They decided to go on a small or major trip "on their own", and the road is distant and unknown? The choice of a navigator for the car in these cases will be a kind of appeal to “Mr. Muscle”, simplifying life and giving the right clues in the direction of movement.
Content
What is a GPS navigator?
GPS-navigator is a device that paves the most convenient route for saving time and gas displacement. Along with this, he provides information about everything you need on the road: gas stations, service stations, snack bars and small cafes, successful detours of long traffic jams, etc.
The use of the navigator is not limited to long-distance trips. It will be an excellent companion guide for those who live in large cities with many streets. He will help out those who are not good at remembering the addresses of the necessary buildings, whether it is the house of the beloved mother-in-law's residence or the most profitable fishing store.
Specifications
For a car enthusiast, choosing a navigator means facing the challenge of deciding on the most preferred option: they don’t argue about tastes and colors. If for some people the basis is the volume of the built-in processor and RAM, then for others the screen size, etc. will be more important. We list the most important characteristics by which it is determined whether the navigator is worth its cost.
Soft
Software is what lies at the source of the choice of a navigator by a buyer. This is, first of all, a map, its format and the quality of your positioning on it. The most popular cartographers are:
- Navteq is one of the largest brands representing maps of regions around the world.
- Garmin is a kind of “iPhone” among other software, as it is placed only on proprietary GPS navigation devices of the same name.
- CityGuide is a worthy domestic competitor to foreign software.
- Navitel is a program that runs on all OSs and is currently at the peak of popularity for use.
- iGo is a set of maps covering the entire continent of Eurasia and available for installation on absolutely any device.
- Progorod - software with excellent visualization and constant updating of the situation on the roads. Supported by most navigators.
- Shturmann - “great and terrible” Artemy Lebedev is responsible for developing the design of the application, and the maps are supplied by the aforementioned Navteq. At the moment, the Navigator is one of the leaders in sales in the Russian Federation.
Display
Whether the map is correct or not - it does not matter if the motorist can not see the exact route. In this regard, the screen plays a dominant role: its resolution, diagonal and additional options.
Most models of the navigator have a basic resolution of WVGA: 800 x 480. This is a sufficient parameter for convenient monitoring of the laid route. A lower resolution will add to the perception, while a larger one will only increase battery consumption.
In the matter of choosing a diagonal, preference should be given to the options most suitable specifically for the car enthusiast. The reason is as follows: a large screen will reduce the driver’s field of vision, creating only difficulties rather than convenience.
So, the owners of large cars to purchase even fit 7-inch giants. Motorists who already have a small windshield should be more wise to relate to the distribution of free space.
Additional functionality means such “earthly blisses” as touch control, which in the 21st century is an a priori function for the navigator, as well as the presence of anti-reflective coating, which will forget about the problems of poor visibility in sunny weather.
Fasteners
In this matter, it is better to give preference to "native" mounts that come with many navigators. There are several reasons for this:
- firstly, fasteners with a "universal" bar, which is designed for use with a wide variety of navigators, tends to loosen, after which it will be difficult to use the device;
- secondly, original parts, as a rule, are of better quality and more reliable.
If the need to purchase fasteners separately is still relevant, then the car enthusiast will have doubts about the choice of the most preferred method: fastening to a glass / "dash" or embedding into the dashboard. The first option is suitable for those who plan to periodically remove and pick up the navigator from the car.
If you are sure of its future stationarity, do not think - the convenient location is a big plus in the freedom of view for the situation on the road.
Battery
A characteristic that many people miss, hoping that the GPS-navigator will be constantly on charge from the cigarette lighter. Despite this, there are frequent cases when the device requires a short autonomy of work, which not all navigators can provide.
It is most preferable to choose a device with a battery capacity of up to 1000 mAh - a volume sufficient for 2-3 hours of uninterrupted operation.
External drives and memory
The navigator has two important connectors (USB-input and a slot for memory cards) that allow you to freely download new cards and various software that expand the multimedia functions of the device, as well as media files: music, movies.
The amount of memory is an immediate limiter for performing all the above operations, which is why this item should also be noted when choosing a navigator. Up to 4 GB of memory will become extremely sufficient, plus micro SD device support to expand free space when a similar need arises.
Other features
In addition to the main positions, which are recommended to pay attention to, there is a "good" dozen technical specifications that are worth a closer look. It:
- Processor power: wanting to get not a braking device with a terrible response, but a high-performance car navigator, we recommend considering devices with a processor clock speed of 500 MHz or more.
- The presence of a microphone - a function that allows you to freely enter the desired address by voice method, will undoubtedly save your time.
- The presence in the configuration of various modules: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPRS and GSM, FM-modules will expand the functionality, increasing the level of usability.
- The day / night sensor is a kind of whim, pleasantly pleasing with the adjustment of the device for temporary transitions.
Best of the best - top 5 navigators of 2019
Talking about how to choose and what to focus on can be long and tedious. The most difficult situation becomes when you come to the store or visit the seller’s website. The reason for this lies in the absence of an ideal product, a kind of nomination “best navigator”, which has all the qualities of a good navigator and at the same time has an adequate and, I am not afraid of this word, “democratic” price.
Of the huge number of GPS-navigators, nevertheless, it is possible to single out the most successful options, combining the very "middle ground". Not wanting to drag out a minute more with the definition of the best, “we will announce the whole list” and then describe what their superiority and perfection are.
- Prology iMap-5200;
- Dunobil Ultra 5.0;
- Digma AllDrive 400;
- LEXAND SA5 HD +;
- Navitel N500.
It is worth noting that this list is selected exclusively for the category of the answer to the question of which navigator is better to buy. Having presented yourself before choosing a device on the basis of what functions a GPS navigator can perform besides, in fact, navigation, your humble servant will peacefully move to the side.The functional variety of capabilities and types of modern navigators do not allow to correctly and reasonably answer the question: how to choose a GPS navigator and not lose.
Prology iMap-5200
The iMap-5200 operates on the basis of WinCE 6.0 OS and navigation software from Navitel. The device is equipped with an MStar processor with a clock frequency of 800 MHz and a "bar" of RAM in 128 MB. The amount of internal memory is 4 GB and there is the possibility of expansion thanks to MicroSD up to 32 GB.
According to the reviews of many motorists, a “bright and clear” 5-inch touch-screen LCD display and a resolution of 480x272 deserve a positive assessment.
The presence of a pre-installed archive of maps of most cities of the Russian Federation and the countries of the "Commonwealth" is an undoubted plus, saving the driver from the need to download the necessary maps independently.
Of the entire line of navigators from Prology, the iMap-5200 is the best representative in the eternal issue of the price / quality ratio. The price of the device is from 2.8 to 3.5 thousand rubles.
Dunobil ultra 5.0
A 5-inch monster with a resolution close to HD: 800x480, Dunobil Ultra 5.0 has licensed software from Navitel and a built-in FM module, as well as a microphone that allows you to use the navigator in Hands-Free mode. Memory capacity: 4 GB, RAM size: 128 MB, and processor power - 800 MHz.
Windows CE 6.0 installed on Dunobil allows you to change your existing navigation system from Navitel to your preferred one.
A removable lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 650 mAh allows you to use the device offline for up to 1.5 hours. A stylus, a USB cable, a mount and a car charger are also supplied with the device.
The appearance of the “mini-tablet” will not leave anyone indifferent: stylish glossy plastic with a plastic frame stylized as a metal, Dunobil Ultra 5.0 was created in order to appear in your car. Cost fluctuates around 3600 - 4000 rubles.
Digma AllDrive 400
The Chinese "friend and comrade" of a large number of car drivers in the territory of the former Soviet Union, Digma AllDrive 400 is presented as a decent GPS navigator, sold at a reasonable price for its parameters. It has the following characteristics:
- 3-inch LCD-display with a resolution of 480x272 pixels;
- 600 mAh capacitive battery;
- 4 GB of internal memory and 128 MB of RAM;
- The device’s price limits are in the range of 2500-3000 rubles.
According to the owners, the Navitel navigation system has established itself as being resistant to signal constancy and adequate in matters of selecting the best route.
LEXAND SA5 HD
Of the aforementioned series, the most worthy in terms of the displayed one is SA5 HD, which covered the “under the hood” color LCD with a diagonal of 5 ”and a resolution of 800x480. The “internals” of the device are typical: 4 GB of internal memory and 128 MB of RAM, familiar to many, are standard 800 MHz processor for navigation devices. The navigation system software shell is presented by Microsoft CE net 6.0 OS, while the navigation itself is provided by software from Navitel Navigator version 8.7.
The SiRF Atlas-V 64-channel GPS chipset helps the device almost instantly find the most convenient route, as well as determine your geolocation. SA5 supports playback of audio and video files, as well as text documents and images of various formats.
It is possible to connect a 3G modem to Lexand SA5 HD, due to which the Internet speed increases by an order of magnitude. Connecting high-speed Internet will allow the car owner to forget the DUN function, a protocol due to which most navigators access the Internet and update their map databases.
In addition, the navigator is equipped with a Bluetooth module and a powerful battery with a capacity of 1100 mAh, allowing you to be offline for up to 3 hours. Price range: 3500-5000 rubles, depending on the store.
Considering devices that have a Navitel navigation system “on board”, it is simply impossible not to list the device from the company itself.
Navitel N500 is a system that, in addition to navigation tasks, can perform the function of an on-board computer. In addition, the N500 functionality is expanded with SpeedCam alerts and the ability to build a route with an unlimited number of points.
The device has the following parameters:
- 5-inch touchscreen LCD-display with a resolution of 480x272;
- 66-channel GPS-receiver with navigation chipset MediaTek MSR2112;
- 950 mAh battery
- 4 GB of internal memory and 128 MB of RAM;
- MStar processor with a frequency of 800 MHz;
- built-in microphone that allows you to use the device in Hands free mode.
The software framework is Windows CE 6.0 and, it’s hard to believe, the Navitel navigation system.
Conclusion
According to a note by Russian writer Ivan Bunin, “three things make a person happy: love, an interesting job, and the opportunity to travel.” Being a “resident of the 21st century”, it can be stated that the navigator is the very key to adventure and travel, and therefore the key to happiness. It remains only to acquire this key and hit the road, towards your future.
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| Title | Prology iMap-5200 | Dunobil ultra 5.0 | Digma AllDrive 400 | LEXAND SA5 HD | Navitel N500 |
| Screen diagonal | 5 in. | 5 in. | 4.3 in. | 5 in. | 5 in. |
| Screen resolution | 480x272 px | 800x480 pixels | 480x272 px | 800x480 pixels | 480x272 px |
| Built-in Memory Size | 4 GB | 4 GB | 4 GB | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| operating system | Windows CE 6.0 | Windows CE 6.0 | Windows CE 6.0 | Windows CE 6.0 | Windows CE 6.0 |
| Price | from 4000 rub. | from 4900 rub. | from 2800 rub. | from 4150 rub. | from 4000 rub. |
