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TopoActive Americas North - should I install this update?

MrJakey
over 4 years ago

Hi - I recently purchased the 945 and just hooked it up via USB to my PC and ran Garmin Express and registered the device.  I then got a notice that an update was available for "TopoActive Americas North" and it looks to be over 2 gigs.  I am installing it now and it will take over an hour to do so.

My question though is does everyone recommend installing this and is there any downside to doing so?  I use this watch pretty much exclusively for running.  I just didn't want this to impact performance / battery life and not sure if I will need to keep updating these maps.  I had a Forerunner 645 before this so this is all new to me.

Any help / clarification on this maps update and how I would use it would be helpful!  Thanks.

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    The new map is just that: An updated version of the maps that are pre-installed. They should not change your battery drain at all, and only matter to you if you wish to have a slightly more updated map when using the maps feature.

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    Does this imply that the map on the 945 is only updated when plugging in to a PC, not through the mobile app?

    I thought Garmin had embraced the post-PC era...

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to winfij

    Also, the map update on Garmin Express was over 2 gigabytes - that seems like a lot to have to put on my watch's storage every time?  What is the 945 capacity and do you think future map updates will also be this large?  Thanks.

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to MrJakey

    You can assume the huge map update replaces an equally huge map on the watch, hence the storage requirement will probably not change significantly (unless they decide to switch to some new kind of map with more features). For me 16GB storage on my PC was required to update the two european maps - probably hard for many smart-phones to store that kind of volume.

    So for now you require Garmin Express. And I don't know about the "post-PC" era. Yes people have smart-phones, but that does not mean there is no PCs anymore ;).

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    do I really need this update on my Fenix 5 plus when I am living outside America - particularly Asia region?

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to 9115000

    There is no need to update any map, even for the area where you do live. It just means the map data could be wrong but that doesn't affect the rest of the functionality of the device.

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to 9115000

    Unless you're planning on coming to America in the near future, AND planning on running while you're here, there's no reason at all to keep that map updated.