Figure 6: nuvi 250W Suction Cup Windshield Mount

The nuvi 250W uses a similar suction cup mount as the rest of the nuvi product line. The mounting hardware consist of two pieces: the suction cup mount and the cradle

Figure 7: nuvi 250W's Windshield Cradle

The cradle fits onto the ball at the end of the windshield mount, creating a ball-and-socket type connection that is both highly effective and easy to attach/remove. To attach the cradle to the mount, simply press the cradle's socket onto the mount's ball, applying pressure until you hear it click into position. From there, the cradle can be articulated into the desired position.

To remove the cradle from the mount, simply twist the cradle all the way to the right or left until it snaps off the tip of the windshield suction mount. Another benefit of this design is that it doesn't degrade or wear out over time. TomTom's GO x10 series, for example, uses a mount design that is prone to wear and tear, and frequently breaks with normal usage.

Figure 8: nuvi 250W Connected to the Windshield Mount

Connecting the nuvi 250W to the cradle/mount is simple and easy to do with one hand: press the bottom of the nuvi into the cradle, and snap the top of the nuvi into place.

Throughout my testing I found Garmin's mounting hardware outstanding; the windshield mount held the nuvi firmly in place without any visible vibration while driving. The ball-and-socket style connector holds the unit just firmly enough to hold it in place, while still making it easy to adjust the nuvi's position if needed. Another advantage of this type of mount is that there are no screws to tighten/loosen when you want to adjust the position, making one-handed adjustments easy.

Good mounting hardware seems to elude most GPS manufacturers, so Garmin deserves high praise for consistently making excellent windshield mounting hardware.

However, I did take issue with the fact that the 12v power adapter connects directly to the nuvi rather than the mount/cradle. It's annoying having to plug in the power cable each time you want to use the GPS. The more expensive nuvi 350 (and 600 series) connects the power cable to the mount/cradle rather than the unit directly, making it that much faster to get the nuvi ready for navigation. I realize the nuvi 250 is an entry-level device and Garmin needs to keep costs down, but I did find myself longing for the mount with the power connector built-in.

Figure 9: Included 12v Cigarette Lighter Power Adapter

Figure 10: 12v Power Adapter's mini-USB Connector

The mini-USB connector on the nuvi 250W both provides power / charging, and also allows the unit to be connected to a PC/MAC for updating the firmware or transferring data to an SD memory card.

4. nuvi 250W's New, Internal Antenna

Figure 11: nuvi 250W's Internal Antenna vs nuvi 300/600's Fold-Out Antenna

Initially was concerned that the nuvi 250W's internal antenna wouldn't perform as well as the fold-out type patch antenna. After all, it seems only logical that the fold-out antenna should perform better. However, in my testing the two performed identically. The nuvi 250W was just as sensitive as the more expensive nuvi 660.

5. GPS Signal Strength

All new Garmin GPS units use SiRF's high performance SiRF Star III 20-channel indoor GPS receiver. This chipset is extremely sensitive and able to maintain solid signal reception even when driving in GPS-challenging situations, such as behind tall buildings, under bridges, through canyons, etc. In fact, during my testing, I was able to get a strong signal even indoors.

The integration of SiRF's chipsets into the latest generation of in-car navigation systems has been a watershed event for GPS navigation. Prior to SiRF, line-of-sight to the sky was required to receive GPS signals, resulting in poor GPS performance (or no signal at all) in many cases. SiRF's chipset has ushered in a new era of GPS performance, affording fast signal acquisition and precise positioning that is solidly maintained while driving. Make sure that any new GPS you buy includes SiRF's chipset; I'm always amazed that people buy GPS devices that are old and outdated (and sometimes cost even more than the newer devices with SiRF -- even from the same manufacturer).

Even though the 200-series nuvis are targeted at the lower-end of Garmin's product line, I'm pleased to report that Garmin is continuing to use the costly (and highly effective) SiRF StarIII GPS receiver on the nuvi 250W. Throughout my testing GPS reception was outstanding. The GPS quickly recognized my location, and reception was unflappable, even when driving in midtown Manhattan. I did lose reception when driving through tunnels, but the GPS quickly re-acquired within a few seconds once I emerged from the tunnel.

6. Mounting the nuvi 250 in the Car

Like other Garmin nuvi's, mounting the nuvi 250 in the car is a simple matter that doesn't require any professional installation. Simply attach the windshield mount to the glass, dock the GPS, and connect the power to the cigarette lighter.

Figure 12: nuvi's Suction Mount, Attached to the Windshield

The secret to Garmin's highly effective mount is its simplicity: simple, lightweight construction with very few moving parts makes for a reliable, solid connection that will stand up well to normal wear and tear.

Locate the area on the windshield where you want to mount the GPS, then press the suction cup mount against the glass and lower the locking lever into place to secure the mount to the windshield.

Note that some States prohibit you from sticking anything to the windshield. If you happen to live in such a state, you can use the permanent adhesive mounting disc (included) to attach the mount to the dashboard instead of the windshield glass. I strongly prefer using the windshield - it's much easer to remove, and when it comes time to upgrade to a new GPS, there's nothing "permanent" to remove.

Figure 13: Connecting the 12v Power Adapter to the Cigarette Lighter

The included 12v cigarette lighter power adapter widens slightly at the base. Nevertheless, the adapter is relatively small and feels solid. A red LED indicator on the base of the adapter shows whether the adapter is getting power -- man, I really need to clean the "official GPSmagazine testing car"...

Figure 14: Connecting the 12v Power to the nuvi 250W

The nuvi 250W uses the same mini-USB connector for both power and data transfer. This reduces the number of connectors on the unit, and simplifies things from a user perspective. The only down side is that the mini-USB connector needs to be inserted the "right" way up, making it slightly more difficult to connect than a standard round connector.

I prefer having the single USB connector for both power and data connections rather than separate jacks, but I did find it slightly difficult to connect while driving (something you really shouldn't be doing anyway...).

Figure 15: Attaching the Bracket Clip to the Windshield Mount

The bracket snaps onto the ball of the windshield mount simply by applying pressure to it. You'll hear (and feel) the socket "snap" onto the mount, creating a ball-and-socket type joint.

To remote the bracket, twist it all the way to the right or left until it "breaks" off the windshield mount.

The beauty of this mount is that there's very little to go wrong. There are no knobs to tighten, or levers to adjust; the mount holds the GPS firmly enough in place that there is no vibration while driving, yet can be re-positioned simply by moving the GPS with your hand. Excellent mount design by Garmin!