Garmin debuts Edge 550 and 850 head units
Garmin has unveiled its new Edge 550 and 850 head units that it says offer brighter displays alongside a range of smart features. Both units feature a 2.7-inch colour screen and a slight weight bump on the outgoing 540 and 840 units. Garmin highlights adaptive Garmin Cycling Coach training plans, real-time weather overlays, and in-ride fueling alerts that adjust based on rider fitness, course demands, and conditions, as well as claims of smoother map redraws.
Claimed battery life is now 36 hours on battery saver mode or around 12 hours under "demanding use," as described by Garmin. However, as Escape Collective member GP Lama noted in his first look video, those figures may represent a step back from previous models' battery life, with some of the new smart functions, notably the weather overlay, causing his head units to crash as recently as today, launch day. Likewise, DC Rainmaker has reported achieving 10-12 hours of battery life in general use, but also found that reducing the screen brightness to 30% doubles that measured battery life.
The Edge 850 adds several extras over its 540 sibling, including a built-in speaker for audible navigation and a digital bike bell, touchscreen controls, Garmin Pay, and the ability to create routes directly on the device.
Both units see a price increase over the existing 540 and 840 units, with the Edge 550 priced at $499.99, while the Edge 850 is available for $599.99.
