Garmin nuvi 2300LM Review

Garmin is one of the most successful GPS manufacturers but it still needs to be competitive in mainstream markets like the car GPS market. More people are seeing the importance of having a GPS device mounted on their windshield or dashboard and those that have a tight budget should still have a few options available in front of them and buyers will be more comfortable with choosing if the available choices are new. The Garmin nuvi 2300LM is one of the available newcomers in the entry-level category and boasts some impressive improvements over the previous generation.

Garmin nuvi 2300LM GPS Navigator

Design

The Garmin nuvi 2300LM is one of the many devices with the standard 4.3-inch touchscreen size which means that it can display maps and menus at a decent 480 by 272 resolution so visuals look pretty rich. It is quite thin and manages to be operable even under direct sunlight because of the way the screen was designed.

Interface

If you have used a Garmin device before, you should have no problems with trying out the features. But what you will notice is some slight improvements to the home screen where you access other basic features like the ecoRoute function. The "Where To?" and "View Map" icons are still present so you can quickly plan your routes the way that you like and you can view the entire map in 2D or 3D view any time you wish.

For a basic device, the 3D view looks good and you can even change the icon in this view to reflect your current usage. Usually the icon is a car but if you want to go outside for a walk with your GPS device, you can change it to a person. Although the interface is engaging, you do not have to focus on it because there are text-to-speech prompts that can guide you throughout the entire route so you know exactly when and where to make a turn.

Navigation Features

The Garmin nuvi 2300LM is best described as a low price GPS that is filled with the right mix of features. These features are not plentiful by any means but you are sure to make the most out of what is available. The ecoRoute feature proves to be one of the best features in the 2300LM because its primary goal is for your vehicle to consume the least amount of fuel while still helping you reach your destination. By obtaining various data like the road speed data and vehicle acceleration, the Garmin nuvi 2300LM can effectively plan better routes and there is no form of subscription required to use this feature.

It also has the basics of nüRoutes technology which includes myTrends predictive routing which uses data in your favorite destinations to make a prediction on where your next destination will be. This is nice if you frequently stick to similar routes on a daily basis and you do not want to do repetitive planning.

The Garmin nuvi 2300LM is the device that you should get if you live in the US because there are no Canada, Mexico, or Europe maps present. If you live in Puerto Rico or in the other lower 49 states, you will fortunately get some useful map data from the device right of the box. You are also ensured that these maps will stay up-to-date because the "LM" letters at the end of the model represent "Lifetime Maps". You will also find that the maps are highly detailed with over 6 million POIs spanning different categories.

Extra Features

Garmin still managed to squeeze in some useful extras including various unit conversion tools and a small calculator. It also has a world clock for checking out different time zones as you travel and a JPEG picture viewer that places any JPEG images found on a microSD card on the display.

You can also bring up the "Where am I?" function whenever you need to check out very important points of interest near your current location. This includes places to get gas and places to call for help like police and fire stations as well as hospitals. When contacting these emergency services, you can use the coordinates displayed on your screen to send them your exact location so they can better serve you.

The Garmin nuvi 2300LM costs roughly $200 which is a bit more than the original 2300 model but the lifetime maps updates can prove to be very valuable if you do not plan on upgrading your GPS device for a very long time.

List Price: $199.99

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