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Garmin Nuvi Essentials series: Simple, yet effective

We take a look at the top model in Garmin's entry-level line, the Garmin Nuvi 50.

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Garmin Nuvi 50 (Credit: Antuan Goodwin/CNET)

Sometimes, you don't want a ton of bells and whistles on your GPS device. Sometimes, you just want to reliably and cheaply get from point Alpha to Bravo.

Enter Garmin's Essentials series of Nuvi GPS navigators. Specifically, we're taking a look at the largest model in the entry-level Essentials series: the 5-inch Garmin Nuvi 50.

Garmin Nuvi 50 (Credit: Antuan Goodwin/CNET)

There aren't many surprises here where design is concerned. If you've handled a Garmin Nuvi in the last half decade, you'll know exactly what to expect from the 50. The icons are all where you'd expect them to be, and user-friendliness hasn't degraded over the generations.

However, there are improvements under the Nuvi's hood. For starters, the massive 5-inch wide-screen display features improved touch responsiveness and the GPS accuracy and sensitivity are phenomenal. Tech perks such as traffic and Web connectivity are absent at this level, but at this price, we didn't expect them to be.

Check out the full review of the Garmin Nuvi 50 for more details and photos.

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