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Overall Score
Simple average of all criteria: each one counts the same (not weighted).
Battery Life
Real battery life from everyday rides with auto-brightness and navigation on for about 30% of rides, not the claimed one.
- 3Edge 830: 15 to 20 hours
- 5Edge 840: Above 25 hours
- 5Edge 840 Solar: Above 25 hours
Average of the 25 products I rated: 3.7
Ease of Setup
Pairing with the phone and sensors, and changing settings, data pages and fields.
- 4Edge 830: Either easy or quick
- 5Edge 840: Easy and quick
- 5Edge 840 Solar: Easy and quick
Average of the 25 products I rated: 4.6
Display
Resolution, brightness, color, responsiveness, readability in direct sunlight, and use in the rain or with gloves.
- 3Edge 830: A color display that is reasonably easy to read
- 4Edge 840: Bright color display with minor weaknesses or no touchscreen
- 4Edge 840 Solar: Bright color display with minor weaknesses or no touchscreen
Average of the 25 products I rated: 3.6
Ease of Use
How easy the system and its menus are to use day to day.
- 3Edge 830: Usable once learned, some menus are clunky
- 4Edge 840: Easy to use with minor quirks
- 4Edge 840 Solar: Easy to use with minor quirks
Average of the 25 products I rated: 3.6
GPS Accuracy
Tested on the same forest segment, where weaker units drift off the road.
- 4Edge 830: Mostly accurate, rare small drift
- 5Edge 840: Multi-band GNSS that holds the correct side of the road
- 5Edge 840 Solar: Multi-band GNSS that holds the correct side of the road
Average of the 25 products I rated: 4.2
Maps & Navigation
Map detail, routing along suitable roads, rerouting and turn instructions.
- 4Edge 830: Detailed maps, good routing and rerouting
- 5Edge 840: Detailed, easy-to-use maps and a wide range of navigation features
- 5Edge 840 Solar: Detailed, easy-to-use maps and a wide range of navigation features
Average of the 25 products I rated: 4.2
Price
Recommended retail price before discounts.
- 2Edge 830: Between $400 and $499
- 2Edge 840: Between $400 and $499
- 1Edge 840 Solar: Above $500
Average of the 25 products I rated: 2.5
Tested with our bike computer methodology
Main Specs
My Pick
Garmin Edge 840. I would pick it for the much longer battery, the more accurate multi-band GNSS, and the easier QR code setup. It costs more, but you also get ClimbPro without a planned route, Power Guide, Real-Time Stamina, USB-C, 32GB storage and a newer interface. I would skip the Solar version because it adds only a little battery life and costs just $50 less than the Edge 1040.
Choose the Edge 830 if
- You are on a tight budget
Choose the Edge 840 if
- You want almost twice the real battery life
- You want more accurate GPS from multi-band GNSS
- You want ClimbPro without a preplanned route, plus Power Guide and Real-Time Stamina
This is my comparison of Garmin Edge 830 vs. Edge 840 (Solar). You will learn about their differences, and I will also help you decide whether to upgrade from the E830 or other bike computers. I’ve used them both extensively, and I share my experience below.
Edge 830 vs. Edge 840: The Basics
Here is a summary of the main features and differences between Garmin Edge 830 and Edge 840 (Solar).
| Feature | Garmin Edge 830 | Garmin Edge 840 (Solar) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 2.6″ | 2.6″ |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Claimed battery life Real battery life¹ | 20 hours 13.37 hours² | 26 hours (32 hours) 24.25 hours (Edge 840) |
| Dimensions | 50×82×20 mm 1.9×3.2×0.8 in | 58×85×20 mm 2.3×3.4×0.8 in |
| Weight | 79g | 85g (89g) |
| Storage | 16 GB | 32 GB |
| Start-up time | ∼14s | ∼13s |
| Charging | Micro-USB | USB-C |
| Mounts in the box | Out front mount Stem mount | Out front mount Stem mount |
| Buttons | Easy to press | Easy to press |
| Smart navigation (rerouting) | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-band GNSS | No | Yes |
| Connectivity | ANT+, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | ANT+, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
| Crash/incident detection | Yes | Yes |
| More info | Garmin Edge 830 Review | Garmin Edge 840 review |
| Buy | Check Price Check Price (Amazon) Check Price (tredz.co.uk) | Check Price Check Price (amazon.com) Check Price (Solar) Check Price (amazon.com) |
¹Based on my unscientific testing – multiple rides with multiple connected sensors (HR, power meter, radar), and navigation turned on during about 30% of rides. Auto brightness on.
²Almost 2-year-old device. I bought the Garmin Edge 830 second-hand. Based on the battery life results, it was probably older than 2 years.
Edge 830 vs. Edge 840: What’s New?
Here are the most important upgrades of the Edge 840 compared to the Edge 830:
- Edge 840 is available in the Solar option
- Edge 840 has increased battery life from 20 to 26 hours (compared to the Edge 530 and 830)
- Edge 840 has larger internal storage (from 16GB to 32GB)
- New ClimbPro (doesn’t require having a preplanned route)
- Revamped user interface (the same one known from Edge 1040)
- Power Guide and Real-Time Stamina features
- Simplified setup/pairing process
- More accurate GPS (Multi-band GNSS)
- Map downloads over Wi-Fi (added with a September 2024 firmware update)
- Increased price
- And many more
Edge 830 vs. Edge 840: What’s the Same?
Both bike computers have the same:
- box contents (mounts, tether, charging cable, documentation)
- display size and resolution
- water resistance (IPX7)
- maps (but the 840 adds ClimbPro data to them and can download them over Wi-Fi)
- sensors
- connectivity
- safety features
They do everything you expect from a bike computer. These features include turn-by-turn navigation, Strava live segments, auto-sync with third-party apps, compatibility with third-party sensors, etc.
Edge 830 and 840 are also available in bundles that include additional sensors.
Edge 830 vs. Edge 840 Features Comparison
Garmin also sold the Edge 830 and 840 in bundles that include additional sensors.
Ease of Setup
Garmin simplified the setup process on the Edge 840 (and 540). You still have to pair it with the Garmin Connect smartphone app, go through the setup guide, and pair it with sensors.
But now, you can scan a QR code (as on Wahoo ELEMNT computers), and the 840 can also import your settings from the Garmin Connect cloud.
After that, you can use your smartphone app to set up the data fields and other details, which is likely faster than tapping through the menus on the device.
Winner: Edge 840
Display
The Edge 830 and 840 have the same display size (2.6″), similar to the Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM’s 2.7-inch display.
When comparing the screens of the Garmin Edge 830 vs. Edge 840, their resolution, number of colors, and data fields they can display are the same. However, the Edge 840 Solar’s display is slightly dimmer than the non-solar version. You can see it in the following picture (the E1040s has the same screen as the E840s).
By the way, the following chart shows the screen sizes of other popular bike computers.
Winner: It’s a draw
Also available at amazon.com and performancebike.com
Also available at amazon.com and performancebike.com
Control & User Friendliness
The 840 is easier to control, thanks to the revamped user interface we know from the Edge 1040 or Explore 2.
Setting up the device using a smartphone app is also great. However, the Garmin Connect app is less user-friendly than the Wahoo ELEMNT app.
One of the major differences, however, is that the 840 (Solar) has the same physical buttons as the 540 does. The 830 had only three buttons.
That’s why I believe the 840 is the best choice; it satisfies touchscreen users and those who prefer buttons.
Winner: Edge 840
Battery Life
Edge 830 has a claimed battery life of 20 hours, while the 840 has 26 hours. The Edge 840 Solar pushes it to 32 hours in ideal conditions because the solar panel can add up to 25 minutes per hour of riding.
The battery life increase is pretty disappointing, and the smaller solar panel also doesn’t give the head unit as much juice as the Edge 1040 Solar, which adds up to 42 minutes.
So, I think you should skip the solar options. If you do ultra-endurance events, you will probably buy the Edge 1040 Solar anyway.
TIP: You might be interested in this comparison of the Edge 840 and Edge 1040.
The following chart shows how the battery life compares with that of other popular bike computers.
Winner: Edge 840
Maps & Navigation
Edge 830 and 840 offer the same navigation features. These include turn-by-turn directions, recalculating routes, popularity heatmap, etc.
On the Edge 830, it’s a shame that you must connect to a PC (Mac) to update maps. Garmin doesn’t list Wi-Fi map downloads for it. The Edge 840 can now download maps over Wi-Fi. Garmin added this with a firmware update in September 2024, and it lists a Wi-Fi map manager for the 840.
Another notable feature is the Edge 840’s improved GPS accuracy thanks to multi-band GNSS.
Winner: Edge 840
Extras
Garmin Edge bike computers offer the following features I’d like to highlight:
- ClimbPro is better on the Edge 840 because it doesn’t require a pre-planned route and shows more detailed gradients.
- Edge 840 also has new features like Real-Time Stamina and Power Guide.
- Both these bike computers have features like MTB Dynamics and Incident/crash detection.
Winner: Edge 840
Total score: Garmin Edge 830 (0) | Garmin Edge 840 (5) | It’s a draw (1)
My Verdict
The Edge 840 is the clear winner between the Garmin Edge 830 and 840, which isn’t surprising. The question is whether the difference is worth the extra money.
I think the 840 is worth it, because it brings many new features and physical buttons. The 840 Solar, for $499.99, is less tempting because it doesn’t extend the battery life as much but is only $100 less than the Edge 1040 ($599.99). And the 1040 is no longer the flagship. That’s now the Edge 1060.
If you want the newest features and a brighter screen, the Edge 850 ($599.99) is the other option. Just remember that it lasted only 10.3 hours for me.
What are your thoughts? Which Garmin Edge bike computer is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below.
Also available at amazon.com and performancebike.com
Also available at amazon.com and performancebike.com
