Garmin nuvi 50LM Review

The number of 5-inch GPS devices are rapidly increasing as customers want to see more of the map. Any GPS device that you will mount on the dashboard will always look cooler if the screen is larger. The 3-D graphics stand out more and more details are noticeable when you zoom in.

Since these larger devices use more materials, these devices cost a bit more than the standard 4.3-inch widescreen models. Although Garmin isn't really the first company to unveil 5-inch automotive GPS devices, the company is aware that people want something both large and inexpensive. Garmin expects that their newly launched Garmin nuvi 50LM will meet those demands.

Garmin nuvi 50LM GPS Navigator

Design

The Garmin nuvi 50LM has that standard automotive GPS look but the 5-inch display size looks noticeably bigger than the more common Garmin nuvi devices. It certainly does not look and feel like a budget device especially you switch it on and examine the features.

Features

This 5-inch Garmin nuvi device is all about putting the most important features that you can take most advantage of. You can expect that certain features don't make it just to keep the price low, but the good news is that the features that do make it on the nuvi 50LM are the same as other Garmin nuvi devices. For instance, Garmin doesn't cut down on the available maps and points of interest. You have the option of getting a nuvi 50LM with the US maps preloaded. For $10 more will get you the Canada maps as well.

No matter which version you get, there are over 6 million points of interest to choose from when planning a route and categories span from gas stations to local restaurants. If ever the roads or locations of key areas change, Garmin has you covered with map updates that you can download for free. This is exclusive to Garmin models with the "LM" suffix and the nuvi 50LM is one of the most affordable 5-inch devices that offer map updates for a lifetime. Lifetime means that you won't have to commit and pay for any subscriptions. Garmin rolls out map updates four times a year which should be enough to stay up-to-date.

The Garmin nuvi 50LM isn't really the first budget Garmin nuvi device although this particular 5-inch model really reached a new low in terms of price. With this in mind, it is quite hard to believe that it incorporates a feature that other budget models lack. This feature is the lane assist with junction which is a very useful feature to have if your route takes your driving to the highway. It switches the view to 3-D mode so you can get a good perspective and see any important signs like exits and speed limits. Once you are near an exit that is within your route, the feature will highlight which lane you should be in so you have more time to properly take the exit.

The rest of the features are pretty standard. It has the same user interface as all of the other modern Garmin nuvi products so you should notice the large "Where to?" and "View Map" icons the moment you turn on your GPS device. Touching the "Where to?" icon will lead you to a step-by-step guide in planning a simple route. You can utilize all of the other features such as checking your position along with any nearby POIs by touching the "View Map" icon. Text-to-speech is supported which is pretty much a must for any Garmin nuvi device so you know exactly which street you need to make a turn to.

The nuvi 50LM costs $169.99 if you are fine with the US maps alone. This is already a very low price for a unit that grants you free lifetime map updates. It is much cheaper than the Garmin nuvi 2300LM which used to be the best budget recommendation with lifetime maps. The Garmin nuvi 2200 is also a good budget choice but it lacks lifetime maps and the 50LM is superior in screen size.

It also comes with basic accessories including the power cable, USB cable, and suction cup mount. Other features like pedestrian navigation, ecoRoute, and smaller tools like the converter tools and media players are absent so the nuvi 50LM keeps things simple and straight up when it comes to navigation. Other multifunction devices like smartphones can easily fill in most of the roles that the Garmin nuvi 50LM lack making this a great device for accessing trademark Garmin navigation technologies for cheap.

List Price: $179.99

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