A Motorola T600 vs T605 analysis is similar to comparing two apples of different colors. On the face of it, it’s obvious that one of the apples is, for the sake of this piece, green and the other is red.
And after that, pinpointing any more obvious differences is almost impossible.
For gadgets like the T600 and T605, by just looking at the names, you’d immediately conclude that the 605 must be an upgrade on the 600. That is how marketing works in big tech firms around the world.
If one is an upgrade, then clearly the upgraded Motorola T605 must be a better walkie talkie than the predecessor in terms of features and overall functions, right?
In essence, if you have a T600, you’ll be advised to get the new model. Is that really the wise thing to do in this case? Hopefully, by the end of this Motorola T600 vs T605 head-to-head analysis, you’d understand why this is akin the comparing two differently-colored apples.
Motorola T600 vs T605: Head-to-head look at two awesome outdoors walkie talkies
Motorola did a great marketing job on both devices pushing them out as very affordable options for the outdoors no matter how and where your adventure is going to be.
Physically, both devices look exactly alike. You can’t even tell them apart. They are both black with an outer olive green casing to enliven the design and make it easier to spot if you are looking for it on poor light conditions.
Both devices can be used for such extreme sports like kayaking, cross-country skiing, and mountaineering right down to regular outdoor activities like camping, fishing, hunting, and hiking.
From numerous user reviews, it is clear Motorola were true to their words. Both devices are weather-proof with an IP rating of 67. That means even if either of them falls into a pool of water, no harm would be done to it as long as you remove it within 30 minutes.
The IP67 rating also means the devices are protected against snow, rainfall, and dust. Clearly, these are gadgets designed to survive the rough and tumble of the outdoors.
But you don’t have to worry about the gadgets submerging in water. Both devices are designed to float in water making retrieval easy if that happens.
Other features shared by both devices include the following;
Dual band with 22 Channels – Both devices come with GMRS and FRS channels. They have the full complement of 22 channels. Add the 121 privacy codes to that, you get a total of 2662 sub-channels to choose from.
These channels are important as they enable users to find unoccupied frequencies easily. This also makes it less likely that a third party would eavesdrop on private conversations. It is a sort of security feature to protect groups and individuals when they are outdoors.
Built-in flashlight – All decent, portable, handheld two-way radios designed for the outdoors come with an in-built flashlight. Both models have it too.
Here is the thing about the flashlight integrated into the design of these Motorola communication gadgets: it has both red and white LEDs.
The white LED is your regular flashlight to show the way ahead if you get caught up at night in the forest or on a trail while hiking. There are so many uses you can put the flashlight to.
The red LED is great for preserving night vision. You’d use it if you are at the campsite at night. The red glare would not temporarily blind anybody, unlike white LED light.
And the awesome thing about the flashlight is that it is activated by water. If you accidentally drop it in a body of water at night, it immediately comes on making it easy to be spotted.
Cross-brand compatibility – Both devices are compatible with other GMRS/FRS walkie talkies no matter the brand or model. You can communicate as long as the devices are on the same channel or frequency.
PTT power boost – The Push-to-talk power boost can be useful if you need to extend the transmission range. This, of course, means you have to use up more battery resources to increase the power of the transmitter.
Hands-free – The two models are VOX/iVOX enabled. That means, with your voice, you can activate the walkie talkies and start exchanging messages without using the PTT button. This is crucial if you need your hands free to handle other tasks.
Other common features
- Emergency alert button to alert others of danger
- Dual-power options; 3 AA batteries or rechargeable NiMH battery
- Micro USB charging
- A range of up to 35 miles in ideal conditions
- 11 NOAA weather channels with weather alert
- VibraCall alert for silent operations
- Similar battery life of 9 hours on NiMH battery and 23 hours with the 3 AA batteries
Motorola T600 vs T605: The Contrasts
A careful examination of both models shows that they have, literally, similar features and functions. There isn’t a single thing you could point to and say, ‘Hey, wow, the 605 can do this awesome stuff while the 600 can’t.
- Ip67 Waterproof: Count On The T600 H2O Two-Way Waterproof Radio To Keep You Connected Whether On Land Or At Sea. With Its Ip67 Standard, The T600 H2O Withstands Constant Submersion Of Up To 1M For 30 Minutes And Repels The Heaviest Rain.
- Advanced Built-In Flashlight With White And Red Leds: Select The White Led Setting On The Built-In Flashlight To Light Your Way During Evening Activities, Unexpected Emergencies Or Power Outages.
- Know The Weather In Advance: Keep Updated With Real-Time Weather Conditions By Turning On One Of 11 Weather Channels Or Initiating Weather Alerts. Noaa Radio Service May Not Be Available In All Areas.
If that is the case what is the upgrade all about and why do you have to spend almost 20 bucks extra for an upgrade to the newer model?
The answer is simply in the accessories that come with both models. Or to be precise, the two more accessories you get if you purchase the T605.
Carrying case – This is a black bag with a tote handle to store your walkie talkie and the accessories that come with it.
- IP67 Waterproof: Count on the T605 H2O two-way waterproof radio to keep you connected whether on land or at sea. With its IP67 standard, the T605 H2O withstands constant submersion of up to 1m for 30 minutes and repels the heaviest rain.
- Advanced Built-in Flashlight with White and Red LEDs: Select the white LED setting on the built-in flashlight to light your way during evening activities, unexpected emergencies or power outages.
- Know the Weather In Advance: Keep updated with real-time weather conditions by turning on one of 11 weather channels or initiating weather alerts. NOAA radio service may not be available in all areas.
This could be useful for those times you are not planning on using the gadget for a long time. You now have a single place to safely store it and the accessories.
You could also use the bag as storage for some of the little stuff related to your outdoor activities. At least, you won’t have to go looking for them all over the place when it’s time for another outdoor adventure away from your regular haunts.
Car charger – The car charger is the second accessory you won’t find in the T600.
This is so thoughtful of Motorola. You can now charge your T605 via a vehicle’s cigarette port. But, since these chargers are sold everywhere, you could easily get one from any store and it would work great with the T600.
Conclusion
There you have it then. As it turns out, the Motorola T600 vs T605 was just as simple as finding out the differences between two apples with different colors.
The question now is, is the presence of the carrying case and car charger an acceptable upgrade?
There are two ways to look at it, if you have no use for a car charger or a carrying case, there is absolutely no reason to buy the same gadget at a higher price.
On the other hand, you can bet a dime or two that the carrying case would be made of durable, quality material. Along with the car charger, you’d be getting them for less than what it would cost elsewhere.
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