Garmin Edge 850 Review: Is It Worth the $599 Price Tag?

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I bought all Garmin Edge x50 bike computers, including the Edge 850, to find out whether they are worth it. I compared the Edge 850 with the previous generations and also some competing bike computers. So, should you buy it? The answer is not so clear-cut. But after reading this review, you will know.

My Edge 850 rating at a glance:
Battery Life 2/5 | Ease of Setup 5/5 | Display 5/5 | Ease of Use 5/5 | GPS Accuracy 5/5 | Maps & Navigation 5/5 | Price 1/5 | OVERALL 4.0/5
More about this bike computer scoring.

NOTE: I tested the Edge 850 with firmware version 7.10.

Garmin Edge 850 Pros and Cons

These are the main pros and cons of the Garmin Edge 850 I found during its use.

Also available at rei.com, competitivecyclist.com, and jensonusa.com

What’s New Compared to the Edge 840?

In the Box

Initial Setup

If there is anything I like about Garmin Edge devices, it’s how they guide you through the initial setup. It’s super convenient, especially if you previously owned an Edge. After scanning the QR code and following a few steps, they will transfer all your data pages and sensors, so you don’t have to pair them as you do with some competing head units. For comparison, Wahoo ELEMNT bike computers can also sync data pages, but not sensors.

Naturally, the user interface is unified with the other x50 head units, such as the Edge 550 and Edge 1050. It’s a bit more polished than the one on the x40 line.

My Experience with Garmin Edge 850

Let’s now dive deeper into individual features.

Display

Garmin increased the display size by 0.1″, bringing it to 2.7 inches. It now uses transmissive LCD on its x50 head units, so they are much brighter and easier to read in most scenarios (see the gallery below).

The pixels per inch (PPI) are lower than on the Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM 3 (271 vs. 309 PPI), for example, but everything looks sharp, and I can’t see the difference. The 0.1″ size difference compared to the previous generation and the ROAM 3 is negligible. I think this display size is ideal for most use cases, as it’s ok for navigation but not too big for daily riding. The following chart shows the display sizes of other popular bike computers.

The display is now bright enough to be easier to read even in direct sunlight. However, it’s tricky to capture it on camera. I would say that the screen is almost as bright as some of today’s smartphones. So, that’s pretty cool. Of course, the screen brightness appears differently depending on the bike computer’s tilt (as seen in the photos below). Keep in mind that the screen surface is glossy, so it still reflects glare.

The glossy screens are the only thing that drag the Edge bike computers down a bit, imo. If they have an anti-glare coating like the Wahoo ELEMNTs second gen, that would be great.

The photo below shows another comparison—this time with other popular bike computers. In reality, Hammerhead Karoo 3 is the brightest, with Karoo 2 and Magene C606 closely behind. BOLT 3 and ROAM 3 are the least bright.

The Edge 850 can display up to 10 data fields at once, keeping them relatively easy to read, though they are naturally a bit smaller than on the 10×0 models (those can also display up to 10 data fields).

Also available at rei.com, competitivecyclist.com, and jensonusa.com

Battery Life

The Garmin Edge 850 has a dramatically worse battery life than the previous generation and most other bike computers on the market. It should last up to 12 hours, but the real battery life is lower. I squeezed only 10.3 hours from it¹.

This is bad in 2025. You might be scared of not being able to record your whole-day trips as I did on Gran Canaria. For comparison, the following chart shows the claimed battery life of the best bike computers on the market.

The horribly short battery life is one of the main reasons I won’t use this bike computer as a daily driver, and I will most likely return to the Edge 840, Edge 1050, or Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM 3. I’m not fully decided yet (reviewers’ problems, haha).

Control & User Friendliness

The new user interface on x50 line is better than the one on x40. Thanks to the Edge 850’s touchscreen and control buttons, it’s super easy to use in all scenarios (even with gloves, as you can see in the video below). Just remember that, considering the sheer amount of features, Edge bike computers have a steeper learning curve. It took me a while to remember where all the options and settings are, and I am sure I still don’t know everything.

I’ve heard so many times that a touchscreen is not necessary, and I agree, especially since all you do is record your activities, and you pair the Edge with Di2 or SRAM buttons so you can scroll through pages. However, once you start using the maps and navigation, it’s a different story, and I recommend paying more for the touchscreen. It’s much easier to browse the map on it than on the Edge 550.

Finally, I would like to highlight the new chassis design, which makes repairs and battery replacement easier. This is based on EU legislation on the Right to Repair. In addition to being able to remove the entire back side, you can also replace the plastic socket in case it breaks.

Maps & Navigation

The Edge 850 has improved maps and navigation. They are easier to follow because the roads, trails, and other features have more distinct lines and contrast.

The Edge 850 can navigate you almost anywhere. I relied heavily on its navigation in Gran Canaria. There are lots of roundabouts there, so it’s cool that the head unit shows you exactly how to enter and exit them. Unlike the E550, the E850 also includes address search and an on-device course creator, and it can provide audible alerts via the built-in speaker.

I tested navigation mainly on paved roads, and it worked flawlessly. Garmin has one of the best maps, including off-road coverage. You can also install third-party apps, such as TrailForks, to explore trails and more. Thanks to the touchscreen, browsing maps is also convenient, unlike on the Edge 550. If you are a frequent map user, the Edge 850 is worth considering.

Also available at rei.com, competitivecyclist.com, and jensonusa.com

GPS Accuracy

Thanks to the multi-band GNSS, the Edge 850 is one of the most accurate bike computers. When I test them, I ride a specific segment in the forest, record my ride, and then compare the recorded route with the actual route and my previous tests.

I tested the Multi-GNSS Multi-band system because it’s the most accurate. The accuracy is so good that the ride recording nails the side of the narrow forest road I’m riding on. On the other hand, it drains more battery. Take a look at the following screenshots for further reference.

ClimbPro

ClimbPro is one of the most useful features, especially for people like me who love climbing. We can now slightly customize the data page and use a different number of data fields. However, it’s still much more limited than the Free Summit adjustability on Wahoo bike computers. It is a pity that there are no data fields, e.g., “Average power during this climb.” That would be very useful. But the truth is, you can work around this via Avg. power (lap) field. You just have to turn on the lap before each climb.

Despite these shortcomings, the ClimbPro inspired other manufacturers, and the overall quality of these features is slowly improving.

Real-Time Stamina and Power Guide

Thanks to Real-Time Stamina, you will see how long you can ride at the current pace and how much you have left in the tank. Power Guide suggests the power zones for your planned route based on your FTP. These features can now account for additional metrics, such as route elevation, weather, and user profile. In other words, they are more accurate.

So, for example, when using Power Guide, it will account for your Stamina and also wind data. This means that if you ride into a headwind or your Stamina drops faster than expected, the Power Guide will adjust the target power zones. I appreciate this improvement. It makes me excited to see what other metrics Garmin adds in the future to improve the accuracy even further.

Shared Road Hazards

Sharing risks on the road, as with Waze or Google Maps, is a really great thing. The more people use it, the more useful it becomes. It might take a while before enough people in some areas are in the Garmin ecosystem and contribute by adding these hazards. Fortunately, Garmin made this feature available for the x40 head units some time ago to widen the user base. This is another example of the benefits of the Garmin ecosystem.

GroupRide, Challenges, and Awards

GroupRide has received several improvements. For example, the first is that if the E850 detects a crash, it notifies others in the group (when GroupRide is on). This is brilliant. I am surprised we didn’t get this feature sooner. Imagine how useful this feature will be in fast descents.

The Challenges are similar to Strava live segments. You can compete with your friends to see who can climb the upcoming climbs faster. Yes, this feature has only worked for climbs in ClimbPro so far. This is Garmin’s way of giving you another reason to choose the Garmin bike computer and lock you into their ecosystem.

And the Awards are just Garmin’s way of leveraging additional gamification elements. You earn rewards for your power output, speed, and more. These are just some examples of how Garmin tries to lock people into its ecosystem.

Connectivity

There are no connectivity changes. The Edge 850 still supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and ANT+ connectivity, so you can connect it to sensors or your smartphone. Of course, it can auto-sync activities, courses, etc. I sometimes experienced longer sync times for activities on Wi-Fi in the Canary Islands, but at home, it worked pretty much ok. So I suspect the Wi-Fi settings can be in play.

Garmin Edge 850 Alternatives

Garmin Edge 850 Technical Specifications

Below, I summarized the technical specifications of the Garmin Edge 850.

My Verdict

There are two main things I dislike about the Garmin Edge 850: the first is its short battery life, which requires recharging about twice as often as the Edge 840. The second one is obviously the price. I absolutely hate this trend of bumping prices by so much year over year. It’s not sustainable. Yes, the Edge 850 is probably one of the most capable (if not the most) bike computers of this size, but earlier generations will do a similarly good job.

So, if you don’t care about the latest and greatest features, consider buying the Edge 840 instead. You will get twice the battery life and save a few hundred bucks. If you decide to purchase the E850 anyway, please use the links below. It’s the best way to support this website, and it won’t cost you anything extra. Thanks a lot in advance.

Also available at rei.com, competitivecyclist.com, and jensonusa.com

Recommended Accessories

Below are some recommended accessories for the Garmin Edge 850.

Garmin Varia RTL515 Radar

Garmin Varia RCT715 Radar with Camera

Garmin Edge 850 FAQ

1. I rode with a connected Wahoo TICKR, Elilee EK01, Garmin Varia RTL515, Shimano Ultegra Di2, and iPhone 14 Pro. I set the brightness to auto and rode in autumn temperatures (around 15°C [59°F]). ↩︎