Variometer Comparison

Android 13 rugged 7" flight phablet. 1920×1080 IPS 2200 nits. 650g, 205×140×21mm. IP67. 10000mAh. 4G/LTE/WiFi/BT. FANET+FLARM built-in (Plus version). XCTrack PRO perpetual licence. Belgium made.

Weight

665 g

Battery life

0 h

GPS

✓

Bluetooth

✓

Solar charging

✗

Street price

€825

Android GPS vario/nav, 3.5" LCD 800×480, 222g, 97×71×25mm. FANET+FLARM+ADS-L. WiFi/BT/LTE. SeeYou Navigator included. 12-15h screen on, 30-50h screen off. Official X-Alps live tracker. Made in Slovenia.

Weight

222 g

Battery life

12–50h

GPS

✓

Bluetooth

✓

Solar charging

✗

Street price

€449

Full-featured GPS vario with integrated GSM SIM. 4.4" QVGA reflective TFT. 200g, 115×106×15mm. 30h battery. FLARM, FANET, ADS-L, WiFi, BT. Live tracking via built-in SIM (3 months free, then €39/year). All the works.

Weight

200 g

Battery life

30 h

GPS

✓

Bluetooth

✓

Solar charging

✗

Street price

€689

Compact GPS vario, 3.5" reflective grayscale display. 180g, 101×88×16mm. USB-C. 60h battery. FLARM, FANET, ADS-L. Multi-GNSS. Voice output. No GSM (GSM is Skytraxx 5 only). Hike mode. €539 with FANET+FLARM.

Weight

180 g

Battery life

60 h

GPS

✓

Bluetooth

✓

Solar charging

✗

Street price

€539

Top-of-range GPS vario with GSM live tracking. Color maps, airspace 3D, FANET, FLARM optional. BT5, WiFi, LTE-M. 6-axis accel/magnetometer. Fully configurable screens. Made in Portugal. ~€1200.

Weight

0 g

Battery life

0 h

GPS

✓

Bluetooth

✓

Solar charging

✗

Street price

€1200

High-end GPS vario with MIP LCD (800×600, 80×60mm). ADS-L, FANET, FLARM built-in. 60h battery, USB-C. 158g. Lag-free vario. Topography maps, airspace 3D, buddy tracking. Swiss made.

Weight

158 g

Battery life

60 h

GPS

✓

Bluetooth

✓

Solar charging

✗

Street price

€870

Solar GPS logger + BT vario with voice assistant. No screen. 29g, 58×36×14mm. Dual speaker (Hi-Fi+piezo). GPS tracker (IGC/KML). Voice announcements on tap. BLE iOS/Android. SunPower solar. 50h battery. Made in France.

Weight

29 g

Battery life

50 h

GPS

✓

Bluetooth

✓

Solar charging

✓

Street price

€312

Ultra-light solar GPS vario. No screen — Bluetooth bridge to app. 46g, 69.5×49.5×16.5mm. ADS-L, FANET, FLARM. Solar + USB-C. 25h without sun. IGC/KML FAI-approved. Swiss made.

Weight

46 g

Battery life

25 h

GPS

✓

Bluetooth

✓

Solar charging

✓

Street price

€560

New XC vario with super-bright anti-glare 4.2" LCD (400×300px). 150g, 115×77mm. USB-C. 60h battery. Instant vario (IMU+gyro). AI wind, thermal assistant, glide ratio. No FANET/FLARM. 3D-printed enclosure.

Weight

150 g

Battery life

60 h

GPS

✓

Bluetooth

✓

Solar charging

✗

Street price

€395

Entry-level XC GPS vario. 400×300 High Contrast LCD. ~113g, 127×76×13mm. 20h. USB-C. BT5/WiFi. FLARM/ADS-L optional. IGC logger. Thermal ball indicator, thermal assistant, wind. No maps or airspace. Made in Portugal.

Weight

113 g

Battery life

20 h

GPS

✓

Bluetooth

✓

Solar charging

✗

Street price

€300

Large transflective screen (2.7", 400×240), speaker. Bluetooth, live tracking, airspace, navigation. 81g incl. mount. USB-C. 10–40h battery. Weather beacon support. Used in X-Alps.

Weight

81 g

Battery life

10–40h

GPS

✓

Bluetooth

✓

Solar charging

✗

Street price

€499

6" E-ink display (800×600), full maps, airspace, navigation, ADS-L option. Bluetooth. USB-C. 270g incl. mount. 15–25h battery. Speaker. Top-of-range instrument.

Weight

270 g

Battery life

15–25h

GPS

✓

Bluetooth

✓

Solar charging

✗

Street price

€699

GPS vario with 2.35" LCD (128×128), onboard GPS, IGC-signed tracks. Bluetooth. USB-C. 5 configurable screens. 90g incl. mount. 15–35h battery.

Weight

90 g

Battery life

15–35h

GPS

✓

Bluetooth

✓

Solar charging

✗

Street price

€399

Lightweight GPS vario with color screen. 86g, 98×57×19mm. Micro-USB. Bluetooth to XCTrack/FlySkyHy. FAI Cat.1 IGC logger. Airspace warning. Instant vario via IMU+baro fusion. 25h battery. Open source firmware.

Weight

86 g

Battery life

25 h

GPS

✓

Bluetooth

✓

Solar charging

✗

Street price

€349

Bluetooth vario with solar + USB-C charging. No integrated GPS — uses phone GPS via Syride Link app. Accelerometer, 3-axis magnetometer. 25g.

Weight

25 g

Battery life

0 h

GPS

✗

Bluetooth

✓

Solar charging

✓

Street price

€199

Navigation GPS vario with airspace. 2.35" LCD 128×128. Mini-USB charging. No Bluetooth. 30h battery. 4 configurable screens. 90g incl. mount. Earlier generation than Nav V4 rebranding.

Weight

90 g

Battery life

30 h

GPS

✓

Bluetooth

✗

Solar charging

✗

Street price

€499

Altimeter + vario with 2.35" LCD screen (128×128). Bluetooth connectivity. No onboard GPS — uses phone GPS via Syride Link. 5 configurable screens, riser mount. 90g incl. mount.

Weight

90 g

Battery life

25–60h

GPS

✗

Bluetooth

✓

Solar charging

✗

Street price

€349

Solar+BT audio vario with no screen. 26g, 58×36×14mm. Bluetooth BLE to iOS/Android. Instant vario (MEMS + accel + gyro). SunPower solar + USB-C. 100h. 4cm/s precision. Made in France.

Weight

26 g

Battery life

100 h

GPS

✗

Bluetooth

✓

Solar charging

✓

Street price

€208

Solar beeper vario with no screen. 26g, 58×36×14mm. Solar + USB-C. 400h without sun. MEMS pressure sensor 7cm/s precision. 5 volume levels. Made in France.

Weight

26 g

Battery life

400 h

GPS

✗

Bluetooth

✗

Solar charging

✓

Street price

€104

Ultra-minimalist beeper-only vario. No screen, no GPS. 24g, 58×36×14mm. USB-C rechargeable 200mAh (200h). Single button. Piezo buzzer. Made in France.

Weight

24 g

Battery life

200 h

GPS

✗

Bluetooth

✗

Solar charging

✗

Street price

€62

Ultra-minimalist beeper-only vario. No screen, no GPS. CR2450 coin cell, 290h battery life. 19g. Helmet or wrist mount.

Weight

19 g

Battery life

290 h

GPS

✗

Bluetooth

✗

Solar charging

✗

Street price

€119

Ultra-minimalist beeper-only vario. No screen, no GPS. 20g, CR2450 battery 150h. Instant vario via pressure+accel+gyro fusion. Under €100. Plug and play.

Weight

20 g

Battery life

150 h

GPS

✗

Bluetooth

✗

Solar charging

✗

Street price

€99