GO Live 820 vs VIA Live 125

[Losbenitos]

I bought a new TomTom device to replace my ageing XL device mainly as it lacked the lane guidance but also the new Live services appealed.

Anyway, I recently purchased a Go Live 820 Europe from Halfords and quickly discovered the Sim didn't work inside so it couldn't ever get Live services.

Halfords didn't have any stock of 820 Europe to replace it so offered me the Via Live 125 Europe instead for the same price.

From what I can tell they are pretty much identical except that the Via model has the bigger screen.

What worries me is that the Via 125 is not listed on TomTom's website leading me to believe its an older obsolete inferior model that was over priced in Halfords (£199), and that I would be better off waiting for new stock of the Go model.

Google hasn't turned up the answer to my question so I'm hoping the experienced folk of this forum will be able to advise me.

Is the Via 125 Live model a good swap for the Go 820 Live?

 

[canderson]

Neither the 125 Live nor the 820 are particularly "new" models, though both are perfectly serviceable units, and the vintage is relatively recent. TomTom has been churning through new model offerings a lot lately. Apart from screen size, the two you specified are nearly identical in all respects.

Buy the 125 Live from Halfords, and they will give you 30 pounds off in fuel against the 199 pound purchase price.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_793561_langId_-1_categoryId_165685

so the price of the 125, while higher, isn't as bad as it initially appears. I like the larger screen size when I can get it. A more comparable unit (like the 125, a 5" screen size) would be the 825, and that runs more than the Via 125 at Halfords.

 

[Losbenitos]

the price of the 125, while higher, isn't as bad as it initially appears. I like the larger screen size when I can get it. A more comparable unit (like the 125, a 5" screen size) would be the 825, and that runs more than the Via 125 at Halfords.

Cheers for the response.

To do a side by side specification comparison is tricky as the 125 Via Live isn't listed on the TomTom site, however there is an SA version available here and comparing it with the 820 version here, and to exclude the screen size I can only spot that the 125 lists it as having 4gb of internal memory and the 820 only has 2gb. Some debate as to whether the 125 has an SD card slot - I can't tell as the device is still sealed in it's box until I decide to keep it!

To use Halfords site as a comparison it only says the 125 is expandable whereas the 820 is not, however the TomTom site states both have an SD card slot..

Why oh why do TomTom have to make it all so confusing!

So when you say the 825 runs more than the 125, in what sense? Price or ability?

 

[canderson]

The GO 820 includes a card slot, and that slot is supported by the current firmware. So does the Via 125.

I believe you're also being confused about the memory model and map options. In your part of the universe, the 820 and Via 120 models came in two versions ... a regional version with only 2GB of memory and the UK/ROI map, and a "European" version that came with 4GB and the full W.E. map including UK/ROI. So be careful when shopping and comparing.

AFAIK, the VIA 125 sold in your area came ONLY with the full 4GB of memory and the full W.E. map set.

When I said the GO 825 runs more than the VIA 125, I mean in terms of price, and as they are both 5" units (vs. the 820 which is 4.3"), it seemed to me that the Via 125 Live would be the more cost effective choice between the two similar models.

 

[Andy_P]

Anyone know why the VIA 120 / 125 models were so short-lived, and what the differences are between them and the VIA 130 / 135 now being sold?

We really need that update to mvl's master datasheet, but it's becoming a Herculean task now! Don't begrudge him the job one bit!