I bought this as an upgrade to a TomTom XL with an RDC traffic receiver. It was a good price on Amazon and there was a £50 cashback offer, making the cost irresistible versus paying for a map update on the old device.
I'm really pleased I upgraded. This GO5000 is a lovely piece of kit. Here are the positives I've identified so far:
- Free map updates for life : fantastic, my device will never go out of date!
- Free traffic for life using (what was) TomTom's premium service. I believe this works by collecting position and speed data from everyone on the service, in real time, and therefore being able to provide a very fine granularity of traffic delay information. Note: the GO5000 uses the mobile phone network but does not require a smartphone to be attached and costs nothing in data charges. So far the traffic information has been excellent.
- Bigger screen / capacitive screen : I prefer the capacitive screen (i.e. hard, like a mobile phone screen) to the older style on my previous device. The screen is nice and bright, the colours are nicely saturated and, to my eyes, the maps are clearer than my previous TomTom. The speed of update (e.g. going round roundabouts) seems faster/smoother too versus my older device, presumably due to a faster processor.
-The windscreen mount is a big improvement on the TomTom XL (which I found infuriating). The device just slides in easily and stays in securely via a magnet (I think). No messing. Ideally I'd like to connect the power cable direct to the device rather than through the windscreen mount to minimise wear on the socket connecting and disconnecting the cable but the device socket is partially obstructed when the device is in the windscreen mount.
I don't really have any negatives!
I read a lot of reviews here before buying. I don't think it's right to complain about lack of bluetooth or the inability to play mp3s because it's not described as having these features. Personally, I want a great satnav and this one meets the bill for me!
Secondly, there are criticisms of the software for not having all the features of previous TomToms. So far I can't say I'm missing anything I used on my previous TomTom. In addition, bear in mind that TomTom have updated the software for this device since it was launched, probably several times, so it may be that some of the features people complained about as missing in older reviews are actually now there.
Conclusion: if you want a great satnav without the fripperies that have not much to do with satnavs then this is a great choice - the device works well, the free map updates are great and the free traffic is as good as you're going to get, free or paid for.
| Department | Default Category |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | TOMTOM |
| Item model number | 1FL5.002.06 |
| Product Dimensions | 14.4 x 8.99 x 2.01 cm; 229 g |
| ASIN | B00EOQZ196 |
| Guaranteed software updates until | unknown |
