The Nikon Coolshot Pro Stabilized, Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized and Bushnell Pro XE are more expensive than Precision Pro and Callaway rangefinders but they are also more accurate, faster, and much more durable. The release date for the Nikon Coolshot Pro Stabilized was May 2018, the release date for the Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized was April 2021, and the release date for the Bushnell Pro XE was February 2019. These rangefinders are the best golf rangefinders available from each company.
Differences between the Nikon Coolshot Pro Stabilized and Pro II Stabilized
Both the Nikon Coolshot Pro Stabilized and Pro II Stabilized have image stabilization technology and can alternate between a black or red OLED display depending on the lighting conditions but the Pro II has both audible and visual confirmation after flag lock while the Pro only has visual confirmation after flag lock.
The Nikon Coolshot Pro Stabilized only has a green locked-on circle that is a visual cue on the LCD screen indicating that the device just acquired the distance to the flag while the Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized has both a green visual cue and a pleasant audible beep confirmation that the device just acquired the distance to the flag.
Differences between the Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized and Bushnell Pro XE
Both the Nikon Coolshot Pro II and Bushnell Pro XE have many of the same features including slope compensation, red OLED display for cloudy days, flag lock confirmation, and an external slope indicator. However, there are several differences between these two rangefinders.
The Bushnell Pro XE has four features that are missing in the Nikon Coolshot Pro II. The Bushnell Pro XE can adjust distances for slope, temperature, and altitude and it comes with a 7X magnification power while both Nikon rangefinders can only adjust for slope and have a lower 6X magnification. Also only the Bushnell Pro XE has a built-in magnet and a rubber-armored metal housing, making it much more durable.
However, only the Nikon Coolshot Pro II has image stabilization technology that makes it much easier to get a stable reading. Also the Nikon Coolshot Pro II is more than $100 cheaper than the Bushnell Pro XE. If you are on a budget and have a tough time getting stable readings with other rangefinders, the Nikon Coolshot Pro II would be a great purchase.
The Bushnell Tour V5 Shift is Bushnell’s second best rangefinder. It cannot adjust distances for temperature or barometric pressure and does not have a red LED display like the Pro XE and it only has a 6X magnification power. However, the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift costs a lot less. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II has more features than the Bushnell Tour V5 Shift but it is not as durable so the Tour V5 Shift might be a good alternative if you really want a Bushnell rangefinder. For more information about the Nikon Coolshot Pro II and Bushnell Tour V5 Shift, please read this article: Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized vs Bushnell Tour V5 Shift.
Comparison Chart – Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized vs Bushnell Pro XE
| Features | (Slope; No Vibration)  Learn More | (Slope; Vibrates)  Learn More | (Slope; Vibrates)  Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | April 2021 | February 2019 | January 2020 |
| Slope Compensation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Temperature Compensation | No | Yes | No |
| Barometric Pressure Compensation | No | Yes | No |
| Built-In Magnetic Cart Mount | No | Yes | Yes |
| Vibration Flag Lock Confirmation | No | Yes | Yes |
| Visual Flag Lock Confirmation | Yes (green locked on circle) | Yes (red ring) | Yes (red ring) |
| Audio Flag Lock Confirmation | Yes | No | No |
| Magnification | 6x | 7x | 6x |
| Red LED Display | Yes | Yes | No |
| Black Display | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Disable Slope | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Visible Slope Switch On/Off Indicator | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Image Stabilization | Yes | No | No |
| Maximum Range to Highly Reflective Objects | 1,200 yards | 1,300 yards | 1,300 yards |
| Maximum Range to Most Large Objects | 1000+ yards | 1000+ yards | 1000+ yards |
| Maximum Range to Flags | 500+ yards | 500+ yards | 400+ yards |
| Ranging Accuracy up to 700 yards | Accurate to .75 yards up to 700 yards | +/- 1 yard | +/- 1 yard |
| Ranging Accuracy up to 1000 yards | Accurate to 1.25 yards from 700-1000 yards Accurate to 1.75 yards beyond 1000 yards | +/- 1 yard | +/- 1 yard |
| Display Type | LCD | Black Mask LCD w/ Enhanced Backlight | LCD |
| Fast Focus System | No | Yes | Yes |
| Extreme Speed Precision 2 | No | No | No |
| Water Resistant | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fog Resistant | No | No | No |
| Waterproof | Yes (IPX7) | Yes (IPX7) | No |
| Metal Housing | No | Yes | No |
| Tournament legal | Yes (if slope disabled) | Yes (if slope disabled) | Yes (if slope disabled) |
| Product Dimensions Size (Length x Height x Width) | 3.8 x 2.9 x 1.7 inches | 4.5 x 3.1 x 1.8 inches | 4.5 x 3.0 x 1.5 inches |
| Weight (without batteries) | 6.0 ounces | 11 ounces | 8 ounces |
| Objective Diameter | 21mm | 26 mm | 24 mm |
| Eye Relief | 18.0mm | 16 mm | 16 mm |
| Exit Pupil | 3.5mm | 3.5 mm | 3.5 mm |
| Diopter Adjustment | +/- 4° | ||
| Field Of View | 300 ft. @ 1000 yards | 300 ft. @ 1000 yards | 330 ft. @ 1000 yards |
| Optical Coatings | Fully Multi-Coated | Fully Multi-Coated | Fully Multi-Coated |
| Included Items | Premium Carrying Case and CR2 Battery | Premium Carrying Case and CR2 Battery | Premium Carrying Case and CR2 Battery |
| Includes carrying case and strap | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 3-volt lithium CR2 battery | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized vs Bushnell Pro XE
Both the Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized and Bushnell Pro XE golf rangefinders have slope compensation technology and a 500 yard range to flags.
The main difference between the Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized and Bushnell Pro XE is that the Nikon Pro II Stabilized only adjusts distances for slope while the Pro XE can adjust for slope, temperature, and altitude. Also the Pro XE has a 7X magnification power while the Nikon Coolshot Pro II has a lower 6X magnification.
Also the Bushnell Pro XE has vibration confirmation of target lock as well as visual confirmation while the Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized displays a green locked on circle and emits an audible beep. More information about the similarities and differences between the Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized and Bushnell Pro XE is listed below:
Differences between the Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized and Bushnell Pro XE
1. The Bushnell Pro XE can adjust distances for slope, temperature and barometric pressure while the Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized only has the ability to adjust distances for slope. The elements (temperature and barometric pressure) calculations can be activated by pressing the mode button on the top of the Bushnell XE rangefinder. Slope is the elevation change you have to account for on uphill and downhill shots.
2. The best feature of the Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized is its Image Stabilization Technology which will reduce vibrations of the image in the viewfinder caused by shaky hands or other environmental factors, such as wind, by approximately 80%. This will allow you to acquire the distance to a small object such as a flagstick much faster.
3. The Bushnell Pro XE is one of the few rangefinders with a powerful 7X magnification power. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized has a lower 6X magnification power while the Bushnell Pro XE has a 17% higher 7X magnification power. This 17% difference will enable the Bushnell Pro XE to give you much clearer images of your targets.
4. Another popular feature of the Bushnell Pro XE is its built-in magnet. The Pro XE has a small rectangular area on the device that is magnetic. This magnetic surface will allow you to easily attach the Pro XE right to the metal bar of your golf cart. The words ‘Bushnell BITE Magnetic Grip’ are etched on top. This magnetic surface is called a BITE magnetic mount and it is located on the side opposite the side with the external slope on/off switch. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized has no magnetic surface so if you want to attach it to your golf cart, then you will have to purchase a cart mount separately for about $25.
5. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized can acquire the distance to a highly reflective object located up to 1200 yards away while the Bushnell Pro XE has an 8% longer range of 1300 yards.
6. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II will emit an audible beep and display a green locked-on circle after the rangefinder locks onto the flag while the Bushnell Pro XE will vibrate and also flash a red ring on the outside of the LCD screen after flag lock.
7. Both the Nikon Coolshot Pro II and Bushnell Pro XE have an external slope indicator that will tell people that the slope function on your device is not in use. This confirms that your device is in compliance with USGA Local Rule 14-3 which makes it legal for tournament play. However, these devices implemented this feature in different ways.
The Nikon Coolshot Pro II has an external green LED light that blinks when the slope technology is in use.
In contrast, the Bushnell Pro XE has a ‘B’ logo on the left-hand side that you can slide left or right to indicate if your device is using the slope technology. Sliding the ‘B’ logo to the right will expose a red color that will make it easy to tell people that your device is not using the slope function.
8. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II is slightly more accurate at shorter distances. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II has an accuracy of 0.75 yards for distances up to 700 yards while the Bushnell Pro XE is accurate to 1 yard for the same distances. However, the Bushnell Pro XE is more accurate for longer distances. The Bushnell Pro XE is accurate to 1 yard for distances between 700 yards and 1300 yards but the Nikon Coolshot Pro II is accurate to 1.25 yards for distances between 700 and 1000 yards and accurate up to 1.75 yards for distances up to 1200 yards.
9. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II comes with Golf ‘Play As” (slope-adjusted distance) mode, Actual distance (straight-line distance) mode, Horizontal distance and height mode, and Actual distance and height mode. The Bushnell Pro XE only comes with slope, slope and elements, and straight-line distance modes.
10. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II is about 20% smaller than the Bushnell Pro XE. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II has dimensions of 3.8″ x 2.9″ x 1.7″ inches while the Bushnell Pro XE has slightly larger dimensions of 4.5″ x 3.1″ x 1.8″ inches.
11. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II weighs 83% less than the Bushnell Pro XE. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II weighs only 6 ounces while the Bushnell Pro XE weighs 83% more at 11 ounces.
12. The Nikon Coolshot Pro IIStabilized golf laser rangefinder is 20% cheaper than the Bushnell Pro XE. The Nikon Coolshot Pro II has a listed retail price of $449.95 while the Bushnell Pro XE has a 20% more expensive listed retail price of $549.99.
Common features found in both the Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized and Bushnell Pro XE
1. Both the Bushnell Pro XE and Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized golf rangefinders can alternate between a crisp black display for a sunny day or a bright red LED display for overcast conditions or other low lighting conditions.
2. Both the Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized and Bushnell Pro XE can adjust distances for slope (elevation changes) and acquire the distance to a flag located up to 500 yards away.
3. Both have a waterproof housing with an IPX7 rating, which means the rangefinders will still function properly even after being submerged for 30 minutes in 3 feet of water.
LCD Screen Comparison – Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized vs Bushnell Pro XE
| Nikon Coolshot Pro II Stabilized | Bushnell Pro XE |
|---|---|
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Final Verdict
The Bushnell Pro XE has a lot of unique features including distances adjusted for slope, temperature, and barometric pressure, a 7X magnification power, a built-in magnet, and a rubber-armored metal housing. However, at a hefty price of over $500, only people with a healthy income can afford it.
On the flip side, if you want a much cheaper rangefinder with slope compensation, a red OLED display, and image stabilization technology that will give you fast and accurate readings, then I would save some money by purchasing the Nikon Coolshot Pro II instead.
