TomTom XL350TM vs Garmin 1350T LMU

[tranquility]

I'm a GPS newbie and recently bought the TT over the Garmin. I liked the better price point and there were a few things I thought made the TT better:
-MapShare
-1M more POIs
-IQ Routes
-heard TT has better customization options

Both has lifetime maps/traffic, which is a MUST for me.

Since I haven't tried the Garmin yet, I'm wondering if you have played w/ it before and how do these 2 units compare? Are there other units you'd recommend? I only want a strictly GPS unit, no other gadgets if possible and want to keep within a CAD$300 budget.

I've only had the TT for a few days but it seems ok, although the TTS prb is a bit annoying: hopefully there will be a fix coming soon from TT; also, there were some route selections I didn't quite agree w/.

I actually don't mind the EasyPort(sp?) because I just carry my GPS unit and don't like to detach the whole thing...actually, why do ppl want to take off the windshield attachment part, to further deter thieves?

That's my quick input for now. Hope to here more from better-informed ppl here! Thx.

 

[canderson]

"-heard TT has better customization options"

Beware any of the x50 models, including the 350. These have a "dumbed down" menu structure that may not permit some of the "customization" you'd hoped to find. Depending upon how you use it, it could be an issue, even with the newer firmware that improves things a bit.

I'd have a long look at the XL335TM instead (like the XL340TM but adds spoken street names). I don't think there's an XL340STM out there that speaks street names. You might also consider the XXL540TM and get it all.

 

[tranquility]

"-heard TT has better customization options"

Beware any of the x50 models, including the 350. These have a "dumbed down" menu structure that may not permit some of the "customization" you'd hoped to find. Depending upon how you use it, it could be an issue, even with the newer firmware that improves things a bit.

I'd have a long look at the XL335TM instead (like the XL340TM but adds spoken street names). I don't think there's an XL340STM out there that speaks street names. You might also consider the XXL540TM and get it all.

Thanks for your advice. I've found out about the 'quick fix' re the TTS issue and so far it seems ok until the official TT patch comes along. Since I'm a new GPS user, I guess that I remain blissfully ignorant as the Easy Menu seems enough for me in terms of customization as I haven't been exposed to TT's earlier versions. Besides better customization and a bigger screen for the XXL540TM, what else is superior vs the XL350TM? Thx.

 

[canderson]

Primarily just the two things you mentioned - screen size and menu improvements.

As an example of why I couldn't deal with the 350, even after the firmware update, I need to enter locations by latitude and longitude at times. Can't go there with the 350.

I think all of the mentioned models fit within your budget constraints well.

 

[tranquility]

I'm curious why one needs to use latitude and longitude? There are 3 settnigs for latitude and longitude: which is best? Thx.

 

[canderson]

I'm curious why one needs to use latitude and longitude? There are 3 settnigs for latitude and longitude: which is best? Thx.

As to the second question, there is no "best"... it's a matter of how you tend to receive or communicate the coordinates for a locatoin. For example, the info for the locations I visit comes in "decimal minute" DD MMM.MMM format, so I'm set up that way. Other folks using coordinates might need "decimal degrees" (DD.DDDDD) or the minutes/seconds format. Just different notations for expressing the same info.

As to the first, I have locations that I visit that are defined by their coordinates and not an address -- since they don't have addresses.

 

[tranquility]

I have locations that I visit that are defined by their coordinates and not an address -- since they don't have addresses.

Are you a Navy SEAL or something lol? j/k

 

[dhn]

A bit off topic (and Canderson won't answer the question you asked, trust me ...... )

but make an Explorer, not Home, backup of your unit's contents..............

See here:
https://www.tomtomforums.com/genera...4-how-backup-contents-your-unit-computer.html

 

[rustybirman99]

I thought all the XXL 540 models are identical to the XL340 models (with comparable suffixes) EXCEPT for the screen size.
In US anyway I thought the 340 has TTS. As far as the 335, I thought it was the same as the 340 except it doesn't include maps of Mexico (again, US models), so it has TTS as well ?
Also, if the routes are questionable, maybe it's due to the IQ routing where it has data telling it there is traffic (at that day and time) on the route you think is quicker.

 

[canderson]

I thought all the XXL 540 models are identical to the XL340 models (with comparable suffixes) EXCEPT for the screen size.
In US anyway I thought the 340 has TTS.

Gotta love TT and their model numbers. There are (sigh) multiple models of the XL340. In Europe, they all use the computer voice. In the U.S., the original XL340 did not, but they also offered the XL340S (still available) that does use the computer voice. That was all in 2009. In 2010, they released the traffic/map versions (XL340 T/M/TM), but in the U.S., and as I think of it now, I believe all of these were based on the XL340S (not the XL340) and include the text to speech.

So I guess technically, one should call them the XL340S, XL340ST, XL340SM, and XL340STM

 

[tranquility]

A bit off topic (and Canderson won't answer the question you asked, trust me ...... )

but make an Explorer, not Home, backup of your unit's contents..............

See here:
https://www.tomtomforums.com/genera...4-how-backup-contents-your-unit-computer.html

AHA! I knew it! We have a SEAL in the house lol.

Thx, I'll keep that in mind.

Also, if the routes are questionable, maybe it's due to the IQ routing where it has data telling it there is traffic (at that day and time) on the route you think is quicker.

Perhaps, I'll have to do more real-time testing.

 

[canderson]

AHA! I knew it! We have a SEAL in the house lol.
Thx, I'll keep that in mind.

Not. I enjoy a beach chair with a beer as much as the next guy, but ... I'll leave the waterworks to the green faces.

 

[tranquility]

Finally got the chance to face-off between TT's XL350TM vs Garmin's 1350T LMU

Further to my 1st post, in conclusion, I definitely made the right choice w/ the TT, esp now having tested them both in real-life. On paper, I already thought that the TT made more sense: Map Share, more POIs, better customization, TT bought its own map supplier, so supposedly more cohesive...the list goes on. I just picked up the Garmin and it's so bad, I'm going to return it after just 1/2 day of testing. I seriously think that there's some conspiracy out there by Garmin fanboys giving the false impression that Garmin>* (you've heard it all: "Garmin is superior for North America"..."NAVTEQ is better than Tele Atlas"..."Garmin has better map layouts, easier interface"..."Garmin is more user-friendly"..."Garmin is faster"). Nope, all wrong! The Garmin really is *that* bad (at least in terms of this face-off between these 2 specific models). Here's my summary in point form:

PRICE
-TT costs significantly cheaper, by $60 in my area (Toronto)

SATELLITE COVERAGE
-Garmin's satellite pickup is HORRIBLE: it took almost a minute to hookup whereas the TT was almost instantaneous; even inside, there are areas where the TT could pickup while the Garmin found no signal

POIs
-TT states it has 7M POIs while Garmin says it has "nearly" 6M: this is quite telling as based on my quick searching of POIs in my area, the Garmin failed to locate some restaurants I readily found on the TT. I suspect that the gap between TT and Garmin POIs is much more than just 1M.

TTS
-one area where the Garmin is superior is the TTS: the voice was very clear and no choppiness or cutting off that I've experienced w/ the TT (I realize that this is a glitch TT is presently working to fix, still, Garmin wins here)

SEARCHES
-searching for places took ridiculously long on the Garmin and sometimes didn't even produce a result (still had that hourglass icon and I had to 'cancel' since couldn't wait any longer)

MENUS
-there is much less customization in the Garmin

KEYPAD
-Garmin's was VERY insensitive: I literally had to press 4,5 times to make an input, vs for the TT, maybe 2 times. TT clearly wins here as the Garmin almost seems to be defective!

EXTRA FEATURES
-Garmin wins since the TT is strictly a GPS unit; the Garmin has a calculator, photo viewer, metric/imperial converter, worldtime, and some other stuff (I personally don't care about all these)

MAP PRESENTATION
-before I tried either model, I read that the Garmin maps are better presented and TT's look 'cartoonish'...how ironic that to me, it is the other way around! TT's maps look very professional and the Garmin has this silly color scheme that doesn't highlight the actual itinerary as much as it should; also, I didn't like how Garmin's map layout is restricted to a smaller area because there are 3/4 boxes to the right of the screen...and those are limited to very rigid choices (direction/elevation/arrival time/?). Overall, the layout's not as good as TT's and there seems to be less customization; the lane guidance is FAR superior in the TT since it shows a drawing of the actual part of the highway w/ the various lanes and signage: in the Garmin, you just have these small arrows, that's it

WINDSHIELD ATTACHMENT
-for me, the EasyPort is far superior for my use. I personally don't get why ppl need to remove the whole suction cup part, but in this area, I suppose if you must remove and reattach the cup every time you leave the car, then the Garmin is better; however, if you leave the cup where it is and just remove and reattach the GPS unit, then TT wins: the circular clicking part is simply better to find vs that specific 'middle groove thingy' in the Garmin

CANCER?????
-Garmin 'wins'?! I guess it's because Garmin is a US company and somehow the law there compels it to make certain disclosures?, but still, it's quite comical that on its box it states that its product/pkging *contains*(!!!) chemicals known to cause cancer!! What?????? LOL.

I'd love to hear your comments on my review (albeit I admit that I'm a 1st-time GPS user and a total newbie, so maybe I don't know how to properly use this Garmin, but it really came off as a FAR inferior machine to my TT. Another caveat: I didn't bother hooking up the Garmin to the computer to see if there was a map update, while my TT had the latest one).