Advantages over Garmin

[TroyPeterson]

Is there a place to find the advantages of TomTom over Garmin? I am looking for something competitive to the Garmin nuvi 265T.

 

[gatorguy]

An advantage for one user might be a disadvantage for another. I'll give you a "for instance". TomTom's generally allow much more customizing of the on-screen information. Time to destination, total trip time, time remaining. They allow all names for a state highway to be shown, not just the most common. You can populate the navigation screen with several categories of poi's and icons. But some users think the screen is too cluttered on a TomTom and wish it could be simplified to show more map and less blue data areas. If I were to make a list of the biggest differences between Garmin and TomTom pnd's, you wouldn't find general agreement as to which were advantages or needed, and which were disadvantages or less than useful features. I drive with one of each sometimes since a street or address might be in one and not the other. Sometimes I only use only my TomTom 740 if I'm traveling in or around Tampa or Orlando during the day. Other times I just use my Garmin 760 when I've got several places to stop and I've got to get around as quickly as possible for business.

Is there something in particular that you think is missing from your 265? If so, then perhaps one of the TomTom models might offer it. At the same time there are 265 features that you'll have to give up when you get a TomTom. It boils down to what features or characteristics are important to you personally. What I think is needed or beneficial might be totally unimportant to you.

 

[TroyPeterson]

An advantage for one user might be a disadvantage for another. ....

I guess advantages were not necessarily all that i was looking for. Customizable is a good one. I would like to know the differences.

Right now I have a Nextar GPS that is 3 years old. I was never happy with it to begin with. It came with a stylus and the touch screen never really was usable with finger touch. I was sure that I would buy a TomTom but all the reviews have Garmin a little ahead of them right now. I am not sure why. I know some of the CNET editors swear by TomTom so I am trying to decide what to buy.

However, I have not see anybody discuss the customization like you have done. I also like the idea of this community. How is the cost of upgrading the maps in the device. How is the touch screen navigation on the TomTom? Is the touch navigation usable? Are there hacks to integrate with OpenMaps.org? Are the maps okay for walking or biking directions.

 

[gatorguy]

Individual map updates are simillarly priced. Subscriptions are done differently. Garmin offers a one-time payment lifetime map update program, up to four updates per year no additional charge for as long as you own your nuvi. It can be found for as little as about $85. TomTom does a yearly subscription for about $45, plus the cost of bringing your current map up-to-date. Keep either for roughly two years or less and the costs are pretty much the same. One big mapping difference: TomTom offers IQR, a database of historical travel times broken down by time of day and day of the week. Garmin's Navteq routing does not yet offer anything similar, tho that should change this fall. For now, IQR gives TomTom a leg-up on up to 35% of trips. But also note that in some parts of the country TomTom/TeleAtlas is still playing catch-up in the quality and quantity of mapped roads compared to Navteq (Garmin). But a few areas do have better mapping than Navteq has. IMO, in general Navteq offers more reliable mapping in North America overall, but not necessarily in your specific area.

All the TomTom's I've used have very good touchscreens, so that shouldn't be any concern. On to maps, TomTom has a very closed system for them. It's going to be tough to add any maps that don't come directly from TomTom. Garmin's on the other hand can use thousands of 3rd party maps from marine use to topographic to off-road and user generated maps of out-of-the-way places.

There are so many differences, we could fill an entire page. A good friend of mine, Infama, and I had a very long discussion on the merits of Garmin vs. TomTom two years ago. (Of course that was back in my very pro-Garmin days. . . I'm a bit wiser now). Most of the points we made are still valid so it might be worth a visit. The latter part of the posts (bottom 3rd) cover the differences more clearly. TomTom GO 920T vs Garmin Nuvi 770 -- NaviGadget

 

[lec510]

The first GPS you buy from one of these two companies, you'll likely stick with for a long time.
But generally if you are a K.I.S.S type , you'll like Garmin ; if you are a more adventurous type, you will love TomTom.
I introduced TomTom to all my Brothers-in-Law - none of them will ever buy a Garmin (which they have chance to play with, from their relatives) in their life. Too slow , they claimed.

 

[Mamba]

last year when i was picking between a 330S and a 255W as my first gps........... i find that garmin is too simple for me, after one night of playing around with it i got bored but with tomtom there a lot of options.

i like the planning from point A to B. and being able to see the coordinates on the maps. my buddy has a 760 and everytime we're looking for a place where we know where to go but don't have an address......... we always give the coordinates and his garmin doesn't have that.

i like garmin's screen though so much better.

 

[gatorguy]

Every Garmin nuvi can route to coordinates, even off-road ones which TomTom cannot use. Your buddy isn't using his 760 correctly.

 

[Mamba]

you're probably right......... so you can browse the map and give me the coordinates just like in tomtom? coz everytime i ask him for the coordinates he said he it doesn't show. with tomtom you have the coordinates wherever the cursor is. so garmin has that as well?

 

[gatorguy]

Yes it does.