Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I have tested many GPS devices over the past 5 to 6 years. Rarely do I use the same model GPS for more than 6 to 8 months. Over time I have seen a great amount of improvement in technology with these devices, and prices have dropped to where just about everyone should be able to afford a reliable GPS navigator for their vehicle. The TomTom START 55M is only the second TomTom GPS that I have tested. My most frequently tested GPS units, which has also become my brand of choice over the years, have been made by Garmin, although I have tested a few Magellan models as well. This TomTom START 55M provides a bright, colorful, 5 inch display, which I enjoy far more than the 4.3 inch displays I have had on most of my other test navigation devices. The downside is that this TomTom model does not have a capacitive touch screen, which means that you have to press your finger fairly hard against the screen to register input. While I have had many other model GPS devices with this same resistive type screen, the TomTom 55M seemed to require more pressure, and registered far more false entries than the previous test models by other manufacturers. My recent Garmin GPS, with its capacitive touch screen, is extremely easy to input information, with a response close to that of a modern day touch screen smart phone (iPhone, Android phone, etc.). Although all GPS manufacturers recommend that you do not attempt to input information into the device while driving, let's face it, we all do it. This TomTom device, with the difficult touch entry, would certainly pose a hazard if you fiddle with it while driving. You want to make sure you have your destination programmed before you begin your journey. If you must alter your destination, or input any waypoints, then I definitely recommend you pull over and do it from a safe, stationary location. Setup was pretty straightforward, with a map update already available for the device when I connected it to my computer. The download is fairly hefty, and the installation process takes quite some time, but it is almost totally automated. You will need to properly register the device with TomTom before you get the free updates. Installation in the car was a breeze. I'm not a big fan of windshield mounts, but the included mount holds the device firmly in place. I just worry that over time it may not hold as well. After testing the TomTom START 55M in my car for two weeks, I found it to be spot on at getting me to my destination with an efficient route. I don't care much for the navigation voice, and was disappointed to find that TomTom charges a hefty fee to download any additional voices into the device. My Garmin devices have always had several voices to choose from, with many others free for download (although there are a few premium voices that they charge for). One bothersome thing for me is the time it takes to acquire satellites. Because my car sits in direct sunlight at my place of employment, I like to remove the GPS from the windshield or dash and place it in the center console of my car when I am not driving. My Garmin devices go into a kind of sleep mode, using very little battery power, and when reconnected reacquire satellites quite quickly. The TomTom 55M, however, seems to completely power down when I remove it. Once popped back into the mount, I have to power it up, and wait for it to boot up and reacquire satellites. This takes some time, and I do not like the wait time it takes before I can begin navigating. The 5-inch screen displays a lot of useful information, and the menus are laid out well for ease of use. But entering an address on that resistive touch screen is quite a chore, sometimes requiring multiple presses to get it to register a proper touch command. It just seems like TomTom could have used a more sensitive screen for this device, to save the user a lot of frustration. Once you get the 55M programmed for navigation, it performs flawlessly; at least it did for me. The display is bright and easy to read, even with sunlight pouring into the car, and voice prompts are loud, clear, and easy to understand. The lane assist feature is handy, but I did find that traffic updates in my area were not always reliable and accurate. Overall I find the TomTom START 55M to be a solid performer for an entry level GPS device, with some added bells and whistles not normally found on a low cost GPS navigator. However, I am now back to using my Garmin nüvi 3590LMT 5-Inch Portable Bluetooth GPS Navigator with Lifetime Map and Traffic Updates, which is notably more expensive, but far more easy to operate, faster satellite acquisition, and with much more reliable traffic updates. For someone looking to purchase their first GPS navigator, or to upgrade from a much older and/or smaller device, the TomTom START 55M would be a great choice. The purchase cost is extremely affordable, and the free lifetime maps make it a real bargain. I seriously doubt you would find a better device, with as many features, for the money. For someone with far more patience than me, at dealing with the pesky, low sensitivity touch screen interface, this would be a great choice.