GARMIN NUVI 265T

The Garmin Experience at a Bargain Price



Given the current state of the economy, not everyone has the budget to spring for a GI'S device. Fortunately, the 2651, one of Garmin's entry-level niivis, offers an amazing amount of bang for the buck.

The 265T measures 2.8 by 3.8 by 0.8 inches (HWD) and features a 3.5-inch, 320-by-240-pixel screen. For an additional $50, you can opt for the niivi 265W1', which has a 4.3-inch, WQVGA 480-by272-pixel screen.

Both the 265T and 265WT feature Garmin's familiar "Where to" and "View Map" user interface and have the same destination input options as on the midrange and even the premium 800 series. Input options include: Address; Go I Lome; Points of Interest (16 categories); Recently Found; Favorites; Intersections; Extras; Cities; Browse Map, and Coordinates.

The 200 series doesn't have Garmin Locate, a feature that remembers your last-known location when you remove the device from the bracket. The series also lacks players for MP3s and audiobooks, as well as an FM transmitter to send voice prompts to your car's FM radio. Still, the 265T and its siblings do have the "Where Am I" feature, a picture viewer, a world clock, a simple calculator, and a unit converten. A free upgrade called ecoRoute calculates your estimated fuel cost for each trip and provides you with fuel and mileage reports; it even adds a "Less Fuel" option to your Route Preference choices.





Though it lacks some of the bells and whistles of Garmin's top-shelf products, the 265T still delivers the Garmin navigation experience, with a complete set of maps, text-to-speech, free lifetime traffic, picture navigation, and ecoRoute to boot. And you just can't beat the price.—Craig Ellison

PC Magazine April 2009