Garmin nuvi 205 Review (GPSmagazine.com)

Verdict: The Best Recession-Friendly GPS You Can Buy

REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

nüvi 205 replaces the older nüvi 200
New map screen enhancements, features, & HotFix GPS technology, make the 205 a significant improvement over the nüvi 200
nüvi 205 is a better GPS than the TomTom ONE 130, or Magellan RoadMate 1200
Overall the best GPS in its price class

Garmin's nüvi 205 replaces the nüvi 200, adding niceties like an improved GPS receiver, faster screen redraws, support for traffic receivers, and, perhaps the most significant improvement, an upcoming turn arrow on the map. After thoroughly testing the nüvi 205, I can confidently recommend this capable GPS. Currently priced well under $150, you won't find a better GPS at that price.

1. Meet Garmin's nüvi 2x5 Models

Aggressively priced, Garmin's new 2x5 nüvis offer more features per dollar than any previous Garmin GPS. New to the 2x5 series are:

HotFix GPS technology for faster startup times (the GPS stores long term ephemeris prediction information, and is therefore able to find satellites much more quickly than GPS units without this technology)
Digital Elevation Model (DEM) Basemap - shows 3D shaded topographic terrain (when viewing the map in 2D mode)
Faster map drawing speeds compared to previous nüvi 200 models
Improved map screen now shows speed limit and upcoming turn indicator
Photo navigation - lets you navigate to geocoded photos
Support for adding an optional GDB 55 MSN Direct receiver
Automatic Time Zone Transition

As of this writing, Garmin offers seven different nüvi 2x5 models. Here's a chart that explains the differences between the models:

	nüvi 205	nüvi 205W	nüvi 255	nüvi 255W	nüvi 265T	nüvi 265WT	nüvi 275T
Screen Size	3.5"	4.3"	3.5"	4.3"	3.5"	4.3"	3.5"
Text-to-Speech	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Pre-Loaded Lower 48 States Maps	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Pre-Loaded Canada & Alaska Maps	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Pre-Loaded Europe Maps	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes
FM Traffic Included	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
MSN Direct	Add-on	Add-on	Add-on	Add-on	Add-on	Add-on	Add-on
Bluetooth	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Retail Price	$199.99	$249.99	$249.99	$299.99	$299.99	$349.99	$399.99

2. Specifications

Specifications
Physical size (WxHxD)	3.8"W x 2.8"H x .8"D (9.7 x 7.1 x 2 cm)
Weight	175 g (6.17 oz.)
Display	3.5 in. diagonal, 320 x 240 pixels; QVGA TFT display with white backlight and touchscreen
Operating Temperature range	from 32 to 140 degrees F (0 to 60 C)
Charging Temperature range	From 32 to 113 F (0 to 45 C)
Data storage	Internal memory and microSD memory card slot
Computer interface	USB
Headphone jack	none
Charge time	Approximately 4 hours
Power input	DC vehicle power using included 12 vehicle power cable, or AC power using optional adapter
Usage	5 W max.
Battery life	Up to 4 hours, depending on usage and settings
Battery type	Non-replaceable rechargeable lithium-ion
GPS receiver:	High Sensitivity with HotFix
Acquisition times	Warm: <1 sec. Cold: <38 sec. Factory Reset: <45 sec. (Average time for a stationary receiver with a clear view of the sky)
Maps	Pre-loaded maps of the 48 US States (City Navigator North America NT + City Navigator North America NT 3D), or a single European region.