 | |
 |
Garmin Nuvi 255W Traffic Widescreen Satellite Navigation System with Full EU Mapping Sale Price£108.64  |
Compared to many other sat navs around the same price the Garmin Nuvi 255WT packs a whole lot of functionality into it's XL-sized package.
Let's start with the big thing: the screen. Unlike many other similarly priced sat navs you get an XL screen - that's 4.3" instead of the usual 3.5". And, when it comes to size, we all know that bigger is better, right? The wider screen makes it easier to monitor your progress and to use the touch screen to enter your instructions.
Next up is the maps. You get detailed City Navigator road maps for Europe. That's the whole of Europe, not just the UK and Ireland.
The 255T is traffic-enabled. What that means is that you get access to Garmin's traffic alert system that monitors traffic along major roads and junctions. The 255WT will automatically, if enabled, pickup the traffic information and alert you of any problems ahead, along with a new route suggestion. The Garmin Nuvi 255WT comes with a free subscription to this service for the UK, if you want to use it elsewhere you will need to subscribe.
There is plenty of choice when it comes to planning your route. You can choose the fastest or shortest route and can even select to avoid certain type of road -such as motorways, for example.
You can customise many of the features, for instance, you can change the car icon (the one that represents your current position) and the voice of the spoken instructions. You can logon to the Garmin website for updates and further customisability options.
As with most sat navs you get a nice spoke voice giving you directions. The unit I used the speaker wasn't that clear, giving the voice a 'tinny' sound. Not a big problem as it was still audible and understandable.
The only other gripe is that it isn't supplied with a USB cable to connect the device to the computer. Although, it's a fairly standard cable so you may already have one sitting around that you can use.
Summary: Altogether Garmin Nuvi 255WT is a great package. You get European maps, free traffic updates and plenty of ways to personalise and customise the unit to suit your tastes and requirements.
