Garmin nuvi 880

Discontinued

Reviewed

July 2009

Pros

Entirely voice-controllable
Excellent navigation
Easy to use
Price has plummeted

Cons

Still expensive
Runs slightly slower than newer nuvi GPS
Traffic alerts cost extra

Where to Buy

for $799.99

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Experts are impressed with the first GPS line you can command entirely with your voice: the Garmin nuvi 880 and its version without Bluetooth and built-in MSN Direct, the Garmin nuvi 850. Consumers find that the nuvi 880 really does recognize their spoken commands, unlike the Magellan and TomTom models that attempt this feature. Experts say voice commands are extremely convenient while driving, and the feature costs far less now than it did when Garmin introduced it in mid-2008. Reviewers criticize the nuvi 880 for not solving the nuvi 700 series' recurring problems: The nuvi 880's speakers are no louder than the 700 series', for example, and the FM transmitter (which allows users to route the unit's audio through their car stereos) still doesn't work all that well.

The GPS enthusiast sites GPSMagazine.com and GPSTracklog.com, along with tech sites PCMag.com and CNET, have thoroughly tested every aspect of the nuvi 880, presenting the results in detail. ConsumerReports.org's tests are just as thorough, but only subscribers can read the reports. Amazon.com encourages consumers to post their experiences with the nuvi 880.

Where To Buy

Garmin nuvi 880 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator
(82 reviews) Buy new: $799.99 2 Used from $134.95

Our Sources

1. GPSMagazine.com

This online magazine tests every feature of the Garmin nuvi 880, illustrating the review with screen shots, photos and a lengthy video of the nuvi 880 in action. Reviewer Fletcher Previn pits the nuvi 880 against the Magellan Maestro 4250 and TomTom Go 720 in three routing tests; the Garmin nuvi 880 wins all three.

Review: Garmin Nuvi 880 Review, Fletcher Previn, May 22, 2008

2. GPS Tracklog

GPS blogger Rich Owings found the Garmin nuvi 880 "the best GPS on the market" at the time of this test. Owings is particularly impressed by the nuvi 880's ability to follow voice commands.

Review: Garmin Nuvi 880 Review, Rich Owings, June 16, 2008

3. PCMag.com Details/Subscribe

This review includes pricing information, concise pros and cons, and a list of specs, as well as Craig Ellison's take on the nuvi 880's speech-recognition feature. He recommends the nuvi 880 over its close competitors, the Magellan Maestro 4250 and TomTom Go 920.

Review: Garmin Nuvi 880, Craig Ellison, April 24, 2008

4. CNET

The Garmin nuvi 880 was an Editors' Choice and a Gift Pick at the time of this CNET test. This written review provides detailed test results, or readers can click on the accompanying video review for a quick summary.

Review: Garmin Nuvi 880, Bonnie Cha, June 30, 2008

5. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe

ConsumerReports.org includes the Garmin nuvi 880 in its test of dozens of auto GPS units. The models are scored in nine different categories and ranked from best to worst. Each model also gets a brief individual review.

Review: Garmin Nuvi 880, Editors of ConsumerReports.org

6. Amazon.com

About 80 users had posted reviews here for the Garmin nuvi 880 when we checked, awarding it an average of four stars (out of five). Taken together, the reviews here paint a fairly clear picture of how the nuvi 880 will perform in real life.

Review: Garmin Nuvi 880, Contributors to Amazon.com

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