TomTom XL 330S

CNET Editors' Rating

3.5 stars
    Overall score: 7.3 (3.5 stars)

Very good

Average User Rating

26 reviews

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  • TomTom XL 330S - FT
  • TomTom XL 330S - BK
  • TomTom XL 330S - BT

CNET Editors' Review

CNET Editors' Rating

3.5 stars Very good
    Overall score: 7.3 (3.5 stars)
  • Design: 8.0
  • Features: 7.0
  • Performance: 7.0

The good: The TomTom XL 330S offers accurate directions with text-to-speech functionality and is easy to use. The GPS is also sleek and features a spacious 4.3-inch touch screen.

The bad: Route recalculations could be a little faster. The mini USB port/power connector is difficult to access. The price is too high, especially without integrated Bluetooth.

The bottom line: Stylish, easy to use, and accurate, the TomTom XL 330S is a great all-around GPS but we wish it was just a little cheaper.

Review:

Entry-level GPS are a dime a dozen these days, but the TomTom XL 330S stands out for a couple of reasons. It updates the TomTom One XL with a better speaker and sleeker design, while keeping the things we loved about the One XL, including a spacious 4.3-inch touch screen and accurate directions. It's also incredibly intuitive and we'd even say more user-friendly and attractive than the Garmin Nuvi 200 series. However, we're disappointed that the company took out the integrated Bluetooth, especially considering the $299.99 price tag. For that much, we'd like to ... Expand full review

Entry-level GPS are a dime a dozen these days, but the TomTom XL 330S stands out for a couple of reasons. It updates the TomTom One XL with a better speaker and sleeker design, while keeping the things we loved about the One XL, including a spacious 4.3-inch touch screen and accurate directions. It's also incredibly intuitive and we'd even say more user-friendly and attractive than the Garmin Nuvi 200 series. However, we're disappointed that the company took out the integrated Bluetooth, especially considering the $299.99 price tag. For that much, we'd like to see it in there or perhaps the inclusion of free traffic updates, like the Garmin Nuvi 265WT and Navigon 2200T. Fortunately, you can find the TomTom XL 330S for less through online deals, and if it's a basic GPS that you're after, you won't be disappointed by this solid navigator.

Design
The TomTom XL 330S is one of the more attractive GPS we've seen to date. While it's similarly slim (4.7 inches wide by 3.2 inches tall by 0.9 inch thick; 6.6 ounces) to the Garmin Nuvi series, the rounded edges add a nice touch, and its large display and classic silver-and-charcoal gray only add to its beauty.

The XL 330's touch screen measures 4.3 inches diagonally and displays 64,000 colors at a 480x272-pixel resolution. We had no major problems reading the screen, though it can wash out in really bright sunlight. You can, however, adjust the display's brightness as well as choose from different map colors and day/night/auto mode under the Change Preferences menu.

As we've seen on other TomTom devices, the user interface is simple and easy to understand with large icons and clear menu options. The touch screen was responsive, and the onscreen keyboard was nice and roomy, minimizing the errors when entering addresses. In addition, the XL 330S offers predictive text, so as you start entering letters and numbers, the system will automatically surface possible results. We also like that you have a choice between QWERTY, ABCD, and AZERTY formats.

The rest of the GPS is pretty simple. On back, you'll find the speaker and brackets for attaching the vehicle mount. There's a power button on top and a mini-USB port/power connector on the bottom. We have to say that the latter is set fairly deep beneath the surface, so we had some problems plugging in the car charger and USB cable.

The TomTom XL 330S ships with a car charger, a USB cable, an EasyPort car mount (windshield and dash), and reference material. Unlike our experience with the TomTom One 125, the EasyPort mount securely held the XL 330S in place during our road tests. The accessory is easy to install and doesn't involve any loose or extra parts, so that was also nice.

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Average User Rating

2.5 stars out of 26 user reviews

Rating Breakdown

  • 5 star: 6
  • 4 star: 7
  • 3 star: 1
  • 2 star: 3
  • 1 star: 9

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Most Helpful User Review

4.5 stars 18 of 18 users found this review helpful

"best GPS I've had so far" By tpalny

Pros - Wide screen - Text to speech - LOUD speaker - Volume adjusts to driving speed - great GPS reception - The new Easyport mount that eliminates the need to carry a separate mount - "Tomtom Home" softwa

Cons - Easyport mount can be a little problematic when fitted into a pocket - The car charger takes a little practice to insert it easily - No bluetooth capability.

Summary So far I had owned 3 GPS devices: the Tomtom One 3rd edition, the Garmin nuvi 350 and this latest Tomtom 330s model. Before owning, I have used the Garmin Streetpilots given by many car rentals.
By far, this is the best of the three:

Pros:
- Wide screen
-




... Expand full review

Most Recent User Reviews (Showing 2 of 26 reviews)

Specifications

See full specs

Quick Specs

  • Destination: Automotive
  • Audible assistance: Navigation instructions
  • Features: Touch screen Anti-glare

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