Garmin Nuvi 855 Review

Garmin has been successful in bringing in a streamline of new widescreen GPS devices that gives the user better visibility in a cleaner interface. The Garmin nüvi 855 is a GPS navigator and personal travel assistant featuring voice-activated navigation and lane assist with junction view. Garmin has added a host of functions to enhance the user experience and value.

The Garmin nuvi 855 is an enhanced version of the older nuvi 850. Owners of the older model will be impressed that all the features are still present with a few fixes. 

Garmin nuvi 855 GPS Navigator

Innovative Speech Recognition

The safety features of the nuvi 850 have been brought on to the 855 with its speech recognition technology that can accept voice commands without any need of an additional setup or training. The push-to-talk wireless remote that can be attached to the steering wheel is highly useful for getting the voice commands recognized while you are driving.

What is great about the speech recognition is its intelligence in recognizing many business establishments and answer simple questions like where the user is or where a certain place can be found. The Garmin nuvi 855 is more responsive than ever by replying in a voice fashion which simulates real interaction with a device.

Maps that are Ready to Go

The Garmin nuvi 855 has plenty of street maps and millions POIs pre-installed so users can see them even when started for the first time. Whether it is 2D or 3D maps, the Garmin nuvi goes to work immediately by accurately announcing exits and recognizing key locations including hotels, restaurants, fuel stations, and more.

Same Easy Functionality

Old fans of the 850 series interface will have no trouble operating the latest of the pack because of the similar widescreen interface. New users should learn the easy wizard style functions quickly and the intuitive “Where Am I” function can give the users their exact location in coordinates along with any places nearby. It remembers the place you parked too making it a great companion when on foot.

Actual User review:
"This GPS works exactly as expected. The remote button attaches easily to the steering wheel. Wait until the green indicator shows up on the screen. It has an excellent voice recognition interface, and the advanced GPS features that I want. This is really helpful when you are traveling alone and can't stop. You don't need to use the touch screen. It reads street, and highway lane names. The where am I ?, Point of interest (POI) features are very useful. It stores location when you remove it from the vehicle mount. It takes you back to your car in a mall parking lot. It re-routes fast without complaining & asking you to turn around. This unit is a great deal, and works well if you read the instructions. Try it at home, you can walk outside if you don't get satellite signals. Try all the functions & use the voice commands. Then practice on a familiar route until you get used to the functions. " - M.Broder (NC,USA)

New Features

The Garmin nuvi 855 spices up the existing package by adding a few nifty features of its own.

Faster and More Accurate Directions

With more POIs then the older models, an easy “Where to” option is available where the user needs to give a destination through voice or touchscreen and the plan is generated. The Garmin nuvi 855 then dictates the direction using text-to-speech for a smooth ride. With the new HotFix satellite prediction feature. Turn-by-turn directions are more precise and work well with custom POIs.

The older models weren’t very smart when it comes to unfamiliar intersections. Some exits require the driver to be on a certain lane and the 855 aids with that nicely. It even recognizes key road signs and junctions to put drivers on the right lane for fast navigation.

Conclusion

These worthy extras greatly enhance the value of an already fantastic product. The Garmin nuvi 855 has successfully raised the bar in navigation technology making it definitely worth the $499 price tag. Street prices are usually below $450 making it an excellent buy.

Product Features

• Sleek, ultra-slim design fits in a pocket; High-sensitivity GPS receiver for fast satellite lock
• Pre-loaded with City Navigtor NT maps for North America, including more than 6-million name-searchable points of interest
• Speech recognition--speak menu options and keep your eyes on the road
• Multi-destination routing--enter several destinations and get the best route to all of them; "Where am I?" and "Where's my car?" features
• Full feature set - Text-to-Speech for spoken directions with real street names; MP3 player, and Photo viewer

Technical Details

• Receiver Description: 12 channels
• Connectivity: USB; standard headphone and microphone jacks
• Display: 4.3" touchscreen WQVGA TFT display with white backlight
• Native Resolution: 480 x 272 pixels
• Battery: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
• Battery Average Life: 4 Hours
• MP3 player: Yes
• Unit dimensions: 4.9"W x 3.1"H x 0.7"D
• Weight: 6.2 oz
• Additional Storage: microSD card slot

Actual User review:
"I bought the Garmin 855 as an upgrade to my StreetPilot C550. I was reluctant to buy it, based on the less-than-stellar reviews on here, but after using it for a week, I have no complaints at all. What makes this GPS so remarkable is the voice recognition! I feel like I'm using Star Trek technology. It rarely has any problem understanding what I tell it. Hands free GPS navigation! I never have to pull over to type a new destination (or try to do it while driving). I can't imagine any of the minor complaints offsetting the awesomeness of the voice recognition. Now that it's available, I wouldn't have a GPS unit without it. If your budget allows for a voice recognition GPS with 1000 waypoints, an improved on/off switch, and smoother screen refresh, then by all means get that one. But if you're looking to spend about $300, and want voice recognition, do not hesitate to buy the nuvi 855. I wouldn't exchange it for a non-voice recognition unit that has those features that this one lacks. " - R.Schroeder (Scottsdale,AZ)

Average User Rating :

List Price: $499.99

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