Review: Garmin Xero C1 Pro Chronograph

Garmin is a longtime provider of useful electronics for outdoor enthusiasts, including handheld GPS units, archery optics and smartwatches. Near the end of 2023, the company expanded its offerings in a fresh direction by offering its very first chronograph, dubbed the Xero C1 Pro. Like many other products in Garmin’s catalog, it was a groundbreaking design.

The majority of commercial chronographs currently on the market use either optical sensors or Doppler radar. In the case of optical chronographs, multiple sensors measure a bullet’s velocity as it passes over them; this requires the unit to be set up out in front of the gun’s muzzle, which comes with notable practical inconveniences—the most problematic being the distinct possibility of a bullet damaging or destroying the chronograph. These units also tend to be bulky and somewhat tedious to set up, including calling a cold range to walk them out and bring them back again.

The Garmin Xero C1 Pro is a chronograph of the Doppler radar variety that projects a beam downrange toward the target. This allows the unit to rest on the shooting bench behind the muzzle of the gun. It makes for a much less time-consuming and safer setup, as it keeps the chronograph out of harm’s way. As the bullet passes through the radar beam, the Garmin generates performance data including projectile velocity averages, extreme spread and standard deviation. It can also calculate the bullet’s muzzle energy when projectile weight is entered at the beginning of a session.

Although the Xero C1 Pro is not the first Doppler chronograph to reach the market, it has the distinct advantage of being significantly smaller and lighter than other radar models. With its polymer housing and 240x320-pixel screen, it measures just 3" wide, 2.4" tall and 1.35" thick and weighs only 3.7 ozs.; this makes it comparable in size to a GoPro camera. A small, lightweight polymer tripod with a standard 1/4-20 UNC screw is provided, which, when attached, brings this unit’s total weight to a mere 5.6 ozs.

This model is powered by a USB-C rechargeable lithium-ion battery that is listed to operate for up to six hours on a single charge, while the onboard memory can store 50 strings of up to 100 shots per string. It also boasts an IPX7 waterproof rating. The Xero C1 Pro can be put to work as a standalone device in the field or, using a Bluetooth connection, it can be paired with a smartphone or a laptop to provide practically unlimited data-storage space.

The controls consist of just four buttons located on top of the housing. It is easy to start a new session and then navigate through the velocity-measurement presets: Pistol; Rifle; Bow; and Airgun. The fifth option, marked Other, allows for customized velocity ranges to accommodate projectiles not included in the previous categories, including muzzleloaders, shotgun slugs, slingshots and so on. In other words, this device can clock an impressively broad range of projectile types—as long as they are traveling somewhere between 100 and 5,000 f.p.s.

Although this chronograph did drop a shot from time to time during our testing, it is impressively easier to use than some other models. Unlike a number of the chronographs it will compete against on the market, the Garmin Xero C1 Pro does not need to be aligned with a specific point a given distance from the target in order to work. Just place it on the bench, pointed downrange, within 15" of the gun’s barrel—and that’s all there is to the setup. Rounds are then ready to be fired to measure their performance, and the gun can be sighted-in at the same time, which saves on ammunition expenditures. Between its compact portability and ease of use, the Xero C1 Pro is a strong first showing from Garmin in the chronograph market.