Magellan RoadMate 1424 Review

People that have a $200 budget for a GPS device may have a tough time choosing as there are so many midrange models by several manufacturers. Even when the focus is on just one manufacturer, plenty of models are available in $200-$300 price range and not all of the advanced features may be needed by the average or new GPS user. It is important to get a device that actually lasts and have useful features. The Magellan RoadMate 1424 is one of the available GPS devices that caters to new and experienced users and keeps the focus on driving safety and convenience.

Magellan RoadMate 1424 GPS Navigator

Design

The Magellan RoadMate 1424 doesn't aim to be stylish or sleek, but the simple design is durable, slim, and large with a 4.3" wide touchscreen display. Other than that, the RoadMate 1424 isn't very different compared to the other models in the Roadmate 1400 series.

User Interface

The same can be said with the user interface so existing users of the lower-end RoadMate devices should have no trouble accessing their favorite features as well as the other navigation features introduced in the 1424 model. New users can get right into the main navigation features by using the QuickSpell™ feature which makes it a lot easier to search for a street address, point of interest, or even a city thanks to the SmartCity implementation. Once the first few letters are keyed in, a number of complete matches are shown that looks similar to the AutoComplete features of a web browser. In addition, keys are lit up to help complete the destination faster.

Navigating through the rest of the device is just as easy and presents its interface very well for newbies to comprehend with icon-driven menus so the device can be literally used without reading the manual. When night time strikes, the device can still be used as the "Night View" setting adjusts the contrast and color automatically.

Actual user review:
• "This product is a great buy. Very user friendly. The screen is wide enough to be viewed by both the driver and the front passenger. We went to a complicated old neighborhood and the directions were perfect." - Es Em (NJ,USA)

Navigation Features

The Magellan RoadMate 1424 is one of the newer GPS devices out there and features something significant that is not present in the older models and that is the OneTouch favorites menu. This feature makes it even more user friendly by letting you add bookmarks of your favorite places for quick access if the place is visited often. As the name suggests, getting directions for bookmarked destinations are accessible by a single touch.

Bookmarks can be made as soon as the device is turned on as the NAVTEQ maps are preloaded and cover all of the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico too. Mexico maps are not preloaded, but are still available for separate purchase. Millions of POIs add lots of detail to these maps and the branded POIs make the maps even more appealing as some of the popular points of interest have logos to get a better idea of the surroundings including near highway exists as there are POIs shown as well.

When on the road, the Roadmate 1424 is very reliable with its route planning features thanks to the route optimization feature that allows routes with multiple destinations to be made with ease. The Roadmate 1424 does the calculating work by determining the most efficient route that can save the driver time and money. Further route customizations can be made if there is a need of creating a route that yields the shortest distance or most or least use of freeways. If the Traffic Link accessory is used, traffic notifications can appear too without subscriptions

Once the route is set, focus can be fully made on the driving because the Roadmate 1424 speaks the directions and street names throughout the route. If there are any missed turns, the automatic re-route function activates and effectively puts the driver back on track.

Extra features include the AAA TourBook which highlights the best places to dine and stay because of their AAA approval. The AAA Member Roadside Assistance helps find a repair shop in case of unfortunate incidents and comes with a location tracker that can be used for relaying to these shops.

Bottom Line

Although there is no lane detection feature, the Roadmate 1424 has a fine feature set that is enough for people to drive safer without exposing too many options that can confuse some users. The enhanced route planning options make it a worthy device for vacation trips too.

More user reviews:

• "I did all research on Amazon and eBay, between Magellan and Garmin. Finally I decided to buy this unit with a great deal! Magellan Roadmate 1424 is brand new on the market, "Date first available at Amazon.com: October 1, 2009" means you have new map - no need to pay extra money to get new map update. There are not many people out there know about this unit, that's why Amazon brought down the price of this unit. This unit has Navteq map which is supposed to be very accurate. I was thinking about getting Magellan Roadmate 1440 because of lane asssist, but I came up with "lane assist is no need". You can see the direction on a GPS and signs on the road which is keep-an-eye-on-the-road. " - N.Marouzek (CA,USA)

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