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Auto GPSYou are here: Automotive >> Auto GPSUpdated June 2008How GPS worksGPS (Global Positioning System) is a navigation technology that provides precise time and location data by using 24 NAVSTAR (Navigation Satellite Timing and Ranging) satellites. Each satellite completes one orbit of the Earth every 12 hours. They are positioned at an altitude that allows them to cover the same ground once every 24 hours (minus four minutes). Each satellite carries an extremely accurate atomic clock and transmits both its position and a time signal, which can be picked up by a GPS receiver. Since a GPS unit can receive data from multiple satellites, and since each satellite provides information that is appropriate to its own location and distance, the GPS unit performs the necessary calculations and arrives at a position fix accurate to within about 50 feet. Many factors can have an impact on accuracy, including atmospheric conditions, buildings, tunnels and heavy foliage. However, reviewers say that the latest SiRFstar III-based receivers greatly minimize those issues. Handheld GPS vs. Auto GPSGPS receivers for the outdoor adventure market and for the automotive market are two different animals, although both can do double duty. Outdoors-oriented GPS receivers are made to resist the elements -- most are rubberized and water resistant. Handheld GPS units are also meant to be lightweight and easy to hold with one hand. They have smaller screens than auto GPS receivers do, and the screen isn't always in color. Handheld GPS receivers also emphasize the importance of substantial battery life. Auto GPS receivers are portable, but you wouldn't want to take them camping. They aren't water resistant, and because of the large screen, they are much heavier than a handheld GPS (although the average weight is still less than half a pound). The big screen also saps battery life. Most auto GPS receivers can plug into a cigarette lighter. Auto GPS units come with highway maps and give audio directions. Handheld models sometimes only come with the most basic maps, and some don't come with maps at all. Auto GPS receivers also come with a windshield or dash mount, while most handheld GPS units don't. (Note that mounting on windshields isn't legal in all states.) Reviewers note that portability is a big deal, because GPS units mounted on dashboards or windshields are enticing to thieves. Another option for in-car navigation is using a Bluetooth GPS accessory with a laptop or PDA. Some PDAs come with an integrated GPS antenna, while others can accept an accessory receiver. Laptops have a larger screen than an auto GPS, and they have lots of hard-drive storage for maps, but they aren't easily installed in your car, and work best if you have either a copilot or software that gives audible directions. Otherwise, they are unsafe to use. Experts say that aftermarket GPS units are better and cheaper than those that can be factory installed in new cars. The factory-installed units can't be updated and can only be used in one car. However, factory-installed GPS units do have two advantages: They offer a clean, integrated installation, and they are much more difficult to steal than aftermarket auto GPS units. This report covers aftermarket units; the factory-installed units are rarely reviewed. Best auto GPS receiversEven before the new Garmin nüvi 880 (*est. $1,000) officially hit the market, professional reviewers weighed in -- mostly with high praise. For example, GPSMagazine dubbed it "the best GPS you can buy." The big innovation here is that the expensive nüvi 880 is the first GPS you can completely command with your voice. Other GPS models have tried voice commands, but reviewers say their technology didn't work very well. For example, the TomTom GO 920 (*est. $335) has a limited vocabulary, meaning that while users can speak the city and street address, they must finish commanding the unit by hand. Not so with the Garmin nüvi 880. "Virtually every GPS function can be performed using your voice," GPSMagazine's road-testers say. The Magellan Maestro 4250 (*est. $305) is down-rated by testers who find the unit constantly thinks it is being spoken to. The nüvi 880 gets around that problem by a remote control mounted to the steering wheel: You press a button when you want to talk specifically to the nüvi 880 auto GPS. Besides the "wow" factor, reviewers say the Garmin nüvi 880's full speech recognition is a giant leap forward in safety -- although auto GPS units warn users not to type commands while driving, some do it anyway. "Frankly, I'm hooked," PC Magazine's Craig Ellison says. "This is the GPS device I want on my windshield." The major negative, reviewers note, is that the Garmin nüvi 880 costs more than twice as much as most other top-of-the-line auto GPS units. If you'd like to save nearly $500, the Garmin nüvi 780 (*est. $520) is almost exactly the same unit without speech recognition, GPSMagazine points out. Like the nüvi 880, the nüvi 780 auto GPS comes with three free months of MSN Direct traffic-alert service. The service is available in 130 metropolitan areas in the U.S. and Canada. In addition to traffic alerts and rerouting, MSN Direct service transmits current local gas prices, weather conditions, alerts and forecasts along with local movie show times, stock quotes and news headlines. After the first three months, MSN Direct costs $49.95 a year or $129.95 for a lifetime subscription. If you don't need MSN Direct, the less expensive Garmin nüvi 760 (*est. $425) is otherwise identical to the nüvi 780. This is the GPS preferred by more of the top reviewers we surveyed for this update than any other. Before the new Garmin nüvi 880 came along, GPSMagazine.com called the nüvi 760 "the best nüvi yet." For some testers, it's the gold standard: When PC Magazine reviewer Craig Ellison wanted to see whether the new TomTom GO 920 did a good job navigating, he ran it head-to-head against the nüvi 760. Reviewers say the Garmin nüvi 760 includes all of the features you'd expect in its class. It converts text to speech, so instead of just telling you to "Turn right in 100 feet," it says, "Turn right on Elm Street in 100 feet." You can enter multiple destinations -- day care, dry cleaners, Chinese takeout -- and the Garmin nüvi 760 will pick the best route to catch them all. If you particularly like certain routes, you can save up to ten of them. A "Where Am I?" feature quickly tells you the closest hospital, police and gas station, along with the nearest address and intersection. The nüvi 760 also automatically remembers where you park your car, so if you remove the nüvi 760 from its mount and carry it with you in your pocket, you can use it to navigate back to your parking spot. These features earn particular praise from GPSLodge's Scott Martin and from Fred Zahradnik, About.com's guide to GPS. To avoid traffic tie-ups, the Garmin nüvi 760 comes with an FM traffic receiver and a three-month trial (a full subscription costs extra). In areas where service is available, the nüvi 760 alerts you to traffic delays and road construction and routes you around them. The nüvi 760 also pairs with Bluetooth phones, allowing you to talk hands-free. And, "unlike some other Bluetooth-enabled GPS systems, such as the Magellan Maestro 4040, I was able to pair the Nüvi 760 to the phone on the first attempt," notes PC World reviewer James A. Martin. Martin tests the nüvi 760 auto GPS in Toronto, San Francisco and along the California coast. Unlike most other reviewers, he doesn't always find the nüvi 760's directions reliable. It "sometimes had me taking three or four streets when only one was needed," he writes, and at one point, it directed him onto a highway that any local would avoid because of its chronic congestion. Still, in his pre-nüvi 880 review, Martin concludes that the nüvi 760 is "as good as it gets" among portable auto GPS. Reviewers still often recommend earlier Garmin nüvi units, saying they navigate just as well as the more expensive auto GPS models -- without all the extra features. The Garmin nüvi 750 (*est. $375) is just like the nüvi 760, only without Bluetooth. The Garmin nüvi 660 (*est. $345) is like the nüvi 760, only without multi-point routing. After Garmin, the two biggest GPS players on the U.S. market are Magellan and TomTom. The best-rated Magellan auto GPS is the Magellan Maestro 4250 (*est. $305) . Reviewers say it navigates well, but it's not quite as good as a Garmin -- although the Magellan is a little cheaper. In a head-to-head test at Money magazine, the Magellan Maestro 4250 places just behind the Garmin nüvi 780, mostly because the tester finds the Magellan isn't as easy to use as the Garmin. In a head-to-head test at GPSMagazine.com, the Magellan Maestro 4250 comes in second -- albeit an admirable second -- to the Garmin nüvi 880 on three separate routing tests. Not everyone is completely pleased. At PC World, testers pit the Magellan Maestro 4250 against the similar V7 NAV740 (*est. $225) . Like other reviewers, PC World's Tracey Capen is disappointed in the 4250's voice-command feature. She concludes that the Magellan is a safer bet than the V7 model, mainly because Magellan is an established brand. Scott Martin of GPSLodge.com leaves Magellan entirely out of his most recent holiday gift guide. "I am not happy with their interface these days," Martin writes. "Features are compelling, but the interface is a drag on what could be a great product. Sorry Magellan, maybe next year." Among TomTom GPS auto systems, the best-rated model is the TomTom GO 720 (*est. $340) . Laptop magazine calls the TomTom GO 720 "feature-rich" and "easy to use." Scott Martin of GPSLodge.com includes it as one of his top picks for high-end GPS. The TomTom GO 720 also makes CNet.com's "Best 5 GPS" list, along with the Magellan Maestro 4250 auto GPS. However, in the GPSMagazine.com head-to-head routing tests mentioned above, the TomTom GO 720 consistently finishes last, behind the Garmin nüvi 880 and Magellan Maestro 4250. "The Maestro is a better GPS than the similarly priced TomTom GO 720," GPSMagazine.com states. The newer TomTom GO 920 (*est. $335) adds voice commands, but testers say the unit understands only a few commands. In a head-to-head test at PC Magazine, the TomTom GO 920 does a good job navigating, although its directions are not as detailed and frequent as the Garmin nüvi 760's. Still, PC Magazine reviewer Craig Ellison concludes that the TomTom GO 920 is "a much better value than the already pretty terrific [TomTom GO] 720." If you are looking for a GPS system to use outside of the United States, the TomTom GO 720 really shines in tests in Britain and Australia, where TomTom is king of the GPS market. The TomTom GO 720 is the top ranked GPS in tests at Choice, Australia's version of Consumer Reports. Jonathan Bray of the UK's Trusted Reviews calls the TomTom GO 720 "the ultimate in satellite navigation." Budget auto GPS unitsAuto GPS receivers are expensive, but prices have been dropping rapidly -- at least 30 percent in the last year. Some of that is the result of new manufacturers offering less expensive entry-level car GPS units. None of those fare particularly well in reviews, but they do have the effect of dragging down prices as more established manufacturers are forced to compete. In the current market, nothing over $300 can be considered budget, and entry-level-yet-capable auto GPS systems can be had for less than $200. The Garmin nüvi 350 (*est. $230) was once considered the best car GPS system available. It is an older unit now, and so its price has come down, but it still gets as many nods from reviewers as the top-rated Garmin nüvi 760. In an article in Kiplinger's Personal Finance, GPSMagazine.com's Fletcher Previn is quoted as saying that within a GPS manufacturer's product lineup "the $200 model will choose the same route as the $1,000 model." Reviews say navigation on the nüvi 350's 3.5-inch touchscreen is easy and intuitive. The 2-gigabyte flash memory leaves a full gigabyte available for the user to add photos, audio books or MP3 files, and you can listen to music or a book while navigating. CNet.com's review notes the Garmin's "massive" database of points of interest. You can plan multi-leg trips, along with a wide variety of other trip planning. The nüvi 350 includes text-to-speech capability, so audio directions include actual street names instead of merely "turn left." That is the most important feature, and one that distinguishes it from the less-expensive TomTom ONE 3rd Edition (*est. $145) . No other GPS in the $150 price range earns as much praise from reviewers as the TomTom ONE 3rd Edition. It performs admirably in tests, earning recommendations from top reviewers such as GPSLodge.com. The TomTom ONE XL (*est. $195) doesn't earn as many nods from reviewers, however. With a 4.3-inch display and higher price, the TomTom ONE XL literally and figuratively requires deeper pockets. Most reviewers agree that the super-sized version of the TomTom ONE isn't as good as its smaller sibling. Most reviewers prefer the portability of the basic TomTom ONE 3rd Edition to the bigger display on the TomTom ONE XL. They note that the TomTom ONE XL lacks text-to-speech capability, which becomes a more glaring omission at its higher price point. The Garmin nüvi 200 (*est. $160) is the base model in the nüvi auto GPS line. It gets some consideration in reviews, but the older nüvi 350 has many advantages. Those include text-to-speech, longer battery life, MP3 playback and FM TMC (Traffic Message Channel) compatibility. Mio, the fourth-biggest GPS brand in the U.S., tends to make budget units packed with features that rival the big companies' more expensive models. The Mio DigiWalker C520 (*est. $270) is priced at the top of the budget range, but it is also one of the best-rated budget units. It offers a wide screen, text-to-speech and Bluetooth. Australia's consumer testing organization, Choice, rates the Mio C520 just behind the top-rated model there, the TomTom GO 720. U.S. reviewers find the Mio DigiWalker C520 isn't as easy for newbies to use as other auto GPS units, notably the Garmin nüvi models. Even CNet.com, which rates the Mio DigiWalker C520 as a "Best 5 GPS," notes that "If navigation and usability is of the utmost importance to you, and you can find a good deal on the Garmin nüvi, you'd be better served by that device instead." Best traffic GPSWhile various Garmin models dominate the reviews, one upstart company has developed a GPS that experts say the big brands will soon be scrambling to copy. The Dash Express (*est. $400) is the first GPS to do two things: It allows users to surf the Internet, and it collects "hive mind" traffic data from other Dash Express units on the road. Those attributes put the Dash Express auto GPS in a class by itself. "Dash has created exactly what they set out to -- the ultimate commuter GPS," writes Rich Owings of GPSTracklog.com. GPSReview.net concurs, "if you are a hard-core commuter who keeps the radio tuned to stations with frequent traffic updates, the Dash Express is your dream GPS." Ordinarily, GPS units get their traffic information from a third-party provider, which in turn cobbles the data together from traffic sensors, news outlets and other sources, explains Bob Frick of Kiplinger's Personal Finance. That works -- if you have a long commute on a well-covered stretch of road, Frick writes, based on advice from Fletcher Previn of GPSMagazine.com. Otherwise, Frick says, the standard GPS traffic feature "is a work in progress you may want to skip for now." The Dash Express gets the ordinary third-party traffic information, but it also constantly collects data from every other Dash GPS unit on the road (through its built-in Wi-Fi and cellular connections) and shares that information instantly with other Dash units. Testers from The Wall Street Journal, Orlando Sentinel and BusinessWeek find the Dash Express really does work, with the even small roads showing up on their screens as green (clear), yellow (congested) or red (jammed) based on the traffic other recent Dash-equipped cars have encountered. Dash Express just hit the market in March of 2008. Arik Hesseldahl of BusinessWeek says that because of that, one might think there would be too few Dash users to generate much traffic data yet, but that's not what he found in his test. "I saw solid lines all over the New York area, all the way out to eastern Long Island, and as far west as the New Jersey-Pennsylvania border, meaning other drivers with Dash units had driven there recently," Hesseldahl writes. Dash Express also gives users the power of the Internet to search for addresses. "Rather than just having pre-loaded points of interest, the Dash Express is connected to Yahoo's Local search, which provides limitless options," writes Etan Horowitz of the Orlando Sentinel. "You can type in the name of a business, the type of place you are looking for (‘ice cream,' ‘vet,' etc.) or even the name of a product to find nearby stores that carry it." Users can also look up gas prices, movie times or Yahoo! user reviews for a business, Horowitz says. Reviewers also like that Dash Express GPS updates itself automatically and for free, via its Internet connection. Users can send routes and other information from their computers to their Dash unit wirelessly, instead of having to physically hook the GPS to the computer with a USB cable like other GPS units on the market. Reviewers did find one major drawback to the Dash: It doesn't navigate as well as the best GPS models. "The device often took so long to pinpoint my location that I sometimes found myself at an intersection waiting for the Dash to locate me, recalculate my route and tell me where to go," Horowitz writes. During a test at GPSReview.net, the Dash Express concocted a 6-hour zigzag route for what is normally a 2-hour drive. That was an exception to Dash's usually good routing, the tester writes. "It just seems that when it misses … it really misses." The Dash Express is also not as portable as other units. At 13.3 ounces, the Dash Express is more than twice as heavy as most other auto GPS models. With three antennae built into its body, the Dash Express is also bulkier than those other slimline, shirt-pocket units. PDA-GPS combosIf you already own a Bluetooth-enabled Palm or Pocket PC PDA, you can turn your PDA into an auto GPS with a Bluetooth GPS plug-in. These are compact and lightweight. Since screens on PDAs are larger than those on handheld GPS receivers, they are more adaptable for use in a car, and some PDAs have screens that are as large as those in auto GPS units. You can also choose a PDA that has built-in GPS. These models don't usually come with accessories like a cigarette-lighter power adapter or a windshield mount, so count on paying extra for those items. The HP iPAQ rx5900 Travel Companion (*est. $380) is marketed to people who want one portable device instead of three or more. It uses TomTom's software, which is highly regarded by reviewers. It has an integrated SiRFstar III GPS receiver with an omnidirectional GPS antenna. The unit runs Windows Mobile 5.0 and mobile versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Windows Media Player, Internet Explorer and additional HP software. The iPAQ rx5900 comes with a car dock and car charger, and it has integrated 802.11b/g wireless networking, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The core hardware includes a 400MHz processor, 64MB of RAM and a 3.5-inch antiglare touchscreen. Pocket-lint.co.uk and CNet.com.com both give the iPAQ rx5900 very favorable reviews. The one criticism expressed by both is short battery life. CNet.com tester Bonnie Cha also finds the iPAQ rx5900's extra features make its processor run slowly, and it takes a long time to fix its initial position. Pocket-lint.co.uk's tester doesn't report either of those complaints in UK testing, adding that the iPAQ rx5900 is the first hybrid PDA/GPS unit "that really works." Note that because of HP's practice of using model numbers to track sales of their products by channel, you'll typically see the iPAQ rx5900 identified as the iPAQ rx5915 in brick-and-mortar and online stores. Note that the current version of the Windows Mobile operating system is Windows Mobile 6.1, and the HP iPAQ rx5900/rx5915 is not upgradeable according to reports we've seen. However, reviews say that the while the more current operating system offers some nice improvements over Windows Mobile 5.0, the changes are far from earth-shattering. These PDA/GPS units -- and a host of other Windows mobile 5.0 products -- remain current for the present. The iPAQ rx5900 is an older model, issued in late 2006. HP released its new iPAQ 310 (*est. $275) in late 2007. Unlike the iPAQ rx5900, the iPAQ 310 doesn't have Wi-Fi. However, it does have a larger 4.3-inch display, twice as much RAM (128 MB) and a custom user interface developed by HP, along with the Windows CE 5.0 mobile operating system. Additional features include text-to-speech, 3D maps and zoom capability. It includes a 2GB SD card slot and a mini-USB connector. You can also download trip plans. Laptop magazine gives the iPAQ 310 only a middling rating and calls it "promising," noting that it's the first GPS to offer 3D maps. Underneath its pretty face and enticing features, however, "the HP iPAQ 310 Travel Companion shows an ugly side," CNet.com.com finds, with hard-to-hear voice prompts and "pretty awful" route recalculations. PC World's Yardena Arar downgrades the iPAQ 310 for "poor software design and usability." At Amazon.com, about half of consumers who have posted reviews report good experiences with the HP iPAQ 310, but the other half report problems, including repeated comments that the unit kept crashing and eventually refused to power up. Important Features: Auto GPSHere's what experts say to look for when considering a GPS unit. Your considerations will vary a bit depending on whether you are looking for a unit for use in the car, a camping/hiking model or one to use for both purposes.
Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our * Also see our Comparison Chart.
Garmin auto GPS units are most favored in general by reviewers. The Garmin nüvi 880 is the elite member of the lineup, and it’s priced accordingly. Reviewers say it’s the first GPS that’s totally commandable by voice alone. One step down is the Garmin nüvi 760, the favorite of most reviewers. It offers almost all of the same features -- minus voice commands and MSN Direct -- at less than half the price. The even less-expensive nüvi 350 navigates just as well, only without Bluetooth and a few other extra features. The Dash Express is in a class by itself, as the first GPS to offer Internet surfing and instant traffic data collected from other Dash units on the road. Reviewers say the Dash isn’t the most capable at basic navigating, but they say its traffic capabilities make it a dream GPS for commuters. The HP iPAQ rx5900/rx5915 is a hybrid PDA-GPS that comes with a car-mounting kit and TomTom GPS software. It also plays MP3s and videos.
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If you are interested in a GPS for camping and hiking, see our companion report on handheld GPS . Crossover units fit into that category. For information on cell phones with GPS, see our report on smartphones . Magellan, Garmin, Lowrance, Morrow and Bendix/King all make GPS units specifically for aviation use. Excellent information on aviation GPS units can be found at Avweb and Avionix. Marine-use GPS units offer extras such as fish finders and resistance to salt water. Joe Mehaffey and Jeff Yeazel's GPS information site includes reviews of marine GPS models. The sources cited in our All Reviews section are the best places to check for new reviews and information on GPS units. GpsPasSion has information and user reviews. Yournav is oriented to the European market, but has good information. User forums provide feedback and information from owners and prospective owners of GPS systems. Some examples include AutoNavTalk.com, GPSCity.com and the user forum at GPSMagazine.com. Manufacturers' websites are also a good source of information and specifications: Advertisement
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ConsumerSearch and ConsumerSearch.com are registered trademarks of ConsumerSearch, Inc. Other trademarks or service marks on this site are the property of their respective owners. ConsumerSearch is not sponsored by any source reviewed, and we accept no consideration or payment for including, excluding, or ranking any reviews, products or services in our reports.
* Pricing information is approximate as of the time this report was written and is based on observed market selling prices and/or list prices. Actual selling prices may differ.
