TomTom START 50M
TomTom’s START 50M entry-level GPS device is perfect for those who only need one occasionally. These handy devices pay for themselves the first time you get yourself out of a pinch on the road. The START 50M comes preloaded with points of interest, lowest gas prices, a map of the US, and TomTom’s IQ routes for the best travel route. You can add your own points of interest as well. We noted that there isn’t expandable memory, however, and the device comes out of the box with most of its memory used. We were satisfied with the speed of map navigation and the on-board voice even handled hard-to-pronounce street names pretty well. The 5-inch touchscreen tends to be sluggish when you’re searching maps, but we liked the lane guidance feature that helps you navigate complicated junctions. For less than $100 at some online retailers, it’s an outstanding budget performer.
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Strengths
Free lifetime map updates IQ route is based on time of day and week so you get the best route all the time Wide, colorful touchscreen display Speaks the street names in directions with fairly reliable accuracy Lane guidance lets travelers know which lane is best for their route and upcoming directions Inexpensive Weaknesses The internal memory isn’t expandable Takes a while to pull up long-distance directions Sluggish when pulling up maps Car mount is not the best quality |
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Steve Holdgren is an engineer by trade and has worked for some of the largest energy related engineering firms in the world with his latest stint in Switzerland. He holds a degree is mechanical engineering… See more about Steve |
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