Mid-range machines
Garrett Vortex VX9 vs Minelab Equinox 900: Is the Extra $400 Worth It?
Quick answer
Buy Minelab Equinox 900 at $999.00 for two coils in the box, a dedicated gold search mode and a published 0 to 99 target ID scale. Buy the Garrett Vortex VX9 at $599.99 for Garrett's newest multi-frequency platform at roughly 60 percent of the Equinox 900's price. Both are simultaneous multi-frequency machines; the gap between them is documentation and what ships in the box, not raw depth.
Garrett Vortex VX9
$599.99Five single frequencies (5, 9, 13, 18, 25 kHz) plus multi-frequency, submersible to 16 feet, 2.9 lb, USB-C charging and firmware.
Best for: a Garrett owner stepping up from the AT series
Check price on Amazon
Minelab Equinox 900
$999.00Two coils (11 in and 6 in) in the box, six single frequencies plus Multi-IQ, four modes including Gold, 16 ft waterproof, 2.8 lb.
Best for: the one machine that covers park, field, beach and gold
Check price on AmazonThe Vortex VX9 is Garrett's answer to machines like this one, and it undercuts the Equinox 900 by roughly $599.99 to $999.00, a gap of about $400. For that money the Equinox 900 ships with both the EQX 11 and EQX 6 coils, a fourth Gold search mode alongside Park, Field and Beach, and Minelab's published 0 to 99 target ID scale with headphones included. The VX9 publishes five single frequencies (5, 9, 13, 18 and 25 kHz) plus a multi-frequency mode, an internal battery good for up to 15 hours, and USB-C charging that doubles as the firmware update port.
Neither listing publishes a coil size for the VX9, which is the biggest gap in this comparison: you know exactly what ships with an Equinox 900 and only that the VX9 comes with one. The Equinox 900 also documents its weight (2.8 lb) and packed length (24 in), figures Garrett's VX9 listing in our catalog does not state. The Vortex VX9 target ID chart and Equinox 900 target ID chart are the next stop for either machine.
Top pick
Minelab Equinox 900
Two coils, a dedicated Gold mode, a fully documented weight and packed length, and headphones included, all in one published listing.
Price was accurate when this page was compiled and changes often.
On this page
What does the extra $400 buy on the Equinox 900?
Mostly the second coil and the Gold mode. Minelab EQX 06 Coil (6 inch) costs $225.00 bought separately, which absorbs a meaningful slice of the price gap on its own. The Gold mode is the other real difference: Garrett does not publish a nugget-specific mode for the VX9 in this listing, while Minelab lists Gold alongside Park, Field and Beach as one of the Equinox 900's four factory modes. If you never hunt gold ground, that mode buys you nothing, and the gap narrows to the second coil and a fuller spec sheet.
What the VX9 buys back is five single frequencies against the Equinox 900's six, a near wash, and a documented 15 hour internal battery figure the Equinox 900 listing does not carry. USB-C charging that also updates firmware is a genuine convenience the Equinox 900 listing does not mention either.
How do the published specifications compare?
Both rows below come from each brand's own listing in our catalog.
The Equinox 900 publishes two coils, four modes and a weight figure the VX9 listing skips, while the VX9 publishes a battery life figure the Equinox 900 listing does not carry.
| Model | Price | Frequency type | Target ID range | Stock coil | Coil type | Waterproof depth | Weight | Collapsed length | Headphones included | Search modes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garrett Vortex VX9 | $599.99 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Minelab Equinox 900 | $999.00 | Simultaneous multi-frequency plus 6 single frequencies | 0 to 99 | 11 and 6 | Double-D | 16 ft | 2.8 lb | 24 in | Yes | 4 |
Figures are taken from each manufacturer's own published listing and specification sheet. A dash means the maker does not publish that figure for that model, not that the feature is absent.
Where does each maker go quiet?
Minelab documents coils, weight and modes that Garrett leaves blank, and Garrett documents a battery life figure Minelab does not publish for the 900.
| Specification | Garrett Vortex VX9 | Minelab Equinox 900 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $599.99 | $999.00 |
| Coils included | Not published in this listing | 11 in and 6 in Double-D |
| Single frequencies | 5, 9, 13, 18, 25 kHz | 6 published |
| Simultaneous multi-frequency | Yes, one mode | Multi-IQ, one mode |
| Waterproof rating | 16 ft (5 m) | 16 ft (5 m) |
| Weight | 2.9 lb (3.05 lb with coil cover) | 2.8 lb |
| Search modes | Not published in this listing | 4 (Park, Field, Beach, Gold) |
| Battery life | Up to 15 hours, internal | Not published in this listing |
| Headphones | Wireless via Z-Lynk (sold separately) | Low latency wireless included |
Drawn from the Garrett Vortex VX9 and Minelab Equinox 900 listings in our catalog. Rows marked not published are gaps in the specific listing, not confirmed absences.
Choose the Vortex VX9 if
You want a current-generation multi-frequency Garrett near $600 and do not need a gold mode or a second coil bundled at purchase. The full Vortex VX9 review and Vortex settings by site type cover what Garrett does document. Buy it too if you are already invested in Garrett's Z-Lynk wireless ecosystem from an AT series machine or a Pro-Pointer AT Z-Lynk, since the audio chain carries over.
Choose the Equinox 900 if
You hunt gold ground occasionally as well as coins and relics, since the Gold mode is a real published feature the VX9 listing does not match. A second coil in the box also means you are not shopping for one in your first month. The full Equinox 900 review and Equinox 900 depth chart go further into what the extra money buys, and Equinox 900 vs The Legend is the other flagship pairing worth reading before you spend this much.
What comes next either way?
A pinpointer before a third accessory of any other kind. Minelab PRO-FIND 40 matches Minelab's ecosystem and adds ferrous tone ID, while Garrett Pro-Pointer AT is the brand-agnostic default most often recommended outright. The detection depth calculator is worth running against whichever machine you choose before you assume either one reaches further than your last detector on a given target size and soil.
Sources
- Garrett Vortex VX9 product listing and specifications
- Minelab Equinox 900 product listing and specifications
- Minelab EQX 06 coil product listing
Frequently asked questions
Does the Vortex VX9 come with a second coil?
Not published in this listing. Garrett does not state a coil size or a second coil for the VX9 in the record our catalog carries, unlike the Equinox 900, which Minelab documents shipping with an 11 inch and a 6 inch coil. Check current Garrett packaging before assuming a coil beyond the one that comes standard.
Is the Vortex VX9 as waterproof as the Equinox 900?
Both publish a 16 foot (5 meter) submersible rating in their respective listings, so on paper they match. That figure covers the control housing and coil as tested by each maker; always check the current manual for either machine before diving rather than wading, since ratings can change between firmware or hardware revisions.
Do I need the Equinox 900's Gold mode if I never hunt gold?
No. A Gold search mode is tuned for small, high-conductivity targets in mineralized ground, and it does nothing for you on a typical coin or relic site. If gold prospecting is not part of your plan, that feature is not a reason to prefer the Equinox 900 over the VX9, and you should weight the decision on coils and price instead.
Which one has better wireless audio?
Garrett publishes Z-Lynk wireless for the VX9, sold separately, and Minelab includes low latency wireless headphones with the Equinox 900 at purchase. If audio cost matters to your total budget, factor in that the VX9's headphones are an added expense the Equinox 900 has already absorbed into its higher price.
Researched, not professional advice. This page is compiled from published specifications, manuals and owner-review consensus, not hands-on testing. Target ID numbers, depth figures and settings vary with soil chemistry, moisture, target size, depth, orientation and firmware version, so treat every figure here as a starting point and verify it against your own machine's manual and your own ground. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.