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CNET editors' rating:
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- Reviewed on: 10/06/2006
- Updated on: 05/02/2007
Delphi is probably better known for its satellite radio products, but the company has also tried its hand at portable navigation systems. Though not as recognized as the big players in the industry, such as TomTom and Garmin, Delphi is hoping to change that with its latest in-car GPS device, the Delphi NAV200. Designed for the value-oriented consumer, the NAV200 comes with a fairly reasonable price tag of $399.99 (though we liked the original price of $349 better; Delphi said industry demands caused it to raise the price) and features all the basic navigation tools, with the option to add other services for more-advanced users. All in all, it's a decent navigator offering accurate directions, and you get more bang for your buck than the similarly priced TomTom One. That said, we favor the clean and simple interface and responsiveness of the TomTom One.
Design
Like most in-car GPS devices these days, the Delphi NAV200 has a nice, portable form factor (5.3 by 3.2 by 1 inches; 6.7 ounces), so you can use it in multiple cars. There's a flip-up antenna in the back that adds some slight bulk to the overall package, but not so much that it makes the unit unwieldy.
The center of attraction is the 3.5-inch touch screen. It shows off 16.7 million colors at a 320x240-pixel resolution and features an antiglare coating for better viewing in daylight. The touch screen was responsive, but we found it difficult to enter addresses using the cramped virtual keyboard. Fortunately, Delphi includes a stylus (located along the top edge of the device), so you can use that for more precise text input.
To the left of the display, there are shortcut keys to the main menu and screensaver mode, and zoom in and out buttons to the right. A volume dial is located on the right spine, which we always appreciate since it saves us from having to go through the various menus to adjust the sound; there's also a jack for an optional traffic receiver and the power connector port. On the left side, you have a 3.5mm headphone jack (accepts Walkman-style headphones, but its identification--Phone--is misleading) and a power button. Finally, the SD expansion slot sits on the bottom of the unit. One feature that was noticeably absent was a USB port. This is a bit of an inconvenience since the NAV200 can play back music and video, but instead of being able to transfer these multimedia files directly onto your device or SD card via USB connection, you must have an SD card reader.
As far as accessories, Delphi packages the NAV200 with the basics, including an SD card preloaded with maps of the United States and Canada, a vehicle mount (windshield and dash), a car charger, and reference material. A protective case and AC adapter would have been nice additions, however.
Features
Equipped with a 400MHz processor and SiRFstarIII GPS receiver, the Delphi NAV200 is ready to use right out of the box. Just insert the included SD card, and you're ready to start planning your trip. Delphi also has a nice feature where it gives you the option of operating in one of two modes: Standard or Extended. Standard is best suited for first-time GPS users as it gives you only the basic options; essentially, you can route from point A to point B, and that's about it. Once you become more accustomed to using the device and navigation tools, you can switch to Extended mode, which allows to you create multidestination routes, search for points of interest based on different criteria, and more.
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