Sigh. I had an 820 and the touchscreen annoyed the crap out of me. Battery finally faded, so opted for the 530 as a replacement. The buttons take some getting used to, but they do work. It sounds like the 830’s touch screen is a major upgrade, so I do wish I’d gone that route.
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I use a 530, but still have a couple 500’s. It’s the best bike computer Garmin has ever made in my opinion, just a little thin on features compared to what’s out there today. Lot’s of days just riding/training, it’s all I really need, but I’m a data junkie and like to fill the bigger screen with metrics. For gravel racing, you pretty much need the navigation. I should stick the 500’s on craigslist or something, but I think they will probably still be working long after my 530 craps out.
Your review made me put a 1030 Plus in a shopping cart 
… but I just can’t bring myself to spend the money. Even considered the refurbished $420 unit over at Excel Sports. Sadly the 1030 Plus was introduced 9 months after I bought my 530.
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I think Garmins buttons aren’t great. I had a 1000s power buttons disintegrate on me in the middle of my 2018 LEJOG and the replacement has just done the same (fortunately after Saturday’s TT). They offered me a refurb again but I asked for it to be a 1030 refurb, hopefully it has better buttons 
I just pulled my old 500 out of the closet last week and mounted it on my new mountain bike. Since I haven’t used it for years, if it gets trashed I won’t lose any sleep over it.
But setting up a new screen for off road riding with the stiff ass buttons on the 500 reminded me why I replaced it with the touch screen 830 which is a joy to use compared to the button interface.
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Hi, some Garmin related impressions I shared in a different thread too:
I do not know if the Garmins are the right fit for me, just too much options and info.
Having tested the Garmin 530 and 830 it turns out I am switching off more or less every added function (like steep turn ahead alarm, drink/eat alarm, BPM alarm, workout alarm, navigation alarm) as all of this eld to constant beeping…
Eventually I even turned off rerout completely and also navigation/turn hints.
It is just too much information. And mostly the routing suggestions are pure idiocy no matter what options I define.
ClimbPro is ok, but quite often the GPS positioning lags those 30-50 decisive meters behind. I am already over the hill and the device still shows me 7% for 200m. Also I find it disappointing that ClimbPro does not zoom into the current phase of the Climb. Why does it show me the profile of all 8km incl those 6km I already passed when the upcoming climb details are much more relevant but barely readable.
One more thing: there is no way to switch of this idiotic virtual partner. Two arrows barely apart on a supersmall screen? Sometimes less is more.
And the map is so full of details: i can barely see where I even am and need to go. I reduced the details on map to absolute minimum. still too much input.
FWIW I turn off all the beeps except for radar and nutrition/hydration. And never noticed the virtual partner issue. Never had an issue with the map detail.
Based on your comments, in your shoes I’d be inclined to use my mobile as bike computer. Paid version of RideWithGPS allows you to download offline maps, and I used that before buying my 520 back in 2016.
hi,
i will keep the 830, returned the 530.
Not considering the Karoo2.
Considered the Wahoo roam, but just too big and ugly.
I guess the 830 is the best way at the moment. I am learning its specifics, learning how to deal with all the options, which to use, which not.
thx for all your input.
btw: for some weird reason some Garmin segments do not sync with the 830. Neither via App, nor Website. Others sync easily, some not at all. anybody solved this?
I turn off a lot of stuff. No idea about Garmin segments, I have Strava segments enabled and a small number on the 530 but haven’t used that while riding - prefer to learn the location and do it without guidance from my computer.
Received an email from Garmin a couple days ago about map updates:
High Contrast looks better to me.
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The buttons on my 530 work splendidly. But maybe that is an out-of-the-box thing? I will say that I usually run the unit under warm water after workouts/races for a second. And if I spilled something on it or it was a muddy ride, I might press the buttons while doing that. Don’t sue me if you break it that way. I saw that recommendation for people complaining that their apple watch crown got stuck after workouts, and well, it makes sense.
having used the menu of the 830 now some time, I would never go back to the 530.
I am not scrolling pages during rides, i try to keep my screens limited to 1 main screen, mostly map with navigation, elevation profile and 2 data fields. I do not need anything else. So I am not worried about rain and touchscreen not working.
But the advantage of a touchscreen for setting the device up, finding a course, manipulating the map… huge difference, much more comfortable and quick
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true, the 1030 is way to pricey.
Absolutely. Mine worked better after I removed the buttons and retrofitted velcro and zippers.