Garmin nuvi 205W Review

Another addition to Garmin's line of personal navigators with their top of the line designs and features is the Garmin nuvi 205W, which offers an easy to use interface along with highly accurate navigational capabilities. Keep abreast of changing traffic conditions and experience significant improvements as far as directions and positioning are concerned thanks to the device's predictive technology that's able to lock into a satellite faster than ever before.

Garmin nuvi 205W GPS Navigator

Product Overview

The Garmin nuvi 205W offers a wide 4.3-inch widescreen that displays 70% more of the road around you. It has touchscreen capabilities along with an antiglare screen so that the device is readable even in direct light. The sleek, slim design of the 205W model makes it easy to take it along wherever you go, even while exploring on foot as the battery will run for up to four hours without power.

Already loaded with a huge database of POI, which are points of interest, the nuvi 205W has information and directions to approximately six million places like hotels, restaurants, gas stations, hospitals, local landmarks and attractions, and many more. Enter your own POI into the 205W and have an ongoing list of the places you plan on visiting.

The Garmin nuvi 205W comes with a vehicle power cable and suction cup mount, dashboard disc and the Quick Start manual. Also with purchase are two free 3-month subscription to TMC Clear Channel traffic broadcasts for up to the minute traffic reports and data, and to MSN Connect, which provides a wide variety of information useful to travelers such as news broadcasts and headlines, weather reports, movie listings, local happenings and events, and plenty more.

After the first three months of registering the nuvi 205W, users will have to pay subscription fees if they wish to continue these services. Users much purchase a microSD card and USB cable separately if they wish to add additional media and information to the device.

Actual user review:
•  "The Garmin nuvi 205W is simply a great GPS and the best value of any widescreen GPS. It has a no extra bells and whistles (no MP3 player -LOL, doesn't speak road names - annoying, no maps of Alaska or Canada - not needed, no FM transmitter to listen to MP3 - useless gimmick, etc.). The 205W is a useful widescreen GPS - plain and simple." - Rav (NY,USA)

Notable Benefits and Features

With HotFix capabilities, otherwise known as satellite ephemeris data prediction, the nuvi 205W is able to quickly determine your exact location by locking into three different satellites, and also remembers your position for the next time you turn the device on. This helps to eliminate time wasted on waiting for a satellite fix, allowing you to get moving and on the road.

For more intricate and realistic details, choose the Digital Elevation Mode (DEM) which shows terrain in 3D areas that are shaded to give you a better view of the surrounding area, and also know when to expect things like upcoming hills, forests, or mountainous terrain. If you want even more detail, choose the next level of navigation known as geo-located pictures with the help of the built-in Garmin Connect Photos feature that works in conjunction with Panoramio by Google and uses real pictures from all over the world shared by people everywhere.

You can further customize all of your travels by choosing from one of several car shaped icons to represent your position on the map. Instead of seeing a "generic" icon, users can pick from those resembling fancy sport's cars, elaborate RV's, motorcycles, bikes, and more.

With the Garmin Lock feature, the integrated antitheft system, owners of the device can set up a four digit personal identification number (PIN) to enter before the unit will work, or choose a secure location. Other useful features of the nuvi 205W include route avoidance, letting you steer clear of toll roads or highways, and the choice of route setup with beneficial options like faster time, shorter distance, and off road routes.

In addition to the state-of-the-art navigational tools, the nuvi 205W also features an array of travel tools to help you along your way such as the measurement and currency converters, the world time zone map and clock, calculator, and a JPEG picture viewer, allowing you to view your personal photos on the device.

Technical Specifications

• Antenna: Built-in
• Battery: Rechargeable Lithium Ion
• Battery Life: 4 hours 
• Dimensions: 3.81"(W) x 2.25"(D) x 0.8"(D)
• Display: QVGA color antiglare TFT with white backlight, 480 x 272 pixels
• Expansion Slots: microSD card (not included)
• Included Accessories: Set up and go guide, dashboard disc, vehicle power cable and suction cup mount
• Included Software: City Navigator NT Street Maps for USA plus Hawaii and Puerto Rico or regional areas of Europe, three month subscription to MSN Direct for U.S. with optional receiver, three month subscription to TMC Clear Channel traffic broadcasts
• Voice Capabilities: Yes, voice prompts

More user reviews:

•  "Best bang for the buck I have received in years!!! I have the built-in nav system in my 2007 Lexus and let me tell you this: the 205w Garmin has as many POI's and offers MORE functions than the $249.00 software update I just had installed on the Lexus. Very easy to use and the options are wonderful especially the voice over that can be changed to your liking. I highly recommend this unit." - G.Martin(CA,USA)

•  "I am very happy with the Garmin nuvi 205W. I recently went on a 2500 mile trip and the nuvi performed flawlessly. It relieved all the stress and pressure about being in the appropriate lane when approaching a designated turn and for finding out of the way locations. I don't know how I did without this valuable tool for so long. I reccomend this product without reservation. Completely satisfied." - Chico (MI,USA)

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