Garmin Approach R50 vs Uneekor Eye Mini: Comparing the Key Golf Launch Monitor Similarities and Differences

All the ball and club data right out of the box. A built-in display. Portability and versatility. A price point of right around $5,000.

The above could serve as a summary description of either the new Garmin Approach R50 or the Uneekor Eye Mini.

On the surface, these two golf launch monitors look awfully similar. They both tout a lot of the same selling points, and each seems to be aimed at the same kind of golfer.

So, are R50 and Eye Mini the same thing with just different names? Or are there things that differentiate one from the other?

Most importantly, is one of these popular golf launch monitors better? And if you’re shopping for a device like this, which one of these should you buy?

Let’s settle the Garmin Approach R50 vs Uneekor Eye Mini debate using a 0 through 5 scoring scale in each of the following categories:

• Price
• First Impressions Upon Unboxing
• Setup Process
• Portability
• Data
• Outdoor Use
• Indoor Use
• Features
• Simulator Use
• Annual Subscriptions Cost

Ready, set, go!

Golf Launch Monitor and Simulator Price

Garmin Approach R50 = 4; Uneekor Eye Mini = 4

The Uneekor Eye Mini, at $4,500, is $500 less than the $4,999.99 Garmin Approach R50.

But I rate them a tie here because, as we’ll discover, the R50 delivers some features that more than make up for the price difference.

In the end, I think both of these golf launch monitors are priced very fair. They both represent outstanding value, especially considering how much ball and club data each provides without any of it hidden behind a paywall.

I can’t quite get to the highest score for either of these products only because the $5,000 price range is steep in the eyes of a lot of prospective buyers. Especially when you consider that nowadays there are so many golf launch monitor options for under $1,000. None of them can do what the R50 or Eye Mini can do, but they can get pretty darn close. And for the right consumer, those more affordable options are the better buy.

Unboxing and First Impressions

Garmin Approach R50 = 5; Uneekor Eye Mini = 5

Of all the golf launch monitors on the market (and there are a lot of them!), the Garmin Approach R50 and Uneekor Eye Mini easily make the most favorable first impressions.

In the case of the R50, opening the box is a true WOW experience. The device itself is positively gorgeous, especially once you power it up and see the brilliant, full-color, 10-inch, built-in display. I mean it when I say that it’s absolutely stunning.

And the sheer size of the device, at 17 inches tall, 12 inches wide, 7 inches deep, and weighing 9 pounds, is a head-turner in its own right. 

The Eye Mini instantly exudes class and quality. Everything about its presentation is first-rate. And the device itself is built like a tank. At 15.75 inches tall, 6.6 inches wide, 6.5 inches deep, and weighing just under 8 pounds, it’s extremely stout and sturdy.

The cases for these two golf launch monitors likewise make incredible first impressions.

With the R50, you get what looks like a large YETI cooler that includes a shoulder strap. While it’s huge, it’s also exceptionally high quality.

The Eye Mini comes in a more compact, beautiful olive green case, which might just be the best dedicated carrying case on the market.

Both cases are padded and perfectly molded to safely house the respective launch monitors. Each is a strong selling point for these products.

Garmin R50 vs Eye Mini: Ease of Setup

Garmin Approach R50 = 5; Uneekor Eye Mini = 5

The Garmin Approach R50 is the easiest-to-set-up-and-use golf launch monitor and simulator on the market. And it’s not even close.

From the time you hit the power button to the time you’re getting all the data, seeing shot trajectories, or playing a full-blown round of simulator golf is less than a minute. And if you want to see everything on a larger screen using a projector or TV, well, that’s easy too.

The R50 is so incredibly simple thanks to three key factors:

1. The 10-inch color touchscreen. You don’t need anything more than the R50 itself to get all of your information. And it’s all available on a display that’s more beautiful than any competing product.
2. The built-in golf simulator functionality. The R50 includes Garmin’s Home Tee Hero golf simulator software right on the device itself. It’s the first-ever golf launch monitor that doubles as a golf simulator, all without the need to connect to any additional hardware or software.
3. The direct HDMI connection. When you want to go big-time and hook the R50 up to a projector or television for a more professional simulator studio setup, it’s a simple direct HDMI connection. Once again, no need for anything more than the R50 itself.

Because the Uneekor Eye Mini also includes a built-in screen, it too is easy to operate. However, the experience is much more limited than with the R50.

Whereas the R50 displays all of the ball and club data right on the screen, with the Eye Mini, you only get 10 data metrics. If you want the complete picture, you have to interface with the app via an iPad or gaming PC.

Same thing with shot flight trajectory. If you want to see the shot-tracer path of the ball, you’ll need an extra piece of software and hardware.

Portability

Garmin Approach R50 = 3; Uneekor Eye Mini = 4

Neither of these devices are small, which does create some portability issues.

But the Eye Mini wins out here because its carrying case is much more compact, making it a more legitimate option to bring back and forth to somewhere like the driving range.

On the other hand, because the R50 is the only launch monitor that allows you to do everything with nothing more than the device itself, it is an amazing option for bringing anywhere. All you need is the space to swing a golf club and somewhere to hit the golf balls. That means in the house or garage with nothing more than a mat and a net or screen, or out in the yard with just a net. It means you can take it with you to a buddy’s house and be playing simulator golf pretty much instantaneously.

But I’m giving the nod here to the Eye Mini only because it’s that much more portable than the R50 in the traditional sense of ease of carrying.

Garmin Approach R50 vs Uneekor Eye Mini: The Data

Garmin Approach R50 = 5; Uneekor Eye Mini = 4

One of the great selling points for both of these products is that you get all of the ball and club data you could possibly need without having to pay extra.

However, there’s one key difference. With the R50, all of that data is available right on the built-in screen. With the Eye Mini, you get 10 data points. To get the rest, you need to interface with an iPad or computer.

Actually, make that two key differences. The R50 is collecting all of that data using three high-speed cameras. The Eye Mini only uses two cameras. So, while I’d still rate the Eye Mini’s accuracy as very strong relative to the overall market, the R50 is even more trustworthy.

Still, with either device, you get pretty much every piece of information you could want to know about your golf swing.

For the R50, that’s:

• Ball Speed
• Launch Angle
• Launch Direction
• Spin Rate
• Spin Axis
• Sidespin
• Smash Factor
• Total Distance
• Carry Distance
• Carry Deviation (in both yards and degrees)
• Total Deviation (in both yards and degrees)
• Apex Height

• Clubhead Speed
• Path Angle
• Angle of Attack
• Face Angle
• Face to Path

And for the Eye Mini it’s:

• Ball Speed
• Sidespin
• Backspin
• Side Angle
• Side Total
• Launch Angle
• Angle of Descent
• Flight Time
• Spin Axis
• Distance to Apex
• Apex
• Ball Flight Type
• Carry Distance
• Run
• Total Distance
• Club Speed
• Smash Factor
• Attack Angle
• Club Path

Outdoor Use

Garmin Approach R50 = 5; Uneekor Eye Mini = 4

Among the things that make the Garmin Approach R50 unlike any golf launch monitor we’ve ever seen is that you can play simulator golf on the go and without the need to connect to a computer. And that certainly includes anywhere outside.

Thanks to that beautiful built-in display and the built-in Garmin Home Tee Hero capability, you can tee off on one of more than 43,000 simulated golf courses in less than a minute from firing up the device.

On top of that, the screen shows you all of your data and ball flight information, and the R50 alignment process is as easy as it gets.

The only minor ding for the R50 when it comes to outdoor use is the size of the device and accompanying case. This is not a device you’ll be sliding into your golf bag.

And neither is the Uneekor Eye Mini. It’s likewise a little too big to carry in your golf bag.

The Eye Mini also has the advantage of a built-in screen, which makes getting numbers outdoors at the range incredibly easy. The problem is that you can only get 10 data points on the screen. If you want the complete picture, including ball flight trajectory, you’ll need to connect to an iPad or computer.

The same Eye Mini issue extends to simulator golf. You can’t play a round of sim golf on the device itself. Until the R50 came along, that was the case for any golf launch monitor, so the Eye Mini doesn’t suffer a big deduction here because of that limitation. But I can’t quite give it the highest outdoor use score.

Uneekor Eye Mini vs R50: Indoor Use

Garmin Approach R50 = 5; Uneekor Eye Mini = 4

Outdoors, indoors, on the moon… Wherever you take the Garmin Approach R50, it’s so, so simple to use. You never need more than the device itself to do whatever you want. The R50 is the only golf launch monitor that we can say that about.

The advantages indoors extend even further because of the ease-of-use when you want to create a full-fledged golf simulator studio setup. Say you want to see your ball flight in front of you on an impact screen or off to the side on a big-screen TV. With the R50, you just need a single, direct HDMI connection. That makes bringing it over to a friend’s house or wherever else more convenient than with any other competing product.

Now, if you do want to use the R50 for simulator golf beyond with the built-in Home Tee Hero software, you will need an external computer. That means for things like compatibility with popular software like GSPro, using the R50 would be the same as with any other golf launch monitor.

Like the R50, the Uneekor Eye Mini is simple to set up indoors. And, like the R50, because it’s an optical device that sets up to the side of the golf ball rather than from behind it, the Eye Mini provides great space-saving advantages for people who are tight on room depth.

But unlike the R50, you’ll need to connect the Eye Mini to an external computer to play any kind of simulator golf or to even see your ball flight trajectory. And, of course, if you want to connect to a projector or television, you’ll need to go through a computer.

So, while using the Eye Mini indoors or anywhere else is easy and versatile, it’s not as easy or flexible as using the R50.

Features

Garmin Approach R50 = 5; Uneekor Eye Mini = 4

As you’re picking up by now, the Garmin Approach R50 wins a lot of top scores. And that’s because it’s a first-of-its kind product that introduces features we’ve never had in a golf launch monitor until now.

Among the many things that set the R50 apart:

1. The built-in 10-inch screen. It’s like having an iPad attached to your golf launch monitor. The color display is beautiful. And the touchscreen is as responsive as what you’d get with an Apple product.
2. The HDMI connection. We’ve never seen a golf launch monitor that plugged directly into a projector or TV. This is a game changer. It makes setting up a simulator studio easier than ever.
3. Built-in simulator option. The fact that you can play a round of golf on more than 43,000 courses around the world via Garmin’s Home Tee Hero right on the R50 itself is completely innovative.
4. Home Tee Hero for the R50 is much improved. Garmin reimagined Home Tee Hero, massively improving the mapping and graphics. While it’s not as lifelike as some simulator software, it’s much, much better than what you get with the Garmin Approach R10. And the new version includes putting!
5. Automatic impact video. With every shot, you get an automatic slow-motion replay of impact. And you can watch it right on the built-in screen. That means that you can see if you’re hitting it fat or thin or too far towards the toe or heel. Very helpful.
6. Customizable display options. You can organize the R50 display to view whatever you want, including data tiles that you can organize in whatever order, a map of your virtual range or course, impact video replay, and visuals of your face-to-path, club path, attack angle, and spin. You can even choose any two options to view as a split screen.

It’s not like the Uneekor Eye Mini is any kind of slouch of a launch monitor. In fact, it’s great! But there’s not nearly as much about this product that differentiates it from other optical or photometric golf launch monitors.

One standout feature with the Eye Mini is the e-ink display. Instead of LCD, the data on the Eye Mini appears in a really crisp, easy-to-read-even-in-bright-sunlight e-ink. It’s a fantastic display. That is, until you compare it to the more awe-inspiring full-color, much larger display of the R50.

Another thing that many people will like about the Eye Mini is that it’s controlled via buttons rather than touchscreen. For some people, this is a feature they’d love to see in other launch monitors, including the R50.

The Eye Mini also includes automatic impact video. Only the R50 and the Rapsodo MLM2PRO can say the same.

Eye Mini vs Garmin Approach R50 Golf Simulator Use

Garmin Approach R50 = 5; Uneekor Eye Mini = 4

What do you know, another 5 for the Garmin Approach R50. In this case, there are multiple separators.

First, of course, is the fact that with the R50, you can play simulator golf right on the launch monitor itself thanks to the built-in Home Tee Hero capabilities. And while Home Tee Hero isn’t as realistic a sim golf experience as something like GSPro, Garmin has dramatically improved the Home Tee Hero experience exclusively for the R50. The graphic quality and mapping detail is much more lifelike than the experience you get with the much-less-expensive Garmin Approach R10.

Another great thing about the R50 is that it’s compatible with a lot of third-party simulator software options. No, you won’t get the experience right on the built-in screen. Instead, you’ll need to employ an external computer. But if you want to, you can use the R50 to play GSPro, E6 Connect, E6 Apex, and Awesome Golf.

And still another advantage with the R50 is that you don’t need to pay an extra Garmin subscription if you want to play simulator golf with third-party software.

The Uneekor Eye Mini is also very flexible in terms of compatibility with third-party software options including E6, GSPro, Awesome Golf, and The Golf Club 2019. The problem is that to connect the Eye Mini to any third-party software, you need to pay $199 per year for the Uneekor Pro Package.

The other issue with the Eye Mini is that Uneekor’s own proprietary Refine golf simulator software is… OK. It’s not bad, certainly. But it’s not quite as elevated or realistic of an experience as with several other options.

Subscriptions and Additional Costs

Garmin Approach R50 = 4; Uneekor Eye Mini = 3

One great thing about both of these golf launch monitors is that you get all of the ball and club data as part of the purchase price. So, if you just want to use either of these products to practice and gather data, you can do that without paying anything extra.

But once you want to play golf simulator courses, the R50 turns into a better deal. For one thing, you don’t need a subscription to connect to third-party software. Yes, you’ll have to pay whatever the third-party software price includes, but at least you won’t get double-dinged by additionally having to pay extra to Garmin.

If you want to play Garmin’s Home Tee Hero simulated courses, which again are vastly improved from the Approach R10 version, you’ll have to pay $9.99 per month or $99 annually.

With the Eye Mini, it will cost you $199 per year to do anything sim golf related. You’ll have to pay that to access the Uneekor Refine software, and you’ll have to pay that to use any third-party software plus whatever you’d have to pay to the third party.

On top of that, the $199-per-year Uneekor Pro Package only gets you five Refine golf courses. If you want to get the 20-course Refine+ option, you’ll have to pay $399 per year for the Champion Package. That’s starting to get a bit steep.

The Final Tally: Which Golf Launch Monitor Should You Buy?

Alright, our final count is:

Garmin Approach R50: 46

Uneekor Eye Mini: 41

The Uneekor Eye Mini is a damn fine golf launch monitor. It delivers a ton of data and it’s exceptionally well built.

But I’m afraid it just can’t quite hold up to the Garmin Approach R50. To be fair, nothing near this price point can. The R50 is unlike any golf launch monitor we’ve ever seen. It’s the first to deliver an all-in-one launch monitor and simulator experience.

And when you break down the differences between all that you get with the R50 vs the Eye Mini, well, the R50 is just a better all around deal even if the initial purchase price is $500 more.

So, as similar as the R50 and Eye Mini are, there’s too much that sets the R50 apart to call this one a very close race. Advantage: Garmin Approach R50.

About PlayBetter Golf Reviewer Marc Sheforgen

Marc Sheforgen is a golf writer whose passion for the game far exceeds his ability to play it well. Marc covers all things golf, from product reviews and equipment recommendations to event coverage and tournament analysis. When he’s not playing, watching, or writing about golf, he enjoys traveling (often golf-related), youth sports coaching, volunteering, and record collecting.