BlueTooth Smart? | Yes | No | No |
| Accepts data cards | Yes, including optional memory card in the micro-SD slot. Weather protection for the card slot has been improved from the 1000 | No. However, has 16 GB of internal memory | No |
| Connect IQ™ compatible? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Can you add a third-party compatible ANT+ sensor as a power meter? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Message other cyclists directly? | Yes, but for now, only if they also have a 1030! Uses canned messages | No | No |
| Can it be paired with wireless ANT+ Heart Rate monitor? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Activity profiles - store preferences for different cycling activities (For example, you can create a separate activity profile for training, for racing, and for mountain biking. The activity profile includes customized data pages, activity totals, alerts, training zones (such as heart rate and speed), training settings (such as Auto Pause® and Auto Lap®), and navigation settings) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced training features | Advanced performance and power analysis (if you are using a heart rate monitor and a power meter), including VO2 max, Recovery Time Advisor, and FTP (Functional Threshold Power) tracking | Advanced performance and power analysis (if you are using a heart rate monitor and a power meter), including VO2 max, Recovery Time Advisor, FTP (Functional Threshold Power) tracking, Time in Zone, and recovery (Recovery Time advisor) | Advanced performance and power analysis (if you are using a heart rate monitor and a power meter), including VO2 max, Recovery Time Advisor, FTP (Functional Threshold Power) tracking, Time in Zone, and recovery (Recovery Time advisor) |
| Preloaded with TrainingPeaks? (a virtual coach to guide your workouts and training plan) | Yes | No, but you can download it from the App store | No, but you can download it from the App store |
| Training calendar? | Yes | Yes | No |
| Stress score (requires HR monitor) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Courses (compete against previous activities) | Yes (compete against your previous time by entering the % you want to improve by, then race your virtual partner; or enter a shorter time that you want to achieve) | Yes (compete against your previous time by entering the % you want to improve by, then race your virtual partner; or enter a shorter time that you want to achieve) | Yes (compete against your previous time by entering the % you want to improve by, then race your virtual partner; or enter a shorter time that you want to achieve) |
| Virtual Partner® (train against a digital person) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced workouts (create custom, goal-oriented workouts) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Time/distance alert (triggers alarm when you reach goal) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Interval training (set up exercise and rest intervals) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Connect Real-Time segments | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Download Strava Real-Time segments? | Yes, if you have Strava premium. NEW advanced feature - can alert you to nearby segments | Yes, if you have Strava premium | Yes, if you have Strava premium |
| Auto upload your rides to Strava? | Yes, once you sync your Garmin Connect account with Strava | Yes, once you sync your Garmin Connect account with Strava | Yes, once you sync your Garmin Connect account with Strava |
| Automatically download new routes created in Strava to the unit? | Yes | No | No |
| Heart rate-based calorie computation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Optional heart rate, speed/cadence and power meter? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Can you use it for indoor training? | Yes. And you can recreate outdoor rides for the indoors, using apps such as TrainerRoad synced with your Garmin Connect account | Yes. And you can recreate outdoor rides for the indoors, using apps such as TrainerRoad synced with your Garmin Connect account | Yes. And you can recreate outdoor rides for the indoors, using apps such as TrainerRoad synced with your Garmin Connect account |
| New feature: Trendline popularity routing - when mapping, Trendline uses the routes most popular with cyclists, drawing from Garmin's database | Yes | No | No |
| GPS enabled? (this is the Global Positioning System, the US satellite navigation system) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| GLONASS enabled? (this is the GLObal NAVigation Satellite System, the Russian satellite navigation system) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Distance, speed, ascent/descent and GPS position | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Navigation? | Yes - once you pick a location, it will guide you to that location. IMPROVED because it uses popularity routing | Yes - once you pick a location, it will guide you to that location | No, it cannot figure out how to get to places. However, you can upload a breadcrumbs course and then follow that. When doing that, you do get turn notifications, plus an alert if you go off course |
| Turn-by-turn guidance? | Yes - just like a car GPS, it will warn you a turn is coming, and tell you when to turn (with text and a beep). Also now has alerts of upcoming sharp turns | Yes - just like a car GPS, it will warn you a turn is coming, and tell you when to turn (with text and a beep) | Yes, for courses you have downloaded from your computer |
| Preloaded basemap? | Yes, preloaded and IMPROVED Garmin Cycle Map with bike-specific navigation so it can give you turn-by-turn navigation instructions | Yes, preloaded Garmin Cycle Map with bike-specific navigation so it can give you turn-by-turn navigation instructions | Yes, but very basic. It's just to give you a rough idea of where you are |
| Ability to add maps, such as optional City Navigator® maps or Open Street maps or topographical maps? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Points of Interest (POIs) specifically for cyclists | Yes | Requires optional City Navigator® maps to access general points of interest | No |
| Plan and download new routes to follow (a route is a sequence of waypoints that leads you to your final destination) | You can upload routes you create elsewhere, and follow them; plus you can also enter in an address on the computer itself and it will create a route | Yes. You can upload routes you create elsewhere, and follow them; plus you can also enter in an address on the computer itself and it will create a route | Yes. The Edge 520 lets you upload routes you create elsewhere, and follow them, using pretty basic breadcrumb directions |
| Barometric altimeter (to tell you your elevation) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Temperature (displays and records temperature while you ride) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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