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The advent of navigation apps may make a dedicated GPS system feel
like overkill. But that’s only because you don’t know today’s GPS
systems. Modern devices can do a lot more than simply offer turn-by-turn
directions. They utilize real-time traffic data to help define the most
direct route, locate gas stations and repair shops, take actual dash
cam video to help you gather evidence in case of an accident, and let
you roam the rugged off-road environs that live just beyond the
pavement—and then let you share your journey via your preferred social
media. Now GPS’s can be voice-commanded, allowing you to add something
to your Amazon list when you remember you’re out of paper towels, warn
you of speed traps and upcoming exit speeds, or download reliable maps
to cities throughout the world. Here, our favorite GPS systems on the
market now.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall: Garmin DriveSmart 61
If you’re looking for the absolute best GPS system that combines ease
of use and reliable results, you won’t do any better than the Garmin
DriveSmart 61. The unit immediately stands out with a 6.95-inch
capacitive touch display. Larger than most smartphone displays, the
edge-to-edge display is clear and delivers navigation information at a
glance. With custom waypoints such as home or office, Garmin also adds
millions of points of interest. Finding the nearest gas station,
Starbucks, or airport is as easy as a few button presses.
Even with all of its dedicated GPS features, the DriveSmart is much
more than just a GPS unit. Bluetooth compatibility allows it to connect
directly to your smartphone. From there, the Garmin can facilitate
hands-free calls and text notifications as well as calendar reminders
for your next appointment. It also has a voice-activated navigation
feature so you can tell it your next destination without having to type
in any addresses.
Best Budget: TomTom VIA 1425M
A 4.3-inch touchscreen makes it easy to follow directions on the
TomTom VIA 1425M—or to tell the system where you want to go by simply
tapping the desired destination. TomTom uses advanced lane guidance to
help you maneuver into the right position for exits and intersections by
highlighting the optimal route, with an easy-to-assemble reversible
dashboard mount. It runs for one hour per charge, with both USB and car
charger options, as well as a micro SD card slot if you want to
supplement the onboard 8MB internal memory. Out of the box, you get maps
for the United States, Mexico, and Canada, with free updates for the
life of the navigation device, and the spoken instructions can be
configured to more than 30 different languages
The Speak Plus is what you’d get if you married your favorite GPS
with one of the industry’s best digital personal assistants. This device
uses Amazon Alexa as its core AI, allowing you to play music from
Amazon Music, Pandora, IHeartRadio, and other apps—and you can also
control your smart devices at home, ask about the weather, or order up
just about anything. Garmin’s stellar legacy with GPS tech handles the
navigation, including turn-by-turn audible directions (with screen
prompts) that you can trigger just by pinging Alexa to ask Garmin to get
you home, to work, or to the Empire State Building.
A built-in dash cam adds a layer of comfort in the unlikely event
that you’re in an accident, along with driver assist features to fight
off those chances, including forward collision and lane departure
warnings. The GPS also works with Bluetooth-enable devices for
hands-free calls and integrates with your car stereo wirelessly or via a
standard AUX cable.
Best for Off-Road Adventures: Magellan TR5 Trail and Street GPS
If sticking to main roads isn’t your thing, then you need the
Magellan TR5 trail and street GPS on your next off-road adventure. With
over 115,000 preloaded trail routes, there’s something here for
four-wheel driving, ATVs, and snowmobiles. Magellan also adds more than
6.6 million points of interest. Finding a POI or setting up is easy
using the TR5’s five-inch touchscreen display. The unit itself is ideal
for off-road vehicles because it is shock, dust, and water resistant.
It won’t come as any surprise to previous GPS users that the TR5 is
packed with audio and visual navigation assistance. If you’re busy
keeping your eyes on the trail, the audio will keep you safely on track.
In the event that you need to make a quick return home, hit the
Backtrack button and it returns you to the initial starting point.
Beyond navigation, the unit can also sync to a smartphone via Bluetooth
for incoming call notifications as well as text and calendar alerts.
Best for International Travel: TomTom Go 520
Most GPS units come with pre-loaded maps of North America, but the
TomTom Go 520 has a more global point of view and comes with maps of the
entire world pre-loaded. Best of all, with built-in W-iFi connectivity,
the device will notify you whenever new updates are available, so you
can update without a computer. The device also communicates with your
smartphone; it can read out text messages upon request, or find contacts
and dial for hands-free calling. You can also trigger Siri and Google
Now with the tap of a button on the device.
Maps update for the lifetime of the device, and it uses real-time
traffic data to plot out your optimal route. When back from exploring
the world, the Go 520 can also learn your driving habits to predict when
and where you most drive to help carve out your ideal route. The only
(potential) drawback: the five-inch screen isn’t as massive as some of
the others on this list, but it’s still plenty big, especially if you’re
driving a Euro mini sports car.
Best for Motorcycles: Garmin zumo 396 LMT-S
GPS devices geared toward helping motorcyclists face a mountain of
considerations that car-friendly devices don’t, and the zumo 396 LMT-S
has all those variables covered. The rugged, glove-friendly 4.3-inch
device resists damage from fuel vapors, UV rays, and harsh weather, and
remains easy to read in bright sunlight. As with most devices, you also
get real-time traffic notification and hands-free calling via Bluetooth,
and you can control your music and playlists from the GPS screen.
Embracing the fun nature of motorcycling, the device includes a
choose-your-own-adventure-style Adventurous Routing navigation feature
that lets you modify the route by preferring curves and hills, and
avoiding the dull drone of major highways. For group rides, you can dial
your preferred route and share it via GPX files with fellow riders, and
when you sync the device to a smartphone, you can share your
whereabouts in real time. Alerts include traffic and weather updates as
well as speed and red-light camera notification as well as when sharp
turns are approaching. The device utilizes a built-in trip computer that
tracks every important stat on your bike, including gas, air filters,
brake pads, and fluids—and will tell you when to stop for fuel by
providing options for nearby gas stations. The only thing the zumo 396
doesn’t do is drive your bike — but you’ve got that part covered.
Best for RVs: Magellan Roadmate RV9365T-LMB
The open road carries a whole host of hazards when you’re driving a
big rig of an RV or dragging your camper or rec vehicle behind you on a
trailer. No tight turns, please, and definitely no cobblestones. But
other factors are equally important to avoid, including streets that
restrict U-turns or are dodgy and unpaved. The Roadmate RV9365T-LMB lets
you program your vehicle’s dimensions into the device, along with other
driver preferences, and then plots a route that caters to those
considerations.
The Magellan Roadmate also comes pre-loaded with a Good Sam RV Travel
Guide and Campground Directory (including info on each site like
whether they have Wi-Fi or are pet-friendly), along with a list of RV
Sani-Dump Station Locations. The 7-inch touchscreen adjusts for day or
night viewing, and works with real-time traffic updates to dodge delays,
and includes other navigation tips like nearby gas stations, traffic
cam alerts, lane-assist guidance, and a personalized favorites menu. Map
updates are good for the life of the device, and it also tracks your
speed as well as the speed limit.
Best Dash Cam GPS: Garmin Dash Cam 65W
Get into one controversial accident and you’ll understand the
implicit value of reliable evidence to help support your side of the
story. While the Dash Cam 65W is GPS-enabled, it’s not focused on
navigation. Instead, this device lets you capture 1080p-resolution video
footage with 180-degree coverage via voice command. It’ll also
automatically save footage on impact thanks to GPS-enabled Incident
Detection, which captures both the when and the where of what happened
to supplement the video.
The Garmin Dash cam also delivers useful navigation alerts like
forward-collision and lane-departure warnings and notifications on
red-light and speed cameras. It's not all about bad news, though; the
device offers fun ways to capture the highlights of a stellar road trip.
Simply command the device to take a photo, record video or audio, or
activate the Travelapse feature, which condenses hours of driving into a
minutes-long stream of the road trip highlights. Naturally, it syncs
with your smartphone thanks to built-in Wi-Fi, so you can wirelessly add
videos to your device after downloading the VIRB Mobile app, making it
easy to share footage with friends, family, insurance companies, and
legal authorities.
Our Process
Our writers spent 5 hours researching the most popular GPS systems on the market. Before making their final recommendations, they considered 12 different GPS systems, screened options from 5 different brands and manufacturers, read more than 10 user reviews (both positive and negative), and tested 1 of the GPS systems themselves. All of this research adds up to recommendations you can trust.
