Garmin Nuvi 650 GPS Review
Jocie’s grandmother asked us to select a GPS unit for her. I love trying out technology so this was a fun excursion. This post isn’t exactly home-improvement but I wanted to pass along my findings. Jocie and I did some research, found a good unit, and used it for a couple days before passing it along with our stamp of approval.
Researching a GPS Model
I knew some features would be more important to Gran than others. She would want a GPS that is easy to use, easy to see / understand, and doesn’t require much maintenance. I started by checking out Consumer Reports. CR suggested several Garmin models. I quickly honed in on the Nuvi 650.
Amazon sells this unit for only $249.99. It’s a great price (list price is $749.99 but who would pay that?!).
Garmin Nuvi 650 Product Details
Size: The model boasts a nice, big, 4.3 inch screen, making it very easy to see. Complete dimensions are 4.9” (wide) x 2.9” (high) x 0.9” (deep) and it weighs 6.2 ounces
Mount: There are two ways to mount this unit. A vehicle suction cup mount will attach it right to the windshield. Or use the dashboard disk and attach it to your dash. Both mechanisms felt sturdy. Keep everything clean or it won’t hold as well.
Power: This unit ships with a vehicle power cable. It’s your standard cigarette lighter power. You can also charge it with the included USB cable.
Maps: Garmin preloads maps for all of the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. You can purchase more maps but these are all Gran would need. Use the USB cable to import more maps.
Entertainment Tools: Garmin includes a package of “entertainment tools”. These strike me as unnecessary extras. I’m not sure I’d ever use any of them but perhaps other people do. The tools include a digital music player, JPEG viewer, calculator, currency converter, and others.
Interface: The entire screen is actually a touch screen. Everything (except the on/off button) is done with the touch-screen. Calibration was easy and accurate. I was concerned about finger prints but had to really look before noticing any.
Nuvi 650 Pros
- Garmin has a solid product history. I know people who have Garmin GPS unit and speak very highly of them.
- Inputting and address or Point of Interest (POI) is a breeze. Garmin will narrow down choices for street names or locations as you type them in making it quick and easy.
- The screen is big and bright. You won’t have any problem seeing the map at night or in direct sunlight (we tried both).
- Garmin preloads maps. This makes it that much easier to get out on the road rather than spend time setting up.
- Turn-by-turn voice directions are a must have. “Turn right onto Dogwood Road” is much easier to follow than “Turn right in 30 meters”.
Nuvi 650 Cons
- The maps were slightly outdated. I put in a specific home address but the GPS could only take me to a nearby intersection. This road was new so the GPS maps didn’t have addresses for it. I’m not sure if it costs anything to update the maps.
- I have a few small complaints about the battery indicator. It never warned us about the low battery. One minute it’s on, the next it’s off. Some kind of warning would have been nice. And you can’t see the indicator while looking at a map. It’s not displayed.
After spending a few days using this model, I think it’s a great GPS. It works well and was very easy to use. The screen is big and bright, the interface is easy and the maps are very detailed. This GPS makes it easy to get from place to place. And the turn-by-turn directions are easy to follow. The Nuvi 660 is a step up from this model and includes other features like Bluetooth hands-free calling, an FM transmitter, and a traffic receiver.
What do you think? Do you use a GPS? What’s your experience?
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2 Responses to Garmin Nuvi 650 GPS Review
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August 29th, 2008 9:00 am
Here’s our recent trip with a GPS
“Proceed south along _______”
“In a quarter mile, take a right on ______”
“Turn right now”
“RECALCULATING… RECALCULATING”
August 30th, 2008 2:39 am
I’m into technology as well, but have found that unless you spend a lot of money they do not work well. I will have to check out your unit. Thanks for the info.