Magellan RoadMate 3030 Review

Widescreen car GPS devices are very helpful in seeing more of the map or navigating through the different menus to use a certain feature. Most people should be satisfied with the 4.3-inch displays and the fact that all manufacturers do it shows that it is the standard size that balances portability and usability. But lately, manufacturers are making the extra push in releasing devices with 5-inch screens to make the maps even clearer so that there is less of a need to use the zoom features but these devices can be too large for some to carry around. The Magellan RoadMate 3030 is a device that falls between these two sizes and is packed with simple features without going too high with the price.

Design

The Magellan RoadMate 3030 has a 4.7-inch screen making it 17% bigger than the ordinary 4.3-inch displays. That may not seem much but the extra viewing area is helpful and it does not add too much to the weight. The black bezel design change is also refreshing for this 2010 refresh.

User Interface

The user interface of the RoadMate 3030 is far better than the smaller screens thanks to the larger touch-screen display. The change is noticeable when using the recently introduced OneTouch Favorites menu. The feature shows several icons that can be touched to immediately calculate a destination to the indicated icon from the current location. It is ideal for people that have many locations that are visited often. More icons are displayed on the screen than the 4.3-inch models.

Larger screens also mean bigger buttons which is good especially when typing in letters to spell a destination. The QuickSpell feature helps the driver input the desired destination faster by automatically making suggestions on the next key to press or the complete name of the destination through the SmartCity search feature.

Navigation

The 2D and 3D map views look gorgeous on the larger display but it does not leave any critical features behind. The device is still packed with the most important maps including all 50 states in the US along with Canada and Puerto Rico. 6 million points of interest are found across these maps. Users that are unsure of their surroundings can perform a POI search or may browse by category to discover places in the surrounding area. Whether it is an ATM, gas station, restaurant, or hotel, the device will have no difficulty in showing the relevant results. It even does more than that in certain POIs thanks to the built-in AAA TourBook guide which can only be found in Magellan products. These AAA-approved locations are accompanied with descriptions and ratings of the restaurant or hotel. It can come in handy especially if there is a need to save on travel expenses.

Several POIs may be found in certain highway exits and the Highway Exit POI Search brings these points to the driver whenever needed. To make sure that these destinations are properly reached, the Highway Lane Assist feature changes the map view to a 3D view where the correct lane is highlighted so the exit in the route won't be missed.

Outside the highway functions, the RoadMate 3030 is still ideal for planning multiple routes through the use of the multi-destination routing feature. It is as easy as setting destinations in a consecutive fashion while the device does the rest in calculating the best routes. The stops may also be reordered to see if a better route is created. Useful data is then generated including a statistic that shows how it takes to reach every stop.

Text-to-speech support is present in every modern Magellan device including the RoadMate 3030. It speaks out the name of the street clearly so drivers won't ever have to rely on the screen so long as the device stays accurate. The auto night view ensures that the device remains usable even at night and the AAA Member Roadside Assistance can help whenever unexpected problems arise. It displays an AAA phone number that users can call so they can forward the details of the exact location as indicated on the GPS unit.

Actual user review:
• "I gave this to my son and my daughter-in-law who are both directionally challenged. Within two days of having it I received a text message from her saying she now knows where every Starbuck's is within a 25 mile radius. A few weeks later, my son and I were out running errands and she called asking him to stop at a store. We didn't know where the closest one was but soon used this wonderful GPS navigator to figure it out for us.

The directions given were clear-audible and visual-and with no subscription price, this system is an absolute bargain. I noticed that he could easily remove the device and either lock it in the glove box or tuck it away somewhere. It is about the size of a small book and would easily fit into a jacket pocket or purse. I wasn't in the car long enough to see all of the features used but my son thanked me for it and said that it's proven to be an asset they can't imagine not having in their car now that they've had it for a while. " - S.Ranee (GA,USA)

Summary of Key Features

Bottom Line

Although the Magellan RoadMate 3030 lacks lifetime features, the device is still reasonably priced at around $180 which is decent since there are some units that lack highway features while others are smaller in size. It is much more affordable than the 5.0-inch screens as well. Entry-level GPS users should find this particular unit a breeze to use.

More user reviews:

• "Over the years I have purchased many GPS units from Garmin and Tomtom. This is my first Magellan. I have got to tell you that this is a really GOOD GPS. Large screen is easy to read and very detailed map info is superior to Garmin and Tomtom. Routing directions are best in class. Even gives a chime warning as a last reminder that your turn is approaching fast. Points of interest database is awesome. Places that were not in the Garmin were in this one. The mounting is very secure and easy.Voice is loud and clear. After using this GPS now on an extended round trip to Florida of over 1200 miles I can say that the unit worked well." - A.D.Nelson (NC,USA); Amazon Verified Purchase

• "This is my second Magellan GPS system and I love them. I watched my son use his GPS of a different manufacturer and I didn't like his. I like the Magellan so much better for its ease of use and its accuracy. I would not buy some GPS with the double name. I will stay with Magellan. The size of the screen is better than others and it doesn't obscure the windshield's view. I highly recommend this product." - A.Wilson (USA); Amazon Verified Purchase

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