Routing

How we get there, what direction, what short-cut and what time we arrive – it’s all part of the routing engine. GPS routing works by applying its own unique set of algorithms to the map data, then works out your route from there. It also takes commonly held values such as average speed and number of traffic lights to work out the best way to a destination. It’s not perfect and some GPS’s do it better than others. It might be the difference between taking a left on the main road or a right hand turn and ending up with a much longer or shorter journey.

How we tested:

On each journey home from the office, we tested the Navman and TomTom units using exactly the same route to find any routing differences. On our typical 40 minute journey, we noticed that both GPS brands were similar with their map instructions. Neither deviated off-course, though the Navman did try to take us down a couple of different streets – but it amounted to little more than a three minute detour overall.

Our test results show that we reached our destination in almost the same time each day (based on similar traffic flows), along a similar route. What does this mean? That both brands have fairly efficient routing engines and both will get you where you need to go. Just remember the interface – if you want to change where you are going or get more information at the click of the button, we’d edge towards the TomTom for ease of use.

Pricing

The TomTom ONE (V4) retails for $299, but that’s just the official RRP. With a quick web search, we found the best online price for the ONE advertised at Shopping Square for $248.95 – a real bargain. By comparison, the best we could find the S150, which retails for $499, was at Wireless One for $399.

As far as price goes, it’s very hard to beat the amazing value of the ONE. The S150 is $150 more and there’s little difference to the ONE’s standard feature set. Navman buyers will need to weigh up whether the S150 is worth the $150 for features like Bluetooth, 3D Lane guidance, 3D Landmarks and Local Live search (POI live search directory assistance).But if you just want a simple GPS, then you probably already have your answer with the TomTom.

Overall Verdict:

The Navman is like a sleek catwalk model, pretty to look at – but limited to to its attractiveness. The TomTom, while not as fancy - has a straight foward, sophisticated touch, and works brilliantly. For us, the TomTom ONE (V4.) is Australia’s next top GPS model.