Hi,
I recently got a Garmin Edge 530 - fascinating device, loads of options and the online dashboard is all i needed, plenty of good information.
I am a bit confuses about the quality of the buttons. The up/down buttons are so mushy, seem to be misalined, seem to get stuck, force me to push quite hard and also sometimes twice until they react.
Makes me think about moving to the 830.
Is mine a faulty device or are these buttons just bad?
It’s kind of a known issue if you search the net and I moved to the 830 for exactly that reason. I had two units and the buttons were not as responsive my other Garmin’s or just plain stuck. After the second one, I moved to the 830 and have been very happy. I should have started there, but was worried about the touch screen but have had no issues.
I find the buttons on the 530 to be a little sketchy, but they work. The biggest problem I get is that they stick a bit. I don’t know if that’s me dripping drinks on them or if it’s just the way they are. It’s never caused me a big issue, just a little annoying at times.
I can’t speak to the 830, but I tried the touch screen on the 820. Works pretty well if you don’t ride in the rain or wear full fingered gloves. These things are advertised to work in the rain, but my experience is that the 820 touch screen takes on a life of it’s own in the rain. Yes, it kind of works, but not well and not in heavy rain. After going through garmin support, playing with configs, and trying another unit (which worked the same as the first) , I swapped it for a 530. Garmin’s answer to the touch screen rain issue was “you can lock out the touch screen and use the buttons”. The button navigation sucked, not the same as the one designed to use buttons. Again, my touch screen experience was on a 820, not the current 830, so maybe it’s improved. That said, I’ve never seen a touch screen on any device that worked well in the rain.
the 520 had better buttons. I bought the 530 a few months after it was introduced, and returned the first one because one (and only one) of the buttons was soft (no feedback when pushing it) and it did not register all presses.
The buttons on my replacement 530 has been good. Not great, but good. I have thought about the 830, but can’t be bothered as the 530 is working well.
DCRainmaker review from 2 years ago:
Review: Garmin Edge 830 Cycling GPS In-Depth Review | DC Rainmaker
I’ve had an edge 530 for awhile and it’s mostly worked ok. The feel of the buttons isn’t great but they’ve mostly worked as expected.
There was a brief time when a button (I think start/stop) seemed stuck in when pressed. I dunked the device in mild soapy water briefly and swished it around gently which seemed to help it. The device may not technically be suited for submersion, so follow this at your own discretion. The button hasn’t shown the issue since.
thanks for the insights.
my device is brand new, no spilled sugar drink, no sweat on it … nothing… the device itself is great, features amazing, dont know why I stuck to Wahoo for so long. But the buttons, especially up/down, are cheapest of the cheapest, seem to fall off any moment.
I will return the 530 and go for the 830.
I held on getting a 530 because of the initial button issue. I finally got one last year and the buttons work great. Maybe you got old stock?
I was used to the touchscreen on the 510 so it was a learning curve. Initially, I wished I had bought the 830 but now I’m used to the buttons on the 530.
how can it be old stock in 2021, bought from a very relevant global company? I doubt they even keep stock that long
Yeah, I’ve got mushy buttons on my 530. Didn’t really noticed it till I got a 830, and now the difference is night and day between them.
If you don’t like it I think Garmin will replace it, you’re still stuck with the 530 tho.
i ordered a 830 already.
Who here is still rockn the edge 500? Never ever had issues. Just wished it had navigation and wifi uploading.
Garmin support told me to wash the buttons on mine. No replacement. The replacement I did get was by returning it to the retailer.
that is an amazing way of customer support 
Received the 830… this is night and day… i much prefer the 830 and the higher price is well deserved:
Settings/Menu:
I feel the software and menus are more polished:
navigating the complex menues is much easier, already just holding the back symbol on the screen brings you back all the way to the top menu… on the 530 it is 100 button presses…
the topp screen offers the Acitivity Profile, and also Navigation, Training, IQ Apps and access to Settings all at the same time… on the 530 it is only the Activity Profile and all else needs a button press just to reach the option. On the 830 you click on the above named options directly from the Home Screen
I can change more or less anything on the 830, another example: Training/Power Zones. Granted: not to be changed too much… but still, just another example how much more options the 830 offers and how independent of the phone it can be used
Navigation:
naturally a touchscreen is better for direct input for the navigation on the map… yes I can use the mobile phone, but to do a quick detour just touching a point on the map is just easy.
I also appreciate that I can quickly plan a course on the map itself… with waypoints! (on the 530 not possible, just setting a destination and then navigating)
I know, also POI are something which seems unnecessary at first glance. But just to be able to look for the next gas station and follow the navigation without the need to work the phone seems ok to me
Training:
I very much appreciate that I can build my own workouts on the device itself, with intervall, with levels etc…
there is even a whole calendar and training plan overview in the respective section… this is no way near as sophisticated on the 530
So in general much more options and way easier using the device.
I know - all that works on a mobile too and can be sent to the 530… but I prefer not to have my smartphone with me all the time and be dependent on the phone. I appreciate having a device which is also standalone by itself.
Eventually I am not saying the 530 is a bad device, not at all - quite excellent actually. But the mushy and weird buttons on my copy spoiled the otherwise surprisingly good impression a lot. For me having both side by side the 830 is the better choice.
I really like my 530, but that’s a pretty good sales pitch for the 830 when it comes time to replace it!
I have no problem with the buttons on my edge 530. Now my problem is 6 months ago I went from an edge 130 to the 530 and the button placement is different. Still keep pushing the wrong ones. But that is because my brain is mushy.
The buttons on my 530 go in and out depending on weather a bit of dirt buildup, but they always register just fine.
The screen cracked with a little fall after leaning the bike against the wrong tree on a pee break, so I’m glad I didn’t go with the 830 or else I would have needed a replacement immediately.
Initially, I wish I had gotten the 830 over the 530. I was used to the 510 which is touch screen. The buttons drove me crazy for like 2-3 weeks and then I got used to them. I understand that the 530 button layout is kind of standard among other Garmins and their watches so many people take to it immediately.
I have an Edge 530. The buttons are hard to push but usually with the second try I am able to get it to work.
I’m on my 3rd 530 in 10 months. I don’t & haven’t had problems with the buttons (they aren’t nearly as firm as on the 520, though) but I’ve had 2 barometric altimeters freak out on me. With the unit sitting at ~200 feet of elevation on my desk, the total ascent would climb over 300 feet in a matter of a few minutes & on the trail, same thing -way to much elevation gain recorded. On the first unit, customer support took a look at my Connect activities & had me swap it out immediately & on the second one we tried 7.23 beta firmware but that didn’t help so I had to swap out for a new unit. Hopefully this 3rd one holds up, the 2nd unit lasted less than a month. If it craps out, I think I’m going to see if I can go to an 830.
