GPS - why bother if you already have a smartphone?

[Andrew_Culture]

I've long known that dedicated GPS trackers beat the living poo out of smartphones for accuracy, but as the question of which is best pops up on CycleChat reasonably often I thought I'd run a little comparison test. The results (below) speak for themselves I think. This test was done using a Samsung Galaxy S Android phone and a Holux GPSport 245.

There's a little bit more of this guff on my blog here - GPS Comparison, Android Vs Holux...

 

[Hacienda71]

I bought a Garmin after riding 60 miles with Potsy and 400bhp and not logging a single Strava segment using my HTC desire. I was also concerned that in the case of an emergency I may well have used up most of my phone battery logging my ride.

 

[jifdave]

battery dies after about 4 hrs on phone. i usually ride longer

 

[ohnovino]

I've got an Android smartphone (Acer Liquid Metal) and its GPS is spot-on.

 

[kedab]

aye - for me it's an accuracy thing as well. i really like 'cyclemeter' as riding app - it's packed with stuff and it's free. kudos to the people behind it but...being an iphone app it does log some crazy data at times and as has also been said, it chews the life out of the battery. my garmin is awesome and goes on for about 15 hours i think.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I can get about three hours out of my phone if I switch off everything useful! I think on long rides now I'm only going to track with the GPS and save the phone battery in case I need to call for resuscitation.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

battery dies after about 4 hrs on phone. i usually ride longer

I charge my holux once a week, and I ride two or three times a day. The battery indicator only shows that it is down to half power after a weeks worth of riding but I figure I might as well give it a charge!

 

[jifdave]

exactly my garmin i havent had to charge in the mo nth ive had it.

 

[User6179]

I've long known that dedicated GPS trackers beat the living poo out of smartphones for accuracy, but as the question of which is best pops up on CycleChat reasonably often I thought I'd run a little comparison test. The results (below) speak for themselves I think. This test was done using a Samsung Galaxy S Android phone and a Holux GPSport 245.
View attachment 12870

There's a little bit more of this guff on my blog here - GPS Comparison, Android Vs Holux...

Have an android and endomondo is spot on and has never missed anything ,strava on the other hand misses everything so I track with endo then upload to strava , My phone always say exellent connection for gps on endomondo.

I think I would get 8 hours plus using endo so this might be a reason to get a separate gps device if you needed longer than that but other than that I see no need .

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I have just got the Bryton Rider 35 and its spot on compared with the Nokia N95. Like you said Andrew it sometimes places you in a different place, I got a P.B. on one of the roads home some weeks ago and it didn't register. The one thing I have found with the Bryton is that if I stop it loses altitude even if its been calibrated before I set off, its happened twice, not long stops either maybe 6-8 mins.

Edit The Bryton charges when you download data so is usually always full when you set off, not sure if Garmins are the same.

 

[GrasB]

Edit The Bryton charges when you download data so is usually always full when you set off, not sure if Garmins are the same.

Yes they are.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Have an android and endomondo is spot on and has never missed anything ,strava on the other hand misses everything so I track with endo then upload to strava , My phone always say exellent connection for gps on endomondo.

I think I would get 8 hours plus using endo so this might be a reason to get a separate gps device if you needed longer than that but other than that I see no need .

Which Android phone do you have? My HTC Desire was reasonably accurate, this Galaxy S is shite and I'm expecting the Galaxy SII I'm about to get to be a fair amount better.

 

[User6179]

Which Android phone do you have? My HTC Desire was reasonably accurate, this Galaxy S is s***e and I'm expecting the Galaxy SII I'm about to get to be a fair amount better.

HTC Wildfire S , I only got it for the gps so if it had not been accurate I would of sent it back and got another one.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

HTC Wildfire S , I only got it for the gps so if it had not been accurate I would of sent it back and got another one.

Is that the little entry level jobby? If so then I'm impressed!

 

[fossyant]

My desire was OK, but I did a straight test Desire vs Edge 705 on a Strava segment. The phone was slower by a second. It was reasonably accurate, but found GPS eats battery, so hardly ever used it, and picked up an Edge 200 for £65 for commuting - saves using the much more expensive 705.