Garmin G500Txi or G3X?

NordicDave

NordicDave

En-Route
Joined
Oct 31, 2015
Messages
2,692
Location
Monterey County
Display Name
Display name:
NordicDave
Planning a panel upgrade for my 182P. Already own a mint GNS-430W, GTX-345 transponder, FS210, and PSE 450A audio panel. Also Cessna 300 Nav-O-matic auto pilot.

Interesting Garmin, and not interested in Dynon.

Why would someone want a G500Txi over the G3X? From what I ascertain the G500 has greater interface capability for many more 3rd party avionics. Not sure of it's other advantages in this comparison.

I'm looking at either the 3GX or G500Txi and a GI-275 as the back-up for either choice. I may plunge now for the GFC-500 A/P.

It takes 4-5 months to get parts and 5-6 months for the Av chop schedule.

Thanks for the help!
 
Last edited:
I’ve been waiting a year for G3X…take any estimates with a grain of salt.
 
NordicDave said:
Why would someone want a G500Txi over the G3X? From what I ascertain the G500 has greater interface capability for many more 3rd party avionics. Not sure of it's other advantages in this comparison.
Click to expand...

Some people/airframes don't get a choice. That's the part that the small piston market doesn't see/understand often. Because G3X isn't TSO approved, it is only viable for Class I aircraft. This is great for most of us (Your 182), but not for everybody.
 
I would get the G3X Touch over the G500 TXi if I had the choice. But I would research first to confirm that the reasons for my choice are valid in the certified world, since my G3X Touch is in an experimental. Here are my reasons:
  1. Lower price
  2. On-screen tuning of both comm and nav radios (TXi only seems capable of tuning a comm radio, not a nav, and only by pushing frequencies from the waypoint info whereas the G3X has more comprehensive control over the radio; get a remote #2 comm radio and the IFR-certified nav/comm/GPS navigator of your choosing, GTN Xi or GNC 355 would by my suggestion)
  3. On-screen control of transponder (get a remote transponder if you are upgrading that, too)
  4. On-screen control of audio panel (get a remote one of those, too)
 
Thanks @iamtheari & @jrcox19 for insight. It's helpful

My inclination is for the G3X, but wondered if there some compelling reason for the G500TXi but can't find one for my application. Just want to make sure I'm not staring into a blindspot.
 
NordicDave said:
Thanks @iamtheari & @jrcox19 for insight. It's helpful

My inclination is for the G3X, but wondered if there some compelling reason for the G500TXi but can't find one for my application. Just want to make sure I'm not staring into a blindspot.
Click to expand...

If you want the GFC500, G3X is the way to go, if you have any other autopilot the TXi has better interoperability.
 
Another thing to think about is how many screens you want. I put a G3X Touch with two 10" screens in my RV-14. Based on my experience with that panel, I am getting a single 10" TXi system in the 310.

In addition to the list above, the G3X Touch has a good checklist system while I don't believe the TXi does. I don't use the checklists I put there very often, but they're there. In a more complicated plane, especially one you didn't build so you don't know the systems like the back of your hand as E/AB folks tend to, that would be very nice to have in the panel instead of a piece of paper or iPad.
 
I came up with another thing the G3X Touch has that the TXi lacks: insets on the PFD. The TXi has its HSI map, which makes up for some of this. But the G3X Touch lets you have up to two insets on the full-screen 10" PFD, showing a map, traffic, flight plan, nearest airports, or G meter. I usually have the nearest airports and traffic insets up.
 
My G500TXi is going into my 182Q right now. My installer was pretty up front with me that he was sure I would love either one, and there are definite advantages to each. The number one reason I went with the G500 is because it's the newer of the two and maybe will have a little bit of a longer life because of that. I also liked that it was TSO'd and, according to my avionics guy, it's manufactured in the US. Those last two maybe aren't practical reasons, but they take a little sting out of the price difference.

They also hooked me with the HSI Map feature. But we'll see how useful it really is once I start flying with it:
tabs-airplanes-1.jpg
 
I've only briefly played with a GX3, but my impression was that it is similar to a touchscreen version of the G1000 in terms of functionality. is that off?
 
bflynn said:
I've only briefly played with a GX3, but my impression was that it is similar to a touchscreen version of the G1000 in terms of functionality. is that off?
Click to expand...
I haven't flown with a G1000 but I think a G3X Touch combined with the right LRUs (GTN, GTR 20, GMA 245R, GTX 45R) will get you something very similar to what you get in a G1000. When @FPK1 posts panel pictures (of what I think is a G1000 NXi system), I see a lot of similarities with the G3X Touch. The main differences are that the G1000 NXi has many buttons and the G3X Touch has very few, the G3X Touch lets you show more data fields across the top, and the G3X Touch requires external navigators whereas I think the G1000 NXi has the functionality of a GTN navigator integrated into it.
 
bflynn said:
I've only briefly played with a GX3, but my impression was that it is similar to a touchscreen version of the G1000 in terms of functionality. is that off?
Click to expand...

I was told by an acquaintance at Garmin their skunkworks team took the G1000 code base and developed it into the G3X. It's a primary reason it was able to come to market so quickly and get certified on a much shortened timeline.

Asking around Garmin dealers there seems to be a consensus among the one's I spoke too, that they prefer the G500TXi and it's slightly more expensive but a better value. More robust unit, more flexible, faster processor for quicker screen response.

If the GI-275 is used as the back-up, a G500TXi failure will trigger a transfer of function to the G3X like the autopilot; where G3X will not perform a hot hand-off to the GI-275.

The explanation I got from 2 dealers was G500TXi scaled down the turbine world and G3X is scaled up as a lower cost product initially for experimentals.
 
Last edited:
NordicDave said:
If the GI-275 is used as the back-up, a G500TXi failure will trigger a transfer of function to the G3X like the autopilot; where G3X will not perform a hot hand-off to the GI-275.
Click to expand...
Yes, if you're are going with the GFC500 then I would make sure you get a good answer about what will/won't work if something fails. I was told a G500TXi can't drive the GFC500 and if I lost the GI275 then the a/p goes with it. Which is why I then opted for the GFC600.
 
Adding to my ongoing list of things I think the G3X Touch does better than the TXi: Switching between weather products. On the G3X Touch MFD weather page, there are tabs down the right side for different products (nexrad, lightning, icing, winds, etc.) whereas on the TXi you tap Menu to bring up the list of products, scroll through it to find what you want, tap to select it, and then go Back out to the map view.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top