Garmin nuvi 2495LMT Review

The Garmin nuvi 2400 series is basically the series that you should look at if you want to choose from a variety of large 5-inch automotive GPS devices. Devices in this series can go for as low as $200 while higher-end models boast Bluetooth functionality and speech recognition support. If Garmin were to launch any newer devices, it is most likely that they will part of the 3000 series. That happens to be the case since Garmin recently launched the 3400 and 3700 series which mainly consist of high-end and thinly designed models.

But Garmin has some plans for the budget crowd as well and they are aiming to add to the 2400 series. These new additions will be 4.3-inch models and will have a number 5 as the last digit indicating that these are the new "Advanced Series". The Garmin nuvi 2495LMT is the top tier model of the new 2400 additions, but the $230 price tag does not sound as if this device has advanced features. Prepare for some surprises coming from the 2495LMT.

Garmin nuvi 2495LMT GPS Navigator

Design

Not much can really be said about the nuvi 2495LMT's design if you have seen a 4.3-inch Garmin nuvi device before or just about any 4.3-inch GPS unit. It is quite thin and light with nice contoured edges. You can switch orientation by going to Settings > Display > Orientation. There are eight different dashboards layouts available to suit your preferences.

Features

The biggest improvement over previous Garmin nuvi devices is the new Garmin Guidance 2.0 interface. The improvements don't look very huge when you look at the main screen because it still has those 2 familiar icons that take you to the directly to the map or help you plan a route quickly. It is good that these chances are kept because it successfully helps new users operate the device. But once you start using the interface, you will notice that it is snappier.

Much of the interface improvement can be seen if you check out the Lane Assist feature. In fact the feature is now called photoReal junction view because it allows you to see the junction view in gorgeous graphics. This view can optionally take half the screen so you can still see your current position in the map. You can also swap the view to portrait view if you want to see a better angle. This new view can be used in the standard map mode as well. Checking out key road signs is much easier thanks to this feature and the new Enhanced Exit Services also help you detect any services within the highway's vicinity.

The Garmin nuvi 2495LMT comes packed with 8 million points of interest which is a significant increase over the previous Garmin devices. Even if you own any of the older nuvi devices, this may be the time to upgrade since the 2495LMT has lifetime map updates and traffic updates as well. The traffic updates gets a technology improvement as it uses a traffic avoidance system called 3D Traffic. Traffic conditions are checked by the device at least 2 million times a month so it is possible to be aware of any real-time events like sudden road construction activity or accumulating traffic.

Unfortunately, the gas-saving ecoRoute feature which was a nice entry-level feature requires a separate purchase. But surprisingly, the nuvi 2495LMT is equipped with both Bluetooth and voice navigation which are features that you really couldn't enjoy unless you go for a mid-range device like the $260 Garmin nuvi 2360LMT. Voice navigation makes it easier to issue common commands to the device while Bluetooth lets you use the GPS unit as a loudspeaker where you let it connect to your phone to make or receive calls and enjoy hands-free conversations. Don't forget that the nuvi 2360LMT can talk back to you through text-to-speech so you won't have a hard time figuring out which turn the GPS device is referring to. These voices can be customized as well if you check the Garmin Garage website.

The Garmin nuvi 2495LMT is really meant to fully succeed a device. Once this model is officially out around fall of this year, prices of the previous models will go down. But the interface improvements and the great combination of an improved lane assist with Bluetooth connectivity and speech recognition make this a highly promising GPS unit for its price. This is an LMT device as well so map updates and the refined traffic updates are free for life and never require subscription fees.

List Price: $229.99

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