Garmin 265WT Review & Ratings - Budget GPS Navigator with Bluetooth Capabilities
Introduction
Garmin has a wide product line and every user can find a product that suits his needs. If you are not happy with the Garmin Nuvi 255W and want Bluetooth capability, an FM receiver and lifetime traffic reports, you may want to check into the Garmin Nuvi 265 WT.
Specifications (4 out of 5)
The dimensions of Garmin Nuvi 265 WT are 12.2 x 7.4 x 2.0 cms (W x H x D). The unit weighs 170 grams and features a 480 x 272 pixel resolution color touch screen TFT display. The screen is 4.3”. The battery lasts for 4 hours and the vehicle power cord is included in the box.
As with many other budget GPS navigators from Garmin, the 265WT does not have the Sirf STAR III receiver. As in the 255W model, information about the receiver chip is not disclosed.
Design (4 out of 5)
The Garmin Nuvi 265WT has a good look and feel, and it does not look like a cheap product. It is simple and elegant without any buttons on it. The display is beautiful, the refresh rate is high, the colors are vivid, and the images are crisp. The SD card slot is located on the left side of the unit and the ON/OFF button is located at the back. The mini USB connection is at the back of the unit and the USB cable comes in the box.
The vehicle mount is included in the box and is more or less the standard suction holder found in almost all GPS units.
Features (4 out of 5)
The Garmin Nuvi 265WT has voice navigation, which tells you which road to take. However, preferred lanes are not told and the speed compensation is not made automatically. This is to say, if you are driving at a relatively high speed, you will be warned a little bit late about the turns. The same shortcomings plague the 255T.
There are more than 6 million Points of Interests (POI) and more can be added by the user. You can set speed limits and proximity alerts. Your current speed is also displayed on the screen.
Read on for additional features, price to performance and our overall evaluation of the Nuvi 265WT.
Features - continued
There is an emergency button on the navigator, which upon tapping on the menu, retrieves your location in latitude and longitude and shows the nearby addresses, intersections, police stations, hospitals and gas stations.
The Garmin 265WT supports JPEG images. This is especially handy for the travelers who plan their trips in advance. You can download images from Panoramio of Google and ask the 265WT to take you to the point in the photo locations. You can send addresses to your device from Google Maps or Mapquest. The navigator is also compliant with MSN Direct, however this is optional − the connection device and the subscription must be purchased separately.
Standard navigation features such as voice commands, route recalculation, route avoidance, route choice and traffic alerts are present on the device. In addition, there is an FM receiver on the unit enabling you to receive traffic alerts over FM. Lifetime traffic is included with Nuvi 265WT.
The unit supports Bluetooth connection. You can receive calls from the Nuvi 265WT and can make voice calls. However, you cannot command the navigator with voice, neither from the microphone nor with a paired Bluetooth device.
Price to Performance (4 out of 5)
The Garmin Nuvi 265WT can be purchased for USD 224.29 (the price is not displayed, you have to add it to your shopping cart to see it). The MSN Direct Subscription runs USD 129.95 and MSN Direct Cable can be obtained for USD 89.68 from Amazon.com. The 265WT comes with a standard one-year limited warranty from Garmin. The price to performance is very good if you want to have Bluetooth and lifetime FM traffic.
Overall Evaluation (4 out of 5)
The Garmin Nuvi 265WT is a very good navigation unit and I can safely recommend it for novice and intermediate users. The Bluetooth connectivity and lifetime FM traffic are nice features to have. However if you are not interested in these features, you can get Garmin Nuvi 255W for a significantly lower price.
