Garmin is one of the leading brands in GPS technology for marine, automotive, handheld, dog tracking, avionics, and more. And, of course, they develop GPS systems for RVs to make your RVing adventures more convenient and safe.
Today, we will cover the Garmin RV 1090 Vs 890 – their two newest GPS products. These two models are pretty similar in terms of features, but we can help you choose a suitable model by comparing them in several aspects, including:
- User Friendliness
- Bluetooth Connectivity
- 3D Display
- Active Lane Guidance Feature
- Limitless Updates
- Overall Size
- Screen Ratio
Read to the end of the article to grasp all the necessary information!
Table of Contents
All You Need to Know About Garmin
Garmin was founded in 1989. It is a big name in manufacturing high-quality GPS products for cars. Currently, it is situated in Kansas, USA, and is beginning to expand its branches.
It creates wearable devices as well. In recent years, the brand has launched smartwatches and activity tracking devices.
Overview of Garmin RV 1090
The RV 1090 is Garmin’s newest model. It comes with an impressive 10-inch 1280×800 pixel IPS display, giving you a tablet-like experience. In addition, it has a dual-orientation design, allowing you to position it tall (portrait) or wide (landscape).
In the opinion of experts and most users, the large screen is the most significant advantage of this product. Its screen outperforms most navigation devices available out there.
The screen resolution is 1280p, which is significantly better than the 1080p resolution of its competitors. Thanks to that, you can look at various live service updates and navigation information easily.
Its excellent display not only gives you accurate information but also gives you vivid, clear, and bright images, making your RV journey more enjoyable.
Through the custom RV routing system, the Garmin RV 1090 can consider the size and weight of the motorhome to analyze and recommend the best route for you. You’ll also get road warnings, such as for steep grades, sharp curves, weight limits, and more.
You can easily plan your RVing adventures by pairing the Garmin RV 1090 with the Garmin Drive application. What’s more, it is possible to import RV routes and share GPX files to make your trips more convenient.
The manufacturer also integrates a voice assistant into this model to give you a smarter driving experience. Here are some outstanding features of this voice assistant:
- Hands-free calling
- Wireless connectivity
- Live traffic and weather updates
- Live fuel prices
- Smart notifications
Want to control 12-volt devices in your vehicle through the GPS console? Why not? All you need to do is pair this navigation device with the Garmin PowerSwitch.
Overview of Garmin RV 890
This GPS navigator has an on-cell capacitive touchscreen with IPS technology. Its screen size is 8 inches, significantly smaller than Garmin RV 1090. But, similar to the Garmin RV 1090, you can set it to portrait or landscape orientation.
This model comes preloaded with street maps. This includes 3D images of buildings and terrains. Its default internal storage is 16 GB and can be expanded up to 256 GB using a compatible MicroSD card.
Like Garmin RV 1090, this GPS navigator can be compatible with the Garmin PowerSwitch, Garmin Dash Cam, Garmin Drive app, and BC 35 wireless backup camera.
But many RVers are annoyed with Garmin RV 890 problems, such as faulty and incorrect route recommendations. For example, it might recommend a route that takes longer to reach your destination. In addition, the system may recommend unpaved roads instead of a route for RV passage.
Nevertheless, according to the Garmin RV 890 manual, it comes with many remarkable features like driver alerts, easy trip planning, custom routing, RV park, services info, and so on.
What Are the Similarities Between Garmin RV 890 Vs 1090?
We will start comparing the Garmin RV 890 vs 1090 by listing their similarities. As mentioned above, these two models almost do not differ in features. So, here are what they have in common.
1. User Friendly
In general, both of these GPS navigators are user-friendly. They are all touch screens, making them easier to use and navigate. Thanks to that, you can access your GPS and still have your eye on the road.
2. Bluetooth Connectivity
One of the features that make these GPS navigators stand out from the rest is their ability to connect to Bluetooth.
Thanks to this feature, you can answer calls or messages right on your GPS screen, as long as it’s connected to your phone via Bluetooth. So, with a touch of the screen, you can answer calls without having to take your eyes off the road.
3. 3D Display
These GPS navigators feature a 3D Map Display, which allows you to navigate your routes more clearly. Realistic scenes of the road and the buildings around them will also be clearly displayed on this 3D display. So, you can know exactly what awaits you on the route.
4. Active Lane Guidance Feature
Garmin has added the Active Lane Guidance feature to all of its GPS models to enhance the driving experience for RVers.
Thanks to this remarkable feature, you can easily find the most convenient route to travel. Thus, there is no denying that it saves you a lot of effort to travel and can even get you to your destination ahead of time.
5. Limitless Updates
One of the most valuable features of Garmin GPSs is their limitless update. They will update continuously, as long as they are connected to a wireless network. As a result, you can continuously capture real-time traffic news.
It is time to say goodbye to manual updates and outdated information!
What Are the Key Differences Between the Garmin RV 1090 And RV 890?
Only a few things differentiate an RV 1090 from an RV 890. These are as follows:
1. Overall Size
Through our Garmin RV 1090 review above, we all know that it is significantly larger in size than other GPS navigator devices, including the RV 890. It measures 9.7 x 6, 06 x 0.8 inches while the RV 890 only has a dimension of 7.8 x 4.9 x 0.8..
2. Screen Ratio
The most significant difference between the Garmin 890 and 1090 is their screen ratio. The Garmin RV 890 features a screen size of 6.8 x 4.2 inches, significantly smaller than the RV 1090, which has an 8.5 x 5.3 inches display.
Which Works Best for You?
The only difference between these two models is the body and screen size.
If you prefer a larger screen to improve information viewing, the Garmin RV 1090 is the perfect pick for you. But you will have to pay a little more.
On the other hand, if you are satisfied with an 8-inch screen, you should choose Garmin 890, a cheaper option.
Are you willing to pay an extra $200 to get an extra 2 inches of screen size? The decision is yours!
Check out this video for more information:
In a Nutshell
To sum up, choosing between Garmin RV 1090 vs 890 is not complicated because they differ only in size.
Thus, if you’re more comfortable with an 8-inch screen, choose the Garmin 890. On the other hand, if you’re willing to spend an extra $200 to get a 10-inch screen, you’ll be happy with the Garmin 1090.
Whichever you choose, you will have safer, more convenient, and more worthwhile RVing adventures.
Thank you for being so interested in this article! Please share this with other RVers.
Okay, so I’m Philip Lopez. I join Riverside Trailer as an editor, where I will be doing research for both content and reviews. I contribute to studies aimed at understanding the most typical problems encountered by RVers on the road. I also keep up with the newest RVing gadget innovations so that I can promptly evaluate and recommend the best options.