5 Best Navigation Systems

Today's portable navigation devices sport more features than ever to help you get from point A to point B quickly and safely--features such as audible driving directions with text-to-speech (TTS), spoken street names, real-time traffic updates, Internet connectivity for points-of-interest search, and large easy-to-read screens, to name a few. However, the GPS market has also never been more crowded, so to help you in your buying decision, I've selected the Top 5 picks for in-car GPS navigation systems.

The Garmin nüvi 3790T , introduced this summer, is Garmin’s latest and greatest navigator. With its 4.3” glass screen and minimalist 0.35” thickness, it resembles an iPhone more than past nuvis. In addition to most of the goodies found on previous models, the 3790T allows you to add a customizable wake up phrase for voice command, offers a gorgeous 3D terrain view, and is the first nuvi to use historical road speeds in calculating the fastest route.

The 3700 series is the first to use historical road speed data in calculating routes, which should result in improved routing, especially in areas with routine traffic problems. I saw definite improvements in routing behavior over my nuvi 765T, with the 3790T sending me on locally known shortcuts and alternative routes, routing me on freeways where my 765T would keep me on a parallel road, etc. While I occasionally saw some wonky choices, for the most part the trafficTrends feature selected faster routes.

while a few features may be missing, it’s pretty clear that the 3790T is now the best navi on the market.

The RoadMate 1470 doesn't deviate from the tried-and-true portable navigation device form factor. Measuring 3.3 inches deep by 5.2 inches tall by 7 inches wide, the RoadMate's thinness easily makes this unit one of the most pocketable devices in its class. Like nearly all PNDs, the majority of the RoadMate's visage is occupied by a color touch screen. Most units in this price range make due with a 4.3-inch screen, but the 1470 is equipped with a massive 4.7-inch unit. And we appreciated the extra real estate when viewing turn-by-turn directions out of our periphery at highway speeds.

The screen features a matte finish that does a good job of diffusing glare which, along with the bright backlighting, keeps the unit usable when viewed in direct sunlight.

The Motorola Motonav TN765t has a whopping 5.1” display, voice recognition, Bluetooth, lifetime traffic, text-to-speech, lane guidance, and pre-loaded maps of the US and Canada.

The 5.1” screen gives you plenty of map real estate; more than is actually needed. Unfortunately, a limited amount of information is presented here. The vertical bar on the left (shown below) gives the remaining time to your destination and a visual indication of trip progress. There is a voice input prompt (more on that shortly) and an “eye” icon for accessing a map view that can be shifted between 2D track up, 2D north up and 3D. As you can see, there’s also a next turn indicator, name of the street for the next turn, zoom buttons and speed limit. The latter was generally accurate, but was mainly displayed on major highways and not secondary roads.

The TomTom XL 340 S builds on TomTom's successful XL series of wide-screen portable navigation devices. The XL 340 S' features, such as advanced lane guidance, daily fuel prices, IQ Routes, and TomTom Map Share, work together to constantly update its map data and route-mapping algorithm. Therefore, in theory, the device should get better with time.

Also, as an "S" designated model, the 340 S features text-to-speech that reads aloud street and point-of-interest names for quicker recognition.

When most people think GPS device, the first name that pops into mind is Garmin Nuvi. Garmin's Nuvi 200 line of navigators was an excellent blend of ease of use and value. The new Nuvi 2x5 line of GPS navigation devices seeks to build on that reputation with a few new features, while still keeping the price relatively low. The Garmin Nuvi 205W is one of two entry-level models in the 2x5 line, and features only the most basic navigation features.

The standout feature in this new model is a new "Where am I?" option that can come in handy during an emergency; but mostly the 205W represents a significant performance boost over the older Nuvis. Buyers who like what they see in the Nuvi 205W can choose to step down to the 205, which features a smaller screen, to save a few bucks, or up to the 255W, which adds text-to-speech to the feature set.

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