Quest Q60 Is Finally Here!

Many of us have been waiting on the Q60 since it was first announced back in 2019. Since then, of course, the world descended into the Covid-19 pandemic and everything changed! In the detecting world, group digs were banned and for around three months we could not detect anywhere.

The knock-on effect of the Covid-19 lockdown was that all production of detectors pretty much ceased. Even when the lockdown was lifted it took an absolute age for the supply chain to be re-established.

The first new machine out of the starting blocks post COVID-19 was the much anticipated Garrett Ace Apex. We have written about that machine before and it has quite impressive specs. 4 selectable single frequencies of 5, 10, 15 and 20 kHz, two simultaneous multi-frequency modes, weatherproof control box, rechargeable battery, iron volume, wireless audio and a large backlit display. All for just £459.00. Impressive indeed!

Quest had two of their own new machines hitting the market in the Quest Q30 and Q30+. Both with very impressive wet sand credentials. All the more impressive when you consider that these are single frequency machines running at 14 kHz.

There are two other machines to add to the list in the form of the Minelab Vanquish and the Nokta Makro Simplex+. Both very impressive machines at very attractive prices.

So it is into this arena that steps the Quest Q60. It has been so long coming that many of you may have forgotten the specs so here is a reminder:

Quest Q60 Spec

5M Waterproof Body Design.
9″X13″ BEASTX TurboD Coil.
WireFree Pro Wireless Headphones.
5, 14, 21 kHz Selectable Multi-Frequency.
Enhanced Salt Water Performance.
Magnetic USB Charging.
Built-in 4000mAh Li-Po Battery for 10~18Hrs operating time.
Program modes of Park / Field / Beach / Gold / Cache.
Pinpointer Attachment System (PAS).
QuestGo Connection. (not fully functional at the time of writing)
Built-In Vibration.
Waterproof Headphones.
Fully Adjustable Grip Position – no tools needed.
EU Price €599 UK Price not yet confirmed.
Availability – Estimated October 2020.

We know that the Q60 has landed in Europe and it is “expected” in the UK sometime in October. No price has yet been set for the UK market but given that all Quest machines currently on sale there are approx 10% more expensive than anywhere else we can probably assume a UK price somewhere near £594.00.

Value For Money?

This is a difficult one to answer as we have not yet seen how well the Q60 works in the field. Given the impressive performance of the Q30 and Q30+ on the beach, I think it is safe to assume the Q60 will perform just as well in that environment. However, the less expensive Minelab Vanquish, Nokta Makro Simplex+ and the Garrett Ace Apex also put up a sterling performance in all environments so that doesn’t really tell us anything.

On paper, the Q60’s main two competitors are the Minelab Vanquish 540 and the Garrett Ace Apex and out of those two, the Ace Apex appears to hold all the cards. It has 4 x selectable single frequencies, 2 x simultaneous multi-frequency modes and even if you were to go for the more expensive version which includes the Garrett MS3 wireless headphones it is still cheaper than the Q60 by quite some margin.

It all hinges on what price the Q60 will sell for in the UK.

Conclusion

We all know that the performance of a metal detector cannot be measured purely by looking at the spec sheet.

How does the machine respond to different ground conditions and targets? Are the controls intuitive and easy to use? Is it well built and reliable? And what is the customer support like should things go wrong? These are questions that can only be answered by hands-on testing over a period of time.

Right now we have no test results for the Q60 to go on. However, I have used the Q30 extensively over the past months and apart from it being a single frequency machine, it is very similar to the Q60 in both design and operation. I liked the Q30 a lot and if they get the UK pricing of the Q60 right and you are in the market for a waterproof machine with selectable frequencies I think it can definitely be a success.