Product Review Of The Garmin nuvi 255W
With the number of GPS systems on the market growing all of the time, it can be difficult to find the information you need to choose the best GPS for your particular needs. Each model has certain strengths and weaknesses that will need to be considered before settling on which one is right for the way you drive. For starters, you might want to look at price. GPS units start out at slightly more than $100 and can range up to $1000, depending on the features and accessories you need or want. When you look into the choices that are available, one of the options you’ll want to examine is the Garmin Nuvi 255w.
Garmin products are considered to be the Cadillacs of the GPS world, and the Nuvi 255 is no exception. The 255 is portable and will fit into almost any pocket or purse and also mounts on the windshield or dash while driving. Text-to-speech allow directions to be given clearly and concisely. Instead of saying, “Turn right in 30 yards” like some other models say, the 255w includes the actual street name in its directions: “Turn left on First Ave. in 30 yards”. Since your GPS will speak to you, albeit in somewhat robotic tones, you won’t be distracted by having to look
at the 3.3″ screen often.
The Garmin Nuvi 255 is preloaded with maps of all of North America. In addition, the unit has a JPEG picture viewer, a rechargeable lithium battery, a currency and measurement converter, and a world clock. Touch screen technology makes for easy viewing, especially with its anti-glare display. The fact that the screen is larger than those of many GPS units means that you get a view of more of the area using a Garmin 255.
All GPS systems have some drawbacks and the nuvi 255 is no different. You should also realize that some of the capabilities involve seperate service agreements which will increase your costs. Although software updates are part of the package, you’ll only get map updates by paying extra fees. These can be purchased as lifetime updates or singly. Also, if the battery ever needs to be replaced, you won’t be able to do it yourself which will be an added expense. Although the battery is designed to last for a number of years, if it should happen to crash on you, you may or may not be able to find a technician who’ll be able to change it for you, especially at a cost that’s economically-feasible.
Other Garmin Nuvi 255w reviews have commented that the user’s manual is too basic to be of any assistance, but some say that the operation is so simple that anyone should be able to figure it out. There is a website available, ostensibly to help you should you have problems, but it, too, has been panned as being lacking in helpful information and user-unfriendly. If you’re trying to plot the route of a long trip, it’s also likely that you’re going to end up frustrated because there isn’t enough memory to do long, elaborate planning like this.
The overridding consensus is that the Garmin 255W is an easy to use device which balances the need for features but still being affordable. This model does not come with Bluetooth capabilities to allow for hands free calling. However, if you’re looking for the basics and a unit that’s going to be reliable and efficient, the 255w will probably be a good fit.
