The handheld gps units are by far the most popular amongst gps gadgets, this is pretty obvious seeing as there are more activities such as walking, hiking, running, cycling, geocaching and other outdoor sports which are extremely popular to do with gps.
If you are considering purchasing a specific handheld gps such as a running gps you can expect features such as heart rate monitor, speed, distance and a training plan. Similarly the cycling gps will have the same features as running with the addition of a virtual partner. Other features you can expect in a handheld gps system are topographic maps, electronic compass and wireless data sharing. Handheld gps systems will range in features and functionality and this will inevitably affect the price range, typically between $30 and $3000 dollars.
Golf gps systems are great for enhancing your game and you will find you’re choosing between a golf gps watch and a golf gps unit. A golf gps watch is going to smaller, more compact and therefore a cheaper item to purchase however it is likely to have fewer features such as a monochrome screen which will inevitably be smaller than its counterparts. The handheld golf gps unit will be full color touchscreen which may vary in size but typically around 3.5cm to 6.5cm. You should expect a golf gps system to be waterproof and to come preloaded with golf courses around your chosen continent and beyond. Prices range from $80 to$400 for a golf gps system depending on features and whether you choose a watch or handheld unit.
Motorcycle riders considering purchasing a motorcycle gps system may want to think about battery life of these
systems, if you are a long distance motorcyclist or you are going on tour you’ll want a longer battery life – we found the lifetime to range from up to 3 hours to up to 8 hours. These units are pretty much going to be waterproof for obvious reasons but check before you make your purchase. Most units will accept either an sd card or a micro sd card so you may find you have to purchase another memory card to fit. You should take the screen brightness into account also, you want it to bright enough to see even when the sun is shining nice and bright some manufacturers advertise this feature as sunlight readable. Prices range depending on features from $250 to $850.
Marine gps systems are by far the most expensive type of gps this is due to the amount of data provided and of course the advanced specialist features and functionality of the unit – expect prices to be between $250 to $7000. The unit will be waterproof and will have a much larger screen size, somewhere between 20cm diagonal and 32cm diagonal. The resolution on the display will be 640×480 pixels in a low to mid end unit and the more expensive units will have 1024×768 pixels. You probably won’t find preloaded maps in the low end units but of course all units will allow you to add/upload maps onto the unit. Other nice features you should expect on the marine gps units are a color touchscreen (on most) the auto guidance feature, remote control and tide tables.
