Garmin Varia USB C - when will the time finally come?

wassup_black
3 months ago

Same question as in the already locked topic Garmin Varia RTL 515 USB C

I had hoped that with the introduction of the EU directive "EU common charger rules" an update for the Varia would follow soon...
Unfortunately there has been no news to date.

Is there any news about this in the depths of the internet? Or can a Garmin employee comment here on whether it is worth waiting or whether we waiting customers will still be waiting unnecessarily in 2025?

  • 0 1 month ago

    Garmin had all of the Varia units discounted until about a week ago.  I though this signaled there was something new coming but I guess not.  They are about to loose a customer.

  • 0 1 month ago in reply to Rmat

    Same.  Whomever is in charge of Garmins feature rollout schedule is exceptionally tone def to market demands. The market has been telling Garmin to get onto the USB-C bandwagon for a long time - for all of their products lines. Looking at you dashcams.  But Gamin keeps a death grip on old tech well past their market relevance.  May 6th I'll be jumping to the Wahoo camp.

  • 0 1 month ago in reply to a1a2

    Yeah, and the Wahoo is reviewing very very well by comparison to all the other Radars. 
    It seems the two most reliable options at the moment are the Varia and the Wahoo.

  • 0 20 days ago in reply to 5878985

    I put my money where my mouth was and purchased the new Wahoo Elemnt Roam and radar. Even took the tariff hit on the radar. So far I'm happy with both. They operate as well as the reviews indicate.

  • 0 13 days ago

    This takes forever... Maybe just get the wahoo instead... Garmin is really missing the boat with this one

  • 0 6 days ago

    Garmin have shot themselves in the foot with this one. When the RTL515 was launched back in 2020, USB-C wasn't mandatory.  It was, however, already common and more convenient for customers.  Despite that, Garmin chose to penny pinch, presumably for short term profitability and the expense of brand loyalty and long-term profits.  

    This seems to becoming something of a pattern at Garmin, selling obsolete technology at premium prices. A bit like a woman who marries a much older man, the discrepancy becomes more noticeable with time. E.g. if the camera spec of the new Varia front light is a bit out-of-date today, just imagine what it will look like in three years time before the next refresh.