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9 out of 10 - Spectacular
Outstanding Quality
The Nuvi 650 is an excellent GPS. I purchased mine at Bestbuy and am very impressed with its performance. The ...
The Nuvi 650 is an excellent GPS. I purchased mine at Bestbuy and am very impressed with its performance. The negatives are that it does not come with a carrying case or an AC Adapter. The leading competitor to Garmin - Magellan does include the carrying case. However, after reading several of these consumer reports and talking with sales people I decided on the Nuvi 650.
The 650 is very intuitive. No guess work here. From mounting the gps to finding your way to your destination every step is a snap - literally. The level of detail and accuracy of the maps in my area (Gaithersburg - Germantown, MD) is spot on. The volume is plenty loud enough. This was a concern because other posters complained about this on another site. I have not issue with volume. The unit is bright and the maps are crisp. The unit is loaded with features - far too many to try to include all of the here. However, the unit does speak the names of streets and turns BEFORE you get to them. In addition, if you change your route for any reason the until will automatically create a new route based off your new location - neat. All of this is done while you focus on the most important task - driving and avoiding the idiots around you. Downloads are fast and so to is start up. Just suction the mount the windshield, snap the 650 in place, and enter your destination.
The unit has a large screen which is nice; however, it does not interfere with your view of the road.
The unit is light enough to carry with you and solid enough that you don't have to worry about too much when you do carry it.
There are a ton of POIs and basic info to go along with the points of interest - like telephone number.
There are other EXTRAs that are very good, but frankly they did not influence my buying decision. The MP3 player is a basic unit, but the sound quality is surprisingly good when using headphones.
I was disappointed that there was no carrying case. I could do without the AC adapter because you can charge the unit with your USB adapter which is included. The female power connection will mate with certain cellular telephone AC adapters - BE WARNED; DO NOT DO THAT! I tried just because and my unit locked up. I reset it and it was fine because I only did it for a minute or so. That can blow a fuse in the unit - according to a sales man at a local electronics chain store. I don't don't him. Transferring files between the unit and your PC is very easy.
This unit is great and accomplishes all that it was designed to do with ease. It is really fun to use.
For users who need or would like to have Bluetooth then the 660 model would be the appropriate unit. Be prepared to pay up to $100 more for that unit.
(I am in no way affiliated with Garmin; I am not a paid reviewer; this review reflects my opinion of this unit and no one else's. Any errors are unintentional.)
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by bennubird (see profile) -
September 16, 2007
31 out of 32 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular
A Very Good GPS Unit
I was looking for a good GPS without all the bells and whistles(Bluetooth) which I didn't need and ...
I was looking for a good GPS without all the bells and whistles(Bluetooth) which I didn't need and I came across this unit. So doing my homework I read up on Garmin as a company and a friend of mine has a 350 which he loves, Well I decided to try this unit and am I ever pleased!! The screen size and brightness are the biggest selling point of this unit. I was also pleased that it has the latest maps which are from Apr.06 I called Garmin and they are coming out with new maps around the end of July, first week of Aug. and I've been told that I get the new maps free when they come out-Garmin gives them to you free if you buy the unit within 90 days of the new maps coming out. The response time of this unit was impressive and it brought me right to my destination without a hitch!!!! If you don't care about bluetooth then I'd highly recommend this unit the only gripe I have is for the price it doesn't come with a CASE or AC ADAPTER. It's the same size as the 660 and you won't be disappointed!!
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by Macdawgg (see profile) -
May 8, 2007
15 out of 15 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular
Never be lost again. And have fun while driving!
I work in sales and my buddies had been hounding me to get a Nav unit and I always resisted ...
I work in sales and my buddies had been hounding me to get a Nav unit and I always resisted b/c I know where I'm going in my territory. Well, always up for a new gadget, I decided to get one.
Originally I started out with the lower priced units, but as always, I needed the features which I know I'll never use. It came down to this unit b/c the size of the screen, features and Garmin Rep.
The unit is very quick to respond. It has excellent graphics. Very sensitive touch screen which makes tapping in an address very easy and user friendly. You can map out a ton of favorites and select an icon so that when you pass a Favorite on the overall map, you see the icon and the name. If you go off route, it it very quick to reroute you. The directions so far have been spot on. The only hangup aside from battery life that I have is that when you pass a street, it takes the unit a second or two to catch up. It almost seems as if you are ahead of the unit. This is with most units, but I remember having an Acura TSX with Navigation and it was pin point accurate with my location.
Overall this unit is a no brainer. I got it from Buy.com for around $400. Any questions at all, just email me at gravy1199@hotmail.com.
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by gravy11 (see profile) -
October 6, 2007
13 out of 13 users found this user opinion helpful.
6 out of 10 - Good
I really enjoyed using it they few times it acquired a satellite.
This was my first GPS & I did a lot of research before purchasing it. I read a lot of ...
This was my first GPS & I did a lot of research before purchasing it. I read a lot of great reviews and was really looking forward to my new toy. I had the device for 2 weeks and could not use it unless I remembered to turn it on before the car was in motion. I tried several times to turn it on/off to see if perhaps that would help. Even when I'd turn it on before driving, it would often take up to 2 minutes to locate a satellite. I figured I got a lemon and thought I'd exchange it for a new one, but while at the store, I was able to compare it side-by-side with a Magellan and purchased it instead- it has more features, a slicker look, & no flip-up antenna. It acquired satellite instantaneouls when I turned it on and that was while the vehicle was in motion.Updated
Although the Maestro 4250 had a sleeker look (no flip-up antenna), came with a 3 month free trial to a traffic service that updates you on road conditions, and had the POI icons right on the map visible while driving, I found that the unit did not perform as far as getting me to a destination using the best route or even finding the nearest grocery store (which is how the POI function is supposed to work!). If I hadn't owned the Nuvi 650 for two weeks prior and experienced how well it navigated my routes & how accurate it was with the POI's, I may not have returned the Magellan and thought that all GPS' worked that way.
I would like to change my rating to a 9.
I can't give it a 10 because of the problem I had with not being able to establish a satellite while the car was in motion.
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by lexarijos (see profile) -
January 2, 2008
7 out of 7 users found this user opinion helpful.
7 out of 10 - Very good
OK, but not perfect
First time I used it going from VA to NJ it wanted me to take major highway even though I ...
First time I used it going from VA to NJ it wanted me to take major highway even though I was using a lest congested route. Kept wanting me to do U-turns and after several u-turn messages it would lock up and not give any information. Had to power down system and repower three times. I decided to just use the map only with no destination and it worked fine untill I was a good distance down the road and then I set my destination and it worked great. Even with these gliches I would recommend the Garmin 650.
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by srbarth (see profile) -
December 10, 2007
4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
8 out of 10 - Excellent
Great Basic GPS
I've had this for a couple of months now so I don't know that I can use everything ...
I've had this for a couple of months now so I don't know that I can use everything correctly (to address my con)
There is an MP3 on it which I don't find helpful because the speakers aren't something you want to listen to music out of. I don't have an aux input so that might be part of the problem and my car plays mp3s so I don't need it anyway.
Someone earlier addressed that once it is latched on to the windshield holder that it can't be removed. The instructions don't address this, but there is a hook/button that you have to press to release it.
The color is great, so far the instructions are accurate. This is my first GPS (not attached to a car) and the satellite find time is pretty consistent with others that I've used.
The color is awesome, it changes from day to night time wonderfully, it is very easy to read. I have not had a need to test alt routes so I don't know how that works.
I LOVE the touch screen, it is super easy to use for basic functions. In other GPSs I like to find alt routes just by looking at a map, I haven't found an easy way to do that with this.
Very slim and looks pretty good (not as good as the shiny $700 GPSs though...but for $400, I'm willing to make that sacrifice)
Put a shiny gloss on this, have an option for seeing the full directions (as you might on mapquest) and I would say this is a perfect basic model.
also, some things are a bit hard to get around such as going to music and then back to the map, but that might have been my inexperience with the product. I don't use that anymore so it's a moot point. All around a great product that won't be an eyesore in a nice car.
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by ElectronicToys (see profile) -
December 4, 2007
4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
10 out of 10 - Perfect
Excellent must have for any traveller
I love this device a lot, the GPS signal quality is great and accurate. Features like MP3 player and JPEG ...
I love this device a lot, the GPS signal quality is great and accurate. Features like MP3 player and JPEG viewer are handy too.
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by jayachandra.ch (see profile) -
November 7, 2007
4 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
7 out of 10 - Very good
Good unit - 1 serious Flaw - Hidden Volume Controls
I got a great buy on this unit and I'm basically happy with it. However, taking a phone call ...
I got a great buy on this unit and I'm basically happy with it. However, taking a phone call or trying to hold a conversation without the text to speech going is a real process. You must touch settings, then touch volume, tap the + or - to raise or lower volume (or touch mute) just to change volume, You can't see the map during this process. Optionally: STOP navigating all together and then resume when you are ready to have the text to speech continue.
A call to Garmin reveals no plans to change the interface, AND if they DO change the interface, there does not seem to be a firmware update process to integrate new features for the 650. What You See is What U Get - INDEFINITELY
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by dfriedholm (see profile) -
February 15, 2008
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
6 out of 10 - Good
Fastest Route????
Does not have an option to chose "Most use of Highways". Many times takes you down to two-lane roads with ...
Does not have an option to chose "Most use of Highways". Many times takes you down to two-lane roads with lights rather than to a nearby highway. I had to pick "truck" option to stay on a faster highway. This feature has to change, even free Google maps do a better job with this.
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by eunver01 (see profile) -
January 7, 2008
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular
Outstanding GPS that will accommodate external modules, MP3, Monetary rates, language, POI sets, etc
Why not a 10? So, nothing is perfect, but I have not found anything wrong with it yet. The basic ...
Why not a 10? So, nothing is perfect, but I have not found anything wrong with it yet. The basic functions for a GPS unit are executed as fully and with as much precision as anyone could expect. Costco for $299...
The screen resolution is beautiful. The speech is very clear, though sometimes a bit curious--example Interstate 66 comes across as Six Tee Six--which has a bit of an odd sound though perfectly understandable. However turns are articulated well in advance with very specific details, such as "In .6 miles, turn left onto I-66 East..." instead of "Turn left ahead and take the highway." (TomTom One) Battery life seems to be about 5-6 hours, certainly longer than the TomTom One that this replaced.
You can move the onscreen map around much like you can Google Maps and others by simply touching the screen and dragging it. You do need to give it time to move the map. If you get antsy and try to move it again, it will result in the map jumping abruptly and usually too far.
If you want a protective case for the unit itself, find the Navigon 4.3" hard case. It is a perfect fit, even to the point of having a curved back that accommodates the 650 extendable antenna. I do not favor leaving the unit stuck on a windshield mount--that is asking for it to be stolen. If you want a very handy portable mount for this (or other GPS units) find the Belkin iPod or Satellite radio mounting kit. Take one of the drink holder cups, invert it and take the Garmin black plastic mounting disc and stick it on the bottom of the inverted cup. The suction cup on the bottom of the Garmin mounting arm sticks very solidly on the disk. The inverted cup will fit right in your drink holder and for my RAV4 gives a perfect viewing angle regardless of driver height. Leaving the car--unplug the charger, take the cup, GPS and all and take it in the house, hotel room, store, whatever. While it may take a second to look down at it, it does not intrude upon my driving view through the windshield.
This will go with us to Puerto Rico which is part of the North America map set to help us navigate there.
One frustrating experience that we have had with the TomTom One (and other GPS units behave the same way) is that there is not way to tell it "Do not use this road (e.g. I-95)". When we drove from Haymarket, VA to Bennington, VT, whether we asked for fastest or shortest, it would take us to I-95. I finally figured out that the workaround is to put an intermediate location in the middle that cannot be reached by I-95, such as Gettysburg or Harrisburg, PA. Once I did that, we got the route that we were looking for up I-15.Updated
If memory serves me correctly, the discounted price at Costco is available online only and for a limited amount of time. However, this unit is worth it even at a higher price. Highly recommended.
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by dvdwilly (see profile) -
February 25, 2008
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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