It feels odd to be reviewing Magellan's newest GPS, given it was only a few months ago that Magellan released the new RoadMates 3000, 3050T, and 6000T. Feedback on those units was mixed, and now Magellan has dropped a whole new line of RoadMates: the 2000, 2200T, and 2500T.

The 2000 is the least expensive unit of the three, and is designed around basic navigation needs. The 2200T adds traffic and some navigation features, and the 2500T, a ruggedized cross-purpose GPS, is the most expensive of the bunch. Currently only the 2000 is actually available for purchase, with the 2200T and 2500T set to release by the end of October 2006.

The 2000 is the most affordable GPS unit Magellan has ever released, with a suggested retail price of $399 (and an internet price as low as $360). This is a far cry from those $2,500 units Magellan sold five or six years ago. If you ever needed proof that competition is good for consumers, take a look at the MRM 2000: It's a high performance GPS the provides basic navigation at an excellent price.

It looks like Magellan listened to the feedback on the design of the previous RoadMates (3000, 3050T and 6000T). Gone are the awkward, large zoom buttons on the top of the unit, and the array of buttons around the frame of the screen. The MRM 2000 is almost all screen, with relatively little space wasted around the rim. Overall I found the unit visually quite appealing, and Magellan achieves a good balance between screen size and portability. The black plastic material that houses the Magellan RoadMate 2000 has a matte finish, and doesn't leave fingerprints or show dirt easily. The unit feels solid and well-built.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Specifications
3. Unboxing
4. Design
5. Powering on the RoadMate 2000 for the First Time
6. Mounting the RoadMate 2000 in the Car
7. Using the RoadMate 2000
8. Navigating with the RoadMate 2000
9. Searching for an Address by Zip Code
10. Points of Interest
11. Setting the Home Address
12. Using the Address Book
13. Trip Computer
14. Trip Planner
15. Configuration
16. GPS Signal Reception
17. Routing Engine
18. The Good
19. The Bad
20. Conclusion

2. Specifications

• Map Coverage: Base Map Pre-loaded - 48 United States
• Size: 4.28" W x 3.15" H x 1.12" D (W 108.8 mm x H 88 mm x D 28.5 mm)
• Weight: 7.8 oz / 221 g
• Display: 3.5" color touch screen display, 2.11" x 2.81" (53.6mm x 71.5mm)
• Memory: 4 GB hard drive pre-loaded with maps of the 48 United States
• Mapping Provider: NAVTEQ
• POI Database: 1.3 million points of interest (POI)
• Expandable Data Storage: Secure Digital (SD) Card compatible
• Antenna: Built-in multidirectional patch
• Temperature Operating Range: 14 to 140°F (-10 to 60°C)
• GPS Receiver: 20 channels, SiRF Star III
• Acquisition Time: Hot: 1 second, Cold: 40 seconds, Initial: 5 minutes
• Accuracy: 3 to 5 meters (10 - 16 feet) - WAAS/EGNOS, < 7 meters (15 feet) - GPS only
• Language Support: English
• Battery Type: Li-Ion rechargeable 1200mA, 12 V AC or 12 vehicle adapter (sold separately)
• Battery Life: Over 3 hours continuous use

One of the first things I noticed looking at the specifications was the reduced POI database. Many GPS units have a POI database of 6+ million, including Magellan's own RoadMate 3000 and 6000 series (although it's worth mentioning that TomTom also uses a reduced POI database). POIs, or Points of Interest, are addresses pre-loaded onto the GPS and categorized so that you can quickly locate addresses, such as hotels, restaurants, parking garages, ATMs, gas stations, hospitals, tourist attractions, etc.

Battery life on the MRM 2000 is acceptable at around 3 hours, although ideally I'd prefer to see battery life around 4 hours to accommodate longer road trips. Also it looks like Magellan has dropped map coverage for Hawaii and Alaska on the RoadMate 2000, covering only the continental United States. Those drawbacks aside, everything else looks pretty good here: SiRF chipset, NAVTEQ maps, 3.5" color touch screen display, and an internal rechargeable battery.

3. Unboxing

Figure 2: The Magellan RoadMate 2000's packaging - front of the box.

As the box proudly advertises, Magellan created the Hertz NeverLost rental systems. If you've rented a Hertz car with NeverLost in it, then you're already somewhat familiar with the Magellan user interface.

Figure 3: Side of the MRM 2000 Box.

The Magellan RoadMate 2000 comes pre-loaded with NAVTEQ map coverage of the continental United States. I've made no secret of the fact that I consider NAVTEQ mapping data to be more accurate/complete than Tele Atlas, at least in North America. So it's good news that Magellan continues to use NAVTEQ, even in its less expensive models.

That said, just having NAVTEQ mapping data doesn't necessarily mean Magellan is using all of the attributes NAVTEQ makes available (at additional cost). For example, NAVTEQ can provide additional information about a given road, such as whether a street is off limits after a certain time of day, or is in a gated community, or what the average speed of traffic is, and many more pieces of information. GPS companies can choose how much of that data they want to buy, and how many attributes the unit will take into account when it calculates the route.

The Magellan RoadMate 2000 has new NAVTEQ software on it. In my testing, I found the unit routed me differently than other GPS units that also use NAVTEQ maps. We'll discuss the routing engine in more detail later on in this review, but for now it's worth mentioning that the MRM 2000 has the latest NAVTEQ mapping software on it.

Figure 4: Rear of the MRM 2000 Box

Figure 5: Side view of the MRM 2000 Box

Figure 6: Opening up the flip-top on the box reveals the Magellan RoadMate 2000.

Figure 7: What's in the Box

Here we see everything that's included in the box:

• Quick reference card
• 12v power adapter
• Windshield suction mount
• Quick release mounting bracket
• USB cable
• Permanent mounting disc (for attaching the windshield mount to the dashboard instead)

Figure 8: Quick-Release Mounting Bracket

The quick-release mounting bracket connects to the windshield suction-cup mount, and makes it easier to connect/disconnect the MRM 2000 from the windshield mount.

Figure 9: The included 12v Cigarette lighter power adapter.

This 12v adapter is relatively small, and feels well made.

Figure 10: The windshield suction-cup mount

The MRM 2000 shares the same mounting hardware as the MRM 3000, 3050T, and 6000T. The surface area of the suction cup is huge, and the mount itself is a lot larger than I would have thought necessary. It made slightly more sense for the 3000 and 6000T, as those units are larger than the MRM 2000. Given the relatively small size of the 2000, this windshield mount looks excessively large to me, and seems slightly disproportionate when mounted in the car.

Figure 11: Permanent mounting disc

For those of you who would rather not mount the RoadMate in your windshield (or live in California where it is illegal to mount anything on the windshield), Magellan has included a permanent mounting disc so you can attach the MRM 2000 to your dashboard instead. I'm loathe to mount anything permanently on my dashboard, especially something that will be outdated in a few years (although mounting the unit on the dashboard does eliminate the slight vibration that occurs when the unit is mounted via the suction cup windshield mount).

Figure 12: Included Printed Documentation

The MRM 2000 includes a Quick Reference pamphlet, Getting Started guide, accessories catalog, and warranty information card.

Figure 13: No CD's or Printed Manual

This leaflet was included in the package, and indicates that the reference manual isn't currently available, but you can go to Magellan's website for more product details. The website says the manual is not yet available. I guess Magellan needed to get this unit out to market so quickly that the technical writers have not yet finished writing the manual