Garrett ACE 300 Review

Garrett ACE 300 Overview

Garrett released ACE 300 in 2016, as a middle option between ACE 200 and ACE 400. The brand described ACE 300 as “A powerful performer at a bargain price”, which is totally true. ACE 300 is a combination of features and functions which are more advanced than in ACE 200, less complicated than in ACE 400, with the price range between the two. The main differences are No Iron Audio (ACE 400 has it), adjustable Notch Discrimination, Garrett ACE 300 frequency 8 kHz with frequency shift option (medium frequency within the lineage), and 7×10 inches concentric search coil (medium size). Garrett 300 ACE is powered by 4 AA batteries, has 2 years warranty, and is pretty lightweight. This new Garrett ACE 300 review will tell you more details.

Control Box

Garrett ACE 300 is equipped with LCD display which makes it easier to manage the settings and analyze the signals. Besides the display, the Control panel includes Power On\Off button (also Factory Reset), Mode button, Sensitivity, PInpoint, Discrimination Accept/Reject buttons, and Frequency Adjust button. The screen has the following indicators: Battery level, Search mode, Target ID Legend, Digital Target ID, Target ID Cursor, Notch Discrimination pattern, and Depth indicators.

Garrett ACE 300 Features

Garrett Treasure ACE 300 is the middle model within the ACE 200, 300, and 400 lineage, which means it is totally beginner-friendly, and yet it provides a little bit more than bare necessities needed for metal detecting. In fact, with it being a “switch on and go” machine, there are also some cool features that will definitely enhance the user experience, and make treasure hunting more productive. These features include:

• VDI Target ID – having some numbers assigned to different types of targets is visual and may be more comprehensive for the majority of users instead of trying to interpret only the audio signal
• fixed Ground Balance – since the metal detector is aimed for beginner-level users, having a fixed Ground Balance may reduce efficiency, but at the same time allow the user to master the settings faster
• Pinpoint mode – this mode is very handy for locating the target more accurately
• waterproof search coil – water isolated search coil means that metal detecting on wet dirt or sand, or in wet grass and even some shallow water metal detecting are possible. However, the metal detector is not protected from heavy rain, or being accidentally dropped into the water
• Notch Discrimination – this feature allows to switch on or off certain pixels of Discrimination, thus making iron discrimination more accurate and controlled. The user decreases their risk of missing a good target by applying too powerful Discrimination
• Frequency shift – this feature is especially useful for metal detectors with only one operating frequency, as ACE 300. It allows to avoid noise and false signals caused by electromagnetic interference from objects other than potential target

Garrett ACE 300 Search Coil

The default search coil included into the basic ACE 300 kit is the 7×10 inches concentric submersible PROformance coil. This water protected coil is created for general-purpose metal detecting, and works well for different types of targets. While it is not something outstanding, any treasure hunter will be able to detect successfully with it, because it is versatile and multifunctional. On the other hand, there are many other compatible coils available for ACE 300; they are:

• waterproof Garrett 5×8 inches ACE PROformance DD Search Coil fit for tight places, trashy areas, and metal detecting among rocks. Works well on highly mineralized soils.
• waterproof elliptic Garrett 9×12 inches ACE PROformance Search Coil created for shallow water search.
• waterproof elliptic Garrett 8.5×11 inches PROformance DD Search Coil provides maximum depth of reach when hunting down small targets and coins. Shows steady performance on highly mineralized locations.
• waterproof elliptic Garrett 6.5×9 inches ACE PROformance Search Coil is an all-terrain all-purpose coil, combining nice depth of reach and width of scanning.
• round Garrett 4.5 inches Super Sniper Search Coil with waterproof casing, created specifically for small shallow targets, trashy areas, and metal detecting in narrow places.

Garrett ACE 300 Settings

Garrett ACE 300 has eight levels of Sensitivity. It is recommended to increase the Sensitivity only when the detectorist expects very small, or very deep, targets. In other cases, the default level of sensitivity included into the Search Mode will show nice results. If the location is extremely trashy, highly mineralized, or the detectorist notices electromagnetic interference, it is recommended to use Frequency shift, or adjust the Discrimination. However, if these measures do not solve the problem, decreased level of Sensitivity might be the solution.

To discriminate more precisely, and decrease the risk of missing a good target being masked by response of a ferrous object, the detectorist should use Notch Discrimination. Due to this feature, it is possible to eliminate specific objects which correspond to certain pixels on the Discrimination scale. There are 12 pixels in ACE 300, and it is possible to switch on or off any combination of the pixels, to achieve the needed effect. You can manipulate the Notch Discrimination either by creating a notch at the Target ID Cursor, and silence a specific item in the future, or, you can move the Target Cursor and then eliminate the pixel directly under the Cursor.

Garrett ACE 300 Problems

One of the first problems that make many beginner detectorists sad is that only the search coil for Garrett ACE 300 is waterproof. While the metal detector is created more for beginner to medium-level-of-skill treasure hunters, which means that few of those treasure hunters are experienced enough to do some deeper underwater detecting, having the whole machine isolated from water is more beneficial. Besides staying up-to-date with time and allowing the detectorist to learn and enhance their skill with this same metal detector, without the need to purchase a fully waterproof one soon, a fully water protected metal detector is also more handy. ACE 300, on the other hand, can be rendered inoperable by heavy rain, accidental waves, or after being dropped to the water.

The other problem is that software cannot be updated online for ACE 300. When the ACE series was created, and ACE 300 was released in 2016, there was no such option as updatable software for these machines, because they were made for newbies, and the features included were rather simple. However, today, the technologies in ACE 300 are not very outdated yet, but they cannot be updated even a little bit by online updates. And at the time of writing, when updatable software is almost a must-have, this becomes a disadvantage.

Tips & Tricks for Garrett ACE 300 Users

It seems that the Notch Discrimination is one of the most advanced features in ACE 300, and at the same time it can be one of the most complicated features to master for a beginner detectorist. This is why we offer two more tips on Notch Discrimination.

When you deal with masking of the good targets by ferrous objects, you can use minimum Discrimination, just on the edge of rejecting. This way, you will be able to detect both good and bad targets, but you will distinguish between the two.

Also, Notch Discrimination can be used for spotting very specific objects, for example, lost jewelry. If you have a sample of metal/material, you can scan the sample in zero Discrimination mode and then find the exact pixel in the Notch Discrimination that matches the sample response. Switch off all other pixels, and you will be able to spot the item of the same chemical composition as your sample, by detecting only this specific pixel.

Garrett ACE 300 Accessories

Generally, ACE 300 is a comparatively minimalistic and self-sufficient tool. There are few other accessories you can purchase additionally. In addition to search coils already listed above, other compatible accessories include:

• Garrett MS-2 Headphones with 1/4″ Stereo Plug which will enhance even the faintest signal
• Garrett TreasureSound Headphones, small and handy, designed to reduce noise in any environment
• Pro-Pointer Pinpointing detectors – these small tools are irreplaceable when the treasure hunter needs to locate small elusive targets in loose sand or dust, or when there is more than one target in the hole and the treasure hunter needs to locate them accurately. Pinpointers are waterproof and durable, can be used underwater or stuck right into the dirt.

Garrett ACE 300 Kit

Most retailers offer the following package by the manufacturer:

• metal detector
• search coil
• coil cover
• ACE rain and dust cover-up
• Easy Stow headphones
• user’s manual
• warranty card

However, you may want to explore local retailers or international platforms, because there is a high chance of finding additional bundles with some accessories already added.

Garrett ACE 300 Manual

If you would like to find out all the details and nuances about Garrett ACE 300, please check out the user’s Garrett Treasure ACE 300 manual before you purchase the metal detector. The more you are aware of it in theory, the easier it will be to master the settings in the field.

Download Garrett ACE 300 User’s Manual

Garrett ACE 300 Official Video