Garmin Edge 520 Plus: The Budget Veteran, Reviewed
The 2018 Garmin Edge 520 Plus brought maps, incident detection, and Strava Live Segments to $249. Discontinued in 2022, but still on the used market at $80-$120.
The Garmin Edge 520 Plus is the 2018 successor to the popular Edge 520. It added preloaded maps, incident detection, and Strava Live Segments. Garmin discontinued the 520 Plus in 2022 with the launch
Pros
- Price 8.0/10
- Performance 7.0/10
- Ease of Use 7.0/10
Cons
- Social 6.0/10
- Packaging 6.0/10
- Availability 6.0/10
Solid all-rounder, especially value
$APPEALS Score
70.0 / 100
Price
$249 USD (now ~$100 used)
$APPEALS Performance Radar
JoyVelo 8-axis 10-point scoring (P-A-P-P-E-A-L-S): price, availability, packaging, performance, ease of use, assurance, life cycle, social. Per-axis weights tuned per category.
$APPEALS Score
70.0 / 100
- Price:
- Pricing competitiveness within the category, value retention, total cost of ownership
- Availability:
- Channel coverage, supply stability, after-sales service accessibility
- Packaging:
- Industrial design, build finish, accessory completeness, unboxing experience
- Performance:
- Category-defining core performance — accuracy, power, range, speed, sensitivity
- Ease of Use:
- Setup difficulty, daily-use UX, app quality, learning curve, configurability
- Assurance:
- Build durability, water/dust rating, warranty policy, long-term reliability
- Life Cycle:
- Battery life, consumable cost, firmware support, residual value, repairability
- Social:
- Brand prestige, WorldTour adoption, professional rider endorsement, community
Hardware Spec Sheet
5/23 fields filled (22%) · Bike ComputersBasic Info
- Brand
- —
- Model
- —
- Release Year
- —
- Price
- $249 USD (now ~$100 used)
- Weight
- 60g
- Warranty
- —
Display
- Display Type
- —
- Display Size
- —
- Display Resolution
- —
- Touchscreen
- —
GPS
- GPS Chip
- —
- GNSS Systems
- GPS + GLONASS
- Multi-band GPS
- —
Connectivity
- Bluetooth
- —
- ANT+
- —
- Wi-Fi
- —
Navigation
- Turn-by-turn Navigation
- —
- Preloaded Maps
- Preloaded basic maps (lower detail than 530+)
Battery Life
- Battery (GPS Mode)
- —
- Battery (Saver Mode)
- —
Physical
- Water Rating
- —
- Weight
- 60g
- Mount Type
- —
On this page (5 sections)
The Garmin Edge 520 Plus is the 2018 successor to the popular Edge 520. It added preloaded maps, incident detection, and Strava Live Segments. Garmin discontinued the 520 Plus in 2022 with the launch of the Edge 540 / 840, but the unit remains widely available on the used market at $80-$120 and is still a competent choice for budget-conscious riders.
Key Specifications
- 2.3-inch color, 200x265 px, no touch, 7 buttons
- 15h battery
- GPS + GLONASS
- Preloaded basic maps
- ANT+ / Bluetooth
- IPX7
- 60g
- $249 USD at launch / ~$100 used in 2026
Should You Buy a Used 520 Plus in 2026?
At ~$100 used, the 520 Plus is a tempting budget option. The main trade-offs vs. the Edge 540 ($349 new): no Galileo GNSS, no Wi-Fi, no Trendline popularity routing, and a smaller 2.3" screen. For a casual rider who does not need turn-by-turn navigation in dense urban areas, the 520 Plus is acceptable. For a serious rider, the 540 is the right buy.
Pros
- Available for ~$100 on the used market
- Preloaded basic maps
- ANT+ / Bluetooth
- IPX7
- 60g (light)
- Strava Live Segments compatible
Cons
- Discontinued by Garmin in 2022
- No Galileo GNSS (Edge 540 has it)
- No Wi-Fi (Edge 540 has it)
- 2.3" screen is smaller than 2.6" on the 540
- No Trendline popularity routing
- 15h battery is shorter than the 540 (26h)
Verdict
The Garmin Edge 520 Plus is a competent legacy unit, but new buyers in 2026 should consider the Edge 540 ($349) for the multi-band GNSS and Wi-Fi upgrades. Used-market shoppers at $80-$120 will get a fair unit, but should set expectations accordingly. Riders who want a more future-proof buy should spend the extra $200-$250 for the Edge 540.
Direct Competitor Comparison
vs 3 same-price-band alternativesSee how Garmin Edge 520 Plus: The Budget Veteran, Reviewed stacks up against these alternatives in the same category and price range.
Garmin Edge 1030 Plus: The 3.5" Flagship, Reviewed
- Weight
- 124g
- Battery
- 24h demanding / 48h battery saver
- Price
- $599 USD (now ~$300 used)
Garmin Edge 1050: The Best Screen, But 20-Hour Battery Is The Trade-Off
- Weight
- 161g (measured 160g)
- Battery
- 20h (normal) / 60h (battery save); real-world 14-15h heavy load, 28-30h with screen recording on
- Price
- $699 USD
Wahoo ELEMNT Ace: 208g "Performance Beast" That Ships Half-Baked
- Weight
- 208g (heaviest bike computer on the market)
- Battery
- 30h (official, in 5-sec backlight auto-dim mode); 10-15h (real-world with backlight always-on)
- Price
- $599 USD
Compare with similar
Garmin Edge 130 Plus: The Compact Perennial, Reviewed
The 2020 Garmin Edge 130 Plus is the smallest Edge with a 1.8" display, 12h battery, and $199 MSRP. Still the go-anywhere compact unit.
Garmin Edge 530: The Mid-Range Perennial, Reviewed
The 2019 Garmin Edge 530 brought multi-band GNSS, ClimbPro, and a button-only interface to $349. Still competitive in 2026 for button-first riders.
COROS Dura: Solar-Promise 120h Battery Ships as a Half-Baked Beta
MIP touchscreen, multi-band GNSS, ANT+ + Bluetooth, solar top-up, 97g. Officially 120h battery. In real-world testing the solar panel actually LOSES charge in the sun; the device routed the famous Stelvio climb as 3 separate segments; offline route re-planning draws a straight line to the destination. JoyVelo internal testing, 600 km.
Garmin Edge 830: The Touch Mid-Range, Reviewed
The 2019 Garmin Edge 830 paired a 2.6" touchscreen with the 530's button layout. Still a strong buy in 2026 at $399 if you can find it.
iGPSPORT BSC300T: The Budget Touchscreen Option With Maps
The iGPSPORT BSC300T brings a 2.4" color touchscreen, offline maps, and 22-hour battery to $229. A strong Bryton competitor.
iGPSPORT BSC500: The Sub-$300 Flagship With Solar Charging
The iGPSPORT BSC500 brings a 2.6" color touchscreen, multi-band GNSS, solar charging, and 28-hour battery to $279.
Verify with JoyAnalyze
Compare GPS / elevation / power data with JoyAnalyze. Stack Garmin Edge 520 Plus: The Budget Veteran, Reviewed against a reference device to see which computer records more stable data with less drift.
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The Garmin Edge 520 Plus: The Budget Veteran, Reviewed is one option. Run the JoyFit assessment to see whether it actually matches your body and riding style — or compare it side-by-side with the other Bike Computersin our database.
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