Garmin nuvi devices have been around for years but it can be tricky to tell which devices are the latest and which devices are outdated. What makes it worse is that many of the older versions share similar features with the current devices. But this time, Garmin is breaking the trend by introducing some new 2012 Garmin devices with some major improvements. To make it easier for consumers to recognize these devices, Garmin made three categories which include the “Essential Series”, “Advanced Series”, and “Prestige Series”. Some of the Garmin nuvi devices in the 2400 series fall in the Advanced series (notable by the number 5 as the fourth digit). The Garmin nuvi 2495LMT represents the high-end of this category making it a great purchase if you want extra features without spending more than $200 on a Prestige Garmin nuvi device. This Garmin GPS device offers a few surprises that should attract budget car GPS seekers.
Garmin nuvi 2495LMT
Design
The design of the Garmin nuvi 2495LMT isn’t all that different than the other 4.3-inch Garmin GPS devices. Thin and light remains a priority for Garmin nuvi as the company wants their new devices to feel very lightweight even if it is meant to be mounted on the car windshield or dashboard.
Features
It has been a long time coming but Garmin finally decided to update the aging interface. There was definitely nothing wrong with the interface of older Garmin models but the new Garmin Guidance 2.0 interface is certainly a breath of fresh air. When you turn on the device, you will still see the same pair of icons on the main screen. But when you start planning a route or doing other things, you will notice some noticeable improvements in performance.
The new interface also significantly improves some of the core features of the Garmin experience such as the lane assist feature. It introduces a fresh new view called photoReal junction view which sports better graphics and a split screen view so you can still see the map while looking at the junction view. Because of the new portrait view, you can place the Garmin nuvi 2495LMT in an upright position if you prefer seeing a horizontal split screen photoReal junction view. This view is a great way to see any upcoming road signs. The Enhanced Exit Services can also be used to find any services that are near the highway exit.
With 8 million points of interest preloaded in the Garmin nuvi 2495LMT, this Garmin nuvi device is a good pick already over the previous Garmin devices which only boast around 6 million points of interest. Lifetime map updates are also featured so you can retrieve the latest map information 4 times a year. Combine that with the improved lifetime traffic updates, the Garmin nuvi 2495LMT has even better value. The 3D Traffic feature which is a part of Garmin Guidance 2.0 features a special traffic avoidance system to check the conditions 2 billion times a month. When road construction or heavy traffic activity take place, you are also notified.
Although the ecoRoute feature now costs money, the Bluetooth integration and voice navigation is a surprise for a sub-$200 GPS device. Making and receiving calls while driving is never a safe thing to do and the Bluetooth feature fixes that by allowing a smartphone to use the Garmin nuvi 2495LMT as a speaker phone. Since the Garmin nuvi 2495LMT features a built-in microphone, you can easily issue voice commands to the device so you don’t have to use the touchscreen while driving. Like other Garmin products, this Garmin nuvi device can talk to you as well using the text-to-speech engine when you need to turn at a specific street. If you want a more personalized feel, you can change the voice by checking out the Garmin Garage site.
Bottom Line
Back in 2011, you would have to shell out more than $200 for a premium device such as the Garmin nuvi 2360LMT if you wanted Bluetooth. But the cheaper Garmin nuvi 2495LMT offers those features along with some great performance and interface improvements thanks to Garmin Guidance 2.0 along with a better lane assist feature. Don’t forget too that this is one of the several LMT devices which means that map updates and traffic updates are completely free for life. The older and cheaper Garmin devices may still boast lifetime map updates and traffic updates but they will never have the Garmin Guidance 2.0 experience.
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