Garmin and TomTom are both well-known brands that you can trust. But which is best? If you are having trouble choosing, defining the specific differences in features will help you narrow it down.
Learn which is the better Sat-Nav. Plus, find out:
- What is the best satellite navigation on the market?
- Are Garmin and TomTom the same?
- Is TomTom better than Google Maps?
- Which is the best GPS brand? Etc.
But before we take on these questions, let’s review our top picks from both brands and see how they measure up to each other.
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The Rider 500 is our top pick from TomTom and comes packed with loads of features to make your ride safe and thrilling. Like all TomTom sat navs, it has a sleek and clean design with a clear display.
An accurate EU map helps you navigate through new places with ease. You can create, search or import routes and adjust how challenging your ride gets by setting the windiness and hilliness to low, mid, or high.
Features:
- Clear display, high contrast, and high brightness to ensure that the screen is readable even in direct sunlight.
- You can view notifications such as POIs, traffic problems and filling stations over the next 40 miles of your route in the sidebar.
- Updateable EU map, so you’re always informed of the latest routes.
- A water-resistant and drop-proof build ensures your device won’t fail you in inclement weather.
- This mount allows you to rotate the sat nav through 90 degrees. The orientation can be locked, so you can keep either portrait or landscape view.
- The 4.3-inch capacitive screen on the sat nav allows you to operate it with gloves on.
- The kit includes a bike mount and Ram brackets to attach to the mirror clamp or bars.
- The quad-core processor sources information quickly and accurately.
The TomTom Rider 500 is an excellent choice for a portable satellite navigation device. Its efficiency reminds you just why it’s worth installing a sat nav on your motorbike instead of just using your smartphone.
It’s the perfect companion that you can count on to keep you safe and on track no matter where your adventure takes you.
Our favourite Garmin model is the Zumo 346LMT-S.
A strong rival of TomTom, Garmin is popular for its accurate and up-to-date navigations and valuable features like a speed camera, wifi updating, live traffic, and accurate routing.
You can update the device for free, so you stay at the top of your riding adventure. Given the excellent features, there is no doubt why anyone would not love this model.
Features:
- 4.3 inches screen with a clear display that is sun-readable
- Two years manufacturer’s warranty
- Live traffic data with built-in wifi makes maps and software updating easy.
- The sensitive screen is responsive to gloves.
- The weatherproof feature allows you to use the device confidently, even in a heavy downpour, and it doesn’t accumulate moisture or fuel vapours.
- Easy route planning- find curvy and hilly roads for a truly adventurous trip.
- Automatic incident notification
- Connect with your smartphone, make calls hands-free, share GPX files and weather with your team riders.
- Play music and get entertained throughout your journey.
- Trip advisor app with ratings of nearby hotels helps you locate the best places and make the most of your trip.
The Zumo 346LMT-S is easy to mount and has all the necessary features to turn your adventurous trip into a fun and memorable one.
Should you like to visit a store or restaurant, the points of interest with its several categories will help you find the right one in real-time with directions.
This model is an example of why motorbike riders love Garmin and justifies that Garmin leads the sales in sat navs.
Are Garmin and TomTom the same?
Garmin and TomTom are both leading companies in sat navs and offer similar features and user experiences.
Both have excellent mapping systems, a broad price range, accurate routing, etc. However, the critical difference is that Gramin specializes in handheld GPS devices for pedestrians and hikers, while TomTom generally deals with car navigation.
Other differences include Gramin devices’ clear and easy-to-read icons and graphics instead of TomTom’s detailed information on the screen. Differences in other features are discussed in detail below.
Which is better: Garmin or Tomtom?
Garmin and TomTom are the two most competitive brands in the sat nav industry. They offer a wide range of products at different prices and come loaded with features that make these PNDs more convenient than smartphones.
From live traffic data and lane guidance to speed camera alerts, both brands are undoubtedly efficient. Well, which one’s better? Let’s take a closer look and compare their features.
Prices
Both TomTom and Garmin have a wide range of products that will suit any budget. Whether you decide on a more straightforward and affordable device or want to splurge on a premium sat nav, devices from both brands will provide value for your money.
Screen and layout
Both brands offer impressive, sun-readable screens that provide straightforward navigation. However, TomTom has a slightly clearer display than its counterpart.
Gramin has an extra layer over its top and appears more traditional, while TomTom has a sleeker body and looks like a smartphone. Hence TomTom has the better edge over Gramin in screen and layout.
Route planning
Both can program destinations reasonably well, and both can search and deliver twisty routes to make your adventures more thrilling.
However, TomTom can plan routes based on your last location even when it is not linked to a satellite, while Gramin doesn’t allow you to plan routes without connection to a satellite.
Speed camera warning
Both are equally efficient and will warn you of speed cameras both visually and audibly. Both can identify mobile as well as fixed cameras and update them in real-time.
However, real-time services depend on which service you subscribe to and what model you buy.
Battery life
When connected to a power source, the battery life of both brands will be irrelevant. However, when unplugged, Gramin sat navs will last about one and half hours before their brightness level drops to 40%.
This drop significantly reduces the screen readability when you’re riding during the day.
On the other hand, TomTom devices last for six hours, sufficient for an entire day’s ride. This feature ensures that you safely land at your destination even without a power source.
Locating fuel
If you’re riding through a desolate area, you can land in trouble if your tank is not adequately filled. Both systems have an intelligent fuel locating system to keep you from running into fuel scarcity.
Garmin devices track your fuel and plan your routes based on fuel stations. TomTom shows the next two fuel stops along with the distance on the sidebar.
Easy to mount
Both Gramin and TomTom have bike mounts that can hold the devices securely to your motorbike. The TomTom has a slightly bulkier mount than the Gramin, but it has an option for locking brackets, making it convenient.
Any decent smartphone can help you navigate your way. But a satellite navigation device that is purpose-built serves its owner a lot more efficiently.
Satellite navigation systems address all of the disadvantages of smartphones. Satellite navigation systems have bigger and better displays than their rivals, and they also have a high brightness level for better visibility during the day.
Plus, they load a punch of live services and additional features.
TomTom and Garmin are the top contenders for the best satellite navigations on the market, and our ultimate picks are the TomTom Rider 500 and Garmin Zumo 346LMT-S.
Both come with essential features, have an easy user interface, and offer great value for money.
Is TomTom better than Google Maps?
Google Maps’ POI is more updated and current than TomTom. But it doesn’t offer precise traffic information or load as quickly as TomTom.
Another disadvantage is that you risk losing saved data when Google Maps update automatically in the background. To avoid this, you can set the update to manual rather than auto.
TomToms work without an active internet connection. As a purpose-built sat nav, it gives precise traffic alerts and assists drivers in changing lanes by making the proper exits.
Both are fiercely competitive. However, TomToms’ new cloud-based software is giving Google Maps a hard time.
The TomTom Navigation for Automotive for car manufacturers offers fully updated maps with live traffic data.
You can switch to offline mode on its onboard software when you are not actively connected to an internet connection for uninterrupted navigation.
Which is the best TomTom model?
The most popular TomTom GPS models include TomTom Go Discover with a 7-inch touchscreen and 32 GB memory, TomTom GO Premium with a 5-inch touchscreen and 16 GB memory, and TomTom Go Via 53.
However, our top pick is the TomTom Rider 500. It has an excellent display with a sleek design and robust build and is weatherproof.
It comes with an accurate EU map and has an intuitive user face with all the essential information on display- pretty much everything you want in a sat nav. Check out the review section at the top for its features in detail.
Which is the best Garmin model?
Garmin Zumo 346 LMT-S is an excellent model that is feature-packed. It has a 4.3″ display with adventurous routing, live traffic, wifi updating, weather and speed camera.
The EU map can be updated for free. In addition, you can receive notifications, manage calls, and play music from your smartphone.
It is easy to set up and update because it has built-in wifi. The Zumo 346 LMT-S is one of the finest models in its price range and is perfect for any motorbike owner looking for a Garmin Satnav. Check the review above to learn more about its features.
Which is the best GPS brand?
Despite Google Maps and Apple Maps’ services, a dedicated GPS is still the safest and most convenient way to travel long distances.
The best GPS brands today are TomTom and Garmin. Both specialize in safe car and motorbike travel with updated maps to ensure you never get lost in a new place.
There are routes to remote areas and updates to new roads. Your route is shown in real-time as traffic changes. You can also discover the best restaurants and shopping centres along the way.
There are several other GPS brands on the market today. However, TomTom and Garmin are reliable brands that will give you your money’s worth.
Verdict
As consumers, we all look for different features according to our needs. TomTom is better at some features, while Garmin does better at some. Given its competitive features, it is difficult to give a verdict.
Both are well-loved and offer similar features and experiences. Hence, it is easier to pick two products and then contrast their features to get a clearer picture of the pros and cons of each manufacturer rather than take all products in general.
According to ratings by users, TomTom does better than Gramin by a slight margin. Their traffic updates are considered superior, with 67% accuracy against 22% in Gramin devices.
However, if you’re on the lookout for a new sat nav for your car or motorbike, it’s best to emphasize your needs and stick to your budget. Find a device that offers the features necessary to you.
With the popularity of free services like Google Maps, the price of sat navs are dropping every year. And that gives you all the more reason to get hold of these devices and equip yourself for a thrilling ride.