Aspen EFD500 versus Garmin MX-20

[jlunseth]

I have what must be the first generation MX20 in my aircraft, the brand is Apollo (before they were purchased by Garmin).  I have it hooked to to a 430AW and a GDL69A (sat. wx. plus sat. radio).  I have no complaints about the display except that, being 8 or 10 years old I am starting to get some colored lines and will probably have it repaired this winter (cost about .8 amu's).  The technology in my MX20 is old, so the processing speed is slow, but in all candor I am old and slow also, so we get along together.  Actually, the display processes very nicely, and the speed comparison is about like comparing a PC running Win 7 on an i7 Extreme CPU, v. one running Vista on a CPU from a couple of generations ago.  The difference between instantaneous, and wait a couple of seconds. 

You don't notice the speed at all, unless you ask it to cycle quickly through several menu items, then it might take several seconds to update from screen 1 to screen 7.  In displaying data that is updated externally to the unit, such as changes in the sat. wx., I don't notice any delay at all.  You can get these older rebuilt units for a fraction of the cost of a new MX200, what is it, about 15 amu's?  If you are waiting to do a larger panel overhaul, this would be the way to go.