New portable GPS navigation ratings

We have just completed testing 10 new personal navigation devices (PNDs) and posted the results to our online ratings. These new products include:

Delphi NAV300
Garmin Nuvi 260 and Nuvi 260W
Harman Kardon Guide+Play GPS-310 and GPS-810
Jensen Rock n Road NVXM1000 and Touch & Go NVX430BT
Lowrance XOG
Magellan Maestro 3140
Panasonic Strada CN-GP50U

The ratings are a result of months of in-lab and on-the-road testing, thousands of miles of driving, and putting the units through their paces in cities and the countryside. As we’ve found, portable GPS devices can all provide nationwide route guidance to help you find long-distance destinations and local points of interest. Where they differ most is in ease of use and their features. For our ratings, we factor heavily the qualities that make it easy to input destinations and give the most helpful directions.

With newcomers such as Jensen, Panasonic, Sony, and others entering the market, there are more choices and dramatically lower prices than ever before. Many features that were previously found only on high-end models are now available on budget-priced ones.

Yet, despite the influx of new models, the longtime GPS brands—Garmin, TomTom, and Magellan—are still making the best systems, accounting for 16 of the top 20 models in our Ratings.

To help in making PND selections, we have Quick Picks for Best Overall and Best Budget. Of course, online subscribers can browse the standard ratings chart and click through for the detailed model pages, complete with user reviews. We encourage GPS shoppers to engage with our interactive ratings tool that allows you to sort and filter by the parameters that matter most to you.

If you're not ready to replace a paper map this month, look for continued coverage in the near future. We will further expand the ratings when we complete testing on units from Dash, Garmin, Magellan, Sony, and Uniden.

—Jeff Bartlett and Jim Travers

For more information on portable GPS navigation systems, see our Ratings and buying advice and watch our video guide. Discuss GPS devices in the forums.

Comments

[John]

You guys are really going nuts with the GPS stuff lately. More car posts please.

[Laptop GPS World]

I just finished watching your video guide. It is very nicely done, and it explains very well all needed aspects of GPS navigation to people considering their first purchase. Keep up the good work.

[Terry Sherman]

I use a GARMIN 250. It is a fairly good unit but lacks ana important feature. I can not erase unused entries with out clearing ALL entries.
The updates are not "updated" with the areas displayed on the maps. Attempts to update via internet site were unsatisfactory since no updates were down loaded. Only out of date downloads came through.
Purchase of a disk for upgrading from a vender is too expensive to take a chance to find out that it is not up to date.

[JoeQ]

I have a Magellan Crossover. It was highly rated in a couple of magazine reviews as a great dual purpose instrument - highway navigation and off-road nav. It may be ok as a highway routefinder but it lacks the most important capability that a backcountry GPS unit is good for - transferring tracks to a base map. It was a huge disappointment. After complaining to the company, they said they would give me a refund so I bougth a real GPS - a Garmin. Now Magellan keeps coming up with excuses for why they don't want to give me a refund. Stay away from Magellan! They lack ethics.

[Hank Corbett]

The Magellan Roadmate 3000T that I purchased several years ago has proved to be a great investment. My only complaint is that the user's manual sucks. Because of the sorry instructions that came with the device, I am still becoming aware of features that I did not know existed. I have updated the map and the software for my GPS device with no problems. Though I am not familiar with other GPS units, I believe I will stick with Magellan.

[Lee Centner]

I own and am completely satisfied with my Garmin Nuvi350. I am disappointed with the $60 fee to update the maps this year. For the $350 that I paid for the unit I would expect that the updates would be free.

[Megan]

My husband convinced me to purchase a Garmin Nuvi 6XX - can't remember the exact number. At any rate...I love it! We use it all the time - it was a wonderful investment and has proved over and over to be valuable to our family. I don't know what we'd do without it!

[John Ellinger]

I'm wishing you would evaluate Handheld GPS Units used for hiking, fishing, etc. They also can be used as an auto navigation system.

[Michael]

I am disappointed that affordable and serviceable models such as the Venturer HPS9308 were not included in the reviews. While it does not have tons of frills it does the job efficiently with a reasonable span of choices - shortest/fastest route, etc. Not everyone needs the equivilant of a loaded and expensive Hummer to simply get from point A to point B. Additional maps for other nations are highly affordable, too. Great for all means of travel including on foot or bicycle.

[TOM C]

I HAVE A GARMIN 330 AND ITS GREAT ON TRIPS

[Ernie Fearon]

I have several GPS units, all Garmins, a Streetpilot 2620, ETrex Vista HCX, 60CSX, Nuvi 750 & a Forerunner 305.
Something you never mention in your reviews is a unit that allows for "Desktop Routing" ie create your route on a computer, add the fuel stops, Restaurants, Campgrounds, etc & save it and download it to the GPS unit.
You wont get this in the cheaper basic units you have been testing, please test some of the higher end units in the 700 & 800 Garmin line.

Garmin has an exceptional name for customer service.
BTW the earlier statement above re handheld units can be used for automotive purposes is true but I tried my 60CSX with the Automotive kit ie the bean bag holder, it sucks as a car navigator, no voice & just plain difficult.

[Michael]

I am interested in using a GPS for navigating walking in various cities in Europe. Do you know if there is a download for my Garmin 360. I cannot find it at the Garmin website. If not is there another way of accomplishing this, maybe with another device?

[Dan in Oshkosh]

Which if any of these GPS units will do me any good in Latin America. Specifically, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico--especially Argentina.

[Heidi]

I have a Garmin 330 for 2 years now and....I love it! I can't go anywhere without it. It is really easy to use and very exact. The only downsize it's the $60 to upgrade info! I didn't purchase the upgrade and it still works great. But for a $350 unit, a $60 upgrade fee it's a little much. The upside...you can do without.

[Alma]

I would also like to have handheld GPS units reviewed especially those that (a) are waterproof/resistant and (b) track your route so you can follow the route back. We are kayakers and it is easy to get "lost" in the marshes where it is difficult to see the channels over the marsh grass.

[Karen]

I want to get a gps for the car but that can also be used for caching, I was told the Nuvi 350 or 360 would do the trick.
Any feedback? Thanks

[Kurt]

I too am awaiting an indepth review/test of the handheld gps units used or hiking, fishing, etc.

[dick]

I now have my third Garmin Quest 2. This one is ready to be sent back for warranty and for the same problems as the first two. They lose the signal easily and get it back in a few seconds, even on clear days, and when they do the trip milage jumps ahead several miles therefore the milage is never accurate. All three have also lost the speedometer function and on one occasion my max speed read 197mph. Garmin continues to say "send it back and we will fix it." So far they have not figured out how to fix it.

[Jim]

Add me to the growing list of people wanting to see reviews on GPS units for hiking and other personal outdoor activities. The product information on GOPS units is overwhelming, and your customers rely on Consumer Reports to provide some clarity to the situation.

[cody]

I would also be very interested in a handheld GPS comparison. I am in the market and having a hard time deciding. Hard to find non-biased reviews and information.

[Elaine]

How is Garmin for customer service overall? We purchased a refurbished older model and due to no maps installed have to spend more $ to purchase new software or purchase a new unit. So, we are looking at a Nuvi 660. I got pretty frustrated with Garmin's tech support--waiting on the phone a long time. So, I'm nervous about purchasing a new Garmin unit when I haven't gotten our money back yet from the previous older product. Does anyone have past experience in support of Garmin?

[Rebeca Ortiz]

I need a GPS loaded with the latest maps of Mexico (2008).
I do not want to download the maps myself, I fear it will be very difficult and if it doesn´t work I´ll end up with a GPS and no maps. Does anyone know which one has proven to be good?

[Dan]

Another vote for hand held GPS reviews!

I've been looking for a good one that is suitable for hiking/boating/biking for a long time, but they are relatively expensive. I'm afraid I'll shell out several hundred $s, and possibly end up with a poor quality device.

[Ken]

Come on Consumer Reports... you are way behind on this one... clearly there is a deep desire from your subscribers to provide a long-overdue review of handheld GPS units for outdoorsman (fishing, hunting, boaters, hikers, backpackers, etc.). I am SO ready to buy one of these units but I need direction in the biggest way. I don't want to waste my money on a piece of junk, and I'm willing to spend more for quality and reliability... there seems to be a lot of units out there now... ranging from under $100 on up to $500 or more. We need advice!!! Lets get going on this!!! PLEASE!!!

[Jeff Bartlett - Consumer Reports]

Thanks for all the feedback here. We've been watching the comments closely, as well as monitoring the GPS forum. As a result, we have been researching non-automotive GPS and will have more to report in the near future.

BTW: We did just update the car GPS ratings, with significant changes:
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2008/08/new-gps-navigat.html