Garmin nuvi 765T

Experts say the Garmin nuvi 765T represents a useful step up from budget GPS units, including the well-liked Garmin nuvi 265T (*Est. $180). Both units choose the same routes, speak street names and include free traffic alerts for the life of the unit. But the nuvi 765T adds advanced features that reviews say can make it easier to navigate, including lane assist (which tells you which lane to be in at major freeway interchanges), 3-D building view and the ability to sort several destinations into one efficient route. You can also save 10 of your favorite routes, and if you carry your nuvi 765T with you, you can use it to find your parked car. The nuvi 765T also includes extras that have nothing to do with navigation, including an MP3/audio book player, and an FM transmitter that allows you to route the unit's sound through your car stereo. However, both experts and users say Garmin's FM transmitters never work very well. One expert also says the nuvi 765T's speaker is way too quiet to handle Bluetooth hands-free phone calls, although several users have no problems. The Garmin nuvi 755T (*Est. $305) drops Bluetooth and costs less.

GPSMagazine.com offers the best expert review of the Garmin nuvi 765T, testing every aspect of the unit and presenting the results in a detailed, well-illustrated write-up. Tests at ConsumerReports.org and the U.K.'s Which? magazine are just as expert and thorough, but only subscribers can read the reports. Two reliable sources, GPSLodge.com and GPSTracklog.com, base their recommendations of the Garmin nuvi 765T on tests of similar Garmin nuvi models. Users at Amazon.com describe their own experiences with the Garmin nuvi 765T.