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Manufacturer: Magellan
Customer Rating:
 
Sale Price: $189.00
Availibility: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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  • Personalize OneTouch search icons with your favorite places
  • Announces street names and directions at each turn
  • Features ultra-wide 4.7-inch touch screen display
  • Traffic Link delivers free, real-time traffic alerts for life
  • Highway lane assist helps you navigate the interstate
Returned my Garmin for this one
 
Review Date: October 21, 2009
Reviewer: Recorder, Missouri
I previously owned a Magellan Maestro 4250 and was pretty happy with it except that it was a little slow to acquire satellites and re-route. When it broke, I researched and decided to buy a Garmin Nuvi 765. It had all the bells and whistles of my old unit and more. While it did a good job of getting me to my destinations, I found the interface to be quite clumsy. Often, you got into a few pages of menus and the only way to get back to the map or routing screen was to hit back-back-back-back until you finally got there rather than having a menu tab to hit. Entering an address is odd too. You first pick a state, but if you forget to change from the last state you used it keeps it and you go on entering street and number and it can't find the address. Then it hits you that you did not pick the right state. You can enter a zip code, but it does not confirm the state until you are completely done entering the address. The Magellan lets you either enter a city name or zip code first and it displays the matches for you to chose from. You then just type in the street name and number. It uses a typing aid that blocks out letters and numbers that can not be part of your address. For entering destinations, the Magellan wins hands down.

A feature I liked was the lane assist on the Garmin. Problem is that the nice photo like image that they promote seldom appears. When it does appear, you must catch it right when the exchange is announced because it goes away very quickly. Nice feature but poorly implemented. At other times, lane arrows appear with the proper lane highlighted. This is nice and seems to work well. The Magellan seems to use the lane arrow system, but I have not used it enough yet to make a valid comparison.

Turn buy turn. The Magellan dings a bell as you reach the turn and the Garmin announces the street again. Personal preference, but I like the bell. The Garmin changes from miles to feet as you approach a turn-nice. The announcements on the Garmin usually come a tenth or two of a mile late. It will say to turn in one mile and the display will have 0.8 miles as the turn-irritating.

Map look. I prefer the Magellan maps. The Garmin pretty much displays a wide line that you are driving on with little detail around it even in the most detailed mode. It is a very bland looking map with little color and contrast. My old unit displayed the next turn at the top and the street you were on at the bottom. Both new models omit the current street at the bottom. The name of the current street scrolls down by the road on the Magellan, but you have no indication where you are on the Garmin.

Traffic alerts. Both have it as an included lifetime service. You get little ads that do not interfere with the map and they go way after a time. Whether they work depends on the traffic reporting. At times the Gaming re-routed me, but it stuck me in a 2 hour traffic jam by Arrowhead stadium and the green traffic indicator was on all the way indicating clear sailing. My old unit had it and seemed to work about the same way. It is no guarantee and only works in and near cities that broadcast the info. It is useless out on the freeways.

Bells and whistles. The Garmin has more features but at a higher price. I had bluetooth on my old unit and did not like it. Did not use it on the Garmin. Don't have it on the Magellan. If you do not need an MP3 player(that only plays MP3 format) or a picture viewer, the Magellan has all the other features for about $100 less.

The Magellan has a slightly bigger screen and is thinner. The Garmin has a little better mount. The Magellan seems to have more settings you can tweak to your tastes. Both units are smoother and quicker than my old unit. Both will get you there, the Magellan just seems to make it easier and slicker.

I hit the wrong button. I really rate this unit at about 4 1/2 stars.

Update.

After more time with the unit, I like it even better. The lane assist, while not as visually appealing as the Garmin, is a lot more useful as it stays on until it is time to make the turn unlike the Garmin that just stays on for a short amount of time. Turn assistance is also better on the Garmin. On a turn that comes up soon after your next turn, it will announce "Right turn at 1st street followed by a left turn". This allows you to get in the proper lane. The Garmin merely announces "Right turn at 1st st." The AAA info gives you much more info than just POIs. You also get ratings, descriptions and prices. Nice.

Another update.

After applying the software update from Magellan, it is even better. The voice is louder and clearer. That eliminates the major complaints I read about this unit, the muffled street names. The interface is slightly changed in the address book and makes it easier to pick the right entry.
Played navigator with both Magellan and Garmen on my lap before purchase
 
Review Date: September 29, 2009
Reviewer: Grace, Alaska
I am delighted with this purchases.

My brother, a serious RV'er and computer whiz, told me his friends were sold on either Garmin and Magellan and the others got tossed. He said that these two used different logic and that people loved one or the other depending on how they think and suggested I use them before I bought one. I borrowed a Magellan and Garmin before taking a trip in the Washington country side and used them both together and apart. Both machines got you there more or less the same. However these features made a big difference:

The Magellan remembers just like my computer...(if I put in a "ya" it takes me to Yahoo) so I don't have to write out cities each time. It also helps narrow choices so when put in a "Fi" it will bring up all the streets starting with Fi. Having to write in "Washington" "Ellensburg" on the Garmin for each place I wanted to go in that city was a pain.

The Magellan has a trip planner so if you are going to five stops it gives you the optimal route. You can add, subtract, or re-order stops (addresses or POI, etc.) as you go. Garmin has a similar feature but it is spendy.

It gives me all the AAA info without going for the books. If you want a place to eat or sleep you know if you're looking at $ or $$$$ before you get there. Also it suggests interesting sights along the way and rates them. Garmin doesn't have this.

I like the way the Magellan is organized. I find things were at my finger tips and I didn't have to hunt for what I use the most.

The traffic warning feature doesn't cost a thing after purchase.

I love my GPS and am glad I did my homework.

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