Verdict: Solid Performance, Feature Packed
The Magellan Maestro 3140 is a full-featured GPS that offers Bluetooth, Text-to-Speech for turn-by-turn voice prompts, and includes AAA's TourBook travel information.
A few weeks ago I reviewed the entry-level Maestro 3100 and found the unit flawed, but overall a good buy considering it's sub-$200 street price. This week I take a look the 3100's more sophisticated, more expensive brother, the highly anticipated Maestro 3140. Priced at just under $400, the 3140 competes with the higher-end GPS units from Garmin, TomTom, and LG.
Does Magellan's Maestro 3140 deliver the goods? Read on to find out.
Table of Contents
- Technical Specifications
- Meet Maestro - Magellan's New Product Line
- What's in the Box
- Hardware Design: Maestro 3140
- GPS Signal Strength: The Mighty SiRF
- Mounting the Maestro 3140 in the Car
- Maestro's New User Interface
- Navigating with the Maestro 3140
- Maestro's Updated Map Screen
- Viewing the Maneuvering List
- Canceling the Route
- Using the Detour Feature
- Using the Exit POI's Feature
- Night Mode
- Using the Address Book
- Setting the Home Address
- Current Location Screen
- AAA Roadside Assistance
- Finding a Restaurant
- AAA Travel Information
- Multi-Destination Routing & Route Optimization
- Routing Engine Performance
- Real-Time Traffic Information
- Bluetooth
- Configuring System Options
- Pros
- Cons
- Conclusion
1. Technical Specifications
- Price: $399
- Display: 3.5" QVGA (320 x 240; 64,000 colors), anti-glare, touch-screen display
- Map Coverage: 50 U.S. States, Canada & Puerto Rico (NAVTEQ)
- POIs: 4.5 million searchable Points of Interest (POI's)
- Receiver: 20 channels, WAAS/EGNOS enabled - SiRFstarIII
- Battery Life: Up to 3 hours (assuming lowest screen brightness - actual battery life was more like 1.5-2 hours in my testing)
- Antenna: Integrated multidirectional patch
- Size: 4.29 (L) x 1.14 (W) x 3.48 (H)
- Weight: 6.5 oz
- Warranty: 1 year
2. Meet Maestro - Magellan's New Product Line
|
Screen Size |
GPS Chipset |
Map Coverage |
POIs |
Text-to-Speech |
Bluetooth |
Traffic |
Voice Command |
Price |
|
3.5" diag. |
SiRF Star III |
Continental US (48 states) |
750k |
No |
No |
No |
No |
$349 |
Maestro 3140 |
3.5" diag |
SiRF Star III |
50 States, Canada & Puerto Rico |
4.5 million |
Yes |
Yes |
Optional |
No |
$449 |
Maestro 4000 |
4.3" diag. |
SiRF Star III |
Continental US (48 states) |
1.6 million |
No |
No |
No |
No |
$449 |
|
4.3" diag. |
SiRF Star III |
50 States, Canada & Puerto Rico |
4.5 million |
Yes |
Yes |
Optional |
No |
$599 |
Maestro 4050 |
4.3" diag. |
SiRF Star III |
50 States, Canada & Puerto Rico |
4.5 million |
Yes |
Yes |
Included |
Yes |
$799 |
3000-series Maestros have the smaller 3.5" screen while the 4000-series Maestros enjoy the larger 4.3" (measured diagonally) display. Maestro 3100 is the most affordable Maestro, with an estimated street price of around $200. The entry-level 3100 doesn't have many of the bells and whistles found on the more expensive Maestros, but does deliver solid basic navigation at a bargain-basement price.
