Best gps for the price

[pillguy]

Hi guys,
I am in need of a new gps that is affordable and of decent quality. What would u suggest

 

[IanB]

Anything Garmin is solid IMO, pick the options you want, and get the cheapest that has those features. If you're on a real budget buy a used one, then download the new maps and load them on. I have a 265WT, the widescreen is nice, but the bluetooth isn't worth an extra penny IMO. The new models have MUCH nicer screens, but the 265 is a solid unit and gets the job done.

 

[retrofive]

I had the 265WT and it was great, but my sister needed one for a cross country road trip so she bought it and I replaced with a 1490WT for almost the same price I paid for the 265. The 1490 is large and easy to view. I got the model with the bluetooth which is handy.

Both were under $150 at the time.

 

[george_tlc]

Hi guys,
I am in need of a new gps that is affordable and of decent quality. What would u suggest

To do what?? For car use on roads or city use? For 4wd trail use? For Hiking? For boating? To use with your own maps?

There are hundreds (or more) models out there for all sorts of specific uses. Be specific and then you can at least narrow the field...

cheers,
george.

 

[pillguy]

Mainly road use, limited off road use. My friend uses his tom-tom for mapping some of our trails we ride and that would be a nice feature, would like Bluetooth as well.
What about a garmin 1490? can get for 125 new?

 

[gotoy]

62S is best for hiking/offroad etc, but I find the screent too small for road use. Advise a garmin nuvi as to whatever suits the budget.

 

[equipped to survive]

Seems to me by the price of the Garmins it pays to use a mapping program like Locus on you cell phone with pre-loaded maps. If you loose data connection, which rarely ever happens now days, your GPS works just like a Garmin and your pre-loaded maps display fine. Also They have much more tools to utilize than the Garmin.

 

[Elbert]

for road use I like my TomTom 720 (old version nowdays)...works well, you can update over the internet and buy new maps downstream. I've had mine for 3 or 4 years now and it goes with me on any long trip. voice directions, easy to read map / screen. One negative is that on mine the battery lasted about 1.5 years...I've never replaced it and just run it on the cig. adapter all the time when needed. No real use for the portable aspect (walking) as cell phones have many free apps for that.

 

[MichaelArchangel]

Hello,
Try a used or new Bruton GPS made in Wyoming = Riverton, Wyoming. A very good middle level type made for trucks/field/4x4 use. Look for them in eBay.com
All the best with your mods.
MichaelArchangel

 

[e9999]

if I didn't already have a couple of standalone gpses (including a 1490 IIRC) I would not buy one just for vehicle use. Nowadays I think you're better off with a tablet or laptop if one already has one (or heck even a phone for backup). The screen is just too small on the vehicle gpses if you don't have a dedicated navigator/passenger handy. Heck some tablets are barely more expensive than a regular gps. Now, for hiking specifically maybe a small portable unit but even there a phone might be OK too, if the battery holds up for long enough. (For some reason, when I use my phone in gps mode it gobbles up juice like you wouldn't believe so I'm not good with that.)

 

[Elbert]

I don't know if you can change the content display on a laptop or tablet type GPS, but I find the limited display that the dedicated car GPS use to be just the right mix. It shows the primary road you are on and maybe the next two cross-streets and maybe the next raoad that runs parallel. The display is dynamic...I think on some of the laptop GPSs setups the display is fixed and shows a very large amount of data which can be a challenge to decipher while moving.

Off road the large data amount would be good, on fast moving pavement it would not be good, because it can be hard to see where you are at a glance. Maybe the new GPS software packages do a better job on this but its worth understanding.