Get the Blue Tees Series 3 Max+.
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| Blue Tees Series 3 Max+ | Nikon COOLSHOT 20i GIII | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (MSRP) | $199.98Lower price | $220 |
| Range | 5–1,000 yards | 6–800 yards |
| Accuracy | ±1 yard or ±0.1% | ±1 yd (to 100 m), ±2 yd (beyond) |
| Magnification | 6x | 6x |
| Slope Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Display Type | LCD with red/black HD colour control | Internal |
| Battery Life | 1,000 mAh; ~50 rounds per charge (USB-C) | CR2 lithium |
| Water Resistance | IPX4 | Rainproof |
| Weight | 220 g | 4.6 oz (130 g) |
| Dimensions | 117 x 40 x 72 mm | 91 × 73 × 37 mm |
Get the Blue Tees Series 3 Max+.
Get the Blue Tees Series 3 Max+. At $20 less, it has a rechargeable battery, better accuracy at longer distances, a magnetic cart mount, and 200 more yards of range. The Nikon COOLSHOT 20i GIII makes sense if you want something genuinely pocketable and you're not bothered by swapping CR2 batteries — it's impressively light and Nikon's optics reputation is real. But for most golfers, the Blue Tees gives you more for less.
Both are 6x magnification rangefinders with slope modes that can be switched off for tournament play, and both hit ±1 yard accuracy on shots that actually matter — your approach into a par 4. They sit at the same tier of the market, aimed at mid-range buyers who want slope and solid flag acquisition without paying Bushnell Pro X pricing. That's about where the overlap ends.
The Blue Tees goes to 1,000 yards; the Nikon tops out at 800. Honest truth: neither you nor I are using a laser rangefinder at 800-plus yards during a round. But the accuracy spec is worth noting. The Blue Tees holds ±1 yard across its full range. The Nikon is ±1 yard out to 100 meters, then slides to ±2 yards beyond that. For a 180-yard approach, that's probably fine. For anything longer where club selection is genuinely tight, the Blue Tees is more precise on paper.
This is the bigger deal, practically speaking. The Blue Tees has a 1,000 mAh rechargeable battery via USB-C, rated for about 50 rounds per charge. The Nikon runs on a CR2 lithium battery. CR2s are available at every pharmacy in the country — which matters if you're mid-trip somewhere remote — but they're also a recurring cost, and remembering to stock them is its own small tax. If you're the type who plugs things in on Sunday night, USB-C is just easier.
The Nikon wins this one clearly. At 130 grams and 91 × 73 × 37mm, it's genuinely compact — shirt pocket sized. The Blue Tees is 220 grams and noticeably larger. That weight difference (roughly 3 ounces) sounds trivial until you've carried a rangefinder in your back pocket for 18 holes. The Nikon's size is a real feature, not just a spec box checkbox. That said, the Blue Tees includes a magnetic mount for cart use, which offsets the carry-weight argument if you're usually riding.
The Blue Tees has an LCD with what it calls red/black HD colour control — adjustable display contrast, basically. On a bright day, that's genuinely useful. The Nikon has an internal display with multilayer-coated optics; Nikon knows glass, and "multilayer coating" isn't nothing on a unit this size. The Nikon also backs this with a 5-year warranty, which seems like Nikon trying to close the brand-trust gap — and honestly, it might work. Five years is a long warranty in this segment.
These two are close enough in price that you can't make a budget argument for either one. The $20 gap is a sleeve of balls. What you're actually deciding is: rechargeable battery, magnetic mount, and longer range (Blue Tees) versus lighter weight, smaller footprint, and a five-year warranty (Nikon). For most golfers who ride and want one rangefinder to handle everything without much maintenance, the Blue Tees edges it. The Nikon is genuinely good — the warranty is real, the optics reputation is real — but the Blue Tees package is just more complete.
Get the Blue Tees Series 3 Max+.