Is the GPSMAP H1i Plus just a bad device in general?

I personally don’t have one. I have a 67i and am happy with it. My personal thoughts are, like any major model change, it probably won’t be as good as the next model coming along. It seems to me like this device was totally rushed to the market. Lots of bugs and missing features and it still seems that way. I don’t collect all the Garmin GPS units, I upgrade every so many years. This unit seems almost experimental due to its missing features and bugs, more so than normal. I’m thinking surely the next series will be a bit more refined out of the box. You pay big money for these units and then play the Garmin beta test game and wait for it to work properly. Maybe ask yourself if you’d by a cell phone or tv if it were as bad as the H1 plus, and wait for everything to work properly at a later date.

Speaking from previously owning the eTrex Touch (H1's little brother), I believe the software is mainly to blame. Garmin have switched from tried and true software & interface from all previous GPS units (like the older GPSMAP and eTrex) to something new with a new user interface with seemingly more options and configurability but alas, missing some core functions & features from previous units. Garmin need to get their minds wrapped around the newness of how the hardware & software fits together. Making the unit more smartphone-like is a good thing but they need to get issues sorted. As always, when something gets fixed, something else gets broken (this is common). It seems they could've spent another year before releasing these units but of course, you have time restraints and deadlines.

Back to the hardware, I have one thing that I've come across specifically on the eTrex Touch. I had to return three eTrex Touch units due to power buttons that were nearly impossible to trigger without having to literally dig my finger into the thing. It felt very forced and seemed as if I would damage it with use. I finally did get a "good" one that was functioning as I would expect it to. I fully get that the button should be difficult to trigger. Having it sit flush with the body is fine but having it flush as well as needing to center my finger precisely in the center and push it with a greater force than I felt comfortable with is a probable failure in the future. In the end, I returned the eTrex Touch for a refund and no longer own one.

Garmin had an opportunity to produce a great new series of units but released them way too soon and are now scrambling and playing "catch up", thus marring the greatness that could've been.

Hopefully, current H1 / H1i PLUS & eTrex Touch owners will eventually get the unit that they paid for.

Maybe Garmin will learn when they release their next "new device"...but their past track record is not a very good indication.

Another thing too people were so hoping the mini 3 would take loadable maps and it doesn’t. $700 where I live, just to send photos and 30 second voice clips with a colour screen. I don’t think so. The H1plus cost $1500, that’s like a 55” led tv or a new iPhone and it’s still full of bugs and missing features. That’s just totally unacceptable. Garmin will have to fix this nonsense once people stop playing their buy now and beta test for us game. Their track record is declining rapidly.