Garmin Approach R50 vs ProTee VX
Garmin Approach R50 is the cheaper unit by $2,001. ProTee VX has no required subscription.
Swap a side:vs
Reasons to pick Garmin Approach R50
- Costs $2,451.03 less over 3 years with required subscriptions counted ($4,798.97 vs $7,250)
- Officially supports Awesome Golf (the other doesn't)
- Full sim built in — no PC or tablet needed
- Usable outdoors too
Reasons to pick ProTee VX
- No required subscription (vs $99.99/yr)
- Lefty + righty households: overhead placement, no repositioning
| Garmin Approach R50 | ProTee VX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ✓$4,499 | $6,500 |
| Tracking tech | Camera (photometric) | Camera (photometric) |
| Placement | Beside the ball | Ceiling mounted |
| Min ceiling | 9 ft | 9 ft |
| Min depth | 12 ft | 12 ft |
| Indoor/outdoor | both | indoor |
| Ball requirements | any | any |
| Measured data | 10 — Ball speed, Launch angle, Launch direction, Spin axis, Spin rate, Apex height, Smash factor, Carry distance, Total distance, Deviation distance | ✓15 — Ball Speed, Total Spin, Spin Axis, Back Spin, Side Spin, Launch Direction, Launch Angle, Club Speed, Swing Path, Club Face Angle, Club Face to Path, Attack Angle, Dynamic Loft, Club Lie Angle, Impact Point (Vertical & Horizontal) |
| Sim software | Home Tee Hero, Garmin Golf, GSPro, E6 Connect, Awesome Golf | ProTee Labs Virtual Driving Range, Creative Golf, E6 Connect, GSPro, TGC 2019 |
| Sim platforms | ✓GSPro, E6 Connect, Awesome Golf | GSPro, E6 Connect |
| Subscription | Subscription required for Home Tee Hero (43,000 courses, leaderboards). Third-party simulator software (GSPro, E6, Awesome Golf) subscriptions sold separately. | ✓None required |
| Verdict | All-in-one camera unit with a built-in screen — the simplest path to a no-PC sim room. | Overhead unit with first-class GSPro support — popular in the DIY sim-building community. |
✓ marks the better value on rankable specs (lower price, fits smaller rooms, more measured data, no required subscription). Greyed rows are identical.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We are not paid for placement or rankings — specs and verdicts are editorially independent.