Thoughts and Conclusion
Initially, this GPS was a little shaky on things like direction, but once it got its bearings, it settled into fairly reliable operation. Route recalculation was very fast, often pointing out the next break in the median for a U-turn when I deliberately deviated from its prescribed route. When I continued along the alternate route, it consistently figured out the best way to get me back on track without turning around. If you prefer to use the back-roads, or wish to avoid them at all costs, the routing options can accommodate you either way, and can be changed on-the-fly. Similar options for preferring or avoiding highways Map animation was a little wobbly at times, with minor jogs in the road causing the whole view to tilt back and forth as they were encountered and passed. Animations were also notably slow in 3D mode when POIs were visible, especially with 90 degree turns. Changing the map view to 2D mode improved animation speed drastically, and provided a generally more useful view anyway. When the routing mode was set to pedestrian, the device even offered to remember my car’s location: handy for navigating through large parking lots.
Location search was fairly useful, though picking one 7-Eleven out of the three dozen or so within range was a bit tricky. Its knowledge of local small businesses was fairly poor, with only businesses affiliated with a larger corporate network showing up—Google Maps, this thing is not. Adding multiple destinations to a trip was simple, even mid-journey. Destinations can be re-ordered on the fly, and the GPS will even optimize your route for shortest total travel with a single button press. Even entering addresses was accelerated by the software’s knowledge of nearby locations; entering a street address rarely took more than three or four letters before it locked onto the one I wanted.
Installing the unit in my car was a simple matter of attaching the car charger plug to the cradle, adjusting it to the right angle, then affixing it to the windshield with the suction cup. Once attached, it did not come loose even when I misjudged and hit a pothole at low speed. The unit itself slides loose of the cradle easily with the right pressure, which lets you take it with you when stepping out of the car. Given that these devices are proven thief magnets, this is a welcome feature.
The web browser, while functional, was abysmally slow and impossible to read at 100% zoom. You can eventually get to what you want with it, but if you have a smartphone to hand, you’d be much better off using that.
Overall, while this device has its quirks, the RoadMate 5175T-LM from Magellan is a single-purpose device that excels at what it does. If you need something to get you from point A to point B—and the path doesn’t involve hiking through trackless wilderness—this GPS receiver will get the job done with ease.
Pros
- Large, well-lit screen
- Fast route calculation
- Good audible feedback for no-look navigation
Cons
- Poor web browsing functionality
- Touch screen requires firm press to activate
- Animation suffers in 3D mode
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