In-car GPS devices for less than $500
Bonnie Cha,
Senior Associate Editor
October 8, 2007
Industry experts say this is the year GPS will really take off in the United States, and I say the time is right. I don't think too many people would disagree that portable navigation systems are useful devices. However, they've been held back for a number of reasons, including price. Now that's changing. When once you couldn't find an in-car GPS for less than $1,000, today there are a number of systems that are less than $500. Do a little online comparison shopping, and you can probably even find one for around $250. We've rounded up six such systems that offer not only a good value but also solid performance. Read our reviews to see if one is right for you.
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| Product name | ||||||
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| Price | $239.00 to $365.00 | $89.99 to $169.00 | $340.00 | $169.90 | $344.90 | $97.95 |
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| Review date | July 12, 2007 | August 21, 2006 | June 19, 2007 | May 23, 2007 | April 05, 2007 | September 27, 2007 |
| The Bottom Line | Style and ease of use mark this basic portable navigation and multimedia device, but the Harman Kardon Guide + Play GPS-500 doesn't offer the same smooth performance and efficiency of competing products. | Offering just the navigation essentials and accurate directions, the TomTom One is an affordable and easy-to-use in-car GPS device for first-time buyers or anyone who wants a no-frills nav system. | The sleek Mio C520 is a good-value GPS device, packing in advanced navigation features, a large screen, and other extras for an affordable price. However, you can get a better user experience and smoother performance from competing systems. | The Garmin Nuvi 200 series offers drivers and travelers a more budget-friendly version of the popular portable navigation devices, but we think the price is still slightly high for what you get. | Sporting a sleeker design and interface, the affordable Magellan Maestro series offers drivers an accurate in-car GPS device with useful trip information, thanks to its partnership with AAA. | With an improved display and the addition of text-to-speech functionality, the Mio DigiWalker C230 is a solid and affordable entry-level portable navigation system for GPS newbies. |
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| Features | ||||||
| Included GPS accessories | USB cable Carrying case Cleaning cloth AC power adapter Mounting bracket Car power adapter | SD Card PC cable Car power adapter Automotive windshield mount | USB cable Carrying case Charging cradle AC power adapter Car power adapter Windshield holder | Car power adapter Automotive windshield mount | Carrying pouch AC power adapter Car power adapter Windshield holder | Vehicle mount Car power adapter |
| Audible assistance | Navigation instructions | Navigation instructions | Warnings Navigation instructions | Navigation instructions | Navigation instructions | Navigation instructions Street name announcement Voice command recognition |
| GPS PC connection | USB | USB | USB | USB | USB Bluetooth | USB |
| Weight | Info unavailable | 9.2 oz | 6.7 oz | 5.2 oz | 8.5 oz | 5.1 oz |
| System features | Built-in speaker Preinstalled POIs 2D / 3D map perspective | TomTom PLUS ready TomTom PLUS ready (via Bluetooth) Optional external GPS antenna connection | Calculator Built-in speaker Speed limit warning 2D / 3D map perspective Hands-free calling via Bluetooth Optional external GPS antenna connection | Calculator Custom POIs Garmin Lock Preinstalled POIs JPEG photo playback 2D / 3D map perspective | Info unavailable | Built-in speaker Preinstalled POIs Optional external GPS antenna connection |
| Destination | Automotive | Automotive | Automotive | Automotive | Automotive | Automotive |
| Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications |
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