Today we’re reviewing the Garmin Approach X40 Golf GPS and I’ll be sharing my honest thoughts after testing it out. Garmin is one of the top GPS companies out there right now and the X40 has a lot of hype around the golf world. That being said, is it worth picking up or is it just another average device?
Long story short, the X40 is loaded with over 40,000 courses so chances are the ones you normally go to are on it. In my opinion, it’s one of the top GPS models out there right now and I’d definitely give it a thumbs up. It had some of the best features of any unit I’ve tested (and I’ve tested quite a few) and it was super accurate. Sure, it’s a bit more expensive than some other units, and the screen is pretty small, but overall, I’d say the pros outweigh the cons.
If that’s all the info you were looking for then great. But if you want a more detailed review, be sure to watch the full video or read the blog post below!
Garmin Approach X40 GPS Golf Band Review
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Garmin X40 First Impressions
The first thing I was looking at was how many courses it had and if my courses were on the thing. It came programmed with over 40,000 courses, and the ones I normally go to were on it. Check, check.
It has courses from a bunch of different countries, there are no memberships, and there are always new updates.
It’s a super small screen (I guess most watches are) so it took a bit of time getting used to it. Even though it had a small screen, the resolution was great, so if you have decent eyesight you should be good. It’s also water resistance and each charge will last you a couple of rounds.
Here’s a demo video:
It’s pretty cool that it shows distances to hazards, greens, doglegs, and pretty much anything else on the course. But the real question is…how did it actually perform?
How Did The Approach Perform?
The X40 has quite a few pretty cool features such as a green viewer, heart rate monitor, round analyzer, Garmin connect, and Truswing technology.
The green viewer shows the shape of the green, how far away it is and has a moveable pin to see different distances. Pretty cool thing and it does really help with your short game.
The heart rate monitor is pretty self-explanatory…but another pretty cool thing to have.
Garmin Connect is a feature that allows you to upload your golf data to the internet to see how you stack up to the competition. I don’t really do this myself, but a lot of people do.
Truswing technology allows you to attach a device to your clubs to keep track of all your stats and metrics. It’s definitely something that can help optimize your game and is great to have at the range.
All the data the X40 provides and the accuracy is more accurate than I expected. Obviously, if the thing isn’t accurate there’s really no point having it, but I was pleasantly surprised with how it performed. I also liked it quite a bit more than the older Garmin X10 (if you’ve ever used that). Thumbs up for sure.
Who’s It Best For/Not For?
I’d say it’s only worth picking up if you’re someone who golfs a lot and are committed to improving your game. It’s not exactly cheap, and I think you’d only get the benefits if you use it on a regular basis.
If you’re anything like me, you might not like to wear watches, so that’s another thing to consider. It took a while before I was comfortable wearing it, but it’s all good now.
Garmin Approach X40 Specs
| Product | Garmin Approach X40 |
|---|---|
| Size | 21 x 64 x 15 mm |
| Quick Release Bands | No |
| Touchscreen | Yes |
| Strap Material | Silicone |
| Screen Size | 25 x 11 mm |
| Weight | 31 Grams |
| Battery Life | 10 Hours GPS Mode |
| Water Rating | 5 ATM |
| Golf Courses | 41,000+ |
| Preloaded | Yes |
| Distance To Front, Middle, Back | Yes |
| Distance To Hazards/Doglegs/Layup | Yes |
| Shot Distance | Yes |
| Scorecard | Yes |
| Stat Tracking | Yes |
| AutoShot | Yes |
| Manual Pin Placement | Yes |
| Pinpointer | No |
| Club Tracking | No |
Pros
- It has some of the best features on the market.
- It has movable pin locations to get different distances.
- There are no memberships.
- It comes with a digital scorecard.
- It is more accurate than a lot of other GPS units.
Cons
- The screen on it is pretty small and takes some time to get used to.
- It’s middle of the pack in terms of price.
The Breakdown
- Performance score: 10
- Price score: 8
- Quality score: 9
- Personal score: 9
My Final Thoughts
Overall, if you’re in the market for a new rangefinder, are someone who golfs quite a bit, and are committed to improving your game, I think the X40 would be worth picking up.
- Check the current price on Amazon (best place we could find it).
It has a lot of cool features and is something that can definitely improve your game (it did for me anyway). If you want something a bit cheaper (not quite as good) then you could check out the Garmin S20.
Let me know your thoughts and any questions you have. Like this article? Feel free to give it a share!
Looking to get some new golf gear? Click here to check out our recommended gear page to see the stuff we’re recommending and the cheapest place to get them.
Last update on 2023-07-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API