Best SatNav

[Deleted User]

pendulum wrote: »

But have you tried widescreen? I've tried both and a big screen is a real benefit.

I've seen them yes.

espresso

The market leaders are TomTom and Garmin, most of the other makes are not even worth considering.

Personally I think that TomTom has the edge.

TomTom advantages:

The driving view map information is presented more clearly on the screen (see here for typical screenshots) and the status bar is customisable e.g. you can decide how and what information you want displayed on the screen - (the Garmins that I have seen do not allow this):

• How should the status bar be displayed? Horizontal - If you choose this option, the status bar will be shown at the bottom of the Driving view. Vertical - If you choose this option, the status bar will be shown at the right-hand side of the Driving view.
• Remaining time - the estimated time left until you reach your destination.
• Remaining distance - the distance left until you reach your destination.
• Current time
• Arrival time - your estimated arrival time.
• Speed
• Direction
• Show lane guidance
• Show current street name
• Show leeway to arrival time - your ONE/XL shows how late or early you will be compared with the preferred arrival time that is set during the planning of a route.
• Show max speed next to speed - only available when speed (above) is also selected.

Very intuitive, easy to use menu system to plan, store and organise favourite routes and calculate an alternative route if required.

Quick Menu option so that up to six user options can be configured so that they can be accessed very quickly.

TomTom EasyPort mount is very good compared to other makes.

Easy to update maps and add different voices.

Regarding the display size, I have used both and if you can't easily see the info displayed on a standard 3.5" display, you shouldn't be driving or need to visit Specsavers!

pendulum

Deleted_User wrote: »

I've seen them yes.

Big difference between seeing and trying!

espresso

pendulum wrote: »

Big difference between seeing and trying!

Well I have used both! There are far more important features than screen size.

:rolleyes:

Marty_J

espresso wrote: »

The market leaders are TomTom and Garmin, most of the other makes are not even worth considering.

Personally I think that TomTom has the edge.

TomTom advantages:

The driving view map information is presented more clearly on the screen (see here for typical screenshots) and the status bar is customisable e.g. you can decide how and what information you want displayed on the screen - (the Garmins that I have seen do not allow this):

• How should the status bar be displayed? Horizontal - If you choose this option, the status bar will be shown at the bottom of the Driving view. Vertical - If you choose this option, the status bar will be shown at the right-hand side of the Driving view.
• Remaining time - the estimated time left until you reach your destination.
• Remaining distance - the distance left until you reach your destination.
• Current time
• Arrival time - your estimated arrival time.
• Speed
• Direction
• Show lane guidance
• Show current street name
• Show leeway to arrival time - your ONE/XL shows how late or early you will be compared with the preferred arrival time that is set during the planning of a route.
• Show max speed next to speed - only available when speed (above) is also selected.

We preferred the Garmin's map display to the TomTom's; it just shows the importance of trying them out before you buy.

Also, I think Garmins have most of the features listed above.

pendulum

espresso wrote: »

Regarding the display size, I have used both and if you can't easily see the info displayed on a standard 3.5" display, you shouldn't be driving or need to visit Specsavers!

Nobody was saying you couldn't read or use the standard 3.5" model. It's not a question of not being able to read a 3.5" display. It's just a fact that a bigger screen means more useful info can be displayed making the navigation a lot clearer.

espresso wrote: »

Well I have used both! There are far more important features than screen size.

:rolleyes:

We're basically comparing the same (excellent) sat nav here, so they have the same features, except that one has the benefit of a bigger screen.

Edit: Forgot to say, :rolleyes: yourself, berk!

espresso

Marty_J wrote: »

Also, I think Garmins have most of the features listed above.

But can you decide what information is displayed on the screen?

Marty_J

espresso wrote: »

But can you decide what information is displayed on the screen?

Not as far as I'm aware; if you're satisfied with the information on the screen though (as we are), it's rather a moot point.

Don't get me wrong, it's a nice feature, but it wouldn't personally sway me to choose one over the other.

As I say above: try before you buy.

espresso

scotsbob wrote: »

If you don't get widescreen, you will wish you had.

Simply not true. No more information is presented on a widescreen.

pendulum wrote: »

We're basically comparing the same (excellent) sat nav here, so they have the same features, except that one has the benefit of a bigger screen.

No the OP may go for a widescreen Binatone, Navigon etc. crap rather than a standard screen size TomTom or Garmin.

pendulum wrote: »

Edit: Forgot to say, :rolleyes: yourself, berk!

Grow up!

4743hudsonj

Garmin wins in the low and high price margins, TomTom in thee mid price range.

You are aiming for the low band so go with Garmin.

They have had nearly 20 years making GPS systems for marine use, TomTom had its first product just 5 years ago.

My company used to sell both but we dropped TomTom after we realised Garmin had the edge (BTW this is multi million £ stuff not a local shop.)

One thing you should do however, is avoid Halfords.