Garmin nüvi 650 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
by Garmin
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List Price: Our Price: $319.00 You Save: $430.99 (57%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $64.99 (click here) Category: GPS or Navigation System See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Garmin nüvi 650 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
Customer Review: Popular Features + Great Price = Amazing Value!
Summary: 5 Stars
I was looking for three must have features in a GPS. A 4.3" screen, text to speech and full North American coverage including Canada. The Garmin Nuvi 650 offered these must have features at an attractive price. The 4.3" screen is a must and the text to speech is not perfect but amazing clear. It recognizes Canadian Postal Codes which are more specific than 5 digit Zip Codes. One plus on the Nuvi 650 is the fold out antenna which allows better satellite reception. I consistently receive full signal strength indoors! Lack of an AC adapter is not an issue. You can charge the unit via the supplied USB adapter or the DC car adapter.
I highly recommend immediately registering the unit at the Garmin website while it's connected via the USB adapter. The first thing it did was update the firmware in my GPS to the latest version. These firmware updates are free for the life of the unit. The next thing it did was offer to update my 2008 mapping software to the latest 2009 version for free for the first 30 days. Both of these updates were effortless and I was assured I had the most current version of all firmware and mapping updates available. This is a major advantage of Garmin over its competitors.
Garmin has the most intuitive menu system. A novice can be using all of its powerful features immediately. I did a quick check of all the local Points of Interest (POIs) in my area and was amazed at the depth of the database. I discovered things in my local area that I didn't even know existed. It's reassuring to know that anywhere I travel the POI database is both extensive and current.
As a general observation, these GPS units are a marvel of miniaturization! The incredible amount of information stored in this tiny package is absolutely astounding! I can't imagine traveling without a GPS guiding the way. The Garmin Nuvi 650 is an excellent choice for someone not needing all the bells and whistles but still insists on all the must have features at an outstanding price.
Customer Review: Everything I Expected
Summary: 5 Stars
I had a Garmin Ique 3600 that I've been happy with for several years. My father-in-law began talking about driving from California to Oklahoma this summer. I told him he needed a GPS for the trip. So I began my research for a GPS that would be easy to use and not a complete fortune. When I got done researching I decided on the Garmin Nuvi 650. He didn't need the Bluetooth or traffic tracking capabilities of the higher units, but a larger screen than the 300 series would be a benefit. I convinced myself that I needed to test drive the unit before recommending it for him to buy (okay, rationalization to get one for myself because it seemed to be a really nice unit that my family would appreciate as well).
I purchased mine for about $460. When it arrived, I was up and running within 15 minutes. The menus were intuitive and easy to figure out (good because there is only a printed quick start guide...you have to access the digital manual using the USB connection and access the file located on the Garmin with a computer). The satellite acquisition is pretty quick (really quick compared to either of my GPSs from a couple years ago). In fact, I was able to lock on satellites from inside the house! The voice commands are clear and you can choose from a male of female voice and from several different languages (which my daughter enjoyed, but following the directions in Italian, which we don't speak, was challenging although not impossible). The suction cup mount that came with the unit is adequate if you clean the windshield where you intend to mount the unit and slightly moisten the suction cup. I purchased the bean bag friction mount which is easier to use in different cars.
I am very happy with the unit and had no problem recommending it to my in-laws who are not really tech savvy. My mother-in-law had the unit operating in less than an hour and they used it to get around town that afternoon. That's a testimonial in of itself!
Customer Review: Don't need the missing accessories for Nuvi 650
Summary: 5 Stars
Bought this unit after comparing to the 660. I have driven lots of vehicles with built in GPS. The 650 user interface is terrific, and a joy to use.
You don't need documentation, it is straight forward if you read what is on the screen before you press 'buttons' on the touch screen. The touch screen interface is very very easy to use and the large size of the icons really helps in not fat-fingering.
The unit feels like it is feather light, at least, to me.
You don't need an AC charger since it can pick up power from the included USB cable that you will use to connect it to the computer for upgrades etc.
The case that comes with the 660 is useless because it is a slide in case. If you take it out of the car to use on foot, this case design is useless, you need a case with a flip up cover (read online that Blackberry flip up cases fit, but I need to research this).
I believe that I cannot use the 660's FM transmitter since the family minivan is mostly running DVD Player sound over the radio, so cannot tune to an FM channel anyway.
I already have a Plantronics bluetooth ear piece for my cell phone (which I can use when walking around on foot without carrying a 'loudspeaker' nav unit in my hand !!!) so don't really need the 660's bluetooth either. Also if you are driving your colleagues or family around, and you really need to take a call, do you need to broadcast it over the Nuvi - buy a bluetooth ear set.
For the delta price savings 650 is fine compared to the 660 unless you really need feature rich system in which case you should probably buy a 680 with traffic alerts.
I did not need the friction mount unit as I mounted the included adhesive disc on top of the center stack on my 2008 Chrysler Town and Country (you suction cup mount the unit on top of this disc for easy removal), but I believe that it would be a good buy.
Customer Review: I Can Now Go Where Angels Fear To Tread - From A Senior
Summary: 5 Stars
So easy to use my 8 yo grandson can operate it. I used it for the first time to navigate a trip into Ann Arbor MI, a city well known for having been laid out by following the trails of numerous fox hunts as there are few streets without many twists and turns, complicated by the fact that the same street changes names every mile or so. The Garmin got me exactly where I needed to go into the city and places within the city over a two day trip, and then onto Detroit where the speed limit is just about as fast as a car can go without running the state troopers off the road. I would not even have attempted to drive myself without the Garmin!!!
I am a senior driver now who over many decades has driven coast to coast seven times and either lived in or visited every major city in the U.S. Nowadays, I find it is easy for me to get lost and streets seem to be poorly marked or so wide that I don't see the cross road signs until I am passing them. The Garmin gives me directions far enough ahead of the turns for me to switch several lanes of traffic through the use of a pleasant computer voice and with typed directions across the top of the screen as well as the map layout.
I read many, many reviews before I selected this relatively inexpensive and uncomplicated unit as I did not want all the bells and whistles, like having a book read to me or for use to download music - I have a radio and CD player for that. I can't think of how they could make the unit more user friendly.
I noted there were complaints about the sound not being loud enough, well duh! Turn the music down there is only room for so many soundwaves in a given space!!! If you can't hear the output of a Garmin your music is above 85 dba and you are damaging your hearing!!!
You can buy this unit with confidence that you are getting a good deal that everyone will be able to use with ease.
Doc
Customer Review: works great
Summary: 5 Stars
I just bought a Garmin nuvi 650. I tested it in the Boston/Cambridge area, and it is working great. Needless to say that Boston has one of the most complicated road network in the nation with a number of roads without properly placed street names. This device really makes life easier to get around here.
The LCD display is flawless, the sound quality is much better than the newer Garmin models (eg 255w) in the neighborhood of nuvi 650's price range. Garmin has made these newer model more compact but has compromised the quality of the speaker. The primary reason behind my pick is 650's sound quality which I considered the most important attribute of any text to speech GPS device.
Satellite acquisition and recalculation are both pretty impressive.
The quality of map graphics is much better than the TomTom models.
You can do a lot more things in excess of what is being advertised.
The only concern I have is the number of TTS voice options in American English as other reviewers mentioned before. It's just too few (one male and one female voice) compared to the number of options that TomTom provides.
I don't know about other makes in the market, but this one is WAAS system capable which is supposed to give you < 3 meters of position accuracy. I didn't know about this option before I received this device. See http://www8.garmin.com/aboutGPS/waas.html
My purchase was eligible for 2009 map update. The process is simple but time consuming. You need to register your product first on Garmin's website. You may have to remove all the audio and jpeg files in order to accommodate entire North America 2009 map version, otherwise you can only select a region of your choice. Don't worry; the installation process will guide you step by step.
In summary, excellent product, and highly satisfied and recommended.