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Updated G3X Display Anytime Soon?

RV7AJeremy

Well Known Member
So the 10” G3X display has been out for roughly 7 years now. I’m about to buy two more. Thoughts from the group; is an updated display going to be released anytime soon?
 
I have been pondering this same thing. Like most folks competing in a market, Garmin, is not very public with their product road map and upcoming feature releases...so if you're reading along, Garmin, I'm waiting...

I am thinking to order my avionics package during one SNF or Osh, hoping to catch any new releases and/or discounts that generally happen.

I like the G3X as it currently is and don't have any specific changes I'd ask for, but obviously want to get the most recent stuff - which is kind of the point for waiting to buy (well, that and warranty).
 
Because most of the G3X Touch system's sensors are external, Garmin can effectively upgrade the system via software (perhaps with new remote-mounted LRUs).

The only drivers for a new display would be screen resolution, RAM/CPU capacity, or physical size.

Screen resolution is probably adequate for the application, physical size is limited by the sizes of the panels the screens are designed to fit, so we're down to RAM/CPU capacity: There's no need for Garmin to produce new GDUs until the software featureset has grown so large that it doesn't fit the host platform anymore. Which seems unlikely, my understanding is that these boxes are pretty well overprovisioned.

One thing that might become a limitation is the SD-card. Garmin's G3X Touch install manual says GDU460/470 units are recommended to be used with 8 Gbyte Sandisk SD or SDHC cards, and cards up to 32 Gbytes are supported. We're now at the point where 8 Gbyte cards are too small to be readily available (16 Gbytes is the smallest I can find in my neighborhood!), and we'll only have a few more iterations left before 32 Gbyte cards are obsolete and not generally sold. Larger cards are probably usable with GDU software fixes.

- mark
 
So the 10” G3X display has been out for roughly 7 years now. I’m about to buy two more. Thoughts from the group; is an updated display going to be released anytime soon?

Quite a timely thread. We'll be making the avionics choice a little later this year. I emailed G3Xpert with this exact question. I know they are not going to tell some John Q. Public like me all their secrets, but he did give a feel of the Garmin barometer. They seem to be quite focused on expanding the STC of the digital autopilots on the certified side. On the experimental side, he said they are looking to expand the functionality of the GTN Xi and G3X integrations. He also said they were looking for us (experimenters) to provide feedback on feature additions or enhancements.

I for one would really like to see expanded HUD options. I know there are a lot of home brew systems, but I'm a mechanical engineer and not to savvy on the electrical side.
 
Because most of the G3X Touch system's sensors are external, Garmin can effectively upgrade the system via software (perhaps with new remote-mounted LRUs).

The only drivers for a new display would be screen resolution, RAM/CPU capacity, or physical size.

Screen resolution is probably adequate for the application, physical size is limited by the sizes of the panels the screens are designed to fit, so we're down to RAM/CPU capacity: There's no need for Garmin to produce new GDUs until the software featureset has grown so large that it doesn't fit the host platform anymore. Which seems unlikely, my understanding is that these boxes are pretty well overprovisioned.

One thing that might become a limitation is the SD-card. Garmin's G3X Touch install manual says GDU460/470 units are recommended to be used with 8 Gbyte Sandisk SD or SDHC cards, and cards up to 32 Gbytes are supported. We're now at the point where 8 Gbyte cards are too small to be readily available (16 Gbytes is the smallest I can find in my neighborhood!), and we'll only have a few more iterations left before 32 Gbyte cards are obsolete and not generally sold. Larger cards are probably usable with GDU software fixes.

- mark

I think there's plenty of scope to upgrade the displays and add LRUs
I've been staring at the original G3XT since 2014. Thats a long time now. Compared to the 12" cirrus perspective its like an iPad vs iPad mini.
In that time there's been a plethora of bigger displays and/or smaller bezels from both garmin certified and their competitors.
For example, the AFS5700 12.1" display has the same bezel width as the G3XT 10.6" display. Its a much bigger display with pretty much the same footprint (0.75" higher)

Its not like Garmin don't have plenty of hardware options at their disposal that could be repurposed for experimental. Remote tuner knobs. Remote Baro etc.etc.

Dont get me wrong, I think their stuff is awesome, but they have real competition. I've got an engine mounted and am watching this space closely. between small 8y old displays and their insanely expensive AUS maps (also about 4y behind their competitors) I'm certainly not blindly going Garmin this time.
 
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