Garmin DriveSmart 55 and Traffic, GPS Navigator with 5.5” Display, Simple On-Screen Menus and Easy-to-See Maps

Despite the greatness of cellphone navigation, I wish standalone navigation units were as convenient as the cellphone systems. There were several points of navigation with a cellphone that I did not like 1) Not being able to see the navigation apps when manually dialing a number. 1) Lack of navigation when not connected to a cellular network A familiar scene in the Rocky Mountains would be in the backcountry. It never seemed to work well for me with the offline maps for Google, I often had problems with the resolution that I could not fix no matter how hard I tried. On top of that, I was unable to get offline mode to work always. Some of the free offline navigation apps I tried did not seem to be up to date and did not seem refined, leaving me with a little but ever present worry. 4) The small screen size in portrait mode, even though I had an iPhone Plus, upset me. I found that whenever I needed to do something with my cellphone, such as to use an app, the navigation app had to run in the background and was therefore not visible. 6) I missed all the trip information features offered by the Garmin vehicle navigators It also provides other information, such as elevation, time remaining until arrival, arrival time, total miles till arrival, etc. (The Garmin navigators also displayed this information, but they weren't as readily accessible as the App navigators). My choice was the DriveSmart 65 because it was only marginally more expensive than the 55, and I believed the extra screen space was worth the few dollars extra. Infrared Imaging Hardware This screen is so Brightness is kept at its highest setting (I turn it up to the maximum). I call them "The 6" My preference is to have all of the trip data functions displayed on the screen at all times while leaving plenty of space for the navigation and map which is the most important part. The screen is made of glass and I assume it's scratch resistant, but I'm The bezel is minimal in the frame giving it a pleasant visual appeal however it makes it easy to accidentally touch the unit while trying to adjust the angles or positions. Touch is responsive, and there is a substantial amount of lag when navigating through the menus, as one should expect from No matter how poor my hearing is, the speaker is loud and clear. Although I don't know what kind of processor is inside the device, I am hoping that it is an upgrade from last year's As a rule of thumb, it is smart to purchase the best hardware within your means, especially if you intend to keep the device for several years. That way you will be sure it will be capable of running software updates correctly. The only complaint I have is that the power cord plugs into the back of the device, as it does on all Garmin devices. In addition to installing the power cord in the side or bottom, I would prefer it to stick out the rear of the device, because having a wire sticking out the back makes it impossible to use it as a desk or wall mount when updating software. Garmin mounts in the past have worked fine for mounting on a window, but in my experience they tend to eventually lose suction and fall Because of this, I purchased one of Garmin's friction dash mounts. For now, it looks to be working fine. It is rated for one hour of use, but I have not placed it away from a power source that long when I used it, so cannot comment on that. APPLICATIONS AND SOFTWARE The service is very effective and it is Garmin appears to have worked out most of the bugs over its years of production in this industry. The high detail map option provides a lot of detail, as its name implies, and the topographic map option is very useful. As with the map, it helps keep the user oriented in terms of maps. However, when you zoom out with the intention of keeping it that way indefinitely, the unit will automatically zoom in again to the default setting, as if it doesn't want it to be used that way. It is possible to sync your phone with the Garmin via Bluetooth, so you can monitor phone notifications like text messages, emails, etc. Additionally, the device shows the weather and has the ability to make and receive calls when synchronized with a phone, making it ideal for those who may require that function. offers WiFi functionality so that it can update software and maps without the use of My attempts to update maps this way ended in failure after the first attempt. I received an error code each time and the device shut off immediately. The connection I have to the internet isn't very good - A high-quality product It may be faster, but I am not certain. If many other people are experiencing the same problem, I'll be happy to see if I'm not alone. It cannot be avoided that the maps will have to be updated via PC sync. The conclusion is As one would expect of a Garmin device, the device performs well. A navigation system which is accurate and excellent for planning native routes. This navigator has an excellent screen, bright and with high resolution. The right size is right for me- You've found it. Although the price is higher than the lower end Garmins, I am not sure that the features the unit offers are practical enough to justify the higher price. If the processor is better than what is available in last year's model, the unit could be worth it considering the screen and performance. THE VERDICT IS Now I don't have to use my phone as my main navigation device I have a stand-alone navigator again. It is despite the matters mentioned above that I am satisfied with the purchase. The product is fantastic and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a great standalone navigation system.

King Guthrie

| Dec 27, 2020

Despite the fact that this product must be placed on the dash of the vehicle when used, it overheats and fails to function At the time, it was early spring and no more than 80 degrees outside. Yet what is even more frustrating is being told by Amazon that the unit will not be replaced because, although it was less than three months since it was bought, it was over the one month period for exchanges or returns.

Bianca Collier

| Oct 26, 2020

The return was just a few moments ago. A frustrating situation It is important to remember to use arrows on left side of search screen to advance options in case you forget to enter your city first. Even when looking for something in your current city, POI search will give you options in other states if you forget to enter your city first. Touching the screen accidentally while trying to scroll, the display moves to another Every time we embark on a trip, we also take the following steps There is information about how to get to the start of your route, but not necessarily how to get there. It can be OK once you get moving, but it can be very unhelpful if you are unfamiliar with a place. The final straw was I was sitting perpendicular to a highway, and there was no indication for me as to which way to turn. There was no way I could zoom in and out just to continue to a road not listed on the map.

Boone Jarvis

| Nov 11, 2020

The Garmin Nuvi we bought several years ago still works well. The Lady has served us well over the years, and we affectionately refer to her as our "princess. " If we pulled off the path to stop at a gas station or restaurant, she would nag me to go back on course. Her screen was black during those days, and it was a sad day for her. I was fast forwarding The Garmin DriveSmart 65 & 65T is the unit in question A traffic jam The only thing we know is our name. Our home address was recognized by the "lady", without which DriveSmart would not accept the W9547 (see below), so we opted for an address that reflected our current location. (Read on) Does it know exactly where we are? When I attempted to locate the destination with the address number E809, I received an error. Guests are welcome - Neither an East nor a West direction is available. From that point on, it was downhill. It was telling us to turn back even though we had made the correct turn. I'm not sure if it planned a different route than the one we knew It would have reset the path if the Nuvi had been used. I have to say, after about 6 miles it has actually begun to follow directions correctly. I had no idea to take a right turn and it told me to take a straight path. Our final road had written instructions to turn right when we reached it. A 8-mile circle was created as a result of that. To get directions, we stomped into a gas station to ask for help. The correct decision would have been to turn left instead of Having followed the directions of the farmers at the gas station, we eventually reached our destination. It would be so great if there was It was easier to set it once "Home" had been preset. I love it! We were able to get out of the drive in the right direction until the first intersection. Despite the fact that DriveSmart suggests right turns (North), the first direction we came from was left turns When we turn left, we can see due south on the dash compass. Again, after repeated attempts to get it to change course, the Drive Smart gives in and starts giving proper instructions. There is one other major intersection between us and the next one. The DriveSmart indicates that it is time to turn right That's not what we meant. We knew we had At this point, I had challenged DriveSmart with the data we had collected We compared the GPS in the dash (which wasn't perfect) to see how they stacked up. We were asked to return yet again by DriveSmart, but once again they conceded. As we approach our home address, we're heading north. Here is how it works On the right of the map, the dashes tell us we are at our destination. DriveSmart will continue down the next street and turn left into one of the subdivisions. That's all there is to say about Garmin - this isn't the one This tablet has excellent features, including a sharp and bright screen, touch-screen interface that is responsive, and a lot of features that are wonderful. However, if a GPS is incapable of logically accepting information and giving logical directions, it undermines the driving experience.

Dorothy Costa

| Mar 08, 2021

I was not too happy with the way this unit was routed.

Nathaniel Duffy

| May 10, 2021

The design of this one is very clean. The body is not heavy nor fat. Despite the device's size, the graphics are sharp and Compared to the older ones, the font size is larger on the newer ones. This is very appreciated by me. This is wonderful. I love.

Lachlan Strickland

| Aug 22, 2020