Magellan RoadMate 3055 review

Posted to GPS 2010-12-30

Magellan RoadMate 3055 review:

Running neck-and-neck with competitors Garmin and TomTom in the crowded GPS market comes the Magellan RoadMate 3055 4.7-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator, which includes Lifetime Traffic. While it has not proven it is the best in its price range, it has managed to attract consumers who have become weary of other GPS devices. The RoadMate 3055 offers numerous features at a price tag that many bare-bones GPS devices can hardly stay under. Needless to say, this model is far from receiving high marks, due to its performance and reliability problems.

Measuring approximately 5.4 x 3.4 x 0.6 inches and weighing 5.8 ounces, the Magellan RoadMate 3055 features a 4.7-inch color touch screen that includes a OneTouch menu for easy access. Other enhancements include but are not limited to: AAA Member Roadside Assistance (paid subscription sold separately), AAA TourBook, highway lane assist, multi-destination routing, and more. It also comes with Bluetooth. Overall, the design and features of the device are great- the real problems start with reliability and performance.

Rating:

4.0 out of 5

Value

Obviously these things are determined by geographical location of the user, so let us be fair in saying that for the most part the Magellan RoadMate 3055 is a good value. For beginners, it is a great basic unit with a few advanced features. But if you plan on taking advantage of some of the more technical things, such as importing contacts from your phone, then be prepared for some frustration. There is also, known performance problems but this may be patched with an update.

Performance

Getting down to the nitty-gritty, sadly this Magellan does not perform to expectations. Navigation calculation is much slower than the competition, and routes are sometimes off by hundreds of miles. The operating software seems to be a little more "buggy" than competing systems, and reliability is surprisingly uncertain. Yes, there are exceptions, and a good number of consumers have been completely satisfied with the device. But if you are prone to acting upon concerns or reliability issues, then you should probably check out a different GPS.

Summary

Despite the negative thoughts, the Magellan RoadMate 3055 does have its positive aspects, such as the included traffic updates and Bluetooth capabilities. The AAA TourBook and Roadside Assistance features are also great for vacationers. The screen is large and vivid, making it an easy read for new GPS users. But again, the large number of reliability and performance issues that have been reported indicate that the system could be "buggy"- meaning if you do opt for this Magellan then you will likely have to get an update to ensure continuing functionality.

Pros

Competitive- basic navigation that is not shadowed by bells and whistles
Featured- comes with lifetime traffic updates, as well as Bluetooth
Premium- includes access to AAA TourBook and AAA Roadside Assistance
Reasonable- price is not too bad for the features

Cons

Buggy- glitches, random freezes, power drain, issues of concern