Guide to Budget Auto GPS Units
GPS Buyers Guide, GPS Reviews | GPS Software Hub | March 9, 2008 at 4:41 pmAuto GPS receivers are expensive, but prices have been dropping rapidly — at least 25 percent in the last year. Some of that is the result of new manufacturers offering less expensive entry-level car GPS units. None of those fare particularly well in reviews, but they do have the effect of dragging down prices as more established manufacturers are forced to compete. In the current market, nothing over $400 can be considered budget, and entry-level-yet-capable auto GPS systems can be had for around $200.
The TomTom ONE is handily the best budget car GPS unit. In fact, many reviewers believe it is the best pure auto GPS unit on the market. The price has dropped by more than 50 percent since the product was new. GPSReview.net summarizes, “It is really hard to go wrong with the TomTom One.” Note that TomTom has revised this product a couple of times without changing the name. To take advantage of the minor upgrades, get a recently manufactured unit if possible.
Although it’s a matter of personal taste, most reviewers love that the TomTom ONE is just a GPS receiver. It won’t play MP3s or warm your coffee through a USB connection. It does have Bluetooth connectivity, but is not capable of hands-free cell-phone calling. Reviewers also love that the TomTom ONE is a very capable auto GPS unit, with Laptop magazine’s Billy Ristle saying, “While there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all GPS device, TomTom’s One comes really close.”
One disappointment cited by GPS magazine is that the TomTom ONE uses Tele Atlas mapping data, while all competing brands use NAVTEQ maps. In its tests, the site found that the TomTom ONE “simply didn’t have the addresses of many locations that other NAVTEQ-powered GPS units did.”
Editors at Lordpercy.com, CNet.com and PC World concur that the TomTom ONE is a good value. At PocketGPSWorld.com, reviewer Darren Griffin asserts, “In this price range there is nothing to match it.” Reviewers are also in agreement about the TomTom ONE’s easy portability. The unit has a 3.5-inch touchscreen, but thanks to a slim form factor, it weighs only 5.6 ounces.
That advantage doesn’t extend to the TomTom ONE XL. With a 4.3-inch display and higher price, the TomTom ONE XL literally and figuratively requires deeper pockets. Most reviewers agree that the super-sized version of the TomTom ONE isn’t as good as its smaller sibling. We found two reviews that strongly recommend it, two that clearly do not recommend it, and five mixed reviews.
Most reviewers prefer the portability of the basic TomTom ONE to the bigger display on the TomTom ONE XL. When it was introduced, the TomTom ONE XL lacked text-to-speech capability, the TomTom has now added that feature. Editors at enthusiast site LordPercy.com strongly prefer the TomTom ONE to the TomTom ONE XL, which “despite its excellent screen, has issues with the poor mounting system and battery [life].”
Reviewers often compare the TomTom ONE with the Garmin nuvi 350 auto GPS, but the TomTom unit’s price has dropped more rapidly and more recently. Some say the nuvi 350 is easier to use. GPSReview.net explains that it’s simpler because it has little advanced routing functionality compared with the TomTom ONE. The Garmin nuvi 350 is an older unit, and was once considered the best GPS system available. So, at its current price, the nuvi 350 auto GPS is instead being hailed as a very capable budget alternative.
Reviews say navigation on the nuvi 350’s 3.5-inch touchscreen is easy and intuitive. The 2-gigabyte flash memory leaves a full gigabyte available for the user to add photos, audio books or MP3 files, and you can listen to music or a book while navigating. CNet.com’s review notes the Garmin’s “massive” database of points of interest. You can plan multi-leg trips, along with a wide variety of other trip planning. The nuvi 350 includes text-to-speech capability, so audio directions include actual street names instead of merely “turn left.”
That is the most important feature, and one that distinguishes it from the TomTom ONE. The unnamed reviewer at GPSReview.net writes, “If you are looking for your first GPS device and want something extremely simple to use, the nuvi 350 should be on your list of devices to consider. If your navigation needs are a little more sophisticated, you might want to consider a device with more routing features such as a TomTom One.”
A few GPSReview.net readers have recently complained that they bought nuvi 350s that had glare problems. Site operator Tim Flight confirmed with Garmin that the company switched display suppliers. Because of that issue, we encourage you to buy from a dealer with a liberal return policy should you choose this model.
The Garmin nuvi 200 is the base model in the nuvi line. It is recommended in reviews, but the older nuvi 350 has many advantages. Those include text-to-speech, longer battery life, MP3 playback and FM TMC traffic compatibility.
In our last revision of this report in June, we identified the Magellan RoadMate 2000 as the best unit in its price range. Since then, prices for higher-end competing products have dropped into the RoadMate 2000’s price range, while the RoadMate 2000’s price has remained largely unchanged. Market factors infer that the RoadMate 2000 is due for a big price drop, or it will soon be replaced in Magellan’s product line. If you find the RoadMate 2000 at a price that is much lower than the TomTom ONE’s, the RoadMate 2000 is a viable budget alternative.
The RoadMate 2000 doesn’t have advanced navigation features, such as text-to-speech for announcing the names of streets (it can only announce turns, not street names). It also lacks features found in more expensive units, such as MP3 playback, Bluetooth and traffic advisory service. The POI (points-of-interest) database has just 1.3 million listings, compared with six million in more expensive car GPS units.
But, as GPSReview.net notes, “at the advertised price, you wouldn’t expect to get those features and many people never use
any of those features.” Included are NAVTEQ maps for 48 states and a 3.5-inch color touchscreen display. Reviews say the display is easy to read in sunlight and automatically adjusts for night viewing. The RoadMate 2000 auto GPS can reroute you around traffic delays, and it will remember addresses and POI routes for reuse.
Performance receives mixed notices, but reviewers agree that it’s good in urban areas. PC Magazine’s Craig Ellison says that the menu system “can be aggravating at times,” but Jess Ross Grogan at GPSInformation.net finds that it “is generally very easy to figure out in no time.” However, Grogan does say that while the routes created by the RoadMaster 2000 are accurate, they aren’t always the most efficient in either time or miles. Still, the opinion of most reviewers is echoed in Ellison’s comment that the RoadMate 2000 auto GPS “is a good choice for the value-conscious consumer.”
Reviewers clearly believe that older budget models that were originally sold for high-end prices offer much better value than those made to sell for less than $350. Companies that have well-known brand names but are new to selling GPS devices consistently receive mixed or unflattering reviews. The Delphi NAV200 and LG LN740 are typical examples. Both units are reviewed by a couple of sources and earn average or lower ratings.
Source: consumersearch.com
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you failed to mention the tomtom xls with text to speech and mapshare, (free updated maps) it’s really a great value…great blog by the way…thanks for the additional info
you forgot the tomtom xls…very affordable, text to speech and map share (free down loadable maps)
Nice article. i have been using Gramin Nuvi 350 from quite some time,it has many high-end features and the price is also affordable. i am yet to try TomTom GPS, so not sure about its performance.