Garmin GPS Vs Magellan - Who Wins?

Garmin GPS vs Magellan? Who wins this show down? I've been covering the consumer GPS marketplace for two years for various websites, and a year ago I would have said that it's still a toss up between Garmin and Magellan. Within the last year, however, Garmin has left Magellan in the dust!

Garmin GPS Vs Magellan - Who Wins?

Garmin GPS Vs Magellan - Who Wins?

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Garmin GPS Vs Magellan - Who Wins?

Garmin GPS Vs Magellan - Who Wins?

Take Garmin's newer nuvi 1200 series. You can get all the great features on a 3.5-inch screen for only a little more than 0! Spend slightly more and you get Bluetooth and real time traffic. Sure, Magellan has GPS units that sell for around the same and have these features, but they don't have Garmin's optional pedestrian maps, for instance. These are maps for certain pedestrian friendly cities, which let you use your GPS device while you walk.

That's one reason why I think Garmin pulls ahead in the Garmin GPS vs Magellan show down. Another reason is at the higher end of the marketplace. Above 0, I think Garmin surely has Magellan beat. The nuvi 1690, for instance, not only has the pedestrian maps, but they have Garmin's new nuLink software. This is basically a suite of services that are linked directly to your device, which can show you everything, maps, real time information about what's available around you, and much, much more. I know Magellan has the Triple A tour book on many of their devices, and this is really cool, but nuLink beats that hands down.

Of course, the Garmin vs Magellan competition is not over. And hopefully it never will be. Competition lowers prices and also creates better products and both Garmin and Magellan has responded aggressively to the competition offered by the other company. Garmin, however, looks like it's winning the "gadget war" with Magellan. Garmins prices have dropped considerably over the past year. And they've added a ton of new features and technologies.

This is not to say you should not buy a Magellan. I really like Magellan. The Garmin GPS vs Magellan competition benefits you. And right now, I would say that Garmin is winning.

Garmin GPS Vs Magellan - Who Wins?

Comparison of Garmin 396 GPS and Garmin 496 GPS

If you are looking for a GPS system then there are quite a few you can check out. However, the Garmin brand is the best. Two of the Garmin GPS systems will be compared below to help you decide whether the 396 or 496 is the best for you.

Comparison of Garmin 396 GPS and Garmin 496 GPS

Comparison of Garmin 396 GPS and Garmin 496 GPS

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Comparison of Garmin 396 GPS and Garmin 496 GPS

Comparison of Garmin 396 GPS and Garmin 496 GPS

Garmin 396 GPS

This GPS system allows you to see everything even the weather! This version is better than the 296 version but better because it offers satellite weather, a color map, and terrain alerts. You will also be able to view the topography in a very realistic manner as well as be warned of conflicts if there are any. Images are viewable in detail and no matter what the light is. You can also transfer data with the USB port and recharge quickly with the battery pack. If you choose to subscribe to XM satellite weather then you may take advantage of the smart antenna and have instant access to weather across the United States. You will have access to Aviation Routine Weather Reports (METARs), Next Generation Radar (NEXRAD), Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs), and more. You may even pay an extra fee and enjoy XM satellite radio. Logbooks may be automated to track arrival and departure records as well as keep up with flying hours. Choose air, land, or sea mode with the Garmin 396.

Garmin 496 GPS

The mini MFD Garmin 496 GPS practically knows it all! With this GPS you can fly safer and smarter than ever. This handheld GPS gives you all the information you could possibly need and more than any other GPS out there. The 496 is very similar to the 396 because it offers a color map with details, satellite weather, terrain alters, and more. However, the 496 has more features and better software than the 396 making it the best option for any pilot. If you want detail then the 496 will give you that. Taxiways are diagrammed for hundreds of airports in the United States. It's perfect for airports you aren't familiar with and keeps you informed of your position at all times. The airport directory also allows easy access to thousands of US airports including taxi information, restaurants, lodging, attractions, and much more.

The Garmin 396 and 496 are very similar and offer pilots amazing features to help them when flying. However, the 496 offers a few more features than the 396 and is something that all pilots will use and enjoy.

Comparison of Garmin 396 GPS and Garmin 496 GPS

North America Map

North America Map

Get updated information on street and highway changes, new roads, new points of interest and other features.

(LMU) for folks with Lifetime Maps, including nuMap subscriptions. I like its interface better than WebUpdater, but highly-experienced Garmin users at GpsPasSion do not give it high marks, so YMMV. I am a very experienced Macintosh user with a broadband connection and several years' experience updating two 

North America Map

Nuvis and I dread the process so much that I install no more than one update per device every one-two years. Almost all of my Garmin updates have stalled, requiring me to spend several hours babysitting the download (quitting and restarting whatever updating software North America Map Garmin wanted me to use). Once the download was complete, it took Lifetime Map Updater well over an hour to prepare and install the 2012 update on each of my Nuvis (indeed LMU warned me that it'd take over an hour per device). In addition, Garmin Mac instructions are obviously awkwardly adapted (sometimes barely adapted at all) from Windows instructions and because they refer to controls that don't exist or are differently-named on the Mac software, can be difficult to follow. 

North America Map

Critical info about Mac software is scattered all over the Garmin site and forums. I've written a Mac tutorial for using LMU, MapInstall and MapManager based on my recent experiences and I'll post an image containing a link to it in the image gallery. As an aside, the 2012 N. America map does not fit on a Nuvi 650 North America Map (it's bigger than the unit's hard drive) and when I asked for step-by-step directions for putting part of the map on the unit and part on a card, 1st level internet tech support sent worse-than-useless canned instructions to delete vehicles, voices, photos and mp3 files. If you happened to have liked the extras, you'd have deleted them for no reason.

North America Map