Related
Options

what is the best GPS setting to obtain results consistent with the distance travelled

2765018
over 2 years ago

I bought an Epix 2 Sapphire - the most expensive one - and every morning I do a circuit that varies between 4.99 and 5.03 km (depending on whether you take about the same places).
I have had a TomTom Runner 2 for years and now I have acquired a Garmin Epix Gen 2 Sapphire.

The first measurements without my TomTom watch, but just with the Epix "panicked" me. Indeed, I noticed a clear difference between my TomTom and the Epix between all my journeys over the last 6 years, the latter giving a number of km well below.
So I took the measurements again with a watch on each wrist. Result: TomTom: 5.01 km Epix 2: 4.80 km, i.e. 4% less. Over 10,000 km travelled, my TomTom would have "embellished" me by more than 400 km. So I have my Garmin handheld hiking GPS and what TomTom gives me = what the hiking GPS gives me ...Ouch Ouch Ouch.

I went into the watch settings and saw that the GPS choice was in the automatic position.
So I set to All GPS and I started again.
Result: TomTom Runner 2: 5.06 km and Epix 2: 5.03 km, i.e. a difference of 0.03 km in me (30 m over 5000 m), i.e. 0.06 % error, which is peanuts! and I won't venture to find out who is right.
IN CONCLUSION: for a good precision, because 4 % of difference on long courses or in cumulated that makes too much, I recommend to systematically pass by the Multi GPS in the configuration and there, the difference is quasi null with other GPS more precise in the origin.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    For pure accuracy - set to "Multi Band" or "Auto Select". I leave mine in "Auto Select"

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    For what it's worth I often run with a calibrated foot pod (Stryd) which is known to have one of the best precisions and accuracy and the Epix2 is always giving a larger distance compared to the Stryd.

    Perhaps your TomTom was all wrong or the truth is somewhere in-between. I've been running with Fenix 3, Fenix 6X and now Epix Gen 2 and they are extremely consistent (good precision) which for me is more important than being correct.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to TobiasLj

    I would like to point out that in a video, an athlete showed the difference between automatic and a multi-gps.
    Now, this is for information purposes and if the watch says that if you choose the multi-gps is more accurate, then it is, so I wouldn't understand this precision from the supplier if it wasn't the case. As for the precision of the GPS, it is the Galileo one which is the most precise to within 20 cm, the American GPS is much "wider". Originally it was several meters, because they were afraid that enemies would bomb them with precision.
    Also, I point out that when you talk about consistency, the handheld GPS hiker, is in agreement with the TomTom runner 2. On the other hand, the fact that the last measurement shows a deviation of 0.6% in multi-gps and not more than 4%¨in automatic setting makes me right, TomTom runner is more accurate, otherwise I would have had other figures.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to Crcoco7

    and the results ? are not the same ...

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to 2765018

    no the results wouldn't be the same. Multi is generally always going to be more accurate than auto, as auto is a battery saving feature and will use whatever gives you a really good fix with the best battery life - thus if it has a solid fix it might decide that just GPS is good enough.

    I have presonally found that the auto function isn't as good as multi and a lot of times isn't as good as All - it seems to have the odd glitch now and again whereas All and Multi are just really solid.

    Re Precision in regards to GPS and Galileo - Galileio might be more precise but depending on where you are you may not always get good fixes and that is where functionality like All (uses the best fixes from any applicable satelite system so if there is a Glonas satelite from which it can get a better fix it will use that.

    See attached link from e-manual which explains the satellite opitons: https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/GUID-E5C62F3F-DCE3-4197-8CA5-E419B2A55D12/EN-US/GUID-9AC5D40D-5CCE-4D21-B8C2-10A04B25E152.html?q=satellite&nav=search_pane

    Why I prefer not to use Auto option: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/outdoor/garmin-engineer-talks-satiq-longer-battery-life-same-precise-tracking/

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to jaamgans

    we are in complete agreement!
    My goal, to ask the question to make those who say that all Garmin watches have the same chip for the basic GPS think.
    Personally, I will not accept that a system distorts my performance.
    So what about those who don't have the multi-GPS option?
    For Galileo, this system cannot be adapted to watches, or even small GPS. Moreover, its accuracy to within ten centimetres is only of interest to architects, quantity surveyors, etc.
    So, my information was meant to be "informative" and I am not one to give subjective, but objective opinions. The price of these watches is sufficiently important to be said.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to 2765018

    sorry. Not my goal, but my objectif (:o)