Garmin Vs Magellan

A GPS device helps you navigate turn-by-turn thorough maps, voice prompts, etc. as well as guides you to popular hotels, restaurants, etc. through Point of Interests (POIs). A GPS navigation device nowadays comes with a touchscreen interface and it auto-calculates the best route you should follow when going from one place to another. It was invented by the U. S. Department of Defense for military purposes, but in the 1980s, it was made available to the public. Since then, GPS devices have come a long way with the latest GPS devices integrating various features like audio technology, to speak out street names, bluetooth integration etc. Now that we know a bit about the history of GPS, let us know about the best GPS device brands in US. Garmin, TomTom and Magellan manufacture the best GPS units as far as GPS market in North America and Europe is concerned. All of these companies make great products, so it becomes difficult to determine the better device.

Garmin: In US market, Garmin holds 60% of the market share. They have a much broader product range as compared to their competitors and as per user reviews, they are quite easy to use. Garmin makes GPS units for cars, boats, airplanes walking, etc. StreetPilot and nuvis are the most popular range of GPS devices, with a flexible price range. Garmin provides maps for US and Canada, while some models also provide maps for Mexico. Garmin systems use the NAVTEQ mapping data. Some of the popular models are nuvi 755 T, 765 T and 775 T.

Magellan: A lot of people like the various Magellan navigation systems as compared to Garmin. A digital compass, ability to record audio and a 2 megapixel camera is something that makes Magellan devices unique. Along with the digital compass, Magellan devices are fitted with barometer and an in-built LED flashlight. Magellan has tied up with National Geographic which helps in gaining access to topographical areas. Magellan's RoadMate 1700 is one of the bestselling models and can be called one of the best GPS for the money. Magellan, like Garmin also makes GPS systems for cars, outdoors, phones etc.

As Garmin and Magellan both make several models of GPS, comparing both these companies sometimes becomes too generic. Instead, let us compare the specifications of Garmin nuvi 255W and Magellan RoadMate 1700.

Garmen nuvi 255W vs Magellan RoadMate 1440

GPS Device	Garmin Nüvi 255W	Magellan Roadmate 1440
Screen size	4.4 inches	4.3 inches
GPS	Automobile	Automobile
Input mode	Touchscreen, keyboard	Touchscreen, Voice command
Audio	Spoken street names	Spoken street names
Software	North America Maps, Europe Maps	USA Maps, Canada Maps, Puerto Rico
Expandable memory	SD	Micro SD
Battery Life	4 hours	3 hours
Weight	0.33 lb.	0.38 lb.

This was a comparison between two well-known models available in the market. Every model comes with different features, therefore the rivalry does not have a clear-cut winner. Many people will say that Garmin manufactures the best handheld GPS devices, whereas some will say that Magellan produces some of the best portable GPS devices. Garmin and Magellan are US-based companies but they also have accurate maps for Europe. Both Garmin and Magellan have captured the markets worldwide with multiple and affordable products . So, while choosing one out of these two, the most important parameter should be the use that you are going to put it to. It depends upon the preference to the voice of the text or speech function. Many times, people say that the accent is too hard to understand on their GPS devices! It also depends upon how much money you want to spend on a GPS. Once you have looked at all your preferences, you can possibly decide which one to buy. As far as we are concerned, we are quite content to be sitting on the fence!

As we mentioned earlier, the competition is pretty evenly poised as both companies are going the extra mile to woo the customers. As for the consumers, it is always great to have two big brands competing against each other as it creates better products prices and helps in bringing down the prices.