Review: Garmin Nuvi 2495 LMT

Thu, 1st Nov 2012

FYI, this story is more than a year old

The Garmin Nuvi 2495 LMT is part of the new 2012 range of Garmin GPS devices, although, with a 4.3” touch screen, it could easily be mistaken for a smartphone.The device weighs in at 142 grams, which is well distributed as well as being slightly deeper around the sides. Like most GPS devices, the first option upon start-up is picking a locale. However, if you want to switch countries you have to power off and reboot the device.Out of the box, the Garmin Nuvi 2495 LMT comes with the GPS, a car attachment with an easy mount clip and a USB cord to plug into the computer for updating. The Nuvi 2495 LMT offers some impressive features such as predicting arrival time, lane assist, and overall was quite accurate in approximating location. NG

Pros

View routes on the 4.3" (10.92 cm) touch screen
Navigate hands-free with voice-activated navigation
Lifetime map and traffic updates
3D traffic and live traffic updates
Lane assist tells you which lane to be in before a turn, and also includes a photoReal junction view
Can be used in portrait or landscape mode
Enhanced Exit Services
Enjoy fast route calculations and address look up with Garmin Guidance 2.0

Cons

Touchscreen keyboard is a bit finicky
Acquiring location does not have a set time and is easily affected by tall buildings
If you accidentally take a wrong turn or miss a turn, recalculating the route takes a while
It’s better suited to driving, although it gives you the option for walking
In order to use traffic feature, you have to install it - not available out of the box
Updates need to be done via USB port

The Verdict

Although I wouldn’t necessarily buy a GPS for myself, the Garmin Nuvi 2495 LMT is a good choice for someone who drives regularly. It’s a good size and offers all of the basic features you would expect in a GPS for a reasonable price.