Tom Tom 3 / Garmin i3 Comparison

[dougconran]

I've had Tom Tom 3 running on a PDA for about a year now and have just switched over to the Garmin Streetpilot i3 and thought I'd share my views.

TT3 runs on a Loox PDA with a GPS receiver plugged into the CF slot (so that I can use it on foot as well). I use a hulking great flexible stalk suckered to the windscreen when driving.

Form Factor
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The Garmin wins hands down. It's really neat and I think all Sat Navs should be this size, plenty big enough to see what you need to see (apart from a couple of niggles, see below) but really unobtrusive and I can place it pretty much anywhere on the screen.

I like the fact that it runs off batteries, which seem to last long enough for a 4/5 hour journey. If you need longer the supplied cigarette lighter lead is long enough to stretch anywhere and not get in the way and (contrary to another thread I've read here) seems to recharge the batteries as far as I can see.

One thing I don't like about the Garmin is that it has a highly reflective screen which can make it difficult to see sometimes (even given that it is very easy to adjust). I've not tried it at night

But, overall my Garmin gets a 9 and the PDA a 0 for that.

Functionality
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The Tom Tom application is better in that, as the PDA has a touch sensitive screen, you can move around the map easily and, more important, if a correct destination is not found you can get to the approximate area and then pinpoint where you want to go using the stylus. On the downside, the Tom Tom is a complete nightmare to set up a destination made even worse because it is prone to crashing after which it seems to think that you want to go to your last destination but 3, ie you have to go through the whole process of setting up your destination again. This is not helpful if it crashes whilst you are en-route (which it does).

In contrast, the Garmin does less but does it better and it is a real doddle to set up a destination (however accuracy may be an issue, see later). It has a Recent Finds feature and if you need to make a number of calls you can set them all up before starting and then just select an appropriate destination from the Recent Finds list.

So, the Garmin scores 7 and the PDA 2.

Accuracy
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My Tom Tom 3 would only accept the first 4 charaqcters of a post code which was part of the reason for looking at the Garmin. Although not ideal you could compensate for this by getting to the approximate area and then zooming in and pinpointing using the stylus. alternatively, of course, you could enter and address.

The Garmin has full post code search (as does Tom Tom 5) but some of the post codes it finds seem to be pretty questionable (see a previous thread by me). If it's your own home address that it gets wrong it is not too much of a problem because you can set a Home favourite but if it is a destination address then you'd better take some sandwiches and a blanket with you in the car because you ain't goiing to get to your destination. I don't know how pervasive this is.

In spite of the fact that V 7 of the maps are supposed to be up to this year (well, they have a 2005 date on the Garmin website) I reckon they could be several years out of date for some places (it could'nt find my parents' house which was built 10 years ago).

However, when it does know where you want to go it does a good job of getting you there.

If you go off route for some reason (like a new stretch of the A1) it re-calculates much (much) faster than the Tom Tom although this may, in part be because of a slower processor in the Loox. As far as I can make out it seems to do a pretty good job of quickly selecting the next best route.

More even here because of the problem with post codes so I'd give Tom Tom a 7 and the Garmin a 6.

Voice Commands
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Both devices give good and understandable voice commands (contrary to other threads, I had no problem with a full sequence of turn commands). Being used to the Tom Tom which gives its final turn command as you are at the point that you need to turn I find the Garmin habit of giving its final command some 300 yards before the turn a bit annoying but I guess you get used to it.

Still 7 for Garmin 9 for Tom Tom.

POIs
===
The only POIs I've used on both systems is the safety camera one. Because the PDA screen is bigger the camera icons are easier to see for Tom Tom but with TT3 you only get an initial warning and then nothing whereas on the Garmin you get an inital warning and then a continuous beep if you are over the set limit. However, on the Garmin, if you drop below the set speed limit you lose the beeping, visual warning and camera icon and, to all intents and purposes would not be aware that there was a camera in the vicinity. I realise that POIs are for other things as well but I think the icon should stay on the screen all of the time, no matter what speed you are doing. Setting all speed limits to 0 is not an answer as you then lose the facility of the audible warning switching off when your speed drops below the limit.

I guess the Garmin gets a 6 and Tom Tom a 4 here.

Screen Display
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The PDA obviously has a larger screen and so can display more. Most of it, in my opinion, does not improve the systems useability but one thing I would REALLY like to see on the Garmin is my current speed. It shows estimated time of arrival at destination and miles to the next turning point, both of which are very useful, I just think that current speed and direction of next turn would be useful additions to have displayed in the top corners of the screen (get rid of the current road number if necessary). Apart from that, as I've said earlier the Garmin is streets ahead (no pun intended!) of the PDA.

Overall
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Because of the problem of post codes I was going to give my Garmin back - that was until I used it. No way now and if I'm rich enough I'll give some as Christmas presents. Garmin have got a little gem and the fact that it is about half the price of any competitor is just icing on the cake.

It maybe does less than its competitors but it does it a lot better.

My wishlist of improvements would be:-

1. A non-reflective screen
2. Display current speed
3. Accurate post codes (note, this is only 3!)
4. The ability to react to voice commands to display different POIs
5. Longer battery life
6. A touch screen
7. An ability to automatically re-route around jams
8. A price drop to a fiver

Can anyone think of any others?

Doug

[Joolz]

Thanks Doug.
This is a helpful comparison for me. I have purchased a garmin i3 and it doesnt seem to work as well as anyone elses ion this site. I am thinking of getting a tom tom 3 instead. (see my recent post)
Joolz

[Almahadeus]

[dougconran]

What version of the software are you on? I was on 2.30 and upgraded to 2.30 (there was a reason but I can't remember it now). I've not had any problems.

Doug

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