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Cheap GPS, Best Cheap Car GPS Reviews

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Whether you're driving across the nation or across town, it's nice to have a good navigator at your side. Several companies currently make GPS systems, but three dominate this category: Garmin, Magellan, and TomTom.

Each of these companies offers several models at a variety of prices and with loads of different features. If you have a pretty clear idea of the features you want in a GPS system, chances are one of these companies (if not all three) have a cheap GPS just for you that costs less than $150. So next time you hit the road, make sure you have a good, cheap GPS system riding shotgun. Here's how to find one.

Like most electronics products, GPS systems evolve pretty quickly. Features that were once found only in higher-end models, such as text-to-speech and lane assistance, are beginning to filter down to low-priced models. Consumers can get a lot more bang for their bucks when buying cheap GPS systems today than they could even a few months ago. Let's check out some key features you should look for when shopping for a budget GPS.

GPS Maps, Routing, and Lane Assistance.

Naturally, the reason you buy a GPS system is to help you navigate across country and across town. That means you want a GPS that has good maps, fast routing and rerouting abilities, and, for longer trips, the ability to set several waypoints.

Any cheap GPS system you buy should include, at the least, a map of the continental U.S. and be able to accept periodic map updates (usually for a small fee). Many inexpensive GPS systems, such as the Magellan RoadMate 1470 GPS (starting at $114.99, Amazon), also include a map of Canada, and perhaps other areas such as Puerto Rico or Mexico. Also keep your eyes open for a budget GPS system that is WAAS-enabled. WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) technology uses a combination of satellites and ground stations that can more accurately determine your current location, to within three meters. The Magellan Roadmate 1340 (starting at $79.99, Amazon) is an example of one of the cheapest GPS system that is WAAS-enabled.

A good inexpensive car GPS should also be able to calculate routes in a jiffy, and there are a few technologies the system may employ to do this. The Garmin nuvi 1200 (starting at $109.49, Amazon) uses HotFix satellite prediction to quickly calculate routes, a technology that an expert GPS reviewer at GPSTrends.com praises for its rapid execution. The TomTom EASE (starting at $89, Amazon) uses IQ Routes, which calculates the best route based on average traveling speeds collected from, and reported by, other TomTom users.

One handy feature just now finding its way into budget car GPS is lane assist. If you use a GPS without lane assist, you may find yourself in the far left lane of a four-lane highway when your GPS suddenly barks: "Turn right in one mile." Clearly, scooting over three lanes in such a short distance in heavy traffic is a challenge and perhaps dangerous. Car GPS systems with lane assist, like that found in the Magellan RoadMate 1340 (starting at $115, Amazon), will help you be sure you're positioned correctly for upcoming turns before it's too late.

Bargain GPS Systems Voices and Text-to-Speech.

When you're driving in traffic with a car GPS system, you still want to keep your eyes on the road as much as possible. This is why car GPS systems include voice prompts that tell you when you should prepare to turn, or when you're approaching an important waypoint or point of interest. Having a GPS with voice prompts that are clear and easy to understand is a necessity.

You should also look for a cheap GPS that includes a text-to-speech feature. GPS systems with text-to-speech will say street names when giving instructions: for example, "Turn left on Maple Street" rather than simply saying, "Turn left in 500 feet." Until recently, few cheap GPS systems included this feature, but it's starting to become more common in lower-price GPS models, like the TomTom XL 340S (starting at $119, Amazon) and Rightway RW500JR Spotter Dale Earnhardt Jr. Edition ( starting at $99.99, Amazon).

Some budget GPS systems include a variety of voice options, including celebrity voices, which is an attractive (though perhaps superfluous) feature for many users. The TomTom XL 340S, for example, includes the celeb voices of John Cleese and Mr. T. However, as a GPS review on Wired.com notes, enabling celebrity voices on this GPS removes its text-to-speech feature, meaning the voice won't say specific street names when telling you to turn, which obviously detracts from the novelty of having Mr. T. tell you where to go.

GPS Systems Points of Interest.

A car GPS without millions of POIs (Points of Interest) is little more than an electronic compass. Points of interest are just that -- locations that you may want to know about, such as restaurants, hotels, gas stations, and the like. When you're taking a long trip, an inexpensive GPS that can call up a nearby watering hole or place to get some needed rest is invaluable. Information Week's GPS buying guide recommends looking for a GPS system with at least 4.5 million POIs. We found several inexpensive GPS systems that exceed this mark, such as the Magellan RoadMate 1470, which has more than six million POIs. However, there are still quite a few cheap GPS systems that fall short of four million POIs, such as the Nextar M3 (starting at $67.99, Amazon), which has only 1.6 million POIs, and the Rightway RW500JR Spotter, which has a mere 1.7 million POIs.

GPS Systems Display.

The screen is one of the most important features in a car GPS system and should be easy to read even in sunlight. Most budget GPS models have either a 3.5-inch screen or a 4.3-inch widescreen. The Garmin nuvi 5000 (starting at $199, Amazon) has a whopping 5.2-inch widescreen, and Magellan�s RoadMate 1470 has a sizeable 4.7-inch display. Naturally, the wider and larger the screen, the easier it'll be to read the display, so you may want to bypass models with smaller screens. Larger displays will take up more space on your windshield, but many users seem to prefer the wider display.

GPS Systems Mounting Hardware.

One of the great advantages of a portable budget GPS system is that you can move it from car to car, but when you affix the GPS to its mount, you want the system to stay put. You also want a mount that's easy to install. A reviewer at GPSmagazine.com notes that the windshield mount for the Garmin nuvi 250W is excellent, although a user posting a GPS review on the Best Buy site notes the suction cup on a mount for a similar model, the Garmin nuvi 255W, doesn't always stick very well.

GPS Systems Multimedia.

You'd expect any device with a screen and speakers to be able to display photos and play MP3s, and some inexpensive GPS systems do just that. Multimedia support may not be a feature that helps you get from point A to point B when you're traveling, but it's a nice extra. (Just don't forget to keep your eyes on the road!) Although MP3 support doesn't seem to be very common among budget GPS systems, the Rightway RW500JR Spotter includes an MP3 player and picture viewer, and can even play video files.

GPS Systems PC Connectivity and Storage.

Periodic updates are a fact of life with electronic gear, including your budget GPS system.

You can update the maps, firmware (built-in hardware containing instructions for how the device should operate), or POIs of most GPS systems by using memory cards or by connecting them to yourPC via USB cable. Many cheap GPS systems that can connect to a PC don't include a USB cable, however, and this is something a couple of users complain about in GPS reviews of the Garmin nuvi 250W on CNET. One unit we found that does include a USB cable is the TomTom XL 340S. The lack of a USB cable may not be a deal breaker when shopping for a bargain GPS system, but be aware that you may need to buy one separately, at a cost of $15 or so. If your GPS uses memory cards rather than USB, you'll have to buy those separately, as well; figure on spending $10-$15 for a 2GB Secure Digital memory card. Nearly all the budget GPS systems we found that used memory cards used either SD or microSD cards.

GPS Systems Battery Life.

Car GPS systems typically spring into action when plugged into your car's cigarette lighter, but they also contain lithium ion batteries so you can use them outside the car. The battery in a cheap GPS system should last about two to three hours from a single charge. The Magellan RoadMate 1470, for example, advertises up to three hours of battery life.

Just because a GPS system is cheap doesn't mean it's OK for it to be sluggish or provide inaccurate data. The inexpensive GPS systems worth buying should have fast satellite acquisition and be quick to reroute you should you get off track. And, of course, they should be user friendly.

GPS Systems General Performance.

Most budget GPS systems need a little bit of time to "warm up" when first turned on; the system first has to power up and acquire a satellite signal. The startup and satellite acquisition time is, apparently, one of the Magellan RoadmMate 1470's few weaknesses, according to GPS reviews on Amazon and Staples.com. A GPS review in PC Magazine is impressed with the TomTom EASE's ability to quickly pick up the driver's location, a definite plus for this GPS, because it doesn't have a lot of extra frills to attract buyers.

It's possible that you can miss a turn even with a reliable, inexpensive GPS at your side. When that happens, you'll appreciate having a system that can recalculate your route quickly so you can get back on track. The Magellan RoadMate 1340 excels at rerouting, according to a user on Walmart's site. We noticed, though, that one user at Staples.com laments the TomTom XL 340S's navigation logic if you happen to miss a turn: the device doesn't announce that you've missed your mark but will reroute you back to the point where you went wrong.

Inexpensive GPS Systems Accuracy.

Finding your way around a new location can be difficult enough, even with a budget GPS helping you. The last thing you need is a cheap GPS system that gives you inaccurate data; Walmart shoppers give a thumbs up to the TomTom XL 340S for its accuracy. On the other hand, GPS reviews on Amazon note that the Rightway RW500JR Spotter Amazon has difficulty finding the user's addresses or current locations. CNET likewise mentions in its GPS reviews that the Rightway RW500JR has problems keeping track of position in cities.

GPS Systems Display.

Inexpensive GPS systems that are hard to read and use are not helpful travel mates. You want to be looking at the road, not squinting at a GPS screen. Generally, users prefer larger, widescreen displays like that featured on the Magellan RoadMate 1470; a GPS review on CNET, in particular, is very impressed with the 1470'large, 4.7-inch display. Smaller screens, like the 3.5-inch display on the TomTom EASE, seem cramped by comparison. A GPS review on GPSlodge.com, likes the TomTom EASE overall, but still recommends a GPS with a widescreen display, which the EASE lacks.

Our final word:

The best way to find a good budget GPS system is to stick to the basics. We can live without live traffic updates, MP3 playback, and Bluetooth connectivity. But any GPS system we spend our money on should be quick and accurate, with a solid mount and a screen that's easy to read and interact with. Fortunately, many cheap GPS systems cover the basics well, yet still include a couple of nice extras such as text-to-speech and picture viewers.

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Garmin nuvi 1200
Garmin nuvi 250W
Rightway RW500JR Spotter, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Edition
Nextar M3
TomTom EASE
Magellan RoadMate 1340
Magellan RoadMate 1470
TomTom XL 340S

 

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