Garmin nuvi 1450LMT Review

Garmin is known for selling all sorts of GPS devices and often times it is confusing to tell which particular model has the features that you need. Some models can look exactly alike and may even represent different generations. The Garmin nuvi 1450LMT is a user friendly 5-inch GPS with many useful features. Now there are plenty of 5-inch models to choose from while the nuvi 1450LMT enjoys an attractive price cut. Find out if the Garmin nuvi 1450LMT is a good device to use amongst the pool of large display GPS models.

Design

The Garmin nuvi 1450LMT's 5.0-inch display has a 480 x 272 resolution which is actually the same resolution as the more common Garmin nuvi devices with 4.3-inch screens. This means that the pixels are larger which can certainly help if you want to see the interface or look of the map from afar. The graphics pop out more as a result so the screen bump is good. It is also a fairly thin device so it doesn't really weigh too much compared to the smaller models.

Features

Garmin devices are very famous for their iconic and simplistic interfaces. You can get a taste of the nuvi 1450LMT interface right out of the box so you won't have to worry about setting up the device. It basically works from the get go and you only need to choose one of the two main functions unless you want to do some more configuring. The first main function is called "Where to?" where new users can check out if they want to start planning a destination right away. It is as easy as following a small step-by-step procedure before you can start driving and letting the navigational features kick in.

You can see the map in 2-D or 3-D view by using the "View Map" function which is just next to the large "Where to?" icon. This is where you can immediately notice how vivid the graphics of the nuvi 1450LMT are. The 3-D view looks pretty detailed so you can get a nice idea of your surroundings. In the 2-D view, you can zoom in and out of the map or scroll by sliding the finger on the touchscreen. This is a good view to see all of the points of interests around the current location. Routes can be planned from this view as well.

There are over 6 million points of interest covering US and Canada. Plus, the Garmin nuvi 1450LMT comes with lifetime map updates so you can actually expect more points of interests as long as you update the device every few months. Garmin allows you to update your maps 4 times a year so you can not only discover the most recent places in the area but also enjoy best accuracy with regards to the placement of these points. These map updates will always remain free and do not require any subscription. The cityXplorer feature can optionally be used if there is a need for public transit information in cities.

The Garmin nuvi 1450LMT boasts great performance when it goes to work and that is necessary for the device to stay accurate. An accurate device also makes the text-to-speech functions shine because the device can properly announce when a turn needs to be made and the device can use the technology to call out the name of the street so you know which turn you need to make. This keeps you focused on the road as you do not have to double check the screen to know the specifics of the turn.

If the route takes you to a highway, you can make use of one of the Garmin nuvi 1450LMT's major features. The lane assist feature is a very handy feature to have because it makes sure that you follow your route on the highway. It can be difficult to take an exit without this feature because most exits require you to be on the right lane before you can take them. If your positioning is off, you will be forced to miss the exit and then you have to leave it up to the GPS device to find an alternate route. To prevent instances like this, the Garmin nuvi 1450LMT changes the view to 3-D so you can get a good perspective on the lanes. It will also highlight the lane you need to be in so it is impossible to miss the upcoming exit.

The Garmin nuvi 1450LMT is also a great portable GPS device to have if you want to plan a long trip. It lets you set up to 10 routes which should be enough for a lengthy trip. You can even get an overview of the set routes after you finished planning. You can also let the Garmin nuvi 1450LMT make some fine adjustments to the routes if there are specific needs such as saving fuel. The ecoRoute feature uses a nice technology in coming up with a proper route that makes sure that your fuel consumption is minimal. You can also optionally turn on a backtracking option so you can see up to 10,000 points representing bread crumb trails. With lifetime traffic updates enabled, the nuvi 1450LMT takes traffic into consideration when coming up with the best route.

It also comes with some nice extras including a measurement and currency converter, a JPEG image viewer, and a world clock if you want to travel across the country. It is easy to copy images to the device since there is a MicroSD card slot. If there are any MP3 files present, you can use the Garmin nuvi 1450LMT to play them back as well.

The Garmin nuvi 1450LMT made its debut with a $300 a couple years back and now you can get it for around half the price which is a nice deal considering the lifetime features it is equipped with..

Actual user reviews:

• "The brand new Garmin nüvi 1450LMT is a very good product IMHO. When I got it, 7 minutes is spent to download the map and 47 minutes spent to actually install the latest US and Canada map update. Also, 5 minutes is spent to install the software update from Dashboard of its website. Windows XP, Chrome and 14 Mbs internet connection are used. I like the nuvi 1450LMT because: 1) It's quicker to acquire satellite signals than older models; 2) Clearer marks in AVIODANCES (added "U-Turns" and "Unpaved Road" ) and ROUTE PREFERENCE (added "Off Road" and "Less Fuel") of the NAVIGATION setting; 3) Easier to set up and use Route; 3) Lifetime map updating included. Overall, it has better User Interface and better performance. For those complaining to get weird route to your destination, I suggest you to look at the settings of NAVIGATION first, ensure your AVOIDANCES and ROUTE PREFERENCE settings are exactly what your want; If a weird route is presented but with nothing dangerous just try it because GPS's calculation is based upon its internal digital mapping content, there is probability that the GPS get it right." - Albert Li (Utah, USA)

• "This is my first GPS system and I must say that I am very pleased. The speed at which satellites are acquired is excellent. Lane assist and photographs of exits are a huge plus. You can't get lost with this GPS. The battery life is pretty solid too, about 5-6 hours depending on brightness and volume settings. The only trouble I have had with this GPS device is updating it as there always seems to be an error when hooked up to my laptop. Maybe this is a bug Garmin can fix. Overall, an excellent product." - J.Matthew (NY,USA)

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