Magellan RoadMate 2045T-LM Portable GPS Navigator

• 4.3-inch touchscreen GPS navigator with lifetime traffic alerts, lifetime map updates, OneTouch favorites, and more
• Pre-loaded maps of the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico with six million searchable Points of Interest, highway exit POI search
• OneTouch favorites for instant access to your favorite places; AAA TourBook for informed choices on hotels, restaurants, and more
• Real-time, subscription-free traffic updates sent directly to your GPS unit; lifetime map upgrades for the latest maps
• Spoken street name guidance lets you keep your eyes on the road; Highway Lane Assist guides you to the best lane

I've owned and used GPS units from all three of the major manufactuers Garmin, TomTom and Magellan.

When it comes to interface Magellan units usually shine. The 2045T is no exception. However, as at least one reviewer noted, the edit function within the address book is not user friendly. That, however, is the least of my complaints about this unit. Before I get to my complaints, I want to mention the things that are great about this GPS.

Unlike my TomTom, Magellan GPS units are very logical as you enter in a destination. When you enter the first letter of the town or city it automatically starts to suggest places near your current location. If your near Bangor, Maine it doesn't suggest Boston. That's exactly what my TomTom does and it drives me insane. So Magellans are intuitive on this count.

Secondly, the AAA guidebook that comes with Megellan units is just great. It's perfect for finding stores, restaurants and attractions when you're in a place you don't already know. A major kudos for this.

Despite these great features, I have two major beefs.

One, there's something wrong with Magellan's software and how it determines fastest route. In the space of two days the unit failed to know the fastest route at least half a dozen times. These weren't just mapping errors, these were the unit's inability to just know that one route is faster than another. This is NOT a problem I've seen in any of the units I've used up until now, including older Magellans. These weren't major mistakes, but they added a minute here and there. On a long trip I could see them adding up.

The second beef I have is with the traffic function and estimated time of arrival. I'm self employed and part of my work is getting from place to place in a timely fashion. A few minutes late could actually result in lost income in my line of work. I was on my way to a business event and I followed the Magellan's suggested route that took me off the major highways. It was around 5pm in the Boston region so traffic was really bad. The Magellan gave me an ETA that indicated I'd only lose a couple of minutes due to traffic. So I followed its suggested route. It didn't work.

Instead of bumper to bumper traffic on the highway, I was stuck in bumper to bumper traffic on secondary roads. The ETA was off by almost 20 minutes. Thankfully I had built in enough buffer that this didn't harm my work. Nonetheless, it caused me to distrust the traffic function. There's no way I can know if it would have been faster to stay on the highway, the most direct route. All of which just creates more confusion.

I haven't used the traffic function on other GPS units so I can't compare the Magellan to other units. Fastest route, however, is something that's a glaring problem compared to other GPS units, including previous Magellan units I've used. I also have to be honest and say that the only GPS I've used that's just outright failed was a Magellan.

I like using a Magellan GPS and the 2045T is no exception. However, I have serious reservations about its usability. So with that I give it three stars.

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UPDATE

After using this GPS on dozens of trips I now cannot recommend this GPS even for its good points.

Here's why: This GPS simply does not know the fastest route if it involves secondary roads. It's hardwired to assume that highways, no matter how many extra miles, are faster. And in turn it adds massive amount of travel time to secondary roads.

The most glaring example of this was on a trip in which the GPS added an entire hour(!!!) to a route that didn't involve highways. Because the calculations are so lopsided the GPS unit refuses to adapt as you drive. It will insist on telling you to do a U-turn to "save time" when you're already a half hour into the actual shorter route. All other brands of GPS I've used quickly (usually within a couple of minutes) realize you've chosen a different way and recalculate. Not this GPS. It insists you've taken the wrong way and wants you to go back to the highway.

I now only reluctantly use this GPS when I'm in an unfamiliar area. Based on multiple experiences on roads I know well I have to assume that this GPS is not giving me the fastest route to my destination.

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: 4:59 Mins

Here's my video review, if you have any questions or something I didn't cover, please feel free to leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer!

UPDATE Nov.'10: On a recent trip to visit my parents, it alerted me to a car accident on the highway. It gave me a few options to detour and told me how long each one would take in comparison. Telling me there's an accident is helpful, but I absolutely ADORE the specifics with the timing.

Big Pros!:

I often use a traffic app on my iphone. So I'm sitting there with all these devices, all with different info. Now, with this GPS, it's got it all. Live traffic updates and I won't have to pay attention to multiple screens. In order to get the lifetime traffic updates for free, there are little banner ads now and then. They don't block the map or directions, so they don't bother me at all.

The screen is large and bright, and the voice is nice and loud. Sometimes I have issues hearing my garmin, with this I was only 1/2 way in the sound level and it was clear as a bell.

My garmin has a flip up antenna that I'm always convinced I'll eventually snap off. The Magellan is internal, so that makes me a lot more comfortable.

I LOVE the fact that it adjust so fast to wrong turns, but it doesn't shout "recalculating" at me, which really usually just makes you feel dumb that even with a GPS you're still going the wrong way. It just quickly decides the next best way to continue on my route. Sometimes my Garmin will send me on the most ridiculous back tracking journeys, the Magellan so far hasn't done that to me.

I love this Magellan RoadMate 2035 GPS top to bottom. In comparing it with my Garmin Nuvi 360, there are a couple features I did notice though that this doesn't have, which can be a con depending on what features are important to you.

security code: I lock my garmin only because people seem to steal GPS devices from cars quite often in my town. If someone were to steal my nuvi, they won't be able to use it(unless there's a way to break into them, which I'm not aware of). It just sits there asking for your password/security code.

My garmin links with my iphone by bluetooth to turn the GPS into a speaker phone, though it wasn't great quality, people used to say I sounded like I was in a tunnel. The Magellan isn't bluetooth capable.

My garmin lets you choose a variety of voices with a few different accents, most notably British or Australian. The garmin woman is just annoying to listen to, so I had it set to an Australian guy who was very pleasant. This Magellan is one voice, no choices. But so far she isn't grating on my nerves.

It didn't come with a little slip case. In the box there was the actual GPS, manual, window suction cup mount and charger. So now I'll have to find something to protect it when it's in my bag.

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I have had this unit for a week now after returning a refurbished Garmin NUVI 1370 I had purchased from Amazon as well. The Magellan was heavily discounted and had decent reviews so I thought I would give another brand a try. This GPS does exatly what a GPS is designed to do, tells you where you are, and how to get where you are going. It reroutes within about 50 feet following a missed turn and provides you options for minimizing or maximizing highway use, fastest/shortest route, and avoiding toll roads. The touchscreen is much more responsive than the Garmin was and navigating the menus was very intuitive (I have yet to open the manual). The only negatives I have about this unit are there are occasional banner ads that pop up which I could definitely do without, in direct sunlight the screen gets washed out a bit but not to the point of being indecipherable. That being said, if you don't need bluetooth, MP3 player, voice recognition and a game player in your GPS, but just want a GPS that does its job and provides you with up to date traffic information, then this is what you are looking for.

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I have had two Garmin Nuvi 600 and Nuvi 660. The original Nuvi cost $500. The 660 a couple of years later cost me half as much. This Navigator comes in at a fraction of those models, and it has a more robust menu system, better screen brightness/resolution and features that make my Nuvi's antiquated. The integrated GPS in my Acura MDX is not even as user friendly as this model.

What comes in the box:

Navigation device

USB Cable

DC Charger

Cradle

Pros

Intuitive design

Fast startup

Easy to follow map and turn guidance prompts

Extensive menus

Expansive Points of Interests (POIs)

Lifetime map updates

Lifetime traffic alerts

Cons

Only one voice

No other selectable icons

Carrying case is not included

Setup:

For me, I have a Mac OS system which is not supported. I resorted to charging the unit and turning it on. The cradle is cumbersome. The power cable must be placed in the slot of the cradle and then the GPS must be guided along a track to snap into place. This is a two handed operation, unlike my Nuvi which can be released rather easily with one hand.

Use

First time the unit powers up, the satellite localization takes no longer than its competition (except for when it is compared to an integrated GPS in a vehicle). Subsequent startups are rather faster than a Garmin.

Finding points of interest (POIs) is rather easy, as well as entering destinations by address. The estimated time of arrival is at the bottom left of the screen, the toolbox for settings is in the bottom center of the screen, and the menu is accessible in the bottom right hand corner. Orientation of maps are heading up and north up, as well as 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional screens. One negative is the inability to change the icon from anything other than a triangle. The voice cannot be changed, either. Aside from those minimal quirks, this system is great.

Searching POIs by categories closest to your location is intuitive and really makes a great tool in those times necessitating spontaneity. Even searching for POIs by name worked with some obscure businesses in my smaller city. I was truly impressed with how quickly this works and I have found it to work for me when indoors (unlike my Nuvi).

On the screen, you can display certain icons to represent categories of POIs (such as Emergency, Shopping, Gas). As you drive, icons appear for shopping centers. If you click upon the icon, you can see what stores are in the certain shopping centers, including the telephone numbers. One of the most impressive features of this system is the AAA Tourbook which gives ratings and descriptions of POIs.

The free lifetime traffic alerts is a valuable feature. It gives guidance to avoid traffic when traveling. This won't work for those on a daily commute but it will help when traveling through areas that a user is unfamiliar. My area is not covered but my travels to areas that are covered will help when average speeds go down. Note that traffic is only available with the OEM DC power cable. If you don't use it, it won't work.

Turn by turn guidance is clear and a door chime notifies you exactly when to turn. At the top of the screen, the next turn is shown with the distance is displayed. Redirects are relatively quick but not as responsive as a Garmin Nuvi. Again, this is not a dealbreaker for a device at this price point.

Aside from serving as a GPS navigator, this unit is small and lightweight enough to be used on walking tours.

Construction:

The power button is located in the top center that slides to the left. The screen is 4.3 inches, bright and the touch screen is responsive. The housing is hard plastic which is durable feeling but it doesn't appear to be impact resistant. If dropped, this will likely break very easily.

Overall:

This device is a great value at its price point for lifetime maps, traffic updates and features.

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I purchased the Magellan RoadMate 2045T-LM after our last Magellan Roadmate stopped working. We also tried a more expensive Garmin nuvi 1450LMT and returned that one. The Magellan is easier to use and the only thing this doesn't have that the Garmin did was speed limits (nice feature) but saved $60 without it. The Magellan does better traffic as well, the detours are mediocre at best, but twice as good as the Garmin.

My big complaint is that I plugged it into my computer and it installed some new software (easy). The device refreshed with a new version of software (easy). Then it prompted me to upgrade my map from v41 to v43 (I purchased the device ~40 days ago) and it is telling me I need to pay $50 to upgrade maps! It says "Lifetime Maps" all over the box! I've tried to contact Magellan several times via email with no response. The website does not answer my question. I expected FREE lifetime maps, not $50 a pop Lifetime Maps. Extremely disappointed with this advertisement. FREE LIFETIME MAPS NOT INCLUDED.

Another complaint, the window mount is ridiculous. You have to attach the cord to the mount and then slide the device onto the mount and the power cord at the same time. I don't leave my device mounted due to the possibility of theft and thus have to redo this every time I use it (Garmin had a much slicker mount). The cord from our old Magellan broke, and this one seems sturdier, but at an extreme convenience cost.

The device still gets me from A to B, it stopped working for a day I don't know why but seems to be working fine now. The price was good ($120) and it is intuitive to use.

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TomTom START 55M 5-Inch GPS Navigator

• 5-Inch Touchscreen
• Lifetime Maps in US and Canada - Outsmart road changes
• Fuel Prices - Find the lowest gas by location and price
• TomTom Roadside Assistance - Reliable roadside assistance you can trust 24/7
• Advanced Lane Guidance - highlights the correct lane

GPS navigation devices have come a long way. What used to be exclusive gadgets that only a few could afford has become nearly as ubiquitous as the car stereo. In recent years this trend has only accelerated with the introduction of GPS navigation capabilities to the smartphones. Some of these smartphone GPS solutions are really impressive and give the standalone GPS devices run for their money. However, there is something to be said for having a dedicated device that will do one thing and do it well. That's why I have continued to use the standalone GPS devices, and will likely do so for foreseeable future.

Over the years I've owned several different GPS navigators. Garmin continues to be my preferred brand, but I've also tested several Magellan devices. This is the first TomTom device that I've come across, and although I will probably continue using my Garmin Nuvi, in terms of most essential features TomTom gives it a run for its money.

The TomTom Start that I got comes with the lifetime map updates for US and Canada, so I naturally wanted to make sure that my maps are up to date before I start using it. It turns out that I needed to download the Mac desktop app since my unit did not come with one. Getting the app from the TomTom's website was not the smoothest process shall we say. They really need to make the connectivity and user experience more Mac friendly.

I like the large 5" screen. In my opinion that is an optimal size for a small vehicle GPS navigation unit. Anything larger would obstruct too much of the view through the windshield. The screen is fairly well illuminated even in the bright sunlight.

The screen uses the resistive touch technology, instead of the more expensive capacitive technology that is found in most today's tablets and smartphones. This means that the touch sensitivity is very low, and you have to press fairly firmly before the screen detects the contact. The touch response time is also not very good, nor is the precision. All of these things become very annoying when you are starting your trip and want to get going as fast as possible. If you've never used a GPS navigation unit and are familiar with smartphones, you may be very frustrated when you first start using it.

The device comes with a windshield mount, which is overall OK. I prefer mounting my GPS units to the dashboard instead of the windshield, but this mount will be useful in either case.

Unlike most other GPS navigators that I've tested TomTom only includes one standard voice for the turn-by-turn navigation. You can purchase additional voices online, but these are kind of expensive (about $13 per voice), and they don't include the street name annunciations. This is definitely a shortcoming in my book.

When it comes to navigation TomTom Start's performance was definitely comparable to the one that I've experienced from my Garmin Nuvi. There are a few subtle differences (I think that TomTom acquires satellites a bit faster than Garmin), but nothing in my experience thus far that would make either one of the units a clear winner. I liked all the speed limit indicators, traffic updates, and the exact lane navigation that this TomTom navigator offers, but most of those are only really useful if you drive a lot around bigger cities. If you use GPS navigation predominantly for long road trips, then all of these extra features are a nice add-on but not something that is all that crucial.

Overall I have been very pleased with this TomTom Start navigator. It has all the features that I'd expect from an up-to-date stand-alone GPS device, and it will probably be a solid choice for anyone looking to invest into one of these for a longish period of time. There are a few shortcomings that prevent me from giving it a five-star review, but overall it is as good of a GPS device as you'll come across.

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I have just returned from a trip of 1500 miles roundtrip, and for 3 of the 4 days I used Tom Tom it was absolutely great! I love it! Here is the warning: on the last leg of my return trip today, the unit would/could not find GPS satellites! I tried everything, but no luck. Fortunately I knew the route to take on this leg of my journey, but I was still miffed! Got home, determined to pack it up and send it back to Amazon, when I noticed the advice on the box to call support or go online for help before returning the unit. I went online, and lo and behold, there was a notice that a GPS upgrade was needed! This was disconcerting, happening as it did in the middle of a trip, and I didn't see any notice that this might happen, either in the box poster for using the unit or online in the manual(I had my iPad on the trip and stopped at a rest area and looked up the manual; even if I had stumbled on the explanation, I could not have downloaded the update through the iPad). So be advised if this happens to you! Make sure to take the sync cord so that you can use a computer to upgrade.

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I have tested many GPS devices over the past 5 to 6 years. Rarely do I use the same model GPS for more than 6 to 8 months. Over time I have seen a great amount of improvement in technology with these devices, and prices have dropped to where just about everyone should be able to afford a reliable GPS navigator for their vehicle. The TomTom START 55M is only the second TomTom GPS that I have tested. My most frequently tested GPS units, which has also become my brand of choice over the years, have been made by Garmin, although I have tested a few Magellan models as well.

This TomTom START 55M provides a bright, colorful, 5 inch display, which I enjoy far more than the 4.3 inch displays I have had on most of my other test navigation devices. The downside is that this TomTom model does not have a capacitive touch screen, which means that you have to press your finger fairly hard against the screen to register input. While I have had many other model GPS devices with this same resistive type screen, the TomTom 55M seemed to require more pressure, and registered far more false entries than the previous test models by other manufacturers. My recent Garmin GPS, with its capacitive touch screen, is extremely easy to input information, with a response close to that of a modern day touch screen smart phone (iPhone, Android phone, etc.). Although all GPS manufacturers recommend that you do not attempt to input information into the device while driving, let's face it, we all do it. This TomTom device, with the difficult touch entry, would certainly pose a hazard if you fiddle with it while driving. You want to make sure you have your destination programmed before you begin your journey. If you must alter your destination, or input any waypoints, then I definitely recommend you pull over and do it from a safe, stationary location.

Setup was pretty straightforward, with a map update already available for the device when I connected it to my computer. The download is fairly hefty, and the installation process takes quite some time, but it is almost totally automated. You will need to properly register the device with TomTom before you get the free updates. Installation in the car was a breeze. I'm not a big fan of windshield mounts, but the included mount holds the device firmly in place. I just worry that over time it may not hold as well. After testing the TomTom START 55M in my car for two weeks, I found it to be spot on at getting me to my destination with an efficient route. I don't care much for the navigation voice, and was disappointed to find that TomTom charges a hefty fee to download any additional voices into the device. My Garmin devices have always had several voices to choose from, with many others free for download (although there are a few premium voices that they charge for). One bothersome thing for me is the time it takes to acquire satellites. Because my car sits in direct sunlight at my place of employment, I like to remove the GPS from the windshield or dash and place it in the center console of my car when I am not driving. My Garmin devices go into a kind of sleep mode, using very little battery power, and when reconnected reacquire satellites quite quickly. The TomTom 55M, however, seems to completely power down when I remove it. Once popped back into the mount, I have to power it up, and wait for it to boot up and reacquire satellites. This takes some time, and I do not like the wait time it takes before I can begin navigating. The 5-inch screen displays a lot of useful information, and the menus are laid out well for ease of use. But entering an address on that resistive touch screen is quite a chore, sometimes requiring multiple presses to get it to register a proper touch command. It just seems like TomTom could have used a more sensitive screen for this device, to save the user a lot of frustration. Once you get the 55M programmed for navigation, it performs flawlessly; at least it did for me. The display is bright and easy to read, even with sunlight pouring into the car, and voice prompts are loud, clear, and easy to understand. The lane assist feature is handy, but I did find that traffic updates in my area were not always reliable and accurate.

Overall I find the TomTom START 55M to be a solid performer for an entry level GPS device, with some added bells and whistles not normally found on a low cost GPS navigator. However, I am now back to using my Garmin nüvi 3590LMT 5-Inch Portable Bluetooth GPS Navigator with Lifetime Map and Traffic Updates, which is notably more expensive, but far more easy to operate, faster satellite acquisition, and with much more reliable traffic updates. For someone looking to purchase their first GPS navigator, or to upgrade from a much older and/or smaller device, the TomTom START 55M would be a great choice. The purchase cost is extremely affordable, and the free lifetime maps make it a real bargain. I seriously doubt you would find a better device, with as many features, for the money. For someone with far more patience than me, at dealing with the pesky, low sensitivity touch screen interface, this would be a great choice.

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No two GPS units are the same. I've tried almost every major brand and I prefer the TomTom models. Before this unit, I was using a GPS by TomTom with a smaller screen for vacation trips and navigational adventures in unfamiliar areas.

I plugged the unit into the TomTom site and updated the software which took quite some time. But, from previous models' snafus that I had read about, I first deleted voices and icons from the unit to free up space in the unit before I began the download of updated materials. This may not be necessary now, but it was at one time. Once updated, I took it out and began my trip.

The general operation of the GPS is very similar to my older model. Some icons are on the opposite side from my older one. With one touch I could switch views of the map on the screen from a view you'd see by looking down on a map to a view of looking down the road ahead of you. This was convenient and useful to me when I was in congested city settings. I could switch to the view looking down on the map and see streets parallel to me and get a better view around me. Overall, this new one is brighter and the touchpad sensitivity is much better. I felt like I had to press the old screen much harder than I should've had to. This new unit did alert me to a redlight camera that I knew was there, but the older unit has never alerted to the camera. My old one did not have the lifetime maps, so had I spent the money to update the maps it too might have alerted to the camera.

Having the free lifetime maps will definitely be nice. I will never have another GPS unit without the free lifetime maps.

Some say GPS units are dying out. If you travel much outside major metropolitan areas where there are no 3G or 4G cellular towers, you will soon find out just relying on your smartphone to get you there will not work. As long as your up-to-date TomTom GPS can see the sky, it will get you there...and no, I don't work for TomTom or any GPS companies.

So, having tried many GPS systems, I can confidently say that this one is the best yet. I love the large screen and the map layout. I would highly recommend this one to anyone looking for a good gps system and free lifetime maps. That alone makes it worth a lot, considering that was never offered in the earlier models.

Initially I will give it 4 stars as this was its first full day of use from mid morning into late evening. All functions worked as advertised, map was accurate out of the box, no updates applied yet and...

... though it is not adverised as being able to provide traffic info when I used the car power cord from my XL350TM, how about that, there was the traffic info. I had decided to go with my older cord because the one supplied was way too short for my needs so having the traffic information appear on the screen was a very nice surprise.

Compared to the recently deceased XL 350TM the Start 55M screen felt more sensitive to the touch, its processor a bit speedier reacting to user unput and moving to a 5" screen is easier on the eyes.

The window mounting bracket supplied was had the friction on the ball mount set way too tight, the tension screws will need to be adjusted before I consider it ready for daily use. I'm using the mount from the 350TM which I had already adjusted to my liking and it handled the slight extra weight of the 55M without any problems.

It found and locked on to 10 satelites within a reasonable amount of time in the St. Paul/Minneapolis, MN area. By that I mean it was ready to go by the time I removed it from its travel pouch, turned the unit on, connected the power cord to the unit and the vehicle's cigarette lighter and secured it to the windshield.

Already being familiar with the Tom Tom interface made it for an easy transition from the XL350TM unit to the Start 55M. I can't speak to other reviewers' comparisons across brands all I can say this is not the worse interface ever and it does the job just fine.

As a basic 5" screen GPS with a hidden unadvertised feature and on sale for 129.99 I would suggest anyone not in the market for bells and whistles to give it seroius consideration.

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