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In this article, I will start by mentioning what these two models have in common. Then, I will list the differences between the two.
Features in common
Both detectors are easy to assemble; you do not need any tools to do that. The stem length is adjustable manually (40″ to 53″). But, to adjust the arm cuff, you need a screwdriver.
The ACE 300 and the ACE 250 have LCD screens that give useful information without overwhelming the user. You can know what you need to find a buried object underground.
You will find a coin depth indicator. It will tell you whether a buried coin is 2, 4, 6 or 8 inches deep.
The depth indicator works with other metal objects other than coins. However, the readings may not be as accurate as with coins.
If the object is smaller than a coin, it may appear deeper than it really is.
So keep in mind that the reading about the depth may not be always accurate.
There is a battery status indicator with four bars. Moreover, the screen tells the selected discrimination mode and the sensitivity level.
The ace 250 and 300 have the same discrimination modes. There is five of them: coins, relics, jewelry, all metal and custom modes.
For the ACE 300, the all-metal mode is named zero-disc. There is no difference between the two.
In this mode, the detector will emit an audio signal whenever it detects a metal object. This is what “all-metal” or “zero-disc” means.
For each discrimination mode, the detector will emit a beep only when it detects an object with the wanted conductivity range.
This means that a discrimination mode will help you to focus only on one type of items and ignore the rest.
For example, if you select the coins mode. You will hear a beep only when a coin is detected and trash will be eliminated.
This way you will save time and effort and avoid digging holes to find nothing more than junk.
If you want a more detailed explanation of the discrimination mode, check out the final paragraph of this article. You will also find a detailed review of the Garret Ace 300.
Both of the detectors have 1/4″ headphone jack and work with four AA batteries (included).
On the upper part of the LCD screen, you will find two scales on top of each other. The lower one has multiple cursors.
It will indicate whether a metal will be detected or ignored by turning on or off a cursor under its symbol.
The upper scale has only one cursor, which will be eliminated under the metal symbol once it is detected.
The search coil of both of them is submersible but the control box is not. So you can place the detector in the water up to the control box.
They have the pinpointing features, which helps you locate the buried target.
They both have three audio tones to identify each type of metal according to their conductivity.
The higher the conductivity the higher the audio tone.
The ground balance is set by the factory for both of these models because they are meant to be used by beginners or intermediates.
The ground balancing lets the detector takes into account the minerals inside in the ground. Advanced users know how to deal with it.
But for beginners, you should stick to automatic settings.
What is different?
The weight is slightly different, The ACE 300 weighs 2,8 pounds and the ACE 250 weighs 2,7 lbs.
The ACE 300’s search coil is larger than the coil of the ACE 250. The size of the first is 7″ x 10″ and the size of the second one is 6.5″ x 9″.
Larger coil does not mean necessarily better. Each size has its own uses.
Small coil are better in trashy soil. Larger coils increase the depth the detector can reach and cover more ground.
The stem of the Garrett ACE 300 has a camlock for more stability. The ACE 250 doesn’t.
The ACE 300 operates at an 8 kHz frequency and it can be adjusted. While the ACE 250 runs at a fixed 6.5 kHz frequency.
High frequencies makes the metal detector more sensitive to small objects and it can detect gold better.
Low frequencies allows you to find objects at greater depths.
The ACE 300 has four Iron Discrimination Segments while the ACE 250 has only two.
Finally, the ACE 300 has a Digital Target ID, the scale extends from 0 to 99. The number shown on screen represents the conductivity of the metal.
If you get a reading between 0 and 25 then the metal is iron because it has a low conductivity.
And if the target ID is close to 90 then it may be silver or a coin because they have high conductivity.
The digital target ID is helpful when it comes to identifying buried metals with very close conductivities.
If you want to know which one has a better performance, there is nothing better than a field test. This is the subject of the videos down below.
Conclusion
I hope this article helped you make a decision and pick which one is better for you: the ACE 250 or the ACE 300.
They are both great metal detector for beginners or intermediate users. If you are still confused, just pick any one of them. They a lot in common and only few differences.