GPS Units…Handheld or dash Mounted?
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GPS Units…Handheld or dash Mounted?
When choosing between a handheld unit versus a dash-mounted unit for your vehicle, keep in mind your primary use for the GPS receiver.
• Do you prefer a unit that will remain in your vehicle and primarily be used when you’re driving?
OR
• Do you think you might want to use a GPS receiver at other times as well, such as hiking, biking, or boating?
If your needs require that your GPS unit be portable, then a handheld receiver is for you.
Pros and Cons of Handheld GPS Units
(compared to dash-mounted units):
PROS
• Easily portable for use in a variety of settings (hiking, biking, driving, boating, etc.)
• Available in many shapes and sizes, including ultra-compact and lightweight pocket size
• Most are highly durable, waterproof, and shockproof
• Can operate off a cigarette lighter or on batteries (20 hour battery life is standard)
• Comes with optional accessories for securing to the windshield or dashboard
• User friendly; quick and easy to learn
• Most popular among hikers, bikers, and kayakers
• Generally less expensive
• Can be easily operated with one hand
CONS
• Small screens can be more difficult to read, especially while driving
• Small buttons are harder for large fingers to manipulate
• Some of the best features (altimeter, compass, illuminated screens, mapping features) tend to decrease battery life
• less powerful mapping capabilities
• Typically less sophisticated than dash-mounted units; fewer bells and whistles
• Poorer screen resolution
• Reception tends to be weaker in heavily wooded areas
• Less popular for vehicular use
• Most have no swivel mount to rotate the display screen in your vehicle
THE BOTTOM LINE:
When selecting a handheld unit, consider the variety of situations in which you could use it.
Don’t overlook the fact that the same GPS receiver used off-road can also be used when walking in strange towns, hiking through the woods, bicycling, boating, or marking landmarks like gas stations or favorite restaurants on long road trips. The biggest shortcoming of handhelds is their less-than-impressive mapping capabilities.
Dash-Mounted GPS Units
When choosing between a handheld unit versus a dash-mounted unit for your vehicle, keep in mind your primary use for the GPS receiver.
• Do you prefer a unit that will remain in your vehicle and primarily be used when you’re driving?
OR
• Do you think you might want to use a GPS receiver at other times as well, such as hiking, biking, or boating?
Do you prefer a unit that will remain in your vehicle and primarily be used when you’re driving? Or, do you think you might want to use a GPS receiver at other times as well, such as hiking, biking, or boating? If you simply have one thing in mind: Getting yourself from point A to point B when you’re driving, then a dash-mount receiver is for you.
Pros and Cons of Dash-Mounted GPS Units
(compared to handheld units):
PROS
• Larger screens are easy to read at a glance
• Some automatically recalculate your route if you deviate from the planned route
• Larger buttons for ease of operation while driving
• Unit can remain securely in your vehicle
• Some have voice instructions that communicate distance, name of streets, and direction of the next turn automatically
• No batteries needed
• Address search capabilities
• Better screen resolution
• Some have a personal address book to store locations for fast and easy lookup
• Advanced mapping capabilities
• Reception tends to be better in heavily wooded areas
• Most popular for vehicular use
CONS
• Not as portable or easy to remove from your vehicle for use in other situations (hiking, boating, etc.)
• Larger size takes up space in/on dashboard
• Least popular among hikers, bikers, and kayakers
• Tend to be more expensive
so what would you recommend?
the land cruiser that i bought recently doesn’t have one, unfortunately…and i’m contemplating on what to buy…right now, i’m going for the GARMIN nuvi… haven’t decided as yet as to which model i’ll go for…and another reason why i’m going for a handheld is because its easy on the pockets…
Go for Garmin 276…best all around…guess it comes bundled with Map-source as well…shows you even the local Baqala on the map 😉
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