Minelab GPX5000 vs GPX4500

[ken]

Hello Dignit.l know some of good detectorists who disagree with me about the 5000, some who agree.The area and type of ground does have an impact on how you will find each detector.The GPX 5000 was not backward compatable with a lot of the earlier coils,it was noisy or a poor performer with them.lt was a lot more susceptible to emi interference, planes motor bikes thunder storms.l found that the 5000 needed to be ground balanced a lot more. The 5000 did have a very good enhance mode.Fine gold was not much use in the spots l detected.The 4500 had better depth on 1.5 gram pieces up to 4 grams.The 5000 was a bit better on depth on pieces under 1.5 grams.The 4500 is a lot easier and forgiving detector to use all round.Especially for a new operator.

 

[diggit]

I haven't owned and won't ever own a 5000. The 4500 gives me what I need. The 5000 is a lot more expensive for only a small increase in performance on particular types and sizes of gold.

If I want to pick up tiny specs I'll get a 2300 and if I want speccies a zed will do it.

The 5000 is a great machine by all accounts but bang for buck the 4500 is hard to beat.

 

[old hand]

Its no ebay you have to trust is the seller. The 4500 is from a minelab dealer they advertise on it all the time. :Y:

 

[Magilla]

I haven't owned either, I have a GPZ, but I ran into an old guy that was doing very well with a 4000 and he said he bought a 4500 and it was faulty from new and replaced by Minelab. He said the replacement worked OK but could not go close to matching his 4000 so he sold it, he also was of the impression the insides were completely different to the 4000 and the 5000. I have heard of differences in performance of the 2300, maybe it is the same with the 4500?

 

[Bjay]

If I was choosing now Id go with a 4500, purely a cost consideration as to me theres very little difference. I have a 5000 that I bought unfortunately about 6 months before the re release of the 4500 but I am very happy with it apart from paying a bit over second hand what I could have got a 4500 brand new for a bit later(shite happens). In the GT I always run fine gold and have never had problems which leads into the difference between machines of the same model. I have seen numerous machines with the same coil running the same settings producing different results. Why this is I dont know as Im not into electronics. Sometimes you get a good one sometimes not so good unfortunately.

 

[mardymoose]

I have a gpx5000 and have found lots of gold.
From my experience they do run quieter than the 4500 and the fine gold setting is good,very sensitive to small bits.
Besides that not much different- you can buy mine if you want with all the extras you could possibly want to hit the ground running.
Its in the for sale section of this forum

 

[BradCorrie]

Blardy legends. Some good reading there... is the coil selection for the 5000 on par with the 4500 of does the 4500 have mkre. SA is a lot of small small gold, but then WA and VIC can be a mix.. so a 5000 may be better for SA with small gold? :Y:

 

[Dignit]

I've found down to 0.07g with a Coiltek 11" Elite flat wind Mono on the 4500, and the new Nugget Finder 12x8 Evo promises to do even smaller. Have a look at the 12x8 thread.
The 5000 in Fine Gold may do better than the 4500, but Ive never had a 5000 to give the comparison.
The new flat wound coils are making a big difference in finding small gold, but don't know if people find more with a 5000 and flat wind compared to a 4500 with flat wind. Either way get yourself a good flat wind coil.

 

[shakergt]

I have used both and I van not compare the two. The 5000 has more features and that's about it

 

[Teemore]

Just noticed the GPX 4500 is currently selling (on sale) for $3400 while the GPX 5000 comes in at $5350, just shy of $2000 more expensive.

Can someone please advise is there really $2000 worth of value i the 5000 .......

Cheers Tom

ps the SDC is actually currently more expensive than the 4500 advertised at $3490 (but can be had a bit cheaper).

 

[PhaseTech]

Hey Tom,

Fine Gold does have a clear advantage on many target types, even larger targets at good depth. Flat thin pieces even up to several grams, is where Fine Gold shines over Enhance, and also specimens. When comparing the 4500 and 5000 they are close, but when comparing the 4500 to the SDC and GPZ on prickly/porous gold, there is a big gap. The 5000 with a 12x8" evo gets you very close to SDC type gold and much better depth on more solid bits, and put a 15 or 17x13" evo and it's giving the Zed a run for it's money.

Also, Salt Gold in a big improvement over Salt Coarse. So I guess the 5000 gives that extra bit of flexibility.

Is that worth a nearly $2000 difference is up to the individual to decide.

 

[old hand]

Sorry Nenad I have to disagree with you , the new 4500 are a step up on the old 4500 and fine gold is a advantage but not $2000 worth with the extra $2000 add a few evos to the new 4500 and you have a wonderful detector regards john :Y:

 

[PhaseTech]

As I said, "....it's up to the individual to decide"

 

[Teemore]

Thanks, just curious as when it comes to setting recommendations that we see asked about so often they're pretty much the same (most of the time).

Guess a really really experienced user may get to the stage where the different settings may be beneficial but have my doubts when it comes to a 1 or 2 weekends a month user. As for "Salt" settings ... not sure they have relevance in Vic (??) but obviously an advantage in WA.

Sticking to my "relic" machine the 4800 (the forgotten GPX) ..... it's found both large and small nuggets for me but still plays second fiddle to my ageing SDC.

Cheers Tom

Oh .... anyone used Bendigo Gold (Miners Den, Bendigo) for Minelab servicing, think they're now authorised repairers ???? Thinking of putting the SDC in for an overhaul, everything getting a bit loose and wobbly (think it will be 5 years old in June).

 

[Peko]

It comes down a lot to the operator,you can have the best of the best but doesnt mean you will find any more gold,it will increase your chances with the best machine, but I know a bloke who still uses a 3500 and you struggle to find a few pieces with a 4500 and a sdc after he has finished,but as they say nobody ever gets it all,what I have missed with my 4500 and my mate picked up with a 5000 was not worth worrying about,but the sdc found heaps that the 4500 and the 5000 missed

 

[ProspectorPete]

Oh .... anyone used Bendigo Gold (Miners Den, Bendigo) for Minelab servicing, think they're now authorised repairers ???? Thinking of putting the SDC in for an overhaul, everything getting a bit loose and wobbly (think it will be 5 years old in June).

I had my 4500 in there a couple of months ago for a loose battery lead socket, dropped it off at lunch time while working up there and explained I would most likely head home to Melbourne after my last job but they rang before I'd finished at 3pm and said it was ready to pick up, the membrane had to be replaced as well so I was very impressed with the promptness of their service, it also meant I could have a detect for a few hours before heading home :Y:

 

[Teemore]

I was very impressed with the promptness of their service,

Thanks PP, will give them a try.
Cheers T.

 

[madtuna]

Have to agree with Nenad.
I suppose it depends how much you detect and possibly where you detect and what you target.
A hobby detectorist might not notice much of a difference but someone full time earning thier living by what the find will appreciate every advantage they can muster.

 

[PhaseTech]

The often forgotten Salt timing isn't just for salty soils. It is sometimes the magic bullet to getting a big mono to work in bad ground. On big targets it will match Normal for depth, but handles mineralised ground better with a slight loss of sensitivity to small targets. Salt Coarse loses a fair bit of sensitivity, so my theory is people try it on a few bits of around 3-5 grams, and never bother to use it. Salt Gold that only exists in the 5000 handles salty ground better, and doesn't lose so much sensitivity.

I seem to recall a good video (maybe by JP??) demonstrating it in some mineralised dirt, but I can't find it.

 

[Colour]

If you're ever considering using it in the eastern gold fields of W.A. Then the 4500 for sure. I tried a couple of 5000's over there and they seem to be too sensitive to handle the laterites. I know of a few pros over there who got the 5000 when it hit the market and then went back to the 4500. I have one of the last 4500's and it runs so smooth I don't think I'll be parting with it for some time.

I had to resurrect this old thread just for this post... the 5000's struggle in laterite country? What about the updated 4500? What are peoples' experiences with this?