Magellan vs. Garmin

 

I know this has probably been done to death already, but now that I'm a Garmin convert, I thought I would share a few observations.
Just purchased a Nuvi 650, previously having a Magellan RoadMate 760 for several years. Initial reactions:
a) The Garmin finds/locks onto satellites SO MUCH faster than my Magellan ever did, probably due to the SirfStar chipset. There would be times I'd get in my car, turn on the Magellan and start driving, I'd have to wait five minutes or so before the 760 figured out where it was, with open sky no less. The Nuvi will lock on to satellites from my living room. Wow!
b) The form factor of the Nuvi is fantastic, compared to the old RoadMate line, though this is probably less of an issue now that the new Magellans are also slimmer. Also the windshield suction cup mount on the Nuvi is super easy to use when attaching and detaching, the Magellan design was always cumbersome.
c) The Garmin doesn't seem to update the active map as quickly as the Magellan; I'll turn a corner with the Nuvi and there is a distinct delay before the map icon turns the corner, the reaction time was quicker with the Magellan, go figure.
d) There isn't as much information available when navigating the Nuvi in the normal (3D) screen. With the Magellan, there were small arrows on the screen that showed direction of next turn, and direction of destination, these are absent with the Nuvi, as well as some other bits of info I became accustomed to with the Magellan.
e) I miss the tones the Magellan played to alert a new turn. It was a perfect fourth interval either sung by the voice or played electronically, indicating either a left or right turn depending on the ascending or descending P4 interval. The Nuvi just has a "ding." All in all though I'm very happy with the Nuvi 650 and simply based on customer service reputations, I'll never return to Magellan.

djohnston wrote: a) The

djohnston wrote:

a) The Garmin finds/locks onto satellites SO MUCH faster than my Magellan ever did,

c) The Garmin doesn't seem to update the active map as quickly as the Magellan;

d) There isn't as much information available when navigating the Nuvi in the normal (3D) screen. With the Magellan, there were small arrows on the screen that showed direction of next turn, and direction of destination, these are absent with the Nuvi, as well as some other bits of info I became accustomed to with the Magellan.

a) Garmins can take a few minutes too especially if you turn it on somewhere other then where you turned it off...just to let you know.

c) Have you tried to update your firmware? I have heard that can help the refresh rate.

d) There is actually a lot of info, but it is sorta hidden. If you don't already know, you can touch the lower left corner and it will give you speed, moving time, stopped time, average speed, etc. Also, if you touch the lower right hand corner of the screen (while in routing mode and on the map), you can get the next turn. You can also get a list of turns by touching the horizontal bar at the top of the map.

--
Charley - Nuvi 350 - Bel STI Driver - Cobra 29 w/ wilson 1000 - AIM: asianfire -

djohnston wrote: I know

djohnston wrote:

I know this has probably been done to death already, but now that I'm a Garmin convert, I thought I would share a few observations.
Just purchased a Nuvi 650, previously having a Magellan RoadMate 760 for several years. Initial reactions:

No disrespect intended, but isn't this comparing apples to oranges? The RM760 is an older discontinued product.

Magellan vs Garmin

One thing I would like a comment on, I have a Magellan 2200T, but I used to have a Roadmate 300.

One thing the Magellan does have that a friend of mine mentioned as missing from his Garmin is the routing choices. The Magellan, both my new one and my old one had the same choices,

Shortest Time
Shortest Distance
Most use of freeways
Lease use of freeways

and Avoid Toll Roads

Which according to him is either absent from the Garmin he has or is not as well supported, or easy to use.

Is that true? Are those settings missing from some/all Garmins?

I am thinking of buying a Nuvi 650. I am really interested in comments on these usability features.

they are there

just worded differently such as

Fastest time
Shortest distance

Under "avoidances"
Avoid;
Highways
Toll roads
Ferrys
U Turns
Unpaved Roads
One Way Streets
Traffic
Carpool Lanes

Think I got them all

--
........Garmin StreetPilot c550 / Nüvi 765...........

apples to oranges

Yes, jagfan you are correct, though the Magellan website still lists the 760 as a current product, and will even give you a "find a dealer" link if asked, though the unit is long since discontinued. But this is par for the course as far as Magellan support goes.

Nuvi and Magellan

Borrowed a friend's Nuvi (650? I think it was). Have a Magellan 4040... (and newbie owner of GPS systems) but have used them over time

I like the Nuvi's look, but to answer your---

D)it took about 3-seconds to fall in love with the true-view feature on the Magellan, especially for tricky maneuvers. Might not have found that setting in the Nuvi, but a feature I love.

e) 4040 worked fine until the latest firmware, now it feels about 25m off. But then again, they took 2.36 uploaded last week down this week so another update I would hope is in the very near offering. As far as tone, it is pleasant, but will have to ask my wife the soprano for the technical specifics--LOL

Ding before turn.

Two features I find VERY useful on the Magellan (860) is the advance notice of the next turn. It warns me at 3 kilometers, sometimes 2 kilometers, 1 kilometers and then it dings as it approaches the turn. The first three warnings are not that important, the ding can be useful. The second is the REPEAT Statement. I simply Press down on the volume and it repeats the last statement with updated distance.

Is there something similar to this on the Nuvi 760?

--
Garmin Nüvi 855 & 760, iPhone, Magellan RM860T

how does redlight warnings

how does redlight warnings sound on magellan? is it the same ding/beep as u'd hear before a turn?

YES

I tried to add the red light camera sound to the Magellan but was not able to. Jon also tried and was not successful.

when u say yes, it means

when u say yes, it means that the "ding/beep" when approaching redlight is same as "ding/beep" when making a turn?

On ther 860T

webazoid wrote:

how does redlight warnings sound on magellan? is it the same ding/beep as u'd hear before a turn?

It goes WOO-WOO "Red Light or Speed Camera" at the first warning distance. then DING-DING-DING "Reg Light or Speed Camera" at the second warning. I have them set at 1km and 400m if memory serves me correctly. The text part is whatever I set the category name to.

--
Garmin Nüvi 855 & 760, iPhone, Magellan RM860T

Yes

Perrdom wrote:

Two features I find VERY useful on the Magellan (860) is the advance notice of the next turn. It warns me at 3 kilometers, sometimes 2 kilometers, 1 kilometers and then it dings as it approaches the turn. The first three warnings are not that important, the ding can be useful. The second is the REPEAT Statement. I simply Press down on the volume and it repeats the last statement with updated distance.

Is there something similar to this on the Nuvi 760?

Yes, you can turn on the alert flight attendant type "ding" tone on and it dings before every spoken instruction.

--
Newest to oldest... Nüvi 660, Street Pilot 2720, Magellan SporTrak Pro, Lowrance Global Map 100

Garmin vs Magellan usability.

lsmonop wrote:

just worded differently such as

Fastest time
Shortest distance

Under "avoidances"
Avoid;
Highways
Toll roads
Ferrys
U Turns
Unpaved Roads
One Way Streets
Traffic
Carpool Lanes

Think I got them all

Is all that in the routing screen, or do you have to set all that in preferences?

A friend who has both says it is not as convenient on garmin.

I'd be interested in comments.

It's quite simple

Hit the "tool" icon, press "navigation", make your selections especially under "avoidances"
At least that's the way it is on the C330 !

--
MrKenFL- "Money can't buy you happiness .. But it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery." NUVI 260, Nuvi 1490LMT & Nuvi 2595LMT all with 2014.4 maps !

seeing POI's on the Nuvi + my 2 cents on Garmin vs Magellan

I'm having trouble viewing the POI symbols while on a route using the Nuvi 650....I have to zoom in all the way and then they disappear. They show up when gps tracking is on but am not on a route... Is this how it works??

I've used a magellan maestro (MM)4040 fo4 4 months (w/new software) and just got the Nuvi, since it's supposedly much better(according to many reviews) now it took me a while to "get used to" the Magellan, so I want to be fair, but so far, I'm seeing that Nuvi isnt much more user friendly at all.
Here's my summary

Nuvi pro's - Faster recalc of routes than MM
Few if any "U-Turns"

Magellan Pro-s
Loudspeaker/voice much better, Nuvi is tinny
More flexibility in types of route(or atleast they are all in one menu..eg Avoid Highway, shortest etc)
Split screen pops up at turns(you have to hit button on Nuvi
Poi's are easily visable on route

Mounting hardware better...yes it's bigger and clunkier, but it holds firm and protrudes further out from windshied
Night screen much sharper/clearer black background

BOth need an improvement
THe menu system...two many nested levels...you should be able to get back to your main map in ONE click from all screens, for example.

Garmin major omissions
No ability to do one-step backup of address book to SD card(that I can see)

Can't see a way to see how many minutes left to get to destination

Can't see POI's while on Route

The windshield mount- when I try to adjust, the ball pops out of the socket...

Harder to do on-the fly routing preference changes.
no way to exclude a certain route.

I don't know how Garmin got away w/charging 150.00 more than Magellan...they have reduced prices lateley.

.....my 2 cents on Garmin vs Magellan

samkatz wrote:

I've used a magellan maestro (MM)4040 fo4 4 months (w/new software) and just got the Nuvi, since it's supposedly much better(according to many reviews) now it took me a while to "get used to" the Magellan, so I want to be fair, but so far, I'm seeing that Nuvi isnt much more user friendly at all.

Totally agree with you!

Magellan vs. Garmin

lsmonop wrote:

just worded differently such as

Fastest time
Shortest distance

Under "avoidances"
Avoid;
Highways
Toll roads
Ferrys
U Turns
Unpaved Roads
One Way Streets
Traffic
Carpool Lanes

Think I got them all

Not exactly the same. On the Garmin I looked at those settings are available, but are in the preferences.

On the Magellans they are after the routing screen, a choice you make each time. I find that convenient, since I sometimes want to route differently than other times.

I judge Garmin's approach is less convenient in this respect than Magellan. I notice that TomTom has essentially the same routing choice display as Magellan.

Does anyone have other information? I haven't yet bought a Garmin (well, a road Garmin, I have had a GPS 3 pilot aviation unit for years, but that doesn't really compare).

I may go and buy one of the Tom Tom 1 xl units I've been seeing pretty cheap and test it out. I also may get a Garmin Nuvi 650 if Costco gets them back in stock.

Garmin does seemingly have much better support for loaded poi files. Magellan (at least the 2200T I have) can only have one POI file open at a time. You can have up to 10 categories, but that does entail fashioning custom poi files. I judge that inconvenient.

Can Garmins have multiple POI files open at once, like a redlight poi and some others as required?

Products of the same generation and price

I had a chance to compare Nuvi 650 ($300 at Costco) with Magellan Maestro 4250 ($350 with coupon at Costco). I kept 4250. Here are the reasons:
1) Aquires signal right away and holds to it marginally better than Nuvi
2) Could identify many more POIs: it has 6 mln of them.
3) AAA Tour guide is amazing feature: gives descrition, rating, hours of operation and phone numbers that I dial directly via Bluetooth connection with my cell phone
4) Unlike Maestro 4050 where voice commands were badly implemented gimmick, voice commands in 4250 work well - Nuvi doesn't offer it
5) Multi routing ability.
6) Can optimize multileg trip
7) VERY IMPORTANT in my opinion: presents turn by turn list for the trip and allows to exlude (avoid) any portions of it
8) Detour function works well.
9) At any moment I can ask it "where am I" and it tells me (if I am navigating it also gives information how long and how far before destination)
10) Split screen before each turn is a plus.

All in all I found that it gives more of GPS than Nuvi 650, and next step Nuvi 680 was $500, i.e. $150 more than my Maestro 4250, but still luck some features 4250 has. Just my 2 cents.

Maestro 4040

I got it at the thesource for $250. I has worked to perfection. The only problem is the AAA points, they seem to be off for some location. I downloaded poi for a shopping mall and it was perfect the AAA one was off by about 1 km.
I used to use streets and trips for my laptop, I find the 4040 picks much better routes..

--
Mrnsie

Hi AllI bought Garmin 360

Hi All
I bought Garmin 360 and returned within a day as I was using Magellam 3225 for a week and let me tell you folks Magellan is far more bettre than Garmin. First of all I did not like the computer voice. magellan has close to human sound. Magellan shows you icons while drving by on the streets while Garmin does not. surprisingly Magellan re-routed me faster than Garmin plus I did not like that you have to flip the back of the unit that acts as an antena. Magellan does not need it unless you wanna use an external antenna if that unit supports. Compass is very handy and deatailed in Magellan. It shows you in which direction you're travelling instead of giving you NORTH (in Garmin). It gives you Altitiude and Postal code and name of the area you are passing in just one touch of a button. The only drawback of Magellan is supprt (thats what I hear) but other than that it is better than any other make.