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CNET editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 12/04/2007
Mio Technology is gaining a reputation for producing some solid portable navigation systems at really affordable prices, and the Mio DigiWalker C320 is no exception. Like the Mio DigiWalker C520, the C320 boasts a sleek design with a beautiful widescreen display, and it performs solidly, providing accurate text- and voice-guided directions. However, we couldn't help but be disappointed by its feature set. There's no support for text-to-speech functionality for spoken street names, and its points-of-interest database isn't as comprehensive as that in competing systems. Even the entry-level Mio DigiWalker C230 offers more. True, you can find the Mio C320 for as low as $199.99, which is undeniably a good price, but you can also get the C230 for about the same price and get more bang for your buck. Alternatively, if you can afford to spend a little more, the Mio C520 is also a great value.
Design
The Mio DigiWalker C320 resembles its older, more full-featured brother the Mio C520 in looks, and that's just fine by us. We like the sleek design (4.9 inches wide by 3.1 inches high by 0.5 inch deep; 6.7 ounces) and the nice 4.3-inch-wide touch screen. The display has a 65,000-color output at 480x272 pixel resolution, so maps were bright and easy to read. For the most part, we were able to view the screen in various lighting conditions, though colors washed out a bit in bright sunlight. In that case, adjusting the backlight helped the situation.
As with the company's other models, the C320 uses the Mio Map v3 navigation software. Though not quite as simple and user-friendly as a Garmin or TomTom device, the menu system and interface is still pretty intuitive. The main page presents you with four clear options: MioMap, Audio, File Manager, and Settings. But as we've noted on previous Mio reviews, however, a number of tabs on the map screen that open and hide various navigation tools require some time to learn.
On the left spine, there's an SD expansion slot so you can load your multimedia files, as well as a 2.5mm headphone jack. Once again, as with the C520, we're disappointed that Mio didn't equip the C320 with a 3.5mm jack since this would allow you to plug in your favorite pair of headphones. You will find a power button on top of the unit, a mini USB port on the bottom, and the speaker and an external antenna jack on the back.
The Mio C320 comes packaged with a car charger, an AC adapter, a vehicle mount (windshield and dash), a USB cable, and reference material.
Features
The Mio C320 is equipped with a 20-channel SiRFIII GPS chip and comes preloaded with TeleAtlas maps of the United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. You can start planning a trip by entering a specific address, picking a POI, selecting a destination from your My Favorites or recent destinations list; or you can tap a point on the map and hitting the Route To option. The system can create directions by fastest, shortest, or most economical route; with or without toll roads, highways, U-turns, and so forth; and in various modes, including car, bicycle, and pedestrian.
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23 out of 23 people found this helpful
"You get ALOT for your money with the Mio C320, widescreen, voice prompts and split screen ability"
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