Review: Garmin Varia™ RCT715 – Offers value with combined radar and camera device

Unbiased review of Garmin Varia RCT 715, analyzing design, radar capabilities, and worthiness of investment... Read more

Specifications

Brand	Garmin
Compatible Devices	Monitor
Power Source	Battery Powered
Product Dimensions	1.7″L x 1.3″W x 4.2″H

The Anticipation: Rediscover My First Encounter with Garmin

Seven years – that’s how long I’ve been patiently waiting for this moment. With each seemingly endless tic of the clock, my anticipation grew. Ever since the debut of Garmin’s first Varia Radar seven years ago, the possibilities seemed endless. The innovative concept of a cycling radar that could boost safety on the roads was enthralling. And then, just a year before that, the Cyclic rear-view camera’s launch rejoiced the market with its promising prospects.

The potential of the two – the Radar and the Camera – combined together was irresistible. The quintessential combo of ‘seeing what’s behind without pivoting your head’ and ‘warning you about potential threats’, they were the dawn of new cycling safety. So, when Garmin finally announced them as one, I was thrilled. Visions of safer, effortless cycling flooded my mind. “Wouldn’t that be awesome,” we all thought. And honestly, it should have been awesome.

But let’s just say, anticipation can be a blessing and a curse. Because while you’re envisioning all these incredible features, and how they could revolutionize your cycling experience, reality can sometimes fail to measure up. And unfortunately, in the case of Garmin Varia RCT 715 – the much-touted fusion of radar and the camera, reality was far from expectations. Stay with me as I take you through why that was the case.

The Big Moment: Unboxing Garmin Varia RCT 715

• Garmin Varia RCT 715 has an impressive design
• Issues with micro SD card capacity and accessory compatibility
• Device lacks stabilisation in the camera

There’s always a thrill when you first lay hands on a new gadget, a sense of expectation that builds as you unbox it. When it came to unboxing the Garmin Varia RCT 715, I had a similar experience, albeit interspersed with some critical observations.

Out of the Box

First impression? The sleek design of the unit is quite pleasing. The unit itself is compact and appears sturdy. It fits neatly in the palm of your hand. The LED light across the top paired with the little camera lens peeking from below hints at its dual capabilities. I could immediately see a USB-C port and a slot for a micro SD card. It all felt very solid and well crafted, and I was initially impressed.

A Little Less Impressive

But within minutes of unboxing, the initial thrill started to dwindle. The first issue I encountered was with the micro SD card capacity – a mere 16GB. For a product that costs as much as the RCT 715 does, this felt a bit stingy, and I questioned why Garmin had decided to skimp on this detail.

Next, I found out that the mount is not compatible with existing accessories due to its unique quarter-turn mount design. The mount is crucial as it sits on your saddle, holding the device securely and contributing to the quality of the footage captured. So, the fact it does not work with existing accessories could be a problem for some users.

Turning On and Finding Surprises

Turning on the device was straightforward. A simple press of a button and voila — it powers up! The light and camera signaled readiness. But dig deeper, and you start to find where the proverbial rubber doesn’t quite meet the road.

The big surprise for me was the lack of stabilisation in the camera. In today’s world, where even low-budget action cameras come with stabilisation, I expected Garmin to have that covered. But sadly, that was not the case. Overall, the unboxing experience was a mixed bag. While the initial impression was good, the excitement steadily dwindled as I uncovered these surprising misses.

A Close Look at Battery Life

The Varia RCT 715 claims a battery life of four to six hours, including radar, camera, and tail light. I wanted to test this in real-world conditions to ensure it lives up to this claim. This will be an essential factor for many users who, like me, spend long hours on the saddle. Reducing the light intensity significantly can stretch this figure. However, doing so also impairs visibility— an equally crucial factor.

There’s no doubt that the unboxing experience set the stage for a comprehensive and critical evaluation. I had high expectations from a company like Garmin. The initial excitement of unboxing a much-anticipated product over time gave way to a series of critical observations. It’s now time to take it out on the road.

Digging Deeper: An Exploration into the Cycling Radar

• Cycling radar important for safety, awareness
• Garmin Varia RCT 715 has consistent, visible alerts
• Minor issue with detecting multiple vehicles

If you’re a cycling enthusiast, you know just how important radar technology can be in enhancing your road safety. Having used the Garmin Varia RCT 715 for a while now, I had a first-hand experience with its cycling radar and quite a few thoughts about it.

Understanding the Importance of Radar

Firstly, let me explain why a cycling radar is not just an impressive tech-gimmick; it’s a necessity. It allows you to be aware of objects overtaking you, regardless of whether it’s a fellow cyclist, a car, or even a large vehicle like a bus. And while you could say the traditional rear-view mirror does the same, when you’re cycling at high-speeds, the radar’s visual and sound alerts on your bike computer can really give you the advantage of knowing what’s coming from behind.

Comparing Garmin Varia Radar Features with Competitors

When it comes to functionality, I’ve observed that most cycling radars in the market, like the Varia, show a similar pattern – a white dot on your bike computer screen that moves up as an object comes closer. Yes, Garmin Varia uses the same system. But we need to remember that this is something that has been well received by users in the radar game, and Garmin has wisely chosen to stick with it.

Experience with Garmin Radar

• Consistency: My Garmin Radar’s performance was uniform, always showing the same alert for the same distance, which I found very reliable.
• Visibility: During my ride, the radar icon on the screen gave me the constant assurance that it was active. I absolutely loved this efficient feature.
• Alert System: What actually won me over was the alert tone. It is unique to the radar detection and can’t be confused with other notifications. This understanding of user’s needs really demonstrated Garmin’s expertise to me.

Overall, while I found Garmin’s cycling radar to be a fantastic tool for a safe ride, it has its minor drawbacks too. I found it occasionally confusing to understand when multiple vehicles were detected – something I’m sure can be improved in future updates. But on the plus side, these minor issues are outweighed by the overall safety Garmin’s cycling radar brings to the table.

The Tale of the Taillight: Exploring the Unique Head and Tail Lights

• Distinctively bright tail lights ensure safety
• Lights significantly drain battery
• Improvements are needed in power management

After initially being unimpressed with the product, I decided to zero in on the tail light. This feature was marketed as a standout aspect of the Garmin Varia RCT 715, so it only seemed fair.

The Shining Star: An appreciation of the bright Taillights

Standing out, quite literally, were the distinctively bright tail lights. Make no mistake, these are powerful and impossible to miss on a sunny day or a pitch-black night, which I think is a huge plus. This kind of visibility provides huge safety benefits, and Garmin really nailed it in this department. It was relieving to know vehicles behind me were alerted by the high-intensity light, ensuring a safe amount of distance — even as the sun went down.

The Battery Life: A critical review of its stamina

This is an area that unfortunately didn’t drive much enthusiasm. The lights, though brilliant and piercing, are the biggest battery drainers. This was a bit disappointing, considering the price tag and how heavily Garmin markets the lights. While Garmin promises optimized usage and battery life, I found myself constantly checking the battery status. Switching them off does increase battery life significantly, but that’s not a convenience any cyclist would want to compromise on. A headlight should comfortably last for a long night ride, and Garmin’s tail light fell short here.

Demonstration of the Taillight

I captured a few clips during both day and nighttime rides. During the day, the brightness of tail light still stood out, and at night it was nothing short of a beacon. When I viewed these sequences, the brightness was undeniably awe-inspiring. From a visibility standpoint, Garmin isn’t overhyping this: it delivers as advertised.

In conclusion, the taillight is excellent in some ways. I loved the visibility it provided, making me feel safer on the road. However, its impact on battery life was worrying. So, while there were highs with the tail light, there were certainly some lows. Improvements in power management would undoubtedly make a big difference and enhance overall user satisfaction.

Recording the Ride: A Dive into Its Camera Capabilities

• Varia RCT 715 camera quality mediocre
• Limited integration with non-Garmin devices
• Lacks video stabilization

Recording our rides is a key feature that many of us cyclists appreciate and value, whether it’s for safety, capturing scenic views, or logging our performance. This is why I was eager to test the camera capabilities of Garmin’s Varia RCT 715. However, my experience with its camera left me with a mixed bag of thoughts – some good, some not so much.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: A Critical Review of Video Recording

Straight off the bat, let me address the elephant in the room; the video quality from the Varia RCT 715 is not ground-breaking, but it is not awful either. I found that during well-lit conditions, it could capture reasonably clear footage that would suffice for most riders. It wasn’t exactly top-notch, but it got the job done.

However, when I tested it in low-light conditions, the clarity significantly dropped. Fine details became heavily pixeled, and I struggled to discern specifics, such as a car’s number plate. This was a stark contrast to other action cameras that typically deliver better low-light footage.

New Camera Integration: Discussing Garmin’s Integration with Other Devices

The usability of the camera itself wasn’t the only shortfall I encountered. The integration with other devices, or lack thereof, added to my disappointment. While I could connect the camera with a select range of Garmin devices, usage with non-Garmin products was almost non-existent.

The limitations crippled the camera’s functionalities. For instance, I couldn’t adjust settings or download and share footage unless I was using a compatible Garmin bike computer. This could be a major drawback for users who don’t already own these specific Garmin devices.

The Video Stability Issue: Addressing the Lack of Video Stabilization

My biggest gripe, however, hands down, was the lack of video stabilization. This omission proved to be consequential, especially when cycling on rough terrains. The footage I captured was jittery, and any bump was significantly exaggerated, leading to a disorienting viewing experience.

In stark comparison, even entry-level action cameras offer some form of stabilization. Considering the relatively high price tag of the Varia RCT 715, the omission feels almost unforgivable, and significantly reduces the camera’s usability during rides.

To summarize, while the camera does perform adequately in a handful of scenarios, it fails in as many, if not more. In terms of camera capabilities, there’s significant room for improvement. With better video quality, wider device compatibility, and video stabilization, the Garmin Varia RCT 715 could truly live up to its potential.

The Issue with the App: Identifying issues with usability

• Software of Garmin Varia RCT 715 needs improvement
• App’s navigation and downloading content are slow
• Garmin expected to address app’s functionality flaws

The functionality of the companion app is paramount when it comes to technology, especially complex devices like the Garmin Varia RCT 715. Sometimes, it’s not the hardware but the software that holds a product back. Garmin has outdone themselves in the hardware – radar, tail-light, camera, all neatly combined. But, surprisingly, the software felt like a letdown. The app, as I found through my review, leaves a lot to be desired in terms of usability and functionality.

All That Glitters is Not Gold: A critique on Garmin’s sleek but problematic app

The Garmin app, despite its sleek and responsive interface, is unfortunately paired with daunting functionality flaws. The most glaring of these is its speed, or rather, the lack thereof. Clip enumeration can be painfully slow and unpredictable for 30-second increments. Sometimes clips appear almost instantaneously, other times they take minutes to load.

Example:

• Navigating the Gallery: When trying to sift through clips in the gallery, let’s just say it was a game of patience. For 30-second clips playback, the app took longer than expected – sometimes 30 to 60 seconds. The mind-boggling part is that the thumbnail tends to freeze during the process. It happened a few times more than I’d have liked, leading to lots of frustration.
• The Download Delay: Downloading a clip feels like a mini eternity. An experiment I conducted revealed it took roughly three minutes to download a single 30-second clip. This becomes a significant issue, especially when you are trying to quickly make note of an incident.

Waiting for Improvement: Discussing my expectations for future app updates

In the ever-evolving technological age, updates and improvements are the name of the game. Garmin, a well-established player, undoubtedly knows this. But when it comes to the Varia RCT 715’s app, improvements are urgently needed. I’d love to see Garmin focus on enhancing the app’s speed and efficiency, perhaps leveraging data based on user behavior. An ideal scenario would allow users to navigate through clips seamlessly, swiftly download content, and manage settings without any hiccups or hold-ups. As it stands, while the app isn’t entirely unusable, it begs for attention and improvements.

In conclusion, if Garmin can work out the kinks and improve upon the usability issues, I believe they have a strong, promising product on their hands. However, as it stands, the software issues, specifically within the accompanying app, are impossible to ignore and may, unfortunately, deter some potential buyers. It’s my hope, nonetheless, that Garmin addresses these problems sooner rather than later. The cycling world eagerly waits in anticipation of an app update as impressive as the hardware itself.

The Verdict: Was it worth the wait?

In the end, the question still stands – was it worth all these seven years of waiting? Experience has led me to one conclusion, it’s a paradox of design success and functional inadequacy.

The Highs and Lows

When it comes to delineating the highs and lows of Garmin Varia RCT 715, one must bear in mind its multifaceted nature. It is shifting from DTPS (Dedicated Taillight Positioning System) to an integrated intelligent system. Garmin has managed to successfully amalgamate cycling radar and camera into a single system, making Varia RCT 715 a game-changer in the cycling gear segment.

The upside

• The innovation around the integration of radar and camera is praiseworthy.
• The brightness of taillights and the user-friendly features of the cycling radar are definitely an advantage for users.

The downside

• The product stumbles when we consider the camera capabilities. Poor video stabilization is a significant drawback.
• Further, the app experience is not up to the mark. The product’s usability is hindered by its app design and functionality.

Would I Recommend it?

When asked if I would recommend the Garmin Varia RCT 715, my answer is not an outright ‘YES’. Bear in mind, it carries a heavy pricetag and suffers from a lack of refinement in app experience and video quality. It serves dual purposes, but fails to execute one with absolute precision. Given its promising features, it could be a potential game-changer, provided Garmin irons out the existing kinks.

To sum up, the cyclists who want an all-in-one solution and are willing to pay a premium can consider it, but should be prepared for the mentioned downsides. I truly believe, this product has the potential to shine with a bit of refinement in the user experience and app functionality.

Should you buy the Garmin Varia™ RCT715?

Buy it if…

You are looking for a Radar Taillight Camera Combo

Garmin Varia RCT 715 features as a radar, light and camera all-in-one that gives an added level of safety to your bike rides.

You are comfortable with spending a bit more

If budget is not a constraint for you, this product delivers unique functionality and safety elements that might justify the purchase.

You value proven technology

Garmin has integrated and built upon its well-received radar technology for this device. If you appreciate established technology, you might like this

Don’t buy it if…

You require high quality video stability

The product lacks video stabilization feature, making it less desirable for those who prioritize video quality and stability.

You prioritize a smooth software experience

Current usability challenges with the accompanying software might not give the best user experience.

You are looking for cost-effectiveness

Priced at 400 bucks, the product may not offer the best value for money for everyone, especially considering its current issues and limitations.

FAQ

Does the Garmin Varia RCT 715 feature in-built stabilization for its recorded videos?

No, the Garmin Varia RCT 715 does not currently support any hardware or software stabilization for its video recordings.

What resolutions does the Garmin Varia RCT 715 camera support?

The Garmin Varia RCT 715 comes with two resolution options, which are 720p and 1080p.

How does the Radar in Garmin Varia RCT 715 work?

The Radar basically sends out a signal behind the cyclist and displays any overtaking objects on the bike computer. This can be bikers, cars, buses or even larger vehicles like trains.

Are there any known issues with the Garmin Varia RCT 715’s app?

Yes, slow enumeration of clips and slow download speeds are reported in this review. Garmin has stated that they are working on resolving these issues.

What are the three main functionalities of the Garmin Varia RCT 715?

Garmin Varia RCT 715 primarily functions as a radar, camera, and light.

How long is the battery life on the Garmin Varia RCT 715?

The battery life is between four to six hours which includes the use of radar, camera, and taillight. Battery life can be extended by reducing the use of lights.

What is Garmin’s focus in launching the Garmin Varia RCT 715?

According to this review, Garmin’s focus in launching the Varia RCT 715 is to provide users with a device that offers safety through functioning as a radar, camera, and light.

What is the cost of the Garmin Varia RCT 715?

As per the review, Garmin Varia RCT 715 is priced at $400.

How is the storage for the recorded videos managed in the Garmin Varia RCT 715?

The Garmin Varia RCT 715 uses a 16 GB micro SD card for storage which can be replaced if required.