![]() The color screen is bright, and we had no problem viewing it in sunny conditions. The interface on the touchscreen is intuitive, and the ways to access different functions are clearly labeled. All other information and controls are accessed through the touchscreen. The Garmin Approach G3 only has a single button, the power button, which powers the device on/off if held for a few seconds, or if pressed briefly when the device is on, will display a screen showing the date/time, a battery meter, and a button to touch to lock the screen. What’s in the Box: The Garmin Approach G3 comes with: None, other than the time it takes you to find a pair of batteries. ![]() In addition, Garmin has promised to make periodic updates to the course database available for free from its web site. ![]() Garmin’s web site provides a free application (the WebUpdater) that can be downloaded to the user’s computer – once the Garmin Approach G3 is connected to the computer with a USB cable, WebUpdater should automatically find the latest software and sync it to the device. None – there isn’t anything that the user needs to do. Courses are pre-loaded so no downloads are necessary. The Good: The Garmin Approach G3 scores a perfect 100 for setup – all the user does is install a pair of AA batteries (not included) and turn on the device. As a note, since the G3 is so similar to the G5, we borrowed liberally from the text of our earlier review for the G5 in writing this one…We’re not lazy…just efficient! A 20% smaller and lighter brick than the G5, but a brick nonetheless. And while we’re nit-picking, the combination of the G3’s bulky shape and weight make it a bit of a brick in your pocket. One of our few complaints is that we wish the device had the ability to track statistics – an unfortunate oversight for a premium device. An added bonus is that the Gamin Approach G3 requires absolutely no set-up time at all, with all courses pre-loaded on the device. Garmin’s use of illustrations of holes, as opposed to actual satellite photographs, is really starting to grow on us – the illustrations are much brighter than photographs, and are thus viewable in all light conditions. Like the G5, it suffers from one of the problems inherent with touchscreens, which is that it can be difficult to accurately pinpoint your desired targets (particularly if you have large fingers), but the touchscreen also makes navigating among the G3’s different features simple and intuitive. The Garmin Approach G3 is a solid unit (maybe a little too solid when you slip it into your pocket, since despite its small size, it’s still relatively heavy at 5.35 ounces – compare this to the Callaway uPro at 3.1 ounces). The Garmin Approach G3 is the latest Garmin-branded golf GPS device, and delivers everything that the predecessor Garmin Approach G5 unit does, in a smaller package and with a lower price.
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