Motorola MotoNav TN765T

The Motorola MotoNav TN765t offers many of the same features as the top-rated Garmin nuvi 1690 (*Est. $320) -- including an Internet link with Google local search and streaming traffic -- but unlike the Garmin, the Motorola understands voice commands. The Motorola also seriously undercuts the Garmin's price, at least at first. The Garmin includes two free years of its Internet-connected services and charges $60 per year thereafter; the Motorola offers three free months and charges $50 per year thereafter. The big differences with the Motorola are its squat, wide, matte screen -- which some reviewers find less obtrusive on the windshield and less prone to glare than a Garmin screen -- and its unique interface, which combines the maps and menu buttons on one screen (rather than having a separate menu screen, like Garmin). Some owners and experts find the Motorola's interface more elegant and easy to use, while others say it takes too many clicks to do common tasks.

In many ways, the Garmin nuvi 1690 and Motorola MotoNav TN765t get remarkably similar feedback. Traffic information is accurate and timely in some tests and some owners' areas, but not in others. The pop-up ads (the side effect of all free traffic systems) bug some reviewers, but not others. Both units draw some complaints of poor satellite lock and routing -- a complaint we didn't find with older, simpler Garmin units like the Garmin nuvi 255W (Discontinued).

GPSTracklog.com and CNET both conduct comprehensive tests and write full reviews of the Motorola MotoNav TN765t. ConsumerReports.org's review barely describes the unit, but its testing is just as thorough, and it ranks the Motorola against many competitors. Amazon.com posts a large number of user reviews for this unit.