sharmck's Full Review: Magellan Maestro 3200 Car GPS Receiver
The Magellan Maestro 3200 is a very handy entry level GPS unit. I was looking for something inexpensive to allow me to find my way around the city or through other nearby states when we travel during the summer. A friend recommended that I get a Magellan since she herself uses them for work travel and has never had a problem.
When I start up the GPS unit it takes the Maestro approximately 40 seconds to acquire the satellite. The Maestro takes only about 5 seconds to display the main menu. I like that it is up and running so quickly. I tried other units that were well over a minute or more before they were ready to have information imputed in them. The Maestro is ready to search my directions in under a minute. The maestro is also able to connect to the satellite indoors which is very handy if I want to program it before I leave.
The GPS unit has a gorgeous 3.5 screen that is very sharp and easy to see from all angles. The menus and interfaces are very easy to navigate. The Maestro is user friendly and I had it up and running within minutes of unpacking it from the box that first time. Most users may not even have to read the manual to start using the devices. The categories are represented by big easy to see icons and easily to access with the handy touch screen.
The Maestro come preloaded with maps of 49 states as well as Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The only state not included is Alaska. The Maestro is not able to add more maps, so if you plan on traveling to other countries then this is not the unit for you.
There are approximately 1.3 million points of interest built into the Maestro. Meaning you’ll be able to find specific businesses or attractions easier. Searching for business or attractions is very easy and results are displayed within 2-3 seconds. If you are searching for places out of a 25-mile range from where you are, then it may take an extra few seconds for your information to show up. You are also able to load in your own specific points of interest of places you want to keep track of.
The Maestro has a feature called "Trip Planner" which allows you to input multiple destinations and choose the best route for the your entire trip. People who work on the road making multiple deliveries or stops would find this feature incredible, as it will get you from point to point and then back home with ease.
If you miss a turn the unit will recalculate a new route for you within seconds. There is also a detour option that will calculate a new route for you if the one you’re on is blocked.
The Maestro also allows you to search your route using options like: "Fastest Time” or "Shortest Distance." This makes a difference of whether or not it will take you via highways and turnpikes or back roads with scenic views. You can also set the Maestro to always choose the highway/freeway option, which is a handy feature if you travel a lot, and want to get there quickly. Many of the GPS units I tried wanted to take me through back roads and would avoid the turnpikes and highways, which frustrated me.
The Maestro's 3-D navigation map is clear, crisp, and easy to view. There is a lot of information displayed for the driver to see. The horizontal bars on top and bottom will display the name of the street that the driver is on and what the upcoming street is for the next turn. Icons are shown if you want to jump ahead and view what your next turn will be. You are also able to view what time your arrival will be and how many miles you have left until you reach your destination. This is all accessible from the screen and you don’t need to exit out of your directions for this information. When you approach your turn the Maestro splits the screen showing you a close up. The voice that comes out of the speaker is friendly and quite easy to hear, even when you have the radio turned on.
The Maestro can be powered using the included power cable or batteries. You’ll only get about 3 hours of battery time with the Maestro, so I prefer to use it with the power cord.
The price for the Magellan Maestro 3200 was very inexpensive. Just a little over $100.00. It is a great unit for someone like me who travels around the neighborhood on a daily basis. It is also great for finding where my children’s next travel game is. We also used it when we went on a road trip type vacation and it was very accurate finding every point of interest we need in all 5 states we traveled through.
I highly recommend this unit to anyone looking for an inexpensive but durable GPS unit.
Magellan Maestro 3200 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Factory Refurbished) Pre-loaded with North American maps enabling you to travel all 50 United S...More at Amazon Marketplace
Magellan Maestro 3200 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Pre-loaded with North American maps enabling you to travel all 50 United States, Puerto Rico, Ca...More at Amazon Marketplace
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