Garmin nuvi 260 Review

The Garmin nuvi 260 GPS Navigator combines a wide variety of state of the art navigational features and options to choose from all housed within an ultra stylish design along with a reasonable price tag, making this model ideal for any type of traveler.

Product Overview

Preloaded with City Navigator NT Street Maps for all of North America as well as Puerto Rico and six million points of interest (POI), the Nuvi 260 is ready to go right out of the box, helping you get to all of your destinations quickly and easily. Users can also add their own custom points of interest in addition to the millions of hotels, restaurants, banks, hospitals, and local attractions, including places such as school zones, sending out alerts of any upcoming POI on your list.

Most people who own the Nuvi 260 tout its intuitive design and easy to use interface saying that it's simple to operate without even reading through the Quick Start manual that's provided, and also appreciate its built-in antennae, as opposed to those with the flip-up design used in some of the other series.

Behind the device's touchscreen, antiglare display is a white backlight, making it readable even in the sunlight, and users have the option of choosing either 2D or 3D map views. Designed similarly to the other Nuvis in the 200 series, the 260 model is also sleek and slim, allowing it to fit neatly in a pocket, purse, or briefcase for navigating on foot. The included rechargeable lithium ion battery will run the device for up to five hours, depending on the type of usage, without being connected to a power source.

Included with the purchase of the Nuvi 260 from Garmin is the Quick Start manual, dashboard disc, vehicle power cable and the vehicle suction cup mount. While the SD card and USB cable are not included, the 260 is compatible with several different types and both can be purchased separately for the purpose of storing or adding additional media and information.

This particular Nuvi is not compatible with Windows 95, 98, or Millennium edition operating systems.

Actual user review:
• "I am not very good with electronics, but I LOVE the Garmin 260!! It is EXACTLY what I need, and I am amazed at how simple it is to operate! There are no features that are wasted on this GPS. Set up was so easy! I didn't even need to use the instructions. This is definitely the unit for anyone who wants a simple to operate GPS. I am very pleased and recommend it highly!" - C.Webber (VA,USA)

Notable Benefits and Features

Keep your eyes focused on the road ahead with the Nuvi 260 as it announces the names of streets and road exits with the text to speech (TTS) feature, and the display also provides turn-by-turn directions and map details. The Nuvi 260 also contains a highly sensitive GPS receiver providing the most accurate directions and navigational tools, and it is capable of displaying JPEG pictures, serving as a world travel clock complete with time zones, a currency or measurement converters, or a calculator.

Steer clear of heavy traffic congestion as the Nuvi 260 has a built-in FM traffic receiver that provides accurate alerts about road construction and tie-ups along your route. The detour recalculation feature will help you to get back on track in the event you must take an unexpected detour and lose your way.

Other benefits of the Nuvi 260 include the auto reroute and fast off-route choices of the route setup feature, as well as giving you the option of either the fastest time or shortest distance, along with route avoidance, allowing you to avoid any highways or toll roads along your trip.

With the free Garmin Garage feature, users can completely customize their travel experiences by choosing from many different car-shaped icons to represent their position on the map display. Also included is the Garmin Lock antitheft feature, which will render the device inoperable unless a four digit PIN (personal identification number) is entered first, or until it is taken to a predetermined and secure location.

Also available in Widescreen version : Garmin nuvi 260W

Technical Specifications

• Antenna: Built-in
• Battery: Rechargeable lithium ion, runs for up to five hours without power
• Connectivity: USB cable (not included
• Dimensions: 3.8"(W) x 2.8"(H) x 0.8"(D)
• Weight : 5.2 ounces
• Display: QVGA color antiglare with white backlight, 320 x 240 pixels
• Expansion Slots: SD 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 North America and Europe
• Voice Capabilities: Yes, voice prompts, text to speech street names

More user reviews:

• "Many GPS models have features not needed for navigating (such as an MP3 player or Bluetooth). The 260 only has what I really think is necessary in a portable GPS. It's sleek (fits comfortably in your pocket), easily transportable, has preloaded maps with a tremendous database, and a fast processor which calculates and recalculates routes in seconds. Eliminating unnecessary features reduces the cost, plus makes it easier to use. The touchscreen interface in the Nuvi 260 is so intuitive, many people can skip the short instruction book altogether. Ten minutes of just "playing around with the unit" after taking it out of the box is all you will need to be navigating. That's the mark of a great design." J.Write (NJ,USA)

• "I would say there is no perfect GPS unit in the market, but this definitely is one of the best. If you were a nuvi owner like me, a previous owner of a nuvi 350 GPS, you will know that nuvi is very easy to operate. You do not need any thick manual to study how to use the unit, just get it out the box, turn it on, and play it around, then you are ready to go. This is a nuvi, so, yes, it is easy to use. As a trade off, some advanced routing functions are not included in this unit, for example, you can not add many via points to one route." - C.P.Term (DC,USA)

Average User Rating :

Garmin nuvi 260 Now on Sale at Amazon.com
Enjoy Free Shipping & Secure Shopping>

Back to top > Garmin Nuvi 260 Review