Sat-nav Megatest
Theres no sign of the portable sat-nav boom slowing, with new models, updates and features hitting the market at a staggering pace. And thats not the only good news for drivers, because prices are tumbling as firms fight for market share. Such a fast-moving line-up makes picking a unit increasingly difficult so we have done the hard work for you by hitting the road with 16 of the biggest sellers to see which you should buy.

Garmin Nvi 760

Price: 259.95 Screen size: 4.3 inches Maps: Euro
Rating: BEST BUY Not only was the 760 the POI top scorer, it also gave perfect routing, thanks to its user-friendly controls. The Bluetooth hands-free kit downloads addresses and uses text-to-speech to read SMS messages. Trap data was accurate, directional and good value at 29.99 a year. Still our favourite, even though theres no integrated TMC aerial.

Magellan Maestro 4245

Price: 224.01 Screen size: 4.3 inches Maps: Euro
Rating: RECOMMENDED New to the UK, the 4245 has a long spec list comprising Bluetooth hands-free (albeit with no address book), three charging options and good POIs plus Marco Polo guides to 50 European cities. We liked the key entry system and built-in TMC aerial, and while it failed on a few postcodes, it remains a sound choice.

Garmin Nvi 200

Price: 129.99 Screen size: 3.5 inches Maps: UK/Ire
Rating: RECOMMENDED New unit has many traveller features, such as a currency converter, calculator plus world clock. Its easy to use, if fiddly due to the small screen. Yet the display itself is clear, we liked the junction close-up zooms and POIs were unbeatable. Speed trap info was spot-on and directional, with updates good value at 29.99 a year

Navigon 5110

Price: 260.00 Screen size: 3.5 inches Maps: Euro
Rating: Weird is the word for this units single-piece windscreen mount, although it proved effective enough. The TMC system uses a standard wire aerial, but worked well. However, the display soon became busy and the unit failed on two postcodes. The number of POIs was poor, too, and the price is high bearing in mind theres no Bluetooth hands-free.

TomTom GO 720 Traffic

Price: 289.95 Screen size: 4.3 inches Maps: Euro
Rating: As the name suggests, this GO has a standard plug-in TMC aerial, plus FM transmitter to route instructions through the radio. The TomTom interface made route planning childs play and the text-to-speech worked well and also read out incoming texts via Bluetooth. But it lost ground for some POI choices and showed our two roundabouts

Navman S90i

Price: 229.95 Screen size: 4.3 inches Maps: Euro
Rating: Nav-by-pictures marks the S90i out. This lets you take shots of locations on the integrated camera so you can return to them easily. The Bluetooth downloads the address book and the TMC features a standard aerial. Data entry was logical, with concise directions, good zooms and text-to-speech. But it got our roundabouts wrong and had average POIs.

TomTom One 3rd Edition

Price: 119.96 Screen size 3.5 inches Maps: UK/Ire
Rating: Available with optional Euro mapping and plug-in TMC aerial, this uses the same interface and logical touchscreen commands as its bigger brothers. Routing was quick and clear, with zooms at turns. But the TomTom showed our junctions incorrectly, offers limited hotel and restaurant POIs and has non-directional speed traps.

Clarion MAP670

Price: 229.99 Screen size: 4.3 inches Maps: UK/Ire
Rating: GOOD widescreen, but not as slim as some on test. Still, the array of features includes non-address book Bluetooth and TMC with a long windscreen aerial. But most POIs are linked to national chains. Stylus address entry was easy and the predictive text quick. Yet despite its size, the screen seemed busy and looked washed out.

Road Angel Navigator 9000
Price: 299.99 Screen size: 4 inches Maps: UK/Ire
Rating: Even after a 200 price drop, the Road Angel still looks costly, especially without Bluetooth hands-free. GPRS auto map updates compensate, but are 69 a year. Navigation and trap alerts worked well, with a clear display and instructions. Yet while POIs were good, the 9000 failed our roundabouts test.

ViaMichelin X970T

Price: 168.03 Screen size: 3.5 inches Maps: Euro

Rating:

Although its compact, the ViaMichelin isnt short of kit, with Bluetooth as standard, plus TMC. The latter has a great aerial: a small piece of plastic to sucker to the screen. Mapping was clear, too although ancillary info was difficult to see and we liked the junction zooms. The X970T has an above-average score for POIs, too, but while the speed trap updates are free, they are non-directional

Snooper S600 Syrius Plus

Price: 249.99 Screen size: 4.3 inches Maps: UK/Ire
Rating: WEVE always liked the Snoopers shiny black finish, and this Plus adds Bluetooth although it doesnt download the address book. Speed trap performance was great, with updates the same price as the Proline (Page 106). On-screen mapping, pictograms and spoken instructions were perfect, too. But the POIs were limited and, as theres no TMC and mapping is only for UK and Ireland, the price looks steep.

Medion GoPal E3410

Price: 189.99 Screen size: 3.5 inches Maps: Euro
Rating: Marco Polo guides for 50 European cities go some way to offsetting this units average POIs. Theres a lot on offer, including Blusetooth hands-free, TMC with a windscreen aerial and text-to-speech. We quickly found places using the essential stylus, but while the instructions were good and the junction zoom clear, the screen did get cluttered

RAC Satnav 215

Price: 139.81 Screen size: 4.3 inches Maps: UK/Ire
Rating: Cheapest widescreen here, the RAC set-up uses Route 66/Navteq mapping via Windows CE, which took a while to load. TMC isnt standard, but there is an aerial socket, and speed trap alerts are non-directional. We found it easy to hit the wrong buttons, even with the stylus. And despite the screen size, most data was too small to be of use.

PogoDrive

Price: 249.95 Screen size: 3.5 inches Maps: Euro
Rating: Made by what used to be Origin, the PogoDrive gave perfect trap performance. Updates are free for six months, then 50 a year. POIs werent so great, though, with some headings in German. Irritatingly, the stylus is essential for entering data. The spoken instructions were clear, but the display is hampered by deep bands running across the screen.

Navman S30

Price: 109.94 Screen size: 3.5 inches Maps: UK/Ire
Rating: Despite its pocket size, the S30 uses exactly the same interface as the S90i (Page 109), so setting up and using it was simple. The bright colours compensated for the busy screen, and we liked the clear, next-turn pictogram. While the POI score was only average and the speed trap performance poor, the low price makes this Navman worth a look.

Snooper Proline 2000

Price: 299.99 Screen size: 4.3 inches Maps: UK
Rating: Speed-trap hunting is key to the Proline; updates are free for six months, then cost 59.40 a year. The unit is near identical to the S600 (Page 108), but adds TMC with a standard aerial and an MP3 player. Main gripes are the limited POIs and hefty price a shame, as it has a comprehensive yet easy-to-use interface, clear display and great 3D pictograms.