You missed a few things.
Actually yes. Even more, these were real time OS.
My comment is based on the long list of fixes that GPLama highlighted in the latest Beta, plus the number of releases so far for the 1040 to fix / add missing functionality that exists in the 1030+. This pattern happens every time Garmin releases a new Edge computer: it takes a flurry of releases to get the device stable.
On your 530: it might be stable now, but go back and look through the firmware release notes to see all of the fixes made to basic functionality.
Garmin has admitted that the hardware is basically the same as the 1030+. Yes, they did add Solar to one version. But if adding the code to support that impacts the stability / functionality of the non-Solar version, that is more anecdotal evidence that the underlying code base isnât setup in a manner to easily allow adding new features / functionality.
It might be the same and never had a 1030+ but the navigation and course loading is so fast I love it. Compared to my 530 which is a snail even though I kept it for mtb but when I do ride with it I miss the 1040 solar big screen. One of those things you donât think about until you have it.
The fast loading time on the 1040 strongly with the same processor as the 1030+ implies that Garmin rewrote / refactored that part of the code base. Hopefully more, a lot more, of the code base also got rewritten / refactored.
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We all have a choice. You obviously know the issues with EVERY garmin released new product. I personally dont understand it myself. I live 1.5 hours away from one of their main testing centers. I know they test devices quite a bit before release and I dont understand all the issues. Personally I am more than thrilled with the 1040. No real issues yet in well over 3000 km riding. A real test for me will be this weekend. But as you know the issues with every new Garmin product I am surprised you buy their new technology at release. I would think you would wait 6 plus months until it gets more stable.
Wahoo Roam - take a look at the releases and fixes in the first 6 months. Similar to Garmin. Its like this for a lot of electronics. And Wahoo is using Android as the OS. However in my experience it didnât mean the devices (in general, not just bike computers) were unstable 
I have no Wahoo head device experience. But just because Wahooâs software also has issues, doesnât exonerate Garmin. DCRainmaker made my same argument.
We should be pushing all of the device makers to up their software game in terms of quality, security, reliability, etc.
Personally, Iâm in a quandary on what device to get, as the battery on my Edge 820 is dying:
- HH Karoo 2: I got one, and while it was stable while I had it, the battery completely died within 2 weeks. One day it just wouldnât turn on, no matter how long it was left plugged in. Now with Shimanoâs asinine decision to make HH pull out Di2 compatibility, Iâm no longer looking at a HH as I really like being able to use the ancillary buttons to change screens / stop & start intervals
- Wahoo - just to fugly for me
- Garmin - right now this is the least bad option. Just really holding out for the Edge 1040 to go on sale, or maybe hoping an Edge 840 will get released
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yeah Iâm with you, but honestly Iâve never lost a ride and only had to deal with minor quirks. Garmin sucks less, and more importantly has features I find useful (Firstbeat stuff) that are MIA from the other brands. If I wanted to simply record the basics, Iâd use the phone in my jersey pocket. Back when I got started six years ago I did climbing rides in the Sierras with RideWithGPS and phone in airplane mode for extended battery life - great offline maps and pics and talking navigation and âjust worksâ simplicity. If my 530 died I would go into a âwait for the 840â holding pattern and just use RideWithGPS app on my phone. It still claims to support my ancient Wahoo Rflkt, so I could use the Rflkt on my handlebars.
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FWIW. If you have a problem, then itâs a BIG problem with any piece of software. My experience/feeling with Garmin products I have purchased through the years (20+) is that the software is getting âbetterâ but not perfect. The early years were more bad than good. I donât mean that Garmin products today have no issues. I donât mean that I donât agree in general with your sentiments. I have a Forerunner 955 and an Edge 1030+ and have been very much satisfied. The products have been pretty solid.
I did the Wahoo Bolt for awhile. I also talked to Karoo tech about their product for a few weeks before deciding to go full-back to Garmin. Have been satisfied (at least until the next update)! 
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You mean that Garmin hasnât been running a public beta with Edge firmware this whole time? 
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KonaSS- you are probably right but that gee-wiz factor can be motivating. Iâm a heavy rider and so when struggling on a climb knowing it is currently 16% gives me a little more motivation. But as other have said I think the best feature is just knowing the general profile of the climb, where you are on it and so what remains, that can really help someone like me adjust my output as | never like to fail on a climb and with this knowledge have not done so in a very long time. So the Climb Pro on the Garmin is everything that I need and any other minor shortcomings I am happy to live with. The 1040S is a great piece of tech.
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I think itâs a new feature on the 1040. I noticed that the Elevation screen now reflects the gradient coloring of ClimbPro. End result is that if you toggle between Elevation and Climb Pro you can see the whole climb with pitches or the section of the climb youâre on at the moment. It came in very handy on my 6+ mile climb up Montebello Road this weekend knowing that I was going to have a 1-2% grade section coming up, so I could keep the power on knowing I could get a bit of a recovery after the pitch I was on.
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Just got back from my first ride with the 1040 solar. Would not connect to my Garmin radar. Got home and synced upgraded to 14.20 and now it connected so I guess thats one bug down.
Anybody experience poor battery life after updating firmware?
Only other change (besides upgrading) is that I am using a Garmin HR strap instead of a Polar H10. In any case, battery life is not much shorter than before.
This is how my Stamina worked out during the Baked Potato at Rebeccaâs Private Idaho this weekend.
Those last two hours the screen on the head unit said < 1 Mile of stamina left as well as less than 1% stamina & potential left.
wonder what it would look like if you had an accurate Wâ (anaerobic capacity) into WKO5 or intervals or Xert.
I thought Stamina in 1040 was essentially anaerobic capacity but I pulled up the 1040 manual:
and
âReal-time stamina tracking works by combining your physiological metrics with your recent and long-term activity history, such as training duration, distance covered, and training load accumulation (Performance Measurements).â
appears to be a hybrid of anaerobic capacity and âstuffâ - like most things Firstbest it uses heart rate and VO2max estimate (HR, HRV, power) and some machine learning magic.
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Yes I suspect that I just donât have enough historical data to make it accurate at this point. My first 1040 took a hit and as a result lost all audio prompts (suspect the audio transducer circuit was compromised in a crash.)
That said the 14.20 update was well timed. It landed right before the long race at RPI.
found this article
and read a little more:
"The minimum information real-time stamina needs to work is your VO2 max. This requires running with a combination of speed and heart rate data or cycling with both heart rate and power data. You should also ensure that your personal maximum heart rate is set correctly on your device. Setting the wrong maximum heart rate has a cascading effect that negatively impacts the reliability of real-time stamina feedback by compromising VO2 max, lactate threshold/FTP and current intensity assessments.
Following an ideal fueling strategy can also help ensure meaningful real-time stamina, especially for longer activities. Smart nutrition and hydration decisions keep you on track toward your performance potential and prevent you from fatiguing prematurely.
Recording all your activities with your device is the final key to getting the best results from real-time stamina. Not only do stamina levels carry over from one activity to the next, but activity intensity profiles, durations, distances and training load accumulations also are used to enhance the personalization of your real-time stamina feedback beyond your basic fitness metrics. This data is used to model individual fatigue resistance and personal tolerances for aerobic and anaerobic exercise."
Feed the model.
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Itâs smart marketing needing to buy a power meter and heart rate monitor for optimal data playback