Garmin Nuvi 200 user reviews

Pros Compact size, quickly recalculates routes, lots of POIs

Cons Doesn't come with wall charger or carrying case

Summary All I wanted was a basic, no-frills, affordable GPS unit. I've searched stores, the internet, and CNet looking for one that would fit my needs. At first, Tom Tom One seemed a viable solution; it's cheap, basic, and has that nice compact size quality I look for in all my gadgets. It received fairly good reviews on CNet, but I could not get over the cons I kept reading. I wanted a Garmin brand because it seemed more reliable, but I could not get over the price. I don't need to look at pictures on it or listen to mp3s (I already have an 80g iPod). All the extras were things that wasn't important to me. A calculator? Currency converter?? I saw it as lame add-ons with the sole purpose of jacking up the price. Then I saw the Nuvi 200. The most basic of basic Garmin GPS units. I kept dragging my feet on purchasing one because I was afraid I'd make the wrong choice and regret it. Last week, I received as a gift from a friend. I'm very happy with it. It's small, sleek, with a bright screen. The vehicle mount is tiny, but the suction cup is extremely strong and it definitely holds it in place. I've been using it for fun so far just to see how it works. Granted, there are a few flaws with it. For starters, my Garmin doesn't always pick the most efficient route. While driving to the airport, it kept insisting I take interstate when the expressway I was on would've taken me there in almost half the time. On my way back home from dinner, it wanted me to pretty much drive around town to get back to my apartment when the road I was already on would get me home with two quick left turns. Also, there are no external controls except for the on/off/hold switch, so if you need to change the volume, you'll have to go through a few screenshots. My biggest complaint is that the keyboard is arranged alphabetically instead of QWERTY. I don't understand why'd they do that.. Lastly, it doesn't come with add-ons you'd think would be included such as a wall AC adaptor, a USB cable for your computer, and a case. All that was included in the package was the unit itself, the vehicle mount, and DC adaptor. However, it's an acurrate device and is exactly what i was looking for in a GPS device. It's perfect for a first-time GPS user. It's ready to go out of the box; no need to install anything, just turn it on and go. It's the perfect size for tossing into my purse when I leave my car. It has an auto-complete function when entering street names which is cool for when you're spelling out a long name. I personally love the way it quickly recalculates routes for when you miss a turn. All in all, a great gadget for your car.

Pros No flip up antenna - Bright screen

Cons Only one power source -in car, No text to speech

Summary I had a Garmin 350 last year until it got ran over accidently. Great GPS,fast forward to now.
I was about to order another one when the Garmin 200 series came to the market.
I did some research and figured why not go for an entry level GPS.
I found that the 350 had many features that I just didn't use,and the 200 just fit the bill.
The great thing is that the A/C charger that came with my 350 also works with my 200.
I did notice that the 200 has a little trouble finding satellites indoors, but outside in the car I never lost reception.
This is a GPS you could buy for your parents and they would have very little trouble using it.
This GPS doesn't have text to speech, but after having a GPS with it, I really didn't miss it that much,and it can't be beat at its price point.
The maps could use a little update and you have to search a little while to find certain POI's.
Over all this is an excellent GPS.
I found it at Shipdog.com for under $300.00!

Pros Easy to use, great price, bright screen, loud voice prompts

Cons POI (points of interest) not very extensive

Summary I bought this for my mom for mother's day, and tested it out before I gave it to her. I was extremely pleased with the unit. It has very clear voice prompts while driving, great 3D map display with arrows at turns, and recalculates the route quickly if you take a wrong turn. My main complaint is with the POI database. It is slow (b/c of the processor) and did not even have any of the Ben and Jerry's in Charlotte, NC nor a main church. My mom who still struggles with programming her home phone quickly picked it up with a 10 minute lesson. The photo viewer is a nice touch. I highly recommend this for entry level users. Higher models will get you text to speech for street names, and faster processors.

Pros ease of use, size, weight, portability, design

Cons none that I can think of

Summary For a sub $200 price tag there is no beating this GPS. It is very easy to use, boots up quickly, and re-routes quickly if you choose the miss the next turn. The build quality is EXCELLENT and the screen is so bright that you can actually read it under sunlight.