The Garmin Nüvi 1450LMT GPS Navigator features a 5″ glare resistant screen perfect for avid travelers.
Gone are the days where people rely on paper maps to navigate their travels. If you haven't been living under a rock for the past 5 years, then you likely own or have used a electronics GPS navigator before. Each year big names in the industry such as Garmin, Magellan, and TomTom release their newest models to assist us consumers in our future travels. In this case, the GPS I am reviewing today is the Garmin Nüvi 1450LMT which is currently ranked as the 13# best selling GPS on Amazon. The device was released first back in late 2010, but it is still one of the top performing models currently on the market.
The design and build quality of the device is sleek and durable. It has an attractive appeal and is not big and bulky like some of the other competing models. It is lightweight and snaps into the included windshield suction mount. A rechargeable battery powers the device and is charged via the cigarette lighter cable that is included with the GPS. The large 5″ matte touch screen works well and can be easily read even when there is direct sunlight throw at it.
It's GPS capabilities work well with an accurate reading nearly 100% of the time and the programmed routes are efficient. It quickly reroutes if you make a wrong turn which some competitors perform very sluggishly. Like many other GPS models that I have tested, this device will take longer than usual to boot up or sync with the satellites if it is left off for long period of time or turned on in a position that is vastly far away from it's last known position. Though this can be a pain at times, it only takes 2-3 minutes at most then your back in action.
The GPS comes preloaded with US maps and also comes with some useful toolers for travelers such as a world clock, currency & measurement converters, and a calculator. A really neat and handy feature of the GPS is the integrated “lane assist” feature when performing highway driving. The Garmin Nüvi 1450LMT will automatically sense your driving on the highway and when your exit is approaching it will show you a preview of the exit informing you which lane you should be taking. An example of this is shown in the image below:
I have used this GPS countless times in my travels over the past couple of months and it has never failed me. When purchasing you have the option of choosing the base device as well as models that feature all of some of the following features: bluetooth support, lifetime maps, and traffic updates. The specific one I have purchased came with lifetime updated maps and Garmin's traffic service. I think buying the GPS with lifetime map updates is a no brainer that will save you money further down the road. However, to be honest the Garmin traffic service is pretty awful and I would NOT recommend spending our money on it. Throughout my testing it has notified me 2-3 times of heavy traffic and each time there was no backup of traffic in the locations specified. There have been other times where there indeed was backed up traffic and the GPS did not recognize this. I can not account for the bluetooth support since I have had the chance to test it, but in my opinion the model with lifetime maps should be good enough for most of us.
Also notable is that the device will show small coupon advertisements once in a while. Usually it is while I am near a Best Western and a message will briefly pop up saying “Stay at a Best Western tonight” or something of the sort. They never get in the way of the navigation and to me they are not a big deal since they happen on such a rare occasion, but some of you out there might have an issue with that.
Overall, this GPS does an excellent job navigating me through my travels and works flawlessly. The device is sleek and portable, while its 5″ matte screen makes it easy to from all angles including in direct sunlight. I HIGHLY suggest this GPS for anyone in the market for a new one especially if they are looking for a screen size larger than the traditional 4.3″ models. In my opinion Garmin devices do the best job out of there big names in the GPS industry especially when it comes to value for the price.
For more information visit: Garmin.com
