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Since we live in a day and age when rangefinders have become almost ubiquitous on golf courses all around the world, today’s article is aimed at helping you find the best in the “best bang for the buck” category. Obviously, since we’re talking about best value for money, we’ve combed the internet and done the research, so you won’t have to.
Laser rangefinders are used nowadays by both amateurs and Tour pros alike, and since you’ve landed here and you’re reading this piece, you probably don’t want to be that guy who wanders empty-handed and “caddieless” (yes, rangefinders also eliminated caddies from the sport, or, more precisely, the yardage book, as well as the dependency on landmarks or yardage markers) on the golf course, asking his buddies to pull a distance reading and all that.
To give you a little hint about today’s topic, we’ve reviewed four of the best-value laser rangefinders available in 2021: the Precision Pro NX7 Slope, the Bushnell Tour V4 Jolt, the Leupold Gx 2i3, and, last but not least, the TecTecTec ULT-X. So, keep reading, because you’re in for a real treat!
Best Value Golf Rangefinders Comparison Table
Brand
Magnification
Range
My Rating
Precision Pro NX7 Slope
6x
400 yards
4.5/5Bushnell Tour V4 Jolt
5x
1,000 yards
5/5TecTecTec ULT-X
6x
1,000 yards
4/5Leupold Gx 2i3
6x
865 yards
4/5
Brand | Magnification | Range | My Rating | ||
Precision Pro NX7 Slope | 6x | 400 yards | 4.5/5 | ||
Bushnell Tour V4 Jolt | 5x | 1,000 yards | 5/5 | ||
TecTecTec ULT-X | 6x | 1,000 yards | 4/5 | ||
Leupold Gx 2i3 | 6x | 865 yards | 4/5 |
Precision Pro NX7 Slope
The first contender is the Precision Pro NX7 Slope laser rangefinder, which comes from a company focused on providing their customers high performance at affordable price-points. The same philosophy applies to their Pro NX7 Slope, a high quality laser rangefinder that’s relatively cheap compared to brands like Bushnell or Leupold. This gadget comes with all the bells and whistles one would expect from a state of the art rangefinder, including adaptive slope technology, at literally half the price of a more premium model.
Let’s begin with the tech specs and we’ll work it out from here:
400 yards range |
Pulse Vibration |
Measures in Yards and Meters |
+/- 1 Yard Accuracy |
6x Magnification |
Slope Measurement |
Water and Fog Resistant |
Dimensions: 4 x 1.75 x 3.5 inches |
Display Type: LCD/Black |
Tournament Legal: Yes |
To begin with the good news, the company will offer you free batteries for life on this particular model. Also, considering the price tag, you’ll end up not only with “freebies for life”, but also with one of the best laser rangefinder on the market in this niche. To make a long story short, the Pro NX7 Slope is compact, solidly built and does a really great job when it comes to its main purpose: accurate/rapid measurements and ease of use. Speaking of ease of use, the Pro NX7 has two buttons: a Power button and a Mode button, i.e. it’s incredibly simple to operate. The former turns the gadget on and it functions as the trigger button in regard to getting yardages (yards and meters, mind you). And since we’re talking about a Slope model, the Mode button switches between non slope and slope modes, i.e. there are only two modes available. Realistically speaking, people only use laser rangefinders to get their distances as quick as possible with zero fuss, and the Pro NX7 does a great job in this department.
If you’re not familiar with the slope-mode, the Pro NX7 laser rangefinder will provide you with slope adjusted yardages for inclines and declines, if one so “inclined” (pun intended), and you’ll only have to hit the button once, whereas a Bushnell will require you to hold the button down if you want to get a quick distance reading. Don’t worry: you can always turn the Adaptive Slope tech-feature on and off, i.e. this laser rangefinder is 100 percent Tournament legal.
As far as precision goes, the Pro NX7 is accurate down to 1 yard, and as soon as the device locks onto the target and delivers the yardage, you’ll also get tactile feedback (the gizmo will vibrate basically). Another important metric in a quality laser rangefinder is optics, and the 6x magnification mode in the Pro NX7 works well, as it makes shooting pins a child’s play up to 400 yards away. There’s also a well-designed focus ring to fit your eye, i.e. you’ll be able to accurately lock onto your desired target even if you wear glasses or contact lenses.
Pros & Cons
- 6x magnification lens
- Accuracy up to 400 yards
- High quality optics
- Adaptive slope measurements
- Compact and lightweight
- Well built, feels solid
- Features Target Acquisition Technology
- Free batteries for life
- Pulse vibration technology
- Water and fog resistant
- Locks onto the flag quickly
- 90 days money back guarantee
- 2 year warranty backed by 30% Trade-In allowance
- No external indicator when Slope-Off mode is engaged, like switch plates/faceplates or activated lights
Bushnell Tour V4 Jolt
The Bushnell Tour V4 Jolt is next on the “chopping block” and, joke aside, if you’re looking for one of the most popular laser rangefinders in golf today (and for good reason), you’ve just found your best buddy. Even if the Tour V4 Jolt was released back in 2017, it has been upgraded since, and it still makes for one hell of a laser rangefinder, and one of the company’s best offerings in this niche. According to Bushnell, the Tour V4 Jolt makes for perfect combination of size, speed, accuracy and JOLT, but before getting into more details, let’s see about the tech specs first:PinSeeker with JOLT technology |
Ranges from 5 to 1,000 yards |
Measures 400+ yards to a flag |
+/- 1 Yard Accuracy |
5x Magnification |
Fast focus system |
Water Resistant |
Dimensions: 3.11 x 1.57 x 4 inches |
Display Type: LCD/Black |
Tournament Legal: Yes |
The first thing you’ll notice about this baby is that it’s a whopping 30 percent smaller compared to the previous Tour V3 model. Also, the rangefinder is ergonomically designed and it will fit perfectly in your hand, offering a nice and secure grip and, as expected from Bushnell impeccable workmanship. You’ll definitely enjoy the contoured design of the Tour V4 Jolt, as well as its excellent rough gripping pads, that help you hold the rangefinder more securely in any type of weather.
Another thing worth mentioning here is the stiff dial located in front of the eyepiece, which can be rotated to control focus. Speaking of JOLT technology, this cool feature is excellent when it comes to saying goodbye to guess and check; more precisely, Bushnell’s Pinseeker with JOLT Technology delivers a jolt (a slight vibration) when the rangefinder has locked onto the flag, eliminating guess-work from the equation in the most obvious way. The 5x magnification lens helps you with maintaining a clear image of the target, and while we’re here, we must mention the high-end optics of the Tour V4 Jolt which provide crystal clear images, and we mean that literally. Mind you, the focusing mechanism has also been upgraded. Paired with excellent optics and the 5x magnification lens, the Bushnell Tour V4 Jolt is an awesome tool to have on the golf course, delivering fast and accurate measurements, as well as a cool high tech/high quality feel all day long.
Pros & Cons
- Premium build quality
- Excellent range
- Fast and accurate readings
- Easy and stable to use
- Compact lightweight design
- Jolt technology
- High-end optics
- Tournament legal
- Can be used single-handedly due to Stabi Grip technology
- Comes with high quality carry case
- 2 years warranty from Bushnell
- No Slope compensation technology
TecTecTec ULT-X
Next in line, we have yet another great product from the newcomer TecTecTec, a well-known French company, at least among golf enthusiasts, the ULT-X laser rangefinder respectively. What makes TecTecTec really special in the golf industry is the fact that they’re focusing on creating cutting edge products at affordable prices and the same stands true for their top-of-the-range ULT-X laser rangefinder. To describe it in a few words, the ULT-X offers great value for the money asked, i.e. it comes packed with high-tech and useful features, even if there are a few trade-offs, because, after all, no one is perfect. To begin with, here are the tech specs:Target Lock Technology for catching flags up to 450 yards and hazards at up to 1000 yards |
Accuracy: |
+/- 0.3 yards for 300-yard measurements |
+/- 0.5 yard for 600-yard measurements |
+/-1 yard for 1,000 yards |
6x Magnification |
Pinsensor with Vibration |
Slope compensation technology |
Moisture resistant and rain/weatherproof |
2 years warranty, 100 days money back |
Tournament Legal: Yes |
Judging from the “premium” specs and taking a quick glance at the price-tag, you can clearly see that the TecTecTex ULT-X makes for top-notch laser rangefinder, built to deliver with flying colors in regard to value for money. On top of that, this baby is fairly easy to use and accurate, and it looks like the French company managed to create their own niche by focusing on value.
Now, even if the ULT-X makes for their best laser rangefinder to date, which is a bit more expensive than their usual line-up, it still is budget friendly, despite the plethora of premium features, which is kind of amazing. The ULT-X is very easy to set up, i.e. all you have to do is to insert the battery and power it on. As usual, there are only 2 buttons on this rangefinder, to keep things as simple as possible: Power and Mode. One press of the former turns the rangefinder on, and if you press it again, you’ll instantly get the distance to whatever target you’re looking at.
If you press the Mode button, you’ll cycle through 2 or 3 modes, depending on the Slope feature being activated or not. To turn the Slope mode on or off, you’ll have to pull on the lens. When the lens is extended, the Slope mode is turned on, and people nearby will be able to spot a yellow band on the rangefinder, for fair play. In regard to accuracy and performance, the ULT-X does a great job, being fairly quick and highly accurate, but not quite as fast as others (read Bushnell). There are three modes available: M1, M2 and M3. M1 is the standard/basic mode, M2 adds target lock plus vibration alert, and M3 offers slope adjustment on top of target lock. If you combine ULT-X’s excellent accuracy with its affordable price tag and the cool 100 day money back guarantee, you can see why this baby made it on our “top four” list.
Pros & Cons
- Great hardware specs
- Above average build quality and design
- Above average accuracy
- Slope Switch technology
- 6x Magnification
- High quality optics for bright and clear images
- Easy to use
- Tournament legal
- Weighs a mere 0.46 pounds
- Comes with free carry case and battery
- 2 years warranty and 100 days money back guarantee
- Gets dirty quickly due to its white finish
- Autonomy may be an issue for some golfers
Leupold Gx 2i3
Last but not least, we have the Leupold Gx 2i3, an “oldie but Goldie” laser rangefinder that was launched back in 2017. To make a long story short, the Leupold Gx 2i3 is a premium device which packs a lot of technological punch into a lighter/smaller package, compared to its predecessors. Let’s see some tech-specs first:
PinHunter Laser Technology |
Maximum ranges: |
Reflective 865 yards |
Trees 800 yards |
Golf Flag 400 yards |
+/- 0.5 Yard Accuracy (under 100 yards) |
6x Magnification |
Slope compensation technology |
Prism Lock technology |
True Golf Range (TGR) technology |
One Touch Scan technlogy |
Judging from the tech specs, it becomes pretty clear that the Leupold Gx 2i3 is a high-end product, yet there’s a caveat to that: this gadget is really expensive compared to its competitors. However, you’ll get a lot of laser rangefinder for the money asked, including a full lifetime warranty, not to mention the fact that the Leupold Gx 2i3 is made in the USA, which is becoming kind of rare nowadays.
Needless to say, this baby is fairly easy to use: all you have to do is to push the red button to power it on, and another push delivers laser-accurate distances to whatever you’re looking at, right in front of your eye. The Mode button can be used to enter the menus (just hold it down for a second or so), i.e. this rangefinder is a tad more complicated to set-up than others. The 2-button interface makes toggling between TGR and Slope quick and easy, and also allows you to enter in altitude and temperature. Yes indeed, this is a high-end laser rangefinder, if it ever was one.
Speaking of accuracy and performance, the Leupold Gx 2i3 is incredibly accurate and delivers distances instantly. The high quality optics and slope compensation technology (the True Golf Range thing) are nothing short of amazing, as the Leupold Gx 2i3 takes into account slope, distance, elevation, temperature, and even your personal iron distances, i.e. this little genius is capable of recommending the perfect club on literally every shot.
Pros & Cons
- Pinhunter 3 Laser Technology plus Prism Lock for filtering out background images and instant distance readings
- Club Selector feature
- Premium look and feel
- Impeccable built quality
- Lots of features, including Slope adjusted distances and TGR
- Spectacular accuracy
- Excellent ergonomic design
- Tournament legal
- Sturdy, compact and lightweight
- Blazing fast measurements
- Lifetime warranty
- Really expensive
Conclusion
Tech talk aside, the next question is which of the four delivers the most bang for the buck, or value for money? In our view, the clear winner of today’s contest is the Bushnell Tour V4 Jolt. If you’re looking for a no-nonsense laser rangefinder, the Tour V4 Jolt has your name on it: it’s compact, lightweight, incredibly easy to use, delivers highly accurate distances instantly and it oozes quality, everything at a decent price-point. Even if the Tour V4 Jolt doesn’t feature Slope technology, it makes for a classic in this field, and our first choice when it comes to game enhancing gadgets.
The Precision Pro NX7 Slope takes second place for a couple of reasons: first, the optics are not as high-quality as in the Bushnell, and also there’s a “cheap” vibe about it. On top of that, the Precision Pro NX7 Slope is not as accurate as our winner, but it gets bonus points due to its Slope feature and affordability.
The TecTecTec ULT-X comes on third place, which is pretty good for a 5-year old company, while the Leupold Gx 2i3 is the loser of today’s head-to-head. Don’t get us wrong, both the TecTecTec and the Leupold are real beasts, built to deliver accurate yardages and offering all the bells and whistles one can wish for, but the price tag is the deal breaker here, since we’re focusing on best value for money.