Very Disappointed By Garrett On This One

[Dcraun]

I'm not brand loyal at all, I will swing whatever I feel like gives me the best advantage because I'm only given so many days in the field during this life. I had high hopes for Garrett I would love to support an American company.

All three models of the vortex have the exact same hardware but the entry level is severely handicapped and features require a payment to unlock. Garrett is spinning this and calling it an upgrade but this is not a good thing for the metal detecting community. This is the beginning of microtransactions for each and every feature that you want. The base version doesn't even support wireless headphones so they are asking that the user pay to unlock that feature! The transmitter has to already be inside but they want you to pay to turn it on! I'm not bashing Garrett my first detector was a Garrett freedom 3 back in the 90s all I'm asking is that people read between the lines. the most advanced software for this detector has already been developed then features were intentionally removed and now they're expecting their customers to pay to unlock them. 

 

[coinhunterseth]

How much hardware diference do you think exists between the Eq600/800, Eq700/900, the various scores, or the new xterra machines? Software handicapping is already a thing, Garrett is just making use of it in a way that actually lets the consumer upgrade without buying a whole new machine, which I think is pretty neat.

[Steve Herschbach]

On 6/18/2024 at 3:10 PM, Dcraun said:

I'm not brand loyal at all, I will swing whatever I feel like gives me the best advantage because I'm only given so many days in the field during this life. I had high hopes for Garrett I would love to support an American company.

All three models of the vortex have the exact same hardware but the entry level is severely handicapped and features require a payment to unlock. Garrett is spinning this and calling it an upgrade but this is not a good thing for the metal detecting community. This is the beginning of microtransactions for each and every feature that you want. The base version doesn't even support wireless headphones so they are asking that the user pay to unlock that feature! The transmitter has to already be inside but they want you to pay to turn it on! I'm not bashing Garrett my first detector was a Garrett freedom 3 back in the 90s all I'm asking is that people read between the lines. the most advanced software for this detector has already been developed then features were intentionally removed and now they're expecting their customers to pay to unlock them. 

People don’t have to read between any lines. Many have asked for the ability to upgrade detectors via software for many years. Detectors for decades have been built on the same basic circuit board with various features disabled to create discrete models. So yeah you really are bashing Garrett with a specious argument that holds no water if you know the reality of how detectors are made and marketed. And many other electronics besides detectors. An Equinox 600 is an 800 with features removed. You get a 600 and decide you want an 800, sell the 600 and get the 800. That’s the way it’s always been with many detectors, until now.

Basically you can buy the VX5 and give it a spin. As Brent said, the same basic horsepower under the hood. If you really like it, upgrade at low cost. Or if not happy, sell with remaining transferable 3 year warranty, maybe take $100 hit at most. Because buyer not only gets the warranty, but the ability also to upgrade it if they wish. And don’t be surprised if across the board free updates add to and modify the feature set over the next year or two. Maybe even a V11 with a completely different screen and feature set altogether? What’s not to like about all that?

[GB_Amateur]

The old saying "no good deed goes unpunished" is once again being confirmed.  Absolutely irrational, but what else is new in the 2024 world?

[Jeff McClendon]

As long as the Vortex series SMF tech is substantially better than the Apex.......OK!!!

The prices certainly are right.

[Lead Detector]

Valid points can be made for both sides. Like @Steve Herschbach says, it's a inexpensive way to upgrade your detector with minimal risk. And to @Dcraun 's point, this could very well turn into a nickel and dime you to death, if in the future,  your required to pay for any little updated feature. It will all depend on how Garrett decides to play the game.  But the fact other detector companies such as nokta and algoforce offer their updates for free, I doubt Garrett  would play the nickel and dime game with their customers.  They just don't seem the type of company that would do that. Just my opinion and it's worth every penny you paid for it 🙂

[Steve Herschbach]

1 minute ago, Lead Detector said:

And to @Dcraun 's point, this could very well turn into a nickel and dime you to death, if in the future,  your required to pay for any little updated feature.

How are you "required"? It's a choice. Do it or don't. Or buy something else entirely. Vote with your wallet.

[Lead Detector]

9 minutes ago, Steve Herschbach said:

How are you "required"? It's a choice.

Yes it's always a choice, until you want it, then our inner child breaks out the credit card lol 😄 I personally like the way Garrett went about doing this. I personally like it alot more than buying a score, then buying a double score, then deciding I should have bought a legend to start with lol 

[phrunt]

Remember the AT Series? The detector you bought in 2010 is the same now as it was back then, nothing you can do about it.  The Vortex comes along, offers an upgrade path to new better models and people complain about it.  

Garrett will have all intentions of doing any software fixes for free, and I've no doubt minor upgrades suited to the model will be incorporated into it with future updates at no cost, it's when you want to jump between models you pay the fee.

This whole process benefits the end user far more than it benefits Garrett and probably why other manufacturers have avoided it thus far, they'd rather sell you an entirely new detector each time, far more profit in that for them than selling you a $100 software upgrade.