Whats A Good Gps To Buy
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I'm the Editor-in-Chief of PCMag.com and the Vice President of Content for Ziff Davis, overseeing the editorial operations of PCMag and ExtremeTech.com, steering reviews and product coverage, news and features, and service journalism across the sites. Back when the first iPhone was released, I started at PCMag as a senior editor covering consumer electronics and mobile reviews. After that, I went on to head up the reviews team as executive editor. And most recently I served as deputy editor, managing PCMag's editorial team and day-to-day operations. I've covered more product releases and have edited more reviews, roundups, and buying guides than any human reasonably should, each and every one contributing to the noble pursuit of helping you find the right technology to fit your life.
With goodies like free traffic reporting, lifetime map updates, and local search now commonplace, today's GPS devices can do a lot more than they ever have. They're also a lot more affordable in light of the stiff competition from the aforementioned nav-enabled phones and tablets.
That said, the GPS market has contracted so much that we no longer test and review dedicated devices. And it has dwindled to just two major players: Garmin and TomTom. The good news is that these manufacturers have received top ratings from us in the past, and the models we recommend here are their most popular, with the best customer ratings.
The Garmin Drive 52 & Traffic(Opens in a new window) is one of the most basic, accessible Garmin GPS systems you can get for your car. Like its name implies, you'll pay a little extra over the \"regular\" Drive 52 in order to get traffic reports, but without it, you might as well be using your phone.
If you want a map on a big, infotainment-system-like screen, the Garmin DriveSmart 86(Opens in a new window) is the GPS to consider. Its 8-inch screen is one of the largest available, bigger than even large phones. Because of this, it's also one of the pricier models you can get.
TomTom is the other big name in GPS devices, and the Go Comfort(Opens in a new window) is one of its most accessible models available, with an app that syncs your phone for maps and updates. It can also display text messages from your phone, a handy feature the Garmin DriveSmart 52 doesn't have.
The Go Discover(Opens in a new window) is TomTom's flagship car GPS, with the largest (7-inch) screen and the most features. It adds live gas prices and off-street parking information, as well as moving lane guidance.
If you want a GPS for your motorcycle, you'll have to think smaller and more rugged. The TomTom Rider 550(Opens in a new window) has a 4.3-inch screen and a weatherproof design, along with Google Assistant and Siri compatibility.
The Garmin Zumo XT(Opens in a new window) provides a 5.5-inch screen for navigating on your motorcycle. It goes beyond regular roads with off-road route maps, satellite imagery, and a track recorder for saving and sharing your routes. It's safe from dirt and rain in its IPX7 enclosure.
For more advice on upgrading your vehicle, check out some of our favorite ways to soup up your current car with tech. We also have lots of tips on buying the best dash cam. And if you decide you want to use your phone for GPS after all, do it safely with one of the best car phone mounts.
Before joining PCMag, I was the managing editor of Computer Shopper. I earned my master's degree in magazine journalism from New York University. (Nope, the irony of witnessing the deaths of both of the print magazines I've managed is not lost on me.)
The best car GPS system takes the stress out of driving. If you can get the best sat nav for your needs then you may find that it not only gives your smartphone a rest but also lets you enjoy clearer directions and faster journeys.
It's worth noting that some brands require subscriptions for the best features while others don't. So keep an eye on that and factor it into the cost when you consider what you're paying up front. This is especially important when getting a Black Friday deal as you may find that subscription is thrown in, representing a big saving.
If you're going out of the States, to Mexico or Canada, say, then you'll want a model packing in those maps. We also suggest getting one of the best roadside assistance plans (opens in new tab) for true peace-of-mind driving.
Aside from avoiding traffic and always being in the right lane this offers Last Mile Navigation, meaning the app on your phone will show you where you car is based on where you parked. You also have intelligent trip planning, with lots of preference options and the ability to share your ETA and location as you drive. This will even learn your driving style and better estimate arrival times based on that.
The Rand McNally OverDryve 7 is a stand out option as it does this literally, with that huge 7-inch display, but also with features like doubling as a tablet. That means this works as a dash cam, music player as well as a powerful navigation system.
With over 10 million points of interest it should be easy to find whatever you need. Keep in mind this is built with truckers in mind so even more remote long-haul journeys are going to be covered by this navigation system. All that as well as lifetime maps and traffic, plus a magnetic powered mounting system, make this a very attractive big-size navigation system.
The Garmin Drive 52 & Traffic is ideal if you want a straightforward car navigation system to simplify your journeys. Everything about the Garmin Drive 52 & Traffic screams simplicity, from installing and setting up the device to programming it with where you wish to go.
All the navigation essentials are right there, such as speed and bend alerts, and traffic data to steer you clear of disruption up ahead. And so you absolutely know where to turn, the instructions refer to streets, shops and other landmarks that are nearby. Then there's that live traffic data, pulled in from a connected phone, so you always get the fastest possible route no matter what happens up ahead.
What the TomTom VIA 1525M also delivers is a good range of driving assistance features, including split screen views, lane change advice, lifetime map updates and landmark recognition to help you identify where you need to turn. Speed limits and details of blocked routes are also flagged on a car GPS that covers the US, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Mexico and Canada. There may be slightly better touchscreen tech available, but this saves you money here while keeping plenty of features onboard.
The LTTRBX GPS Navigation is a super affordable option for anyone that still wants a large and clear resolution display but without the price tag you'd expect. As such this gets you a 7-inch touchscreen with 800 x 480 resolution and 500cd brightness for day and night clarity.
The nav comes with maps for the US, Mexico and Canada onboard but others can be loaded if you need. As can updates which help with the latest safety camera information as well as speed limit reminders. The downside here is that you have to email the company to get the new maps or updates sent over. An effort, but that explains the price saving here.
There are over 50 languages onboard so it can read turn-by-turn directions how you need. It will also auto reroute if you go the wrong way or run into issues. Just be warned, at this price it's not as smart as the higher end systems.
The TomTom Go Comfort offers lots of the smart navigation features you'd expect from the company, including 10 million points of interest, but also smartphone connectivity. As such you can get live traffic and map updates over WiFi and via your smartphone, so you're always on the most up to date route which reacts to changes as they happen.
Not so great is that the safety camera alerts are limited to three months as a trial only. But it is nice to pick your price based on the size screen you need with 5-inch and 6-inch models available. Either way this will learn your driving style and make predictions to more quickly and easily navigate you from the get go.
Road Trips by TomTom is another nice addition that lets you plan a route, or pick one already laid out, and have that on your sat nav so you can take a scenic road trip, for example, without having to plan.
The Garmin DriveSmart 65 with Amazon Alexa is crammed full of features in an otherwise minimal looking tiny bezeled and high resolution display. Multitouch controls are responsive while navigation is genuinely smart with live traffic updates and even TripAdvisor ratings for hotels and restaurants along the way. The National Parks directory search is another nice addition here as is the \"real\" directions that say things like \"turn left after the next McDonalds\".
We looked for car navigation devices that gave clear directions with plenty of notice before a turn. We also looked for clear on-screen visuals, updated traffic alerts and a variety of points of interest such as gas stations, hotels, restaurants and stores. We also noted how easy it was to navigate the device interface, along with how easy it was to input an address and start navigating. The best car navigation systems were easy to set up and use, provided helpful instructions, and allowed for extensive smartphone compatibility for enhanced one-touch navigation and entertainment. 781b155fdc