Ranking 43 Computerized Telescopes (GoTos and PushTos)
Our expert team member, Zane Landers, has rated and ranked around 43 computerized (GoTo & PushTo) telescopes below. The list includes almost all computerized telescopes priced below $2,000 and is currently available in the USA.
~$500 range
Being the starting point for computerized scopes, almost all of the telescopes in this price category have such small apertures that they tend to be severely limited in target options to the point that the computerized mounting is of questionable usefulness to begin with. The views you get would be similar to the ones offered by manual scopes in the $150-$250 price range and are constrained to the Moon, planets, and the brightest deep-sky targets—all of which are relatively easy to locate manually.
Best Value
Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTi 150P Dobsonian
Rank 1
4.8/5
The Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTi 150P is a fully GoTo 6” telescope in a compact, lightweight package that can be used manually. With quality optics, well-made included eyepieces, and the ability to be used manually even while the mount’s electronics are powered on and aligned with the sky, it’s hard to argue against this fabulous instrument-especially at a price on par with most manual telescopes of its aperture.
Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTi 130P
Rank 2
4.4/5
The Virtuoso GTi 130P adds GoTo functionality to the beloved Heritage 130P without hindering the ability to move the telescope manually—even when powered on and aligned—with a minimal increase in weight. However, the usefulness of this feature with a wide-field and relatively small instrument is questionable, especially when a larger scope could be purchased for the same price. The 150mm model is only a bit more expensive.
Popular Science Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 100AZ Refractor
Rank 3
4.2/5
Sporting the same great features of the StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ but with a significantly lower price, this scope is quite a bargain for what you get and compares favorably in view quality to 114mm reflectors in its price range. The StarSense Explorer technology is a nice (if unnecessary) bonus that’s included for essentially no extra cost.
Rank 4
4/5
The StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ uses the same optical tube as the Astro-Fi 130 and other 130mm f/5 telescopes, but is mounted atop Celestron’s StarSense Explorer mount, which assists in locating targets with your smartphone. However, the Astro-Fi 130 is similar in price and offers full tracking and GoTo, which is vastly preferable to the simple Push-To system of the DX 130AZ.
Rank 5
3.8/5
Like the DX130AZ, the StarSense Explorer DX102AZ has a smartphone-aided PushTo system that allows you to easily locate almost any object in the sky. However, with a relatively small aperture and a price tag big enough to obtain a larger and/or fully computerized instrument, it is not the most economically justifiable scope.
Rank 6
3.7/5
The Astro-Fi 102’s Maksutov-Cassegrain optical design makes for a compact package, but the scope’s long focal length and rather small aperture prevent the GoTo technology from being of much use, as the 102 is limited to only the Moon, planets, and the brightest deep-sky targets, which are relatively easy to locate manually.
Sky-Watcher StarTravel 80 AZ-GTe Refractor GoTo
Rank 8
3.4/5
The lightweight and portable design of the AZ-GTe mount makes for a great pairing with this wide-field, short-tubed 80mm f/5 refractor. The included accessories are great, too. However, considering the high price tag and the huge amount of chromatic aberration inherent in a cheap fast refractor, we’re not sure who this telescope is intended to appeal to.
Celestron Nexstar 90SLT Mak GoTo
Rank 9
3.2/5
Rank 11
1.9/5
Not Recommended
~$600 range
The computerized telescopes in the $500 price range tend to be well-made but have apertures of between 4 and 6 inches, making the usefulness of a computerized system still questionable, if at least somewhat useful.
Best GoTo
Rank 1
4.1/5
The Astro-Fi’s fully computerized GoTo mount is controlled by your phone or tablet, and will automatically slew to and track almost any object you choose. However, the scope is a bit of a battery guzzler and the free SkyPortal app is lacking – for optimal use, you’ll need a rechargeable power supply and a copy of SkySafari Pro, both of which increase the price of this gizmo by quite a bit.
Rank 2
3.5/5
Sky-Watcher 102 mm Skymax AZ-GTi Mak GoTo
Rank 3
3.5/5
While expensive, the 102mm Skymax Maksutov makes for a wonderful pairing with the AZ-GTi. Moving the mount manually won’t disrupt tracking or slewing accuracy, thanks to the GTi’s Freedom Find encoders. The optics are fabulous, the cooldown time is negligible, and the included accessory set is plenty good to start with. However, the Celestron Astro-Fi 102 is essentially identical, apart from the lack of manual adjustments, at a much lower price.
Best Refractor GoTo
Sky-Watcher StarTravel 102 AZ-GTe Refractor GoTo
Rank 4
3.3/5
Rank 5
3.3/5
The NexStar 4SE is sturdy, well-mounted and features great optics. While the higher-quality gearing in the SE mount is nice, the main advertised features of the 4SE, such as the flip mirror and built-in wedge, are basically useless gimmicks, and you’d be better off with a larger computerized scope or with the Astro-Fi 102.
Rank 6
3.3/5
Explore Scientific FirstLight 80 mm Refractor with iEXOS Equatorial GoTo
Rank 7
3.2/5
This package is advertised for astrophotography use, but with the lightweight nature of the iExos mount, the achromatic optics of the telescope itself, and the plastic focuser, it’s not going to be good for anything but smartphone astrophotography (which Explore Scientific has thankfully provided a low-quality adapter for). This package is actually less than the sum of its parts.
~$800-$1200 range
The 5-8” scopes in this price range are able to show you a wealth of deep-sky objects and make excellent choices for a beginner or for an experienced user looking for a smaller, more convenient, or portable instrument.
Rank 1
4/5
Rank 2
3.7/5
Sky-Watcher 127 mm Skymax AZ-GTi Mak GoTo
Rank 3
3.3/5
As with the 102mm Skymax Maksutov, this mount and scope combination is a great “grab n’ go” instrument–but with a high price tag and minuscule gains over a 102mm Maksutov thanks to the Synta Maksutovs’ stopped-down 120mm of actual aperture. The only things you really gain are price and cool-down time for the optics on cold nights.
Rank 4
3/5
The SkyProdigy 130 is functionally identical to the NexStar 130SLT, but features Celestron’s StarSense auto-aligning technology built into the mount. However, not only is the StarSense wholly unnecessary and responsible for raising the price of the telescope significantly, but it is prone to malfunction and rarely operates as desired.
Not Recommended
~$1200 – $1600 range
The scopes in this price range are quite capable and well-made, with few compromises in their build or image quality. You’ll be quite satisfied with any of these options.
Best GoTo
Sky-Watcher 8″ Flextube SynScan Collapsible Dobsonian GoTo
Rank 1
4/5
The Skywatcher 8″ Collapsible GoTo features full GoTo but can be pushed around manually with or without aligning the GoTo system – and without disrupting the alignment of said GoTo system. It can even be controlled via your phone or tablet with the SynScan Pro app or SkySafari. The GoTo 8” Collapsible is more or less a regular 8” Collapsible with the SynScan system.
Rank 2
3.7/5
Celestron Advanced VX Series 6″ Newtonian GoTo
Rank 3
3.7/5
~$1600-$2000 range
Sky-Watcher 10″ Collapsible Dobsonian GoTo
Rank 1
4.1/5
Featuring full GoTo and a collapsible tube, the 10” Collapsible is a great option for beginners and experienced users alike. Like most GoTo Dobsonians, the 10” Collapsible can be operated completely manually should you not want to use the GoTo system, and it can be adjusted manually without upsetting the GoTo alignment.
Best Compact GoTo
Celestron NexStar Evolution 6 Schmidt-Cassegrain GoTo
Rank 2
4.1/5
The Evolution 6 features substantial improvements over the NexStar 6SE—mainly a built-in lithium-ion battery and Wi-Fi control capability out of the box. It also has better gearing, a slightly simpler setup, and comes with two eyepieces out of the box, as opposed to the 6SE’s single 25mm Plossl. However, the views are identical to those through the 6SE.
Celestron Advanced VX 6″ SCT GoTo
Rank 3
4/5
The C6 optical tube is best with either a HyperStar unit or an f/6.3 reducer for deep-sky astrophotography, but is a reasonable scope to start with and works well on the Advanced VX mount. However, setting up this relatively small scope on a clunky, big, and complicated mount for visual use is simply overkill.
Celestron Advanced VX Series 8″ Newtonian GoTo
Rank 4
3.5/5
The Advanced VX 8” could be an acceptable platform for learning astrophotography, but it is quite a complicated rig to set up and assemble, and arguably overkill for visual use. The 8” optical tube is also pushing the limits of the mount’s capabilities, and thus it can be a bit frustrating to get consistently sharp results with long exposures.
Celestron Advanced VX Series 6″ Refractor GoTo
Rank 5
3.2/5
The 6” Advanced VX Refractor suffers from some chromatic aberration and is certainly not the astrophotography-ready platform that marketing material might suggest. It’s a great choice for those who want a big refractor, though you might want to ponder what it is that’s so appealing about such a rig before purchasing.
~$2000-$2500 range
Meade 6″ f/4.1 LX85 Astrograph Reflector GoTo Telescope
Rank 1
4.4/5
Rank 2
4.2/5
Rank 3
4.2/5
The 8” Evolution has the same bells and whistles as the 6”, but with more aperture-and is a substantially steadier and better-made scope than its cheaper cousin, the NexStar 8SE. However, given the availability of cheaper computer-aided or GoTo Dobsonians with wider fields of view, the Evolution is quite the luxury package with few real-world advantages.
Meade 8″ f/4 LX85 Astrograph Reflector GoTo Telescope
Rank 4
4.1/5
If you really want a scope that’s good for both visual and imaging use, there are worse options than the 8” f/4 LX85 Astrograph. It’s a great scope for wide-field views of deep-sky objects. You can do some deep-sky imaging with it, and with a strong Barlow lens, you can also image the Moon and planets pretty well.
Rank 5
4/5
The 8” Advanced VX Schmidt-Cassegrain makes for a surprisingly portable setup, and is especially good for planetary imaging. However, the Advanced VX is simply not up to the task of supporting the 8” Schmidt-Cassegrain optical tube for deep-sky astrophotography – nor is a C8 an ideal first astrophotography scope.
Meade 6″ f/10 LX85 ACF Telescope with Mount and Tripod GoTo
Rank 6
3.9/5
~$2500+ range
Sky-Watcher 12″ Flextube Dobsonian GoTo
Rank 1
4.3/5
The 12” Flextube isn’t as compact as a true truss model, but for many people, the collapsible tube is all you need to fit it into a vehicle or storage space. Setting up the GoTo 12” Flextube is almost identical to the manual version; the scope can still be used manually, and there isn’t much of a price difference.
Celestron Advanced VX 9.25″ Schmidt-Cassegrain GoTo
Rank 2
4.2/5
The Advanced VX is not up to the task of supporting the C9.25 optical tube for deep-sky astrophotography, of course, but it makes for a much less intimidating option than the massive Evolution or CPC mounts offered with the C9.25, and you can swap the C9.25 out for a smaller astrograph more in line with the Advanced VX’s payload capacity if you wish.
Celestron Advanced VX 700 Mak GoTo
Rank 3
4/5
7” Maksutovs are specialty products, with long cooldown times and almost exclusively useful for lunar and planetary viewing or imaging, but if you’re willing to put up with the limitations of the Advanced VX 700, it essentially provides the same capabilities and focal length as the C9.25 with slightly lower maintenance and more tolerant focusing. However, you’re losing quite a bit of aperture, and the cooldown time can be a nuisance if you don’t rig up some kind of fan system.
Celestron 9.25″ NexStar Evolution Schmidt Cassegrain GoTo
Rank 4
3.9/5
Meade 8″ f/10 LX85 ACF Telescope with Mount and Tripod GoTo
Rank 5
3.9/5
Rank 6
3.8/5
Vaonis Vespera Smart Telescope
Rank 7
3.7/5
Vaonis’ Vespera is essentially an all-in-one telephoto lens astrophotography rig, based on a 50mm apochromatic refractor. The scope is jaw-droppingly convenient and the images it delivers are pretty nice, with the ability to do your own processing as well as view them “live”. However, if you want to look through a telescope, this isn’t for you, and a dedicated astrophotography rig delivers a lot more for the price. Planetary images are also extremely poor, as Vespera is simply too small and short in focal length to capture them well.
UniStellar eVscope eQuinox Smart Telescope
Rank 8
2.5/5
The eVscope EQUINOX does what it says – or at least, what it says beneath the marketing fluff. You’re getting a few hundred bucks worth of 114mm telescope, a cheap uncooled camera, and a low-quality mount in a package that delivers garbage “live” poorly processed images that would make a real astrophotographer laugh at you, and with views largely inferior to a moderate-sized Dobsonian under even light-polluted skies. Don’t believe the hype.