Navigon 2100 Max GPS Review
Navigon is a GPS navigation maker that started out in Europe before entering the North American market. Widely known in Europe, Navigon is a brand that most might not be familiar with in North America. However, Navigon has very solid reputation for producing great GPS navigation units in Europe. The Navigon 2100 MAX a step above an entry level GPS navigation unit at an entry level price. The unit includes many features that are absent on entry level units.
Screen
The 4.3 inch displays crisp and vibrant colors. The touchscreen sensitivity could have been better. I had to tap the screen few times to get the touch to register on some occasion. Screen works well in any light condition. I had no glare problem with the unit.
Ease of Use
The user interface is very intuitive. Like most other GPS navigation units, it is easy to set destination via screen or simply set POI as destination. Navigon 2100 MAX can be used right out of the box without having to consult manual. You do need to register via Navigon if you want to use the live traffic feature. The text-to-speech makes it really easy to navigate without having to stare at the screen. The pronunciation of street names were fairly accurate.
Reliability
Out of the box, the unit took close to 10 minutes to acquire satellite. I had no problem with satellite acquisition after the initial start. The routing calculation seems to take longer than most navigation units. But, the routing and directions were accurate most of the time. The real problem seems to be route recalculation. After missing a turn, the unit kept asking to go in an illogical direction. This happened several times throughout the usage. I'm not sure if map update or firmware update could fix this problem. The overall routing and directions are accurate. The lane assist function is pretty helpful on the highways when you need to anticipate exits. There were no problem with rebooting or crashes. With exception of route recalculation, the unit was solid in its performance.
Battery life
The Navigon states the battery life at 3 hours. In real world usage, it lasted little more than 2 hours. The unit can not be completely turned off which can be battery draining. The unit comes with automobile power supply so the battery life should not be an issue.
Features
The Navigon 2100 MAX comes with great many features seen on high end models. The 2100 Max comes with life time traffic and optional FreshMap updates. The unit comes pre-loaded with POI and United States map. The predictive text complete is also useful when entering a street name. The text-to-speech was clear and understandable. The Lane guidance feature was pretty useful on the highway driving. Otherwise, mostly forgotten feature in city driving. You have option to purchase Zagat survey and ratings review package. I did not purchase this option so I can not give assessment on its usefulness.
Expandability
Navigon does offer map updates for a price. It seems like most manufacturers have chosen to charge for map updates. At 79.99 it's almost 1/2 the price of the unit itself. It could be cheaper but not having offering any update would be worse.
Pros
- 4.3 inch touchscreen
- Text-to-speech
- Lane assistance
- Easy operation
- Speed limit indicator
- Free live traffic
- Cost
Cons
- Out of date Point of Interest database
- Bad rerouting logic
- Have to purchase map updates
Want to compare this model to other models? Click here to download the spreadsheet.
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This site contains the personal opinions of various authors and contributors to this website. The opinions in these articles and reviews are offered in good faith, but also come with no guarantees or warranties.
We know it is a pretty simple installation project, but as this mount is a little pricey for what it actually does, we thought we would post a series so readers can better decide if they really want to spring for the ProClip system.
It is versatile and does look better than the typical windshield mounts. Click on any of the images for a larger version.
Here is the complete series:
http://www.rainydaymagazine.com/RDM2009/Home/June/Week3/RDMHomeJun1509.htm#ProClipMount
http://www.rainydaymagazine.com/RDM2009/Home/July/Week1/RDMHomeJul0209.htm#ProClipAssembly
http://www.rainydaymagazine.com/RDM2009/Home/July/Week2/RDMHomeJul0609.htm#ProClipInstallation
Navigon – Great product at reasonable price
This GPS sysytm (as packaged by Amazon) has all the neat features for navigating – 4.3″ screen, announced street names, traffic info, map updates, plenty of POIs – all without paying for extra features I couldn’t care less about (Bluetooth, music, photos, etc.). While I’ve read that the number of POIs (2 million) is less than some other GPS systems (6 million), so far it’s found every POI I searched for. This is a greast little navigator at a reasonable price.
Hard to Beat For the Price
The Navigon 2100 Max is not perfect. However, considering what the unit costs, this is an extremely good deal.
First the positives. Navigon makes it easy to update software as well as maps. Just plug the GPS into your computer, and the Navigon Fresh program takes care of the rest. That being said, there was a software update available that added features to my device that were described in the literature, but not on the device when I first turned it on. So, please update the software.
I found the routing the be very good. I haven’t noticed any routes that take me out of the way, or that are not practical. Also after the update the maps were re-drawn very quickly, and the maps scrolled much smoother than before. There are also several warnings and signals which tell you exactly which lane to be in, and when. Pretty nice. It’s also very easy to add interim destinations. Which is nice to be able to stop for gas, and continue to your final destination without more input. The maps have a nice auto zoom feature that you can adjust. It’s nice to see the map get larger as you speed up, and smaller, so it makes it easier to find the turns.
Free traffic for life is what really sold me on the device. I currently have a Dash Express, but I know the day is coming when they totally shut down, so I wanted to find a replacement for that traffic information. While the Navigon is not as in-depth as the Dash, it still provides decent traffic information on major highways. Again, considering the cost, it’s a pretty good deal. The Navigon does have color coded road sections when traffic is heavy. Before the update, the device seemed to want to always find an alternate route around the traffic. After the update, I don’t think I’ve seen that once. I’m not sure that is the devices fault since there are few alternatives around traffic along my routes.
The POI database seems about average. I’ve noticed most of the major chain stores are here. You should be able to find what you need in another town, but I imagine you would have a hard time finding the less common POI’s.
Other people have complained about the lack of a manual. Two things about this. Most people either don’t read the manual, or are not smart enough to understand it anyway. Besides, you can download a PDF copy directly from the website. Furthermore, had they included a manual with the GPS I bought, it would have been outdated after the first software update. I think it was smart not to include one, since it would be wasted on most people, and would drive up the costs. There are some basic instructions in the box, but please download the PDF copy.
Before the update the text on the screen was small. I have good eyesight, and could see it, but I understand that it would be hard for some to read. After installing the update, the text size was increased. It’s not huge now, and some icons are small, but it is a big improvement over the previous font.
Now for the not so good things. The mount only has two axis. Up down, and left right. In my car it’s not an issue, but I imagine this would give people in other cars some problems. But again, this is an area where they were able to save a few bucks, so again, not a huge deal. In the future I would hope they would use the Garmin type mount. Probably costs the same, but much more adjustable.
The one thing that is really odd is the placement of the power cord. It’s shoots straight out of the bottom of the device. And the cord is very rigid at that point, so it does interfere with placement. I don’t see why they couldn’t have made the cord a 90 degree, or placed it on the side, or even out the back. This would have cost little more, and made the device much more usable. The cord is also the traffic antenna so it has to be plugged in to receive traffic data.
The day night mode is automatic, but not while the device is routing. So if you begin your journey before sunrise, and the sun comes up during your drive, the device will stay in night mode until you switch it, or you arrive. All other GPS’s do this automatically, so it’s a bummer that the Navigon doesn’t. Also, you have to choose the brightness level in day and night mode, it wont automatically adjust light output of the screen. Also, kind of frustrating given the fact that it could be 6:45 am and the device is still in night mode.
The Navigon won’t start processing a route until it has a GPS signal. I don’t find this to be a huge issue since it usually takes less than a minute. Also, the device will not automatically wake from sleep. Kind of weird, but not a deal breaker.
In today’s market, consumers want everything, and don’t want to pay anything for it. People have no understanding or appreciation for quality. But that is a topic for another day. That being said, the Navigon is an excellent device given the fact that it only costs $179 including software updates, map updates, and traffic. If you want a GPS that is a jack of all trades, this is it. Keep in mind that this is a sub $200 dollar device, so there are some quirks, but given the value of the package, it’s hard to beat.
Best GPS
This is my third Navigon GPS. I give other to my family member. It work so good, I kept on buy new one. I found that “special bundle” with Freshmap is the best, because it will up date you with new software. New software are faster, better routing and give you some more options. Many friends was impress with Navigon so they bought one for themself and even thought about resell it to. Lifetime Traffic also help alot, specially if you live in Los Angles, CA. The Price is good. If you want lower price then go with 3.5 inch but it doesn’t give you all the option like this 2100 max.
Navigon GPS
Love the GPS. It’s simple to use and has all the features I need.
WADawdawd
GOod Review!
Awesome!
I bought this for a gift for my husband and he thanks me DAILY for it! He thinks it is one of the best GPS out there!