Garmin nuvi 260W review

The Garmin nuvi 260W is the newest member of Garmin's popular entry level nuvi 200 series. A 4.3" wide screen version of the nuvi 260, the 260W is identical to it in all other respects.  The 260 and 260W are the only two models in the 200 series  to include text-to-speech, the ability to call out street names. That way you'll get "turn left on Highway 128 in 200 feet", rather than just "turn left in 200 feet."

Check out my Garmin nuvi comparison chart to see how the 260W stacks up against other units' features.

Compare prices on the Garmin nuvi 260W

Before we hear from others, here's a snippet of Amazon's Garmin nuvi 260W review:

"...The nüvi 260W comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded City Navigator NT street maps, including a hefty POI database with hotels, restaurants, fuel, ATMs and more. Simply touch the color screen to enter a destination, and nüvi takes you there with 2D or 3D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions..."

More Garmin nuvi 260W reviews

• Here's a brief Garmin nuvi 260W review / testimonial posted on the Garmin blog.
• The first consumer-authored Garmin nuvi 260W review has been posted at Amazon
• Okaay.com posts a Garmin nuvi 260W review
• Consumer reviews of the nuvi 260W are also being posted at CNet.
• A GPS newbie posts a Garmin nuvi 260W review

I'll be posting more hands on GPS reviews as they appear, but in the meantime, here are some...

Other Garmin nuvi 260W resources

• The Garmin nuvi 260W quick start manual
• There is a Garmin nuvi message forum at GpsPasSion
• Confused about the wide range of nuvi models? Check out this handy Garmin auto GPS comparison tool or use my own Garmin nuvi comparison chart

Compare prices on the Garmin nuvi 260W at these merchants:

• Check the current Garmin nuvi 260W price at Amazon.
• Get the Garmin nuvi 260W Wide-Screen Automotive GPS System with North American Maps at TigerGPS, where you get free shipping on orders above $250.
• Find the Garmin nuvi 260W for an amazing price on eBay.
• I'll be adding more vendors to this list as the nuvi 260W becomes more widely available.

From the official Garmin nuvi 260W web page:

Go wide with the ultra-cool nüvi 260W that speaks street names. This widescreen navigator is attractively-priced and simple to use. Like the rest of the nüvi 200-series, you’re just a few screen taps away from anywhere.

Navigate With Ease

nüvi 260W comes ready to go right out of the box with preloaded City Navigator® NT street maps, including a hefty points of interest (POIs) database with hotels, restaurants, fuel, ATMs and more. It even announces the name of exits and streets so you never have to take your eyes off the road. Simply touch the color screen to enter a destination, and nüvi takes you there with 2D or 3D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. In addition, nüvi 260W accepts custom points of interest (POIs), such as school zones and safety cameras and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs.

Take It With You

Like the rest of the nüvi 200-series, nüvi 260W sports a sleek, slim design and fits comfortably in your pocket or purse. Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery makes it convenient for navigation by car or foot.

Go Beyond Navigation

Navigation is just the beginning. nüvi 260W includes many travel tools including JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. It also comes with Garmin Lock™, an anti-theft feature, and configurable vehicle icons that let you select car-shaped graphics to show your location on the map. Optional plug-in SD cards let you add additional features. Purchase Garmin Travel Guides for detailed data on attractions and our SaversGuide® for  information on nearby merchants offering discounts to customize nüvi for your travel needs.

nüvi 260W: It's a whole nü way to travel.

Related posts:

• Our GPS reviews
• Auto GPS buyers guide
• Top ten auto GPS

Comments

[Don Sksggs]

I used my recenly purchased Garmin 260W on a 5000 mile trip through Florida and it was great. The best features were the recalculating, calling out turns two or more time before the turns and the brightnest of the display. I tried the Tom Tom and its didplay was not nearly as bright and clear as the Garmin.