Garmin nüvi 2557LMT 5-Inch Portable Vehicle GPS

• Easy-to-use, dual orientation, touchscreen interface
• Garmin Real Directions with Garmin Real Voice guide using recognizable buildings and landmarks
• PhotoReal and Bird's Eye junction views offer detailed images of junctions along your route, to ease the stress of merging on or off a roadway
• Up Ahead displays nearby services info -including restaurants, stores, hospitals and fuel -alongside your map and updates as you drive your route
• Sleek mount attaches from behind, for less distraction

Long story short and why I'm even writing this: Over complicated routes to get to simple places. If it takes more time and more turns on nastier roads to get to my destination going somewhere I know, why would I trust this GPS when I was away from home?

Elaboration:

I live in a rural area, and you can explain to me like I'm a child how to change all the options (I'm a big boy and read the book, played with every button), but no matter what options you pick this device will NOT stick to main roads. There's a city an hour from me, you take one main highway and get onto another, and you're there. The Nuvi 2557lmt does NOT take this route, however, it cuts a corner on a nasty back road rather than sticking to the main roads and ads several minutes to trip (personal experience from knowing the area where I live). Even when I use Google Maps to trace where the Garmin would have me go it says it takes one extra minute, but Google is assuming you'll risk your struts by blasting through potholes at the posted speed limit on that forsaken back road. There are two main highways you can take to this city, neither of which were presented in their simplest way, there was always the addition of back roads.

This unit is new and based on my experience quite expensive. I decided to move over to this device from a 4 year old Magellan because the maps were unable to be updated (a real issue for Magellan so I hear), and the battery no longer held even a 2 minute charge. I almost went with a Magellan unit that had every single feature this device did but was less than half the price for a 2012 model, but decided to risk spending much more to get the map updates that Garmin does a good job of upkeeping. You can call me a fanboy if you want, but I'm a little disturbed to see that all the software features the Magellan had have taken this long to reach a 200 dollar Magellan. Basically new maps mean nothing if this device's software is unable to pick a decent route.

Closing Satement:

The device is fine hardware wise, it's decently quick and the touch screen is considerably more responsive than my older GPS, and the build quality is lovely. Really the hardware is the only reason I've left this at 3 stars, and while it will get you to your destination I have serious doubt that it'll do it the best way as I have gone on wild goose chases with this device in the few days I've owned it. Don't forge your own path, Garmin, stick to the road MORE traveled.

Firmware as of now: 2.40

Maps as of now: CN North America NT 2013.40 ALL

GPS Firmware: 3.03.04

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Ultimate Garmin GPS Comparison Guide for 2013 Models

I wanted to share with others my research on all the Garmin models out there in one easy to see spot. For those unfamiliar with the basic family differences Garmin breaks them down into 3 categories.

Essential Series These are the everyday GPS units with basic features. They are the most affordable, simple, and user-friendly.

Advanced Series These are the next step up from the essential series. They have additional features that go beyond basic navigation.

Prestige Series Most advanced, premium line of GPS units available from Garmin. Top notch performance and cutting edge features.

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The letters after each model number in all series mean the following:

LM Lifetime Map Updates

T Live Traffic Updates

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The model numbers that Garmin uses are in different formats for each series. I will detail them below mentioning only the differences between each model. Any models not seen here are old models and have been replaced by these for 2013.

Essential Series (Split into screen size categories):

4x Series (4.3" Screen):

Nuvi 42

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AY7NSTY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AY7NSTY&linkCode=as2&tag=stupisms-20

Unit Dimensions 4.9"W x 3.1"H x 0.8"D

US Maps ONLY

Nuvi 44

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AY7NSX0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AY7NSX0&linkCode=as2&tag=stupisms-20

Same exact specs as Nuvi 42 but with...

US AND Canada maps

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5x Series (5" Screen):

Nuvi 52

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AY7NT2U/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AY7NT2U&linkCode=as2&tag=stupisms-20

Unit Dimensions 5.5"W x 3.4"H x 0.8"D

US Maps ONLY

Nuvi 54

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AY7NV0K/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AY7NV0K&linkCode=as2&tag=stupisms-20

Same exact specs as Nuvi 52 but with...

US AND Canada maps

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Advanced Series (Split into screen size categories):

24xx Series (4.3" Screen):

Nuvi 2457LMTHD

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AXX0I7Y/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AXX0I7Y&linkCode=as2&tag=stupisms-20

Unit Dimensions 4.8"W x 3.0"H x 0.76"D

Lifetime HD Digital traffic providing updates at 30 second intervals

NO Voice Activated Navigation

NO Bluetooth

Nuvi 2497LMT

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AXX0JP0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AXX0JP0&linkCode=as2&tag=stupisms-20

Same exact specs as the Nuvi 2457LMTHD but with...

Lifetime traffic updates but with less frequent updates

Voice Activated Navigation

Bluetooth

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25xx Series (5" Screen):

Nuvi 2557LMT

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AXX0IEC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AXX0IEC&linkCode=as2&tag=stupisms-20

Unit Dimensions 5.4"W x 3.3"H x 0.76"D

NO Voice Activated Navigation

Lifetime Map Updates

NO Bluetooth

Nuvi 2577LT

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AXX0JNW/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AXX0JNW&linkCode=as2&tag=stupisms-20

Same exact specs as the 2557 but with...

NO Lifetime Map Updates

Voice Activated Navigation

Bluetooth

Nuvi 2597LMT

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AXX0I88/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AXX0I88&linkCode=as2&tag=stupisms-20

Same exact specs as the 2557 but with...

Lifetime Map Updates

Voice Activated Navigation

Bluetooth

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27xx Series (7" Screen):

Nuvi 2757LM

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AXX0I6A/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AXX0I6A&linkCode=as2&tag=stupisms-20

Unit Dimensions 7.4"W x 4.5"H x .9"D

Screen Size 7"

NO Voice Activated Navigation

NO Lifetime Traffic Updates

NO Bluetooth

Nuvi 2797LMT

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AXX0JOQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AXX0JOQ&linkCode=as2&tag=stupisms-20

Same exact specs as the 2757

Voice Activated Navigation

Lifetime Traffic Updates

Bluetooth

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Prestige Series (there is only one model in this series):

Nuvi 3597LMTHD

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AXX0IC4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00AXX0IC4&linkCode=as2&tag=stupisms-20

This is the current Garmin Flagship model

Screen Size 5"

It carries any and all of the features seen on other models but it includes a high resolution screen

It also has a touchscreen and supports multitouch

HD Digital traffic providing updates at 30 second intervals

Read Best Reviews of Garmin nüvi 2557LMT 5-Inch Portable Vehicle GPS Here

Being as how I have owned four other GPS's (all Garmin) I asked for, and received a Garmin 2595LMT as a Christmas gift to replace my old NUVI 650. Even though this item is not the 2595, they are very similar and I will have to say that this one is by far the best one yet of all of them. For a reasonable price, it cannot be beat. I did not think that I would ever use the traffic function, but it does come in handy at times. I have wired it into my car's electrical system so that it is almost 'built-in' and have bought another mount and cable so that I can us it in my wife's car that has a built-in navigation system. The Garmin is so much better and user friendly I strongly prefer the Garmin over the OEM in her car.

FYI I am not employed by either Amazon or Garmin, just a faithful customer for many years.

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Garmin nüvi 40LM 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

• Spoken street names
• Free lifetime maps with over 6 million points of interest
• Accepts data cards: microSD card (not included)
• Lane assist with junction view,Speed limit indicator
• Trip computer records mileage, max speed, total time and more

I have had Garmin, Tom Tom, Sony and Magellan GPS's over the last ten years. I have come back to Garmin for my last two because they have by far the best interface. My other Garmin is a 1690.

The maps that came with this GPS are up to date. A restaurant that opened within the last six months is on the list.

I have found the 4.3 inch screen size to be the optimal size. It has a nice size keyboard and amazing graphics. It feels 'right' on a car dashboard.

The two features I absolutely require are the speed limit on the screen and the lane guidance. This GPS has both. This is my first Garmin out of three that goes into a split screen mode and shows the interstate signage as you come upon an exit you will be taking on your route. Great feature!

The audio is crisp and clear. It has plenty of volume capacity.

When needed, this unit will recalculate the directions quickly. I should also mention that it is very quick to acquire the satellites.

The one thing that this GPS does not have is traffic. My last four GPS's have had traffic and I have found it to be of limited usefulness. More than 50% of the time, the traffic has cleared out and you are still being alerted. The alternate routes around the traffic jams tend to be somewhat dubious.

Finally, what a great price!!! Just a year ago, you would have paid double the price for a GPS with all of the features you get with the Garmin 40. It is an excellent buy!

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I upgraded from a Nuvi 205w, which Ive had for 3 years. The 205w has sure gotten a work out, I work for a large cable company, so I drive all day and the 205w has never failed me as it navigates 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for the past 3 years. The battery is at the end of its life as it holds a charge for a bit over an hour and the maps are outdated. As prices of GPS units are constantly dropping and being offered with lifetime map updates, I couldn't justify updating the maps on the 3 year old unit when for a few dollars more I picked up a new one when it went on sale.

I didn't need all of the bells and whistles like bluetooth, voice activation/voice commands, mp3 player etc. When shopping for a new unit I wasn't convinced that I needed the 5" screen as my old 4.3" unit was mounted next to the rear view mirror and about 22" from my face, and I could read the screen just fine. B*st B*y just happened to have the 50LM version on sale much cheaper than the smaller 40LM, so it was a no brainer. (I picked it up for $117)

After purchasing the unit I had it updated and ready for use in 34 minutes after walking in the house. The update included installing the Web updater, the lifetime map updater, registering the unit, updating the maps and firmware and rebooting the unit twice. Very quick process and everything went absolutely flawless.

After the effortless update process, I took it out to actually navigate, I checked the points of interest, looked up a pizza restaurant across town and it guided me there with zero glitches, hiccups, re-routes or misguided routing. While on the interstate, upon approaching an exit it switches to lane assist and junction view and the exit signs it shows are to-the-letter exact as the actual sign reads. Very impressive.

After getting to my destination I wanted to test the boot time, so I shut the unit completely off and then turned it back on, I did this several times to get an average boot time and was ready to navigate at the "Where To/Show Map" screen in 13 seconds every time I turned it on.

Using the 50LM side-by-side with my 205w they operate very similarly (if you own one you will be right at home with the new one), the 50LM is faster, has smoother map scrolling, has better touch response on the screen and even though the resolution is the same, the 5" screen of the 50LM looks noticeable sharper, and the difference in size is very noticeable. The volume is VERY loud at 100%; you could probably use this in a noisy convertible without problems. One other thing I noticed is the 50LM has very accurate speed zones, if I'm in a 35mph zone and then it switches to 50, the unit updates the on-screen speed zone within a second of physically passing the street sign.

While my 205w workhorse still works perfect after 3 years of constant use, the 2012 units are a very worthy upgrade, especially with lifetime map updates.

***UPDATE 12/23/2011***

After a full week of navigating since my initial purchase, I am happy to report that there have been zero hiccup's, freezes, resets, crashes or faults that I can think of. My unit is in use from 7:30am to 4:00pm everyday and has worked flawlessly, only once has it not found an address, and to its defense the address was a service road within the confines of a gated apartment complex. I cant comment further on the volume level or speech clarity, I have mine muted while driving and just frequently glance at the arrow on the screen for guidance. The screen is really bright and I find that for me, a comfortable adjustment is at 40% brightness in either day or night driving.

Again comparing this with my older 205w, I REALLY like the speed and sensitivity of this touchscreen much better, its almost like texting on an iphone, just light taps whereas the 205w, even after numerous screen calibrations, would take 2-3 taps of certain keys to get them to register. Map scrolling is much smoother and faster also, just swipe your finger across the screen while in 2D mode and the map rolls smoothly, almost too fast at times, I occasionally have to remind myself to scroll slower so as not to overshoot my targeted area.

Just a reminder, this is Garmins base model, no frivolous extra features to make it cumbersome or complicated it navigates, and it does that task VERY well.

***UPDATE 08/06/2012*** Today my Nuvi50LM had to be replaced. It guided me to my job destination like always, but after my job, I turned the unit on to enter my next jobs address and all I got was a black screen with a faint GARMIN logo, I tried rebooting it several times and never got past the first Logo screen. Luckily I was a few miles from the Best Buy store where I bought it, they happily exchanged it for a new one, no questions asked. The new one already had the newest maps loaded, I just needed to register it online which took about 10 seconds as the website communicator auto-detects the model and serial number. Im hoping the new one works as well as the last one.

Read Best Reviews of Garmin nüvi 40LM 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Here

I've been using a NUVI 50LM for about a month now. It replaced a Garmin StreetPilot 7200. The 7200 was a top of the line unit at it's introduction. First the LM stands for Life Time Maps. This is a great feature. One of my frustrations with other GPS units has been the cost of updating the maps. With the LM I'll be able to do that any time there is an upgrade, prepaid!

I'm used to the larger screen of the 7200 and was worried that I'd not like the 5" screen of the 50. After a couple of days it works out fine.

The new unit is much lighter than the older one which even in the car mount turns out to be important as the new unit does not vibrate nearly as much on our dirt roads. Thus it's easier to use when the road conditions are not smooth.

The Lane and Junction assists Garmin has added are a great help once you locate them. Basically in the upper left corner there is a lane layout with the lanes you should be in highlighted. When approaching an exit a pseudo image of the exit is presented on the right side. This is nice for sorting out what you should be doing on a fast moving and changing Interstate system. I get a laugh out of the shadow mountains in the background while driving in Kansas.

Garmin has dropped the "Recalculating" statement that was made after a missed turn. This is both good and bad. There have been some times when I didn't know if the advice coming out of the unit was new or old. Overall it is less irritating.

This unit acquires a fix noticeably faster than other units I've used, including the 7200. That's especially nice when I forget to turn in on until after I'm rolling in a busy part of town.

Another new feature to me is the speed limit sign in the lower right corner. I've often wondered what the speed limit was on a stretch of road and missed the sign. This gives the limit. Now having said that it also dose NOT know about construction zones. Additionally, we just had a speed limit increase to 75 from 70 on many of our Interstates. Even though my last update was after the change the unit still shows the old speed. Overall this is a great feature. Oh, and it shows your speed in black if you are at or below the limit and in red if you go over.

For a basic, no frills GPS I think this is a great value, and the LM is worth the extra $$$$.

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Over the years, I've used several GPS units which have included Garmin, Magellan, and Mio brands. Overall Garmin is typically the best and most accurate which is why I took advantage of the recent Black Friday sales to upgrade to this unit due to the map update feature included with it.

New Garmin units no longer say "recalculating route" when you deviate from the set course it lays out for you. They supposedly just begin to give you new directs based on the direction you're then heading in, to steer you back to your destination. In the case of this model however, I've found the "quiet recalculating" feature to be less accurate than Garmins I've used in the past. In my well-established Atlanta neighborhood when I deviated from the planned course, it said nothing. I could see the purple route to follow, went in the opposite direction, and the Garmin remained silent with no new route shown on the screen as well, until I was perhaps nearly half a mile off course. At that point, it finally kicked in and started to take me back on course. On the flip-side however, my Android phone using Google Maps, and my older Mio brand GPS immediately recalculated the route once I deviated, and steered me back. While in a different section of town, when I deviated from a main route, it tried to get me to drive through a subdivision of homes and do a U-turn to go back, instead of recalculating a new route forward (even though I had the U-turn option turned "off"). The Android and Mio units rerouted me forward without trying the U-turn. This I'll point out, is after a system reset and update via the computer (which was recommended by a Garmin employee via support email).

The point is this: You're most likely NOT going to get lost (well, badly) if you use this unit. It will eventually get you to your destination correctly, but it might make some quirky choices along the way compared to older/other models, especially if/when you deviate from it's planned routing. On the plus side, the screen is bright, the voice loud, it locks on to the GPS signal quickly, and the graphics are clear and easy to see when you're driving. Side-note: You can download a couple of other voice options via your computer into the unit if you like. I would give the unit 3 1/2 stars if that were an option, but will settle for 3, because in a city like Atlanta, the ability to keep driving straight-on and having a unit recalculate is very valuable as opposed to having to TRY to turn around in this city's traffic (this is why Magellans do poorly here they're notorious for trying to force U-turns on you!). If you can get it for the Black Friday level of pricing ($79-$84) it would still not be the worst gift at all but at the suggested normal retail price of $149.00, other units might be better at the recalculating bit than this one, so research before you buy.

ADDED: Someone on here sent me a note saying that if you download the other voices and change them, that this somehow alters the accuracy of the maps. Now, this sounds odd to me, as a simple voice chance shouldn't have any effect on map accuracy but I tried it. Picked the male British voice and indeed, one of the glitches I mentioned above stopped happening (??), but when I chose the female British voice, suddenly the Garmin stopped recognizing a major 4 lane road in my area and started calling it by the name of a small arterial road two miles away! (repeat...???). Perhaps my unit is just defective, but if this is the latest map source they're using at Garmin I might avoid any of the newest models. Yikes. I'm updating my star rating from 3 to 2 as a result. Sorry.

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After 1 year, I decided to update the map. Woohoo I have life time map update. I waited for half an hour to update, and finally it has been updated to version 2013 sth. I unplugged it, and it worked perfectly. Reboot it to make sure everything ok and got the warning "please download your Traffic Database" sth like that, then I opened the map and nothing showed up. Tried to update many times again even hard reset, but hopeless. So, lifetime map update? What a joke. Used once and the gps's turned to a brick. And when I tried to contact for help, I found out the warranty expired 1 month ago. It was not a bad gps, it did the job until I used the "Life Time Map Update" ONCE.

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Garmin nüvi Vehicle Power Cable

• Product Type - GPS Accessories
• Brand - Garmin
• Product Number - 010-10723-06

When I purchased a Nuvi 760 this item was shown as frequently purchased with it. Unfortunately it is not compatable and cost me to return as it was my error. Power connections were not visable so how is a person to know if the adapter will work with the GPS? Guess you learn the hard way.

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So far, this charger has worked fine. Just want to clarify, though:

You don't need to order this separately, at least not if you order a Nuvi 350. The 350 comes with the car charger, AC charger, leather case, dash mount, and windshield mount. Don't order this unless you want two for some reason. Many of the accessories shown on the GPS unit product page are already included.

Read Best Reviews of Garmin nüvi Vehicle Power Cable Here

This accessory is part of the original package when you buy the Garmin Nuvi navigator. You also get the windshield mount, a leather envelope for the unit, and an AC charger. Don't buy any accessories at the time of purchasing the unit. I bought this knowing I wanted and needed it and ended up with two and had to pay for return postage when I returned it because it was "My Fault" I couldn't use it. You only need this if your original one wears out or if you want to have multiple vehicles completely equipped. The product itself is excellent and keeps the navigation unit power from being depleted while using in the car.

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This adapter is actually better than the one that came with the GPS. Whereas the original adapter was somewhat flimsy; this one is more durable and the top does not come off in the power outlet. Great buy!!!

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I have a Garmin Nuvi 255W and got this as a replacement car charger, as my previous car-charger broke. When I try to connect this to my GPS and charge it, the GPS screens shows as if it is connected to a laptop through USB. The GPS does not charge, neither does it allow you to view maps/navigate when connected to the charger. (The GPS has no issues, it charges fine using a friend's car charger.) I will try and return this product. DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT!!!

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