Choosing the best sat nav for you can be quite tricky, to say the least. With the many options available in the market, knowing the one that’s right for you might be likened to looking for a needle in the haystack.
At the top of the list sit Garmin and TomTom brands, and many consumers, just like you, find it difficult choosing between the two. Not to worry, we’ve made it easy for you in this article as we have reviewed sat navs from both brands and made it easier for you to choose.
In doing this review, we compiled a list of criteria we considered important when choosing a sat nav and checked how well the two brands meet the criteria. Let’s dig in!
1. Maps
Without a doubt, the maps feature is one of the most important things to check when choosing a sat nav. With good maps, you can drive in any part of the world. Now, both Garmin and TomTom have good maps. We’ve tried both and they work well. However, users have noted that Garmin’s apps are more accurate in the US while TomTom’s maps work best in Europe. So, your location might be a good determinant on which to choose when it comes to maps.
2. User-friendliness
Surely, ease of use is paramount when deciding a good sat nav. If a sat nav does not give a good user experience, then it shouldn’t be considered. In our experience, both Garmin and TomTom are easy to use. Their interfaces are both straightforward and let you carry out your searching, finding, and route calculations fairly well. However, we prefer the interface of Garmin Drive Smart which is firmly the best sat nav in 2022. The features and icons are direct, clear, and simple to use. TomTom, on the other hand, does not have a very clean and smooth display, although it gives more information.
3. Pricing
There are various ranges of sat navs with different prices from both brands, and your needs would determine which to choose. Whether you want a premium offering with tech features like Garmin nuviCam 6-inch Sat NavWith Built-in Dash Cam or you just want a device you can type in your address and drive like TomTom GO 50 5-inch Sat Nav, both brands have you covered.
4. Traffic Updates and Information
Both brands have their traffic updates versions. For Garmin, it is the Garmin Digital Traffic and for TomTom, it is the TomTom Traffic. We find both of them quite effective but in our experience,TomTom Traffic provides more accurate information and gives a better user experience. A study carried out by the University of Michigan also agrees that TomTom Traffic is better in this category.
5. Places of Interest Feature
When in a new vicinity, you find yourself looking for places of interest. Instead of having to do an internet search, a sat nav with this feature can make life easier. While both Garmin and TomTom sat navs have this feature, we prefer that of Garmin. TomTom’s feature is quite generic while Garmin’s is very specific, giving you more options, information, and search categories. Many of their devices have Foursquare inbuilt in them. Foursquare is a crowd-sourced platform that lets you search their database to find places of interest. This database is based on their user recommendations. This way, you get to know which places are considered good, bad, safe, or unsafe by users.
Additional Features to Consider When Choosing a Sat Nav
Apart from the criteria we used for reviewing Gramin and TomTom, there are other features you may want to check out when buying a sat nav.
- Speed Limits: Knowing the speed limits in a certain vicinity can help you a lot when driving in a new environment. Thus, this feature on a sat nav is a plus. The feature can also tell you what your current speed is.
- Speed Cameras Alert: This feature will automatically alert you when you’re approaching areas with speed cameras so that you can avoid penalties.
- Route planning: This is one feature you would love if you need help planning your routes in a new environment. It would make your movement easier.
- 3D Views: With the 3D view feature, you can interpret the routes more easily. This will help you navigate your way more smoothly.
Final Words
As you must have noted, what you’re looking for is what will determine which of the sat navs you will choose. If you’re looking for a sat nav with a good map, your location will determine which one to choose between Garmin and TomTom. If you’re looking for a sat nav that is easier to use, Garmin is your go-to. As for the price, both Garmin and TomTom provide a range of products at different prices. Your budget and needs will guide you here. For traffic updates and information, we recommend TomTom. And finally, when it comes to the Places of Interest (POI) feature, Garmin takes the cake. Hopefully, we have helped you make up your mind on which to choose between Garmin and TomTom sat nav.