So Many Choices

[Lead Detector]

Garrett puts out a more affordable option on the Axiom. Nokta announces 2 new pulse inductions are in the works and not far off. @Steve Herschbach announces that the steps to bring the algoforce to the states are being addressed as we speak. I'm honestly glad I don't have the funds right now to grab a new PI. By the time I can justify it, I will probably have a couple more choices to get what's best for me.  It's a good time to be in this hobby.

[CarsonChris]

I tried to wait for Nokta to release a PI but pulled the trigger on the Axiom. I'm loving the Axiom. Very easy to set up and detect with. 

[phrunt]

It is going to be more interesting to see what happens with pricing over the next year on various models.

[Lead Detector]

6 minutes ago, phrunt said:

It is going to be more interesting to see what happens with pricing over the next year on various models.

A while back I was quoted a VERY good price on an axiom lite. I was sure that would be my choice. Now with nokta claiming great performance, and knowing how they like to compete with minelab , I'm very curious what they will bring to the table. And knowing how well algoforce responds to customers input, and constantly doing updates, they are definitely in my cross hairs too. Price will be a factor, but performance is the main target.  For now I'm content with my atx until I can make a well informed upgrade.

[RONS DETECTORS MINELAB]

It seems that every PI detector on the market fits into its own category, most older models are heavy and still too expensive though, but the last three PI releases are getting the ergonomics and weight down, so just hoping for some better performance and target ID information to be combined into one detector with all the bells and whistles included from the past models. And please detector companies quit the proprietary stuff that limits the user options full potential just for making a little bit more profit and making the end users unhappy.

Maybe have two software options on the next releases one for beginners and one for the more technical people.

[Steve Herschbach]

Don't forget that Minelab will not let low price challenges go unanswered. They know about Nokta and AlgoForce and you can be assured they already have a plan for it. Look what happened with VLF. Every move Nokta made Minelab almost instantly countered. I expect them to be even more protective of their PI detector home turf. They have the advantage of people are still trying to catch up to their older products. They can simply put out a repackage of a SDC 2300 or GPX 5000 in a much lighter modern design and at a much lower price, while still leaving their high price machines alone. You can bet that not only will you have options from AlgoForce and Nokta soon, if not others, but that you will have a new low price Minelab PI as good or better than any of them. Just have to love competition!

[phrunt]

I think Algoforce has a bit more sting in their tail being an ex-employee 🙂

The VLF market has dramatically changed the past few years, one could argue Nokta is becoming the market leader, you don't need to have the best detector to be the leader, you need the most sales and their strategy has worked brilliantly.  XP have made their mark, I wouldn't be surprised if there are more Deus 2's floating around than Manticores and the Equinox 900 in my opinion is a flop and I have no desire to own one, unusual for me, who would have thought the successor to the Equinox 800 would not be a massive success story? 

We would mostly all love to be driving a Ferrari, or a Lamborghini, but how many of us do?  A major part of the market is happy enough not to have the best of the best, largely dictated by price.

Algoforce have brought in a decent performance good quality PI machine at a very low price, Nokta we are undecided about yet but we know quality will be good, performance may surprise some, I expect it will give the Axiom a run for its money, Garrett has the Axiom which at the right price has massive potential for good sales and a better detector than its often given credit for although Nokta may force an adjustment to the pricing there.

I expect over the next year Minelab will release rehashed older technology like the GPX 5000 and SDC into new modern housings with wireless audio and better ergonomics with a few tweaks to make them appear to be all new models to tackle Algoforce, Nokta and Garrett, and they're going to be forced to lower the price of their top tier machines, largely as sales will slow even further by people chosing cheaper options, there will always be the best of the best people, but with more options and cheaper choices many will take that route.

[dig4gold]

But will any of the mentioned detectors be as good as or better than a minelab at finding gold? I don't think so.

They may be lighter, they may be more ergonomically friendly & they may have features & functions that seem to fit ones wants & needs. But at the end of the day will they find gold that a number of minelabs won't, comparing horses with horses? I say no, minelab will still have the edge.

D4G

[Northeast]

1 hour ago, dig4gold said:

But will any of the mentioned detectors be as good as or better than a minelab at finding gold?

To my mind they don't need to be.  If an Algoforce will find 80% of what a GPX6 will (and maybe 90% of the tiny bread and butter bits) for pretty much a 1/4 of the price well, if I was in the position of having to make the choice, I would buy an Algoforce. 

Add in the super cheap battery options and if someone has legacy GPX coils then a GPX6 becomes an even harder sell.