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Auto GPS: Ratings of Sources
Total of 28 Sources

For an explanation of how we rank reviews, see our ratings criteria page.

1. GPSMagazine.com
As of Nov. 2008
GPS Buyer's Guide
by Editors of GPSMagazine.com
Our Assessment

This e-zine publishes a plethora of incredibly comprehensive reviews. Every feature is tested, and reviews conclude with long lists of pros and cons. The reviews are lavishly illustrated with photographs, screen shots and additional documentation. Testing methodology is fully explained. This handy, Consumer Reports-style chart ranks GPS units according to their performance in GPSMagazine's tests. Links lead to each unit's full expert review and verdicts range from wonderful to useless. By a wide margin, this is the best review source for auto GPS we found. Garmin nüvi GPS completely dominate.

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2. ConsumerReports.org
As of Nov. 2008
GPS Ratings
by Editors of Consumer Reports
Our Assessment

Consumer Reports buys products anonymously to ensure unbiased, objective tests. Editors rate and rank 48 portable GPS navigation systems in the most recent update, with results summarized in a detailed ratings chart. A one-page summary for each model includes pros, cons and user ratings, though discussion itself isn't especially detailed. Most TomTom and Garmin GPS units are tested, with a smattering from other brands.

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3. GPS Tracklog
Updated Nov. 6, 2008
Auto GPS buyers guide
by Rich Owings
Our Assessment

This unusual blog site is operated by Rich Owings, who posts all known information about most major-brand GPS devices, personally reviews some of them and links to reviews and ratings by others. Site users add opinions and occasionally contribute reviews. A buyer's guide lists Owings' picks in budget, mid-range and high-end auto GPS. Several Garmin GPS are recommended, along with the TomTom Go 730.

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4. PCMag.com
As of Nov. 2008
GPS Navigation
by Craig Ellison
Our Assessment

Craig Ellison regularly reviews new GPS units for PC Magazine, identifying each product's place in the market and assigning an overall rating. Reviews are easy to read, even though they aren't as exhaustively detailed as those at dedicated GPS-review websites. Still, the quality of the reviews is consistent, and the ratings help narrow the field for readers. Lists of pros and cons are also helpful, but some would only matter to a small percentage of users. Several models are identified as an Editors' Choice, but some of those are older models.

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5. GPSLodge.com
As of Nov. 2008
GPS Reviews
by Scott Martin
Our Assessment

GPSLodge.com identifies itself as a weblog that is dedicated to news and reviews on GPS navigation systems. This site has many original reviews and also links to other reviews on the Internet. Site owner Scott Martin reviews inexpensive, entry-level products as well as those with bigger screens and added features. Although he does not rank GPS units or provide numeric ratings, Martin gives clear buying advice in his reviews. He also makes specific recommendations in each price category in his holiday gift guides.

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6. Laptop Magazine
As of Nov. 2008
GPS
by Troy Dreier
Our Assessment Laptop magazine has published reviews of 24 auto GPS models so far in 2008 (as of our last visit). Reviews are critical, with a clear verdict about each model. Laptop isn't shy about pointing out poor performers, but some of its "Editor's Choice" picks are outdated.
7. PC World
Nov. 13, 2008
Top 5 GPS Devices
by Liane Cassavoy and editors
Our Assessment

PC World's reviews of auto GPS offer clear buying advice, but editors don't test as many units as other publications. This page lists editors' top GPS picks, ranked according to their overall scores. Subscores (usability, features, etc.) are presented for each unit along with a brief written review and a succinct list of pros and cons. Topping the list is the Magellan Maestro 4350, followed by the TomTom GO 930 and the Navigon 2200T.

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8. About.com
As of November 2008
About.com: GPS
by Fred Zahradnik
Our Assessment

Fred Zahradnik, About.com's Guide to GPS, has reviewed a dozen auto GPS models. He awards eight of them four or 4.5 stars out of five. Each lengthy review includes notes on features, pros and cons, and details of some performance testing. Zahradnik seems sensitive to issues sometimes missed in other reviews, such as whether the screen is hard to read in bright sunlight. (Note that About.com and ConsumerSearch are owned by the same parent company, but they are not affiliated editorially.)

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9. Money
May 2, 2008
GPS that puts you in the fast lane
by Charles Passy
Our Assessment

Money magazine road-tests five GPS models from five different manufacturers. Reviewer Charles Passy lists each model's key features and price, briefly outlines how effective and easy to use each was in the road test, and assigns each unit a letter grade. The top finisher is the Garmin nüvi 780, followed closely by the Magellan Maestro 4250. The review is comparative and balanced, but it provides far fewer details and discussion than those we rate higher.

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10. GPSReview.net
As of Nov. 2008
Recent Reviews
by Tim Flight and contributors to GPSReview.net
Our Assessment Reviews here are detailed, but only one new review has been added since April -- for the TeleNav Shotgun. This site does not rank the units it reviews, but it praises both the Shotgun and the TomTom ONE 130S.
11. CNet.com
Nov. 7, 2008
Best 5 GPS Systems
by Bonnie Cha
Our Assessment

CNet.com.com regularly reviews new auto GPS units. Only a few reviews are comparative, but CNet.com rates units and ranks the top choices in this list. The reviews devote more attention to features than performance. Testing is typically limited to a couple of test drives around San Francisco. However, CNet.com's reviews are critical, often recommending good alternatives to poor-performing auto GPS units. The Garmin nüvi 880 tops the list, which also highlights the HP iPAQ rx5900, Magellan Maestro 4250, Mio C520 and TomTom GP 930.

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12. Choice magazine
Sept. 2008
GPS: Car navigation reviews
by Editors of Choice.com.au
Our Assessment Choice, an Australian consumer-testing organization, is similar to Consumer Reports: It doesn't accept freebies to test, and it accepts no advertising. Choice tests 14 auto GPS systems in and around Sydney, through tunnels, tolls, city and country roads, assessing the units' accuracy and usability. All but one of the recommended models are available in the U.S.
13. Consumer magazine
Apr. 7, 2008
Car GPS
by Editors of Consumer
Our Assessment

Consumer is New Zealand's answer to Consumer Reports. It tests six GPS units, and the results are amusing to read -- especially testers' reactions to the annoying two last-place models, which aren't available in the United States. The review outlines both good and bad points about the two recommended models, the Navman s30 and the Garmin nüvi 250 (the nüvi 250 is available in the U.S.). The review also includes full profiles of each unit and a ratings chart, with numeric scores for navigation, ease of use, safety features and overall.

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14. TrustedReviews.com
As of Nov. 2008
Mobile Devices
by Editors of TrustedReviews.com
Our Assessment

This English website provides overly generous ratings in some product categories, but its GPS reviews and ratings are well balanced. Jonathan Bray drives many miles in England and France to test units, and he reports how successful each auto GPS is in providing timely, accurate directions. The only disadvantage to the reviews here is that not all products are sold in the U.S., and maps and navigation are obviously different in Europe. The TomTom GO 720 scores a perfect ten and gets the "Editor's Choice" award, followed closely by the TomTom GO 930 Traffic. Also recommended are several U.K. and Australian models.

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The Best GPS for $300 or Less
by Bob Frick
Our Assessment Kiplinger senior editor Bob Frick doesn't appear to have tested all of the GPS models mentioned in this roundup himself, but he does ask specialist sites -- GPS Lodge, GPS Magazine and GPSInformation.net -- for helpful advice on extra features and whether they're worth the extra cost.
16. Register Hardware.co.uk
Nov. 23, 2007
Sat Navs
by James Sherwood
Our Assessment Register Hardware publishes its own reviews of "sat navs," as GPS devices are known in the U.K., but the "Top Five" picks in this roundup come from a retailer. Only one, the TomTom ONE XL, is available in the U.S.
17. Lordpercy.com
As of Nov. 2008
GPS Navigation System Reviews
by "Lord Percy"
Our Assessment

Lordpercy.com is an English gadget review site where the reviews are idiosyncratic to the point that readers will likely find them either charming or time-wasting. Site owner "Lord Percy" details his experience with each GPS device. The editor notes in various reviews that new products aren't necessarily getting better. Instead, manufacturers are adding features that many people will not use. Few of the GPS models covered here are available in the U.S., and several of the reviews are outdated.

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18. YourNAV.com
As of Nov. 2008
Reviews
by Editors of YourNAV.com
Our Assessment

YourNAV.com is a British enthusiast website dedicated to personal navigation devices. For a specialty site, it does not offer many reviews. Reviews are not easy to read -- they are a bit technical, poorly organized and not focused enough on performance. However, objectivity is terrific, and editors painstakingly cover nitpicky considerations, each of which may be a make-or-break issue for some percentage of consumers. Reviews conclude with lists of pros and cons, but ratings are limited to thumbs-up, thumbs-down and in between. Of auto GPS models that have rated a thumbs-up within the past year, only one -- the TomTom GO 920T - is available in the U.S.

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19. GPSInformation.net
As of Nov. 2008
Auto GPS Reviews
by Joe Mehaffey, Jack Yeazel, Sam Penrod and Allory Deiss
Our Assessment

Owned by retired engineers who operate it as a hobby, GPSInformation.net is a good source for detailed reviews of handheld GPS, auto GPS and GPS software. It really does deliver what the name says -- basically all of the information you would ever want about the GPS models it covers, with tons of photos of each unit, what comes in the box, screenshots and a rundown of every physical and technical feature. However, the site layout makes reviews difficult to find, and the site operators haven't reviewed many auto GPS units in recent months.

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20. Business Week
As of Nov. 2008
Navigation Devices
by Editors of BusinessWeek
Our Assessment BusinessWeek's technology testers have rated 17 navigation devices, including cell phone GPS, car GPS and handheld GPS models. The one-page narrative reviews provide good insight into the models' pros, cons and overall performance, although the models are not directly ranked against one another. However, the site's top-ranked auto GPS units are all outdated models.
21. Pocket-Lint.co.uk
As of Nov. 2008
Car and GPS
by Editors of Pocket-lint.co.uk
Our Assessment Pocket-lint.co.uk is a British gadget news and reviews site. The auto GPS reviews are good and include some product comparison, but all the ratings are high, making distinctions difficult. Site navigation is also a nuisance, since GPS systems are mixed with other automotive products, most notably cars. None of the recently reviewed models are available in the U.S.
22. PocketGPSWorld.com
As of Nov. 2008
GPS Hardware/Personal Navigation Devices Menu
by Editors of PocketGPSWorld.com
Our Assessment This U.K. site has detailed reviews, but auto GPS units are neither rated nor ranked, and the reviews don't adequately distinguish between products. The unit that gets the most praise, the TomTom GO 920T, is one of the few recently reviewed models that are available in the U.S.
23. Wired Magazine
As of Nov. 2008
Gadget Lab: GPS
by Editors of Wired Blog Network
Our Assessment Wired magazine's blog unit reviews all kinds of gadgets, and occasionally GPS units. None of the auto GPS devices tested recently have impressed the reviewers, including the Mio Knight Rider and the V7 NAV730.
24. Amazon.com
As of Nov. 2008
Vehicle GPS Units
by Contributors to Amazon.com
Our Assessment

Amazon.com sells all the major brands of auto GPS units and encourages customers to submit ratings of products they've used. Garmin auto GPS units dominate Amazon's bestseller list, and they earn the highest average ratings. The reviews don't offer the depth of those written by professional reviewers, but this is a good place to learn how auto GPS units work in everyday use. Navigation is easy, but discontinued products remain listed.

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25. NewEgg.com
As of Nov. 2008
GPS Navigation
by Contributors to Newegg.com
Our Assessment Newegg.com also encourages users to post reviews, but it doesn't attract as many consumer ratings as Amazon.com. One advantage over Amazon.com is that Newegg asks reviewers to rank their level of technical knowledge.
26. InfosyncWorld.com
Mar. 10, 2008
Review: Navigon 7100 GPS navigator
by Matthew Ruiz
Our Assessment Infosyncworld is a prolific reviewer of mobile devices, but it has fully tested only one recent auto GPS: the Navigon 7100. The road test is balanced and thorough. Reviewer Matthew Ruiz rates the unit on its design, interface, directions and hardware, and he gives examples of how the Navigon 7100 performed on each measure during the test.
27. Technical-Itch.co.uk
As of Nov. 2008
Sat Nav Reviews
by "Dean"
Our Assessment British blogger Dean regularly reviews GPS units (called sat-nav units in England). The reviews are critical and well illustrated with photos and screen shots. However, products aren't rated or ranked, which makes it hard for readers to see which auto GPS unit is considered best.
28. ConsumerGuide.com
As of Nov. 2008
GPS Devices Reviews and Prices
by Editors of ConsumerGuide.com
Our Assessment Consumer Guide occasionally reviews auto GPS units. The reviews are short, noncomparative and unduly favorable. Editors assign each unit an overall rating and subcategory ratings, but they do not reference any product testing. Several of the "Best Buy" models are outdated. Overall, reviews here do not demonstrate enough expertise or distinctions to provide meaningful consumer guidance.

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