Here's the quickest route to the best GPS—and 17 talented navigators that will do much more than just get you where you're going.
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by Corinne Iozzio
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Sometimes getting from point A to point B isn't as simple as you'd think: Aside from navigating the streets, there are lots of factors that can affect your route. Thankfully, today's GPS devices have plenty of built-in smarts to guide you along the way. Depending on the unit you choose, you can get help with sidestepping traffic, finding a great new restaurant, making hands-free cell-phone calls, and more.
The nuts and bolts of picking the right GPS are fairly straightforward: Start by selecting your screen size and onboard maps, and tack on the additional features that you need (or want) from there.
The Basics
As far as screens go, you can find devices with big displays (like the 7-inch Nextar SNAP7) or small (like the 3.5-inch Navigon 2200T), but most these days feature 4.3-inch displays (like the Alpine PND-K3) which are perfect for most people. Almost all devices come with preloaded maps of the lower 48 states, but some, like the TomTom One 140-S, also add on Alaska and Hawaii, and even Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Some manufacturers offer lifetime map updates with their devices, while others require you to pay a small fee to re-up or expand maps. It's a good idea to double-check before you commit to a system.
There are a few features that have become standard issue on GPS devices over the last year or so. Text-to-speech conversion, which allows the unit to speak specific street names, is something you can count on in all the products here (except the bare-bones Magellan RoadMate 1200). It's much safer than having to take your eyes off the road to read street names on the screen, and there's really no reason to settle for a device without it these days. Also, the ability to plot routes that involve more than one location (aka multisegment routing) is pretty much omnipresent, save for the Goodyear GY145 and the TeleNav Shotgun.
Every GPS will also have a points-of-interest (POI) database to help locate landmarks, hotels, restaurants, and other attractions along your route, in a particular city, or at your destination. On average, you can expect a GPS to pack a few million POIs (the Magellan Maestro 4350 has six million, for example). On top of that, several systems tack on extra goodies: Navigon's high-end 7200T and 8100T include onboard Zagat guides and 3D landmark views, and Magellan's Maestro devices include AAA Tourbook listings.
Traffic and Data
A vital part of getting where you're going is avoiding obstacles—like traffic jams and tickets along the way. Some systems have speed limit alerts and traffic-camera detectors in addition to live traffic updates, which can help you sidestep congestion. High-end Garmin products like the nüvi 755T include subscription-free live traffic updates provided by Navteq (other, lower-end Garmin models have the service, but at a cost of $60 a year).
Cellular connectivity for up-to-the-minute map and traffic updates is a bonus that we've seen only recently, and only on a handful of devices. Last year's Dash Express, though no longer available, was the first standalone GPS to feature a built-in cellular radio to provide real-time traffic and other location-based services. More recently, the TeleNav Shotgun did the same with its GPRS radio. The device comes with a three-month trial subscription, with plans running from about $10 per month thereafter. (TomTom announced its first connected GPS, the GO 740 LIVE, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this year. We'll have a full, hands-on review coming up soon.)
Voice Control
If you've got the money to spend, you might want to opt for a device with voice control (keeping both hands on the wheel is a good thing). The Garmin nüvi 880 has the most impressive, accurate, and complete voice control we've seen—you can control practically all of its functions with your voice alone; the 880, however, has since been replaced by the 885T, which adds lane assist and MSN Direct services. The Navigon 7200T and 8100T offer some voice features (like inputting addresses), but we found them more finicky than the Garmin.
Media and Extras
Aside from navigation tools and other extras, you can find a host of multimedia features in many GPS units. Most devices have a media player that supports most common music, photo, and video formats. A few other, typically higher-end devices, including the Magellan 4350 and Navigon 8100T, can also connect to your Bluetooth-enabled cell phone so you can make hands-free calls through the GPS.
Still lost? Check out our most recent GPS reviews (links below). Also, be sure to compare prices. Most of these models can be snagged for much less than list if you do some savvy online shopping before you buy.
How to Buy a GPS Device...
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