The Oregon is Garmin's first touch screen handheld outdoor GPS. Links to Garmin's web page and MSRP are here:

Oregon 200 (010-00697-00): Discontinued
Oregon 300 (010-00697-01): Discontinued
Oregon 400i (010-00697-03): Discontinued
Oregon 400c (010-00697-04): Discontinued
Oregon 400t (010-00697-02): Discontinued
Oregen 450 (010-00697-40): $399
Oregen 450t (010-00697-41): $499
Oregen 550 (010-00697-10): $499
Oregen 550t (010-00697-11): $599

Garmin's press release on the Oregon 200, 300 and 400x.
Garmin's press release on the Oregon 450 and 450t.
Garmin's press release on the Oregon 550 and 550t.
The Garmin Oregon mini-site.

G2.) Where can I find Garmin's Oregon manual?

Garmin Oregon x00 x50 Owner's Manual. The manual is the same for all Oregon models.

G3.) Does Garmin have a FAQ for the Oregon?

Yes. It is located on their support page here.

G4.) Where can I buy the Garmin Oregon?

Visit the GPSrChive Store.

G5.) What are the differences between the seven different Garmin Oregon models?

This is Garmin's comparison matrix (compares 300, 400t, 450t and 550t):

The Oregon 200 is a low memory version with 24MB of internal memory with a preloaded Americas basemap, no compass, no barometric altimeter, no Elevation Plot, no wireless transfer, no audio, no alarm clock, no Sight' N Go, and no NMEA 0183 (Spanner) support. The 200 also comes with a lanyard instead of the carabiner clip which the other models come with.

The Oregon 300 has 1GB (~850MB free) of internal memory and a preloaded world basemap. The compass, altimeter, wireless transfer, audio, alarm, Sight' N Go, and NMEA 0183 support are added over the 200. The 300 is about $50 more expensive than the 200.

The Oregon 400t has 4GB (~1GB free) of internal memory and comes preloaded with a version of US Topo 2008. The 400t costs about $100 (street) more than the 300.

The Oregon 400i has 1.85GB (~275MB free) of internal memory and comes with built-in g2 Vision U.S. Inland Lakes mapping which includes a worldwide basemap with imagery.

The Oregon 400c has 984MB (~70MB free) of internal memory and comes with built-in BlueChart® g2 Vision coastal charts for the US East Coast, Gulf Coast, West Coast and Great Lakes which includes a worldwide basemap with imagery.

The Oregon 450 has ~1GB (850MB free) of internal memory and a preloaded world basemap, 3-axis compass, high speed USB interface, an enhanced sunlight-readable touchscreen, and support for increased number of saved tracks (200), routes (200), waypoints (2000), and geocaches (5000) as compared to the Oregon 300. The 450 has the same preloaded world basemap as the Oregon 300.

The Oregon 450t has ~4GB (850MB free) of internal memory and comes preloaded with a Topo Map, 3-axis compass, high speed USB interface, an enhanced sunlight-readable touchscreen, and support for increased number of saved tracks (200), routes (200), waypoints (2000), and geocaches (5000) as compared to the Oregon 300. The 450t has the same preloaded world basemap as the Oregon 400t.

The Oregon 550 has ~1GB (850MB free) of internal memory and adds a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, 4x digital zoom and geotagging, 3-axis compass, high speed USB interface, an enhanced sunlight-readable touchscreen, and support for increased number of saved tracks (200), routes (200), waypoints (2000), and geocaches (5000) as compared to the Oregon 300. The 550 has the same preloaded world basemap as the Oregon 300.

The Oregon 550t has ~4GB (850MB free) of internal memory and adds a preloaded version of US Topo 2008 or Recreational Map of Europe V3.01 over the 550.

Note, free memory numbers are based on US maps.

G6.) What is the Garmin Oregon 550 or 550t?

Garmin has announced a high-end Oregon model called the 550. There will also be a 550t version with preinstalled US topo maps. The major difference between the 550 series and the rest of the lineup will be an integrated 3.2 megapixel camera which will support geotagging and a 3-axis compass (as compared to the 2-axis compass in the 300/400).

G7.) Are the Oregon 400t and 450t the same in the US and in Europe?

No. The Garmin Oregon Europe 400t (010-00697-06) and 450t has a preloaded 1:100k scale topo map of Europe called the Recreational Map of Europe V3.01. Coverage of the preloaded maps in Great Britain is not as comprehensive or detailed as the Great Britain v2 Topo data.

G8.) Is there a Canadian Version of the Garmin Oregon 400t and 450t?

Yes. There is a Garmin Oregon 400t Canada (010-00697-09) and 450t Canada (010-00697-43) which includes preinstalled Topo Canada v2.

G9.) Is there a Australian Version of the Garmin Oregon 400t and 450t?

Yes. There is a Garmin Oregon 400t Australia (010-00697-17) and 450t (010-00697-45) which includes Topo Australia (full DEM)

G10.) What should I buy, an Oregon 400t or an Oregon 300?

G10A.) What should I buy, an Oregon 550t or an Oregon 550?

G10B.) What should I buy, an Oregon 450t or an Oregon 450?

The differences between the 300/400t, 550/550t and 450/450t are identical so they are presented here together. Here is the basic question which will help most users make a decision:

Do you need Topo US 100k? You may not because you already have the DVD, you live outside the US or you just do not want to spend the extra money (there are very good free options at GPSrChive > How To... > Maps). Topo US 2008 will cost about $75-$100 extra. If you decide you want Topo US 100k purchase the 400t/x50t and get it preinstalled (there are some advantages below), if not, get the 300/x50.

Here is the detailed list of differences between the "t" and "non-t" units if you really want to understand the trade-off:

Feature	Oregon 300 / x50	Oregon 400t / x50t	Comment
Internal memory	1GB	4GB	Total storage on 300 (x50) limited to 1GB + SD card size (which is more than enough for most users)
Available internal memory (as shipped)	850MB	1GB	Topo US 2008 uses 2.7GB on the 400t (x50t)
Street price (including Topo US 100k)	same	same*	Assumes $75 for Topo DVD and $25 for additional microSD card on 300 (x50). *Using free maps from gpsfiledepot.com will make the 300/x50 significantly less expensive.
Topo available on computer using Mapsource?	Yes	Yes	Possible with 400t (x50t) by using BaseCamp 3.x.
Load entire US Topo 100k mapset on GPS?	No	Yes	Topo US 2008 DVD is > 6600 segments, Oregon can only handle 4000 map segments. May be possible with the software detailed in this FAQ.

G11.) What should I buy, a Garmin Oregon or a Garmin Colorado?

This is a link to Garmin's comparsion matrix which compares the Oregon 200, 300 and 400t with the Colorado 300 and 400t.

I've also put together a detailed matrix, but to summarize the Oregon:

Adds touch screen
Eliminates the Rock'n Roller
Internal ceramic antenna (no quad-helix antenna stub like the Colorado)
No hard buttons other than power button on the side
Uses MicroSD cards instead of SD cards
1" (2.5cm) shorter and slightly more narrow (2.3" x 4.5" x 1.4") than the Colorado (2.4" x 5.5" x 1.4")
Weighs .5oz (14g) less than the Colorado
Adds HotFixTM feature which allows for faster satellite acquisition times
Includes a Track Manager to better manage tracks, a shortcoming of the Colorado
Provides a lanyard attachment point

In addition the Oregon adds a new product to the line, the Oregon 200, and there is a European version of the Oregon 400t which includes European Topo maps and elevation data.

G12.) What should I buy, an Oregon or a GPSMAP 60CSx?

A Colorado vs. 60CSx comparison is available on the Colorado page and many of the differences are similar between the Oregon and 60CSx..

G13.) What is the current Software Version for the Garmin Oregon?

The Software Versions x00 page contains the current version for the x00 Oregons and the Versions x50 page does the same for the x50 Oregons. These pages also document the history and details about the Oregon software versions.

G14.) Can I upgrade my Oregon using the software for a different Oregon model?

Yes. At least to date all of Garmin's upgrades for the five different models appear to be the same and users have been able to upgrade a 300 with a 400t software update, as an example. Software for the x00 Oregons and x50 Oregons is not interchangeable.

G15.) When was the Garmin Oregon first leaked and by who?

Both Amazon and buy.com published information about the Garmin Oregon around July 3rd, 2008. This thread on the Groundspeak forums was started as a result and several days later the usual GPS blog sites picked up on it.

The Garmin Oregon 550 series was first picked up by a GPSreview reader in a printed REI brochure on March 15th, 2009.