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On paper the two X-Terras are the same machine with two differences: the Elite lists Multi-IQ and an iron bias control, while the Pro lists single-frequency modes (5, 10 and 15 kHz, plus 8 kHz for the beach) and no iron bias. Everything else on Minelab’s specification pages is identical: 1.3 kg, IP68 down to 5 m, the same 12″ x 9″ coil, the same battery, a 3-year warranty, and no headphones in the box. Owners disagree about which one keeps target IDs steadier, so the cheaper one is not an obvious bargain or an obvious mistake. We have not tested either detector; this guide uses Minelab’s pages, dated store prices and what owners wrote in public threads.
Side by side
Specifications are from Minelab’s pages for the X-Terra Pro and the X-Terra Elite. Prices checked on 8 October 2026.
| X-Terra Pro | X-Terra Elite | |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | PRO-SWITCH; Park and Field 5, 10 or 15 kHz; Beach 8 kHz | Multi-IQ; Park and Field Multi-IQ with 15 kHz named; Beach Multi-IQ |
| Iron bias control | No | Yes (range listed: -1 to 2) |
| Search modes | Park 1 and 2, Field 1 and 2, Beach 1 and 2, All Metal, custom profile | The same list |
| Weight | 1.3 kg (2.9 lb) | 1.3 kg (2.9 lb) |
| Water resistance | Waterproof to 5 m (16 ft), IP68 | The same |
| Coil | V12X 12″ x 9″ double-D elliptical | The same |
| Battery | 3.7 V / 5100 mAh internal lithium-ion | The same |
| Discrimination | 30 segments; target IDs -19 to 0 (ferrous) and 1 to 99 | The same |
| Headphones in the box | No (wired, 3.5 mm, or low-latency wireless are listed as outputs) | No (same outputs) |
| Warranty | 3 years, control box and coil | The same |
| Price (High Plains Prospectors, 8 Oct 2026) | $399 as a bundle with adventure pack and sand scoop (we saw no listing for the Pro alone) | $479 for the detector alone |
The two prices are not like for like: the Pro figure is a bundle and the Elite figure is the detector alone. Other bundles of both models exist on the same store at higher prices, so check what is in the box before comparing.
What changes in practice
Ground and target ID
The Elite lists Multi-IQ as its key technology, while the Pro lists PRO-SWITCH and lets you choose among single frequencies. Only the Elite lists an iron bias control. What these differences do to your finds depends on your ground and your coil, and we cannot measure it. Owner opinions are below.
Water and the beach
Both are listed IP68 to 5 m, so on paper neither is better for wading. The Pro has dedicated beach modes at 8 kHz; the Elite’s beach modes are Multi-IQ.
Weight and coil
No difference on paper: both weigh 1.3 kg and come with the same V12X coil. Whether to add a smaller or larger coil later is a separate cost to check.
What owners report
The main public threads are on Detector Prospector, from June 2024 to February 2025. Owners in the June 2024 thread mention a firmware update released around then, so complaints written before it may be out of date.
- X-Terra Pro. In a June 2024 thread, one owner said the Pro was stable on good targets but jumpy on trash and said he planned to buy an Elite. Another Pro owner wished he had bought the Elite, said the target ID on the Pro was “a mess”, and said he lowered sensitivity to steady it; neither had tried the firmware update at that point. A third owner, who bought a Pro for his wife in April 2023, said it suits beginners with simple settings, that she found relics and the only gold on a beach trip where his Equinox 800 found none, and that the new firmware seemed to settle the machine in limited yard tests.
- X-Terra Elite. In a thread that runs from July 2024 to February 2025, a former Equinox 600 owner said the tones were unstable on every target, including a coin, and planned to sell his Elite. A different owner who upgraded his wife’s Pro said the Elite performed very well with good stability and found everything his Equinox 800 found. A third owner, after two beach hunts, found it deep with good ID at depth but was fooled twice by deep bottle caps reading like zinc pennies, and called it a great machine for the money. The same owner added that users will need to adjust to low IDs for small gold.
Read together, the reports do not settle which one is steadier: the harshest comment about the Pro and the harshest about the Elite both come from owners of those machines. One poster who owns neither argued in the first thread that single-frequency modes would be worse; that is opinion, not experience, so we do not count it. We do not own either detector and have not field-tested them.
Who each model is not for
- X-Terra Pro: not for anyone who wants an iron bias control or Multi-IQ, since Minelab’s page lists neither; and not for anyone bothered by reports of jumpy target IDs on trash, which two owners thought the firmware calmed (one said he could not prove it).
- X-Terra Elite: not for anyone who wants to move target ID boundaries above the ferrous range (one owner missed that, because they are fixed on the Elite), and be ready for a wider ID scale, which one owner said takes getting used to.
Where to buy, and how to read the price
The prices above are selling prices on the store’s own listings on 8 October 2026. Some listings show a struck-through list price much higher than the selling price; we ignore it. High Plains Prospectors is an affiliate partner: if you buy through the links marked as affiliate links we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and it does not change which model we say fits whom. Stock and bundles change daily.
FAQ
Is the X-Terra Elite waterproof?
Minelab’s page lists it waterproof to 5 m (16 ft), IP68, the same as the Pro.
Do the X-Terras come with headphones?
No. Minelab’s pages list “No” for included headphones on both and give wired 3.5 mm and low-latency wireless as output options. Some store bundles add headphones.
Is the Elite worth the extra money?
On the prices above the difference is not a clean comparison, because the Pro listing is a bundle. The documented differences are Multi-IQ and iron bias; owner reports on stability are mixed for both.
Can I use either for the beach?
Both list Beach 1 and 2 modes and IP68 to 5 m. One Elite owner reported two beach hunts with deep targets and a trash caveat; one Pro owner’s wife found gold on a beach trip. Individual experience varies with the sand and the coil.
Where do I check where I can use it?
See our guide to metal detecting rules on U.S. federal land.
Keep reading
- Minelab Equinox 900 vs Manticore
- Which metal detectors are really waterproof
- Metal detectors by budget: what each price level buys
- Garrett AT Pro vs AT Max
How we put this comparison together
Specifications come from Minelab’s pages linked above, prices from the store’s listings on the date shown, and owner comments are paraphrased from the cited threads, with their dates. We do not own or field-test these detectors. When owners disagree, we say so. Full method.