[Review] Garmin nüvi 1300 Series 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator

User Reviews Send this to a friend
Manufacturer: Garmin
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $249.99
Sale Price: $138.54
Availibility: Usually ships in 24 hours
Free Shipping Available
This is cool.

Product Description

The Garmin 1300 GPS navigator features a widescreen, ultra-slim design (approximately 25% thinner than previous models), enhanced user interface, ecoRoute, public transit mode, and text-to-speech on all models. The nüvi 1300 series are the first nüvi devices to offer pedestrian navigation capability enabled through optional CityXplorer maps, which are available for select tourist destinations in North America and Europe and can easily be downloaded directly to the nüvi. The nüvi's enhanced user interface features improved graphics and a new slide control for menu operation, while ecoRoute suggests fuel-efficient routes to save drivers money and fuel. Also, Garmin's new public transit mode allows you to navigate using buses, tramway, metro, and suburban rail systems. Plus, the device comes pre-loaded with City Navigator 48 states NT.

An ultra-thin GPS navigator with great Garmin features like CityXplorer and ecoRoute. Click here for an interactive demo

Just over a half-inch thick with a 4.3-inch widescreen display. Click to enlarge.

Easy-to-use touchscreen interface. Click to enlarge.

Garmin greets you with two simple questions: "Where to?" and "View Map." This screen is central to every navigation function and route-planning tool. Simply plug and play. Click to enlarge.

The device announces the name of exits and streets so you never have to take your eyes off the road. Click to enlarge.

Thin New Design
The nüvi units are just over a half-inch thick and weigh only 5.7 ounces, which means they'll fit easily into your pocket and can be taken just about anywhere.

See More
With nüvi 1300's widescreen display, you'll always get the big picture. View map detail, driving directions, photos, and more in bright, brilliant color. Its sunlight-readable, 4.3-inch display is easy to read--from any direction.

Easy-to-Use Touchscreen Interface
One of Garmin's core beliefs is to continually enhance the simplicity of the user experience. The nüvi on-screen menus are logically arranged, with clearly labeled, colorful icons, making it easy to enter data and get to the information you need quickly.

Navigate with Ease
nüvi 1300 comes ready to go right out of the box, with pre-loaded City Navigator 48 states NT street maps and millions of points of interest (POIs), such as hotels, restaurants, fuel stations, ATMs, and more, with map data provided by NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality mapping. Enter a destination on the touchscreen, and nüvi takes you there with 2-D or 3-D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. Text to speech enhances standard sat-nav voice guidance by speaking the names of places and roads. It even announces the name of exits and streets so you never have to take your eyes off the road. In addition, nüvi 1300 accepts custom points of interest, such as school zones and safety cameras, and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs.

Pedestrian Navigation
With the Public Transit feature, you can navigate using buses, tramway, metro, and suburban rail systems with optional CityXplorer content. Downloadable CityXplorer data and city guides are available for purchase and download from garmin.com for many cities.

Where Am I?
Keep track of yourself and your car with nüvi 1300. Just tap "Where Am I?" to find the closest hospitals, police stations, fuel stations, nearest address, and intersection. Also see your exact latitude and longitude coordinates. The nüvi 1300 even remembers where you parked. It automatically marks your position when you remove it from the windshield mount, so you can navigate with nüvi on foot and find your way back to your vehicle. Perfect for unfamiliar spots and crowded lots, such as amusement parks, stadiums, and malls.

HotFix Satellite Prediction
Garmin's HotFix capability automatically calculates and stores satellite locations, greatly reducing satellite acquisition time so that you can turn the unit on and get going. With HotFix, your nüvi remembers the position of all satellites it is tracking when you turn it off, and calculates their movements in order to predict where they should be the next time you turn it on. HotFix can predict satellite positions for up to three days after the device was last turned off.

ecoRoute
With this feature, drivers can view suggestions for fuel-efficient navigation, conserving both money and fuel:

  • Save Gas and Money--Now more than ever, we're all looking for ways to conserve both money and fuel. Whether we're taking fewer trips or carpooling with family and friends, saving resources is a top priority. It was that thinking that led to the creation of ecoRoute--Garmin's free software update for compatible nüvi products that allows you to find more fuel-efficient routes when navigating and even track their fuel usage. With ecoRoute, you may be able to save gas and money by adopting smarter driving habits.
  • Select Fuel-efficient Routes--With ecoRoute, you have a "less fuel" option as a routing preference. When selected, nüvi will determine if more fuel-efficient routes exist based upon road speed data and vehicle acceleration data for a given route.
  • Get Fuel and Mileage Reports--Through ecoRoute's Fuel Report and Mileage Report, you can focus on your habits even when you're not behind the wheel. Fuel Report tracks fuel usage over time, and Mileage Report monitors mileage and fuel usage on a per-trip basis. In addition, Mileage Report makes it easy for business travelers to keep track of distance traveled for company reimbursements. You'll have a detailed report for each trip and the miles driven. You also can customize your nüvi by entering your car's fuel economy and the current price of gas.

MSN Direct Compatible
Add the GDB 55 receiver for MSN Direct. With dynamic content from MSN Direct, you can avoid traffic backups when you travel with your compatible Garmin device. MSN Direct broadcasts traffic data to your GPS navigator so you can find the best route through traffic, check traffic flow, and receive accident warnings.

Avoid Traffic Tie-ups by Adding the GTM 25
The GTM 25 provides North America traffic information to compatible Garmin GPS navigators. Using this data, your device alerts you to local traffic tie-ups and displays current traffic levels. The receiver also acts as an in-vehicle power charger. Traffic provided by NAVTEQ Traffic.

Navigate by Photo with Garmin Connect Photos.

Search for locations on Google Maps or Mapquest, then transfer the addresses directly to your Garmin GPS navigator.

Navigate by Photo with Garmin Connect Photos
Using Garmin's Connect Photos Web site, you can choose from millions of geo-located photos provided by Google's Panoramio photo-sharing community and download them to the nüvi for a richer navigation experience using pictures as a guide.

  • Choose from Panoramio's collection of photos from around the world.
  • Easy-to-use interface displays photos on Google Maps.
  • Search for photos by location name or map area boundary.
  • Transfer photos directly from Garmin Connect to device with the Garmin Communicator.
  • View photos in Google Earth.
  • Supports Internet Explorer 6+, Firefox 2+, and Safari 3+ on Windows and Mac.

Take It with You
The nüvi 1300 sports a sleek, slim design and fits comfortably in your pocket or purse. Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery makes it convenient for navigation by car or foot.

Additional Features

  • DEM maps show you shaded terrain contours at zoom levels of five miles and above.
  • Auto time zone automatically adjusts your time zone while navigating.
  • Trip computer records mileage, max speed, total time, and more.
  • Built-in travel kit includes such features as picture viewer, world clock, currency and measurement converters, and calculator.
  • microSD memory card expansion slot allows for optional mapping and data storage.
  • Includes Garmin Lock anti-theft feature.
  • Configurable vehicle icons allows users to select fun, customized car-shaped icons; download additional choices from www.garmingarage.com.
  • Offers a 3-D mapping perspective or 2-D overhead view.
  • Unit dimensions: 4.8"W x 2.9"H x 0.6"D; Weight: 5.7 ounces
  • Built-in lithium-ion battery lasts up to four hours, depending on usage.
  • Includes sturdy suction cup mount that allows for easy adjustment and quick release.
  • Simplified PC connectivity, using USB mass storage, access either the microSD card slot or the unit's internal memory directly from your PC desktop.
  • POI loader program lets you set up proximity alerts for school zones, create custom POIs, and more.

What's in the Box
nüvi 1300 preloaded with City Navigator 48 states NT, Vehicle suction cup mount, Vehicle power cable, Dashboard disc, Quick start manual

Which nüvi is Best for You?

Note: All nüvis come with detailed NAVTEQ maps containing more than 6 million pre-loaded point of interest locations.

Device
Screen Size inches (W x H)
Included Maps
Text-to-Speech (Directions in Real Street Names)
Traffic
Bluetooth
Media
FM Transmitter (audio through car stereo system)
Multi-Point Routing
Battery life (hours)
Cont. U.S., Hawaii, and Puerto Rico
AK and Canada
Europe
nüvi 205 2.8 x 2.1
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 205w 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 255 2.8 x 2.1
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 255w 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 260w 3.81 x 2.25
 
Photos
up to 5
nüvi 265T 2.8 x 2.1
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 265WT 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 275T 2.8 x 2.1
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 285WT 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 3 months free);
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 465T 3.81 x 2.25
FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 755T 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos, MP3s
up to 4
nüvi 760 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos, MP3s
up to 5
nüvi 765T 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos, MP3s
up to 4
nüvi 775T 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos, MP3s
up to 4
nüvi 780 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 3 months free); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos, MP3s
up to 5
nüvi 785T 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 3 months free); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos, MP3s
up to 4
nüvi 850 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos, MP3s
up to 4
nüvi 855 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos, MP3s
up to 4
nüvi 885T 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (receiver included; 3 months free); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos, MP3s
up to 4
nüvi 1200 2.8 x 2.1
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 1250 2.8 x 2.1
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 1260T 2.8 x 2.1
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 1300 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 1350 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (with optional receiver)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 1350T 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 1370T 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 1390T 3.81 x 2.25
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 1490T 4.4 x 2.5
MSN-enhanced (with optional receiver); FM (receiver included; Lifetime Traffic)
Photos
up to 4
nüvi 1690 3.81 x 2.25
NAVTEQ Traffic, 2 years free (Garmin nüLink! service)
Photos
up to 4

Product Details

  • Widescreen ultra-slim GPS design with 4.3-inch WQVGA touchscreen display; interface features improved graphics and a new slide control for menu operation
  • Pre-loaded with City Navigator 48 States NT maps, including millions of name-searchable points of interest
  • Pedestrian navigation capability enabled through optional CityXplorer maps; ecoRoute suggests fuel-efficient routes to save drivers money and fuel
  • Public transit mode allows you to navigate using buses, tramway, metro, and suburban rail systems
  • Turn-by-turn directions with spoken street names (text-to-speech)

Video Reviews

No video reviews found for this product.

Customer Reviews

A Garmin with just the basic features
 
Review Date: June 24, 2009
Reviewer: Irvin M. Haas, Indianapolis, IN USA
If you're looking for a Garmin with basic GPS functions, you may want to consider the nüvi 1300.

It works as advertised, but is missing a lot of features found in other GPS models for a lot less cash. A traffic receiver is available from Garmin for a $118, however check out other Garmin models which have this receiver included. A speed limit sign is not available in this model, but can be found on the 1350, $50 more than this one. A USB cable which is inexpensive to buy, should have been included.

Bluetooth is another recommended feature. In the 1300 series, you have to go up to the 1370T model to get both Bluetooth and traffic receiver included--at an additional $200 over the price of the 1300!

A more sensible solution would be to go to another Garmin model like the 265WT which includes: (1) FM traffic receiver, (2) USB cable, (3) Bluetooth compatibility, and (4) Speed limit info. The 265WT is currently on Amazon for $30 LESS than the 1300 but loaded with all these features and latest mapping software.

Yes, the nüvi 1300 works as advertised, but is just not the value GPS that you can find in other models.
Nice, but lack of key accessories frustrating
 
Review Date: June 24, 2009
Reviewer: lawgrad09, Winston Salem, NC
I agree with the previous reviewer: it is way cheap that Garmin doesn't include a USB cable with the unit. However, mine came with instructions (and was very easy to set up, much easier than my previous Garmin, a nuvi 360) and found my current location quickly and accurately.

There are a few notable improvements I've found so far as compared to the Garmin 360--(1) the touch screen is much more responsive and accurate (2) there seem to be more POI (though, of course, there are still locations that are not listed) (3) there are lots of extra features like the ecoroute thing, which allows you to track your gas mileage and the cost of driving from 1 location to another.

As far as the negatives, the lack of accessories is the biggest problem. Ironically, if you want to register your product to get a 10% discount on accessories, you have to have the USB cord accessory so that their website can recognize your nuvi. This is not going to bode well for the number of people who will register their Nuvi 1300s, and I assume Garmin will come up with some solution to this in the future (i.e.--a way to register without connecting the nuvi to your computer). When I called Garmin, they promised to send me a USB cord for free, so that might be something to try.

Overall, great GPS with a few small problems.
What in the world is with all the complaining?? This is a fantastic little GPS.
 
Review Date: September 8, 2009
Reviewer: Method2Madness, Hampton Roads, VA
Ugh. I cannot believe people are making such a hoopla about the omission of a $3 USB cable. I realize that whole $3 argument works both ways, but why in the world people are making such a big deal out of it, is beyond me. I mean you barely USE the dang thing, not to mention the fact that you probably have one around the house already! I sometimes think people just LOOK for a reason to complain.

Anyway, on to the review:

First of all, I have the 1300T, which is identical except it includes lifetime traffic. That being said, I have had this going on a month now and find it to be one of the best, if not THE best GPS Vehicle Nav I have come across. I have several handhelds of various names, but in sticking with the scope of this review, I will only mention my previous experience with the vehicle GPS units.

I've had just about every brand name of GPS unit in search of the "perfect" one. Up until now, the closest I came was with a Nuvi 350 when it was first released in 05, which I foolishly sold as I wasn't using it as much as I had originally thought. Back then, GPS Nav was a nicety and not nearly as "big" as it is today. Since then, I've had units from Magellan, Cobra, Finedrive (Ugh!), Whistler, TomTom, Mio(My favorite TeleAtlas based brand) and Navigon. All had their plusses and minuses but, never really hit that sweet spot. With the exception of one small detail, the 1300 FINALLY gets it.

I can't tell you how happy I am to be back to a Navtech based device. While TeleAtlas certainlny has come a long way, it's still not as accurate as Navtech. I still have two of my TeleAtlas based units(Mio and TomTom) and have done a series of comparisons between the 1300 and the others, with the 1300 being the most accurate. The Navigon actually has free map updates and is running the very latest maps, but still falls short in comparison.

The routing alogarythim is also much better in this unit than with rest. With the exception of the Nuvi 350, of course, which routes very similar to the 1300. That's not to say, there are no routing flaws. All GPSes have flaws, and this is no different. However, the strange routes are far less than with my previous units.

And last, but not least: Appearance. Good lord this thing is gorgeous! The map display is top notch and looks great scrolling through whatever road I may be on. I know this doesn't really matter to some, but for those who like good looking graphics, this is the unit for you!

Also, I HIGHLY suggest looking for the 1300T, or ponying up for the add-on lifetime traffic kit for the base 1300. That is if you live in an urban area and are affected by traffic on your commute. This has saved me TONS of time, as people around here can't seem to drive through a simple tunnel without crashing daily! I will point out, however, the free lifetime traffic does come at a small cost. There are unobtrusive ads(hotels mostly) at the bottom of the screen when on the traffic menu. These only show when not moving and are quite small. Definitely not something to get in a fuss over, but thought I'd point it out.

The only thing I would change about this model(and the whole Garmin vehicle line) is the ability to better control your detours. On my previous TomTom, Magellan, Navigon and Cobra, I could tell it how far to reroute and in some instances, choose the route. Garmin just gives you one Detour and that's it. Sometimes even putting you back on the same road a few miles up. This isn't as much of a problem with the traffic module, as it automagically routes you around the traffic. But it would still be nice to have more tweakability.
Piece of crap
 
Review Date: October 25, 2009
Reviewer: D. Godavarty, Washington DC United States
I used to have the Garmin 260W. Was fairly happy with the performance. So when I saw this Nuvi with a traffic receiver, I thought it might be a good deal.

This piece has so many issues:
a) Sometimes switches off randomly (even when connected to the power outlet). Sometimes doesn't switch on either.
b) The touch screen is moody. Doesn't become active sometimes. I have to wait for a while and try again to go through the menu
c) And finally, the directions are so so wrong! It sends me to places where there is nothing. I mean nothing. It says we have arrived and I am thinking where the hell I am. It has happened many times. When I first experienced this problem, I called up Garmin and they updated my maps. Didn't make any difference.

I am planning to return this and get a new GPS. I am not sure if Garmin even did some testing of this unit. Just too many issues!
works like old Garmin but faster
 
Review Date: October 2, 2009
Reviewer: mjobmi,
the one star reviews listed are almost all a waste of typing.
I have had 3 Garmins and this works as well or better than the 660/880/885. Only the features are different.
Seems most poor reviews have not been able to get over the USB cable not included. I have about 20 extra USB cables laying around
and can't believe most people don't. I still have the other Garmin USB cables still in the box/bag.

Related Posts

Leave a Reply