When I first reviewed the Garmin nuvi 680 back in February, I thought it was a fantastic GPS, but I just couldn't give it the GPSmagazine Editor's Choice Award seeing as the almost identical nuvi 660 was nearly half the price. Don't get me wrong, the MSN-Direct features are very nice to have, but they're not worth $300 more than the 660!
Fast forward 5 months to July 2007 and the nuvi 680 has dropped almost $400 in price, and can be had for around $675. At that price the 680 is only about $100 more expensive than the 660, and I feel the price is reasonable enough to warrant an Editor's Choice Award. The MSN-Direct features give it a slight edge over the 660.
No GPS is perfect, but all-in-all the nuvi 680 is the best one I've tested. If you're looking for the best GPS and willing to spend close to $700, it's hard to beat the Garmin nuvi 680.
Got the 660 from costco for $550 (shipping plus tax on top of $499). Spotted the $674 price for the 680 on Amazon. HAve been running them both side by side for 2 weeks. Love the MSN direct but will be returning the 680 for one simple reason.... OLD maps. 680 is using v8 maps yet the 660 was using map version 2008. When i called Garmin, they said the map upgrade for the new unit i just purchased would be $80. My Magellan roadmate 700 died after 3+ yrs on the road. Was really hoping to give the garmin a try but the lousy customer service i got is enough for me to return both units. Will stick with Maestro 4050
Hi Elaine. I've read many instances (gpspassion) where Garmin support would relent (after getting the ok from their supervisor) and offer the new map at n/c for customers who recently purchased a Garmin unit.
By the way, if you think Garmin customer service is lousy, I can only imagine what you'll think when you'll need Magellan support. At least Garmin support exists! ;)