Truck GPS comaprison chart from Dieseboss

Stand by. We have completed testing several new things (TND700, TND500 with 1573 new software, PCM450) I just need to update the comparison chart with these findings. Should be live in a few hours.

- Don

 

Yes. We posting it late Friday.

Changes: (June,2010)

- Added TND700
- Changed TND500 to reflect the new 1573 software
- Added the PC Miler 450 model

Many of the individual line items were changed for Rand McNally because the 1573 update incorporated MANY new features and it fixed several things that were holding it's overall score down somewhat.

The PCM450 column is all new because that unit just came out.

We added new score categories at the bottom which consider additional aspects and summarize.

The PCM430/440/540/740 and the Garmin have not received any new software since the last revision of the chart. So those items are the same as before.


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If you want the reader's digest version:

The TND500 gets a score bump with its latest software release because of adding the ability to now manipulate multi-stop routing and trips. Also, the routing engine itself has been improved resulting in better road choices, especially in New York City and other "urban" jungles. We are also liking the "ETA adjust" and truck-only POI display filter and have discovered that looking for weigh stations or rest areas on highways the at the 26 mile zoom setting is really cool - because they now show up as icons at that level (and under.)

1573 has been more stable than previous releases which required reboots more frequently than we would like. (note: they ALL have to be rebooted periodically, but we feel that more than once per day will lower any brand's "stability score.")

We still feel that there is considerable room for improvement in terms of the map resolution (being able to distinguish roads) when zoomed out, and in being able to view multi-stop trips in their entirety (or even each leg individually.) Also, the initial route calculation time takes considerably longer than its peers, and during "detouring" (on-the-fly recalculating) it can get painful if you have a long trip entered.

The TND700 features are nearly identical with the exception of adding notepad and calendar to the 700. However, the maps on the 700 are 2010 versions as compared to the 2009 on the 500's. This is going to be available for the 500's soon, but not yet as I write this post. The TND700 high-resolution screen is stunning. The 500 also has a super-crisp screen and the 700 carries this same quality onto the larger model. The only complaints that have been voiced about the screen (here) are that they can be "too" bright in some cases at night.

We have some reservations about software stability still on both models (as evidenced by users in the Rand support threads here) in terms of corruption or the need for "rebooting." We do NOT feel that this is epidemic in nature, but are compelled to still note it for fairness and accuracy of review.

In terms of technical support and "paying attention" we feel that RM as a company is very focused on this product. And to us, that carries very HEAVY weight from a purchasing standpoint as well.

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The new 450 model from PC*Miler has incorporated a couple of key feature advantages that the Rand McNally brand has traditionally enjoyed since inception (namely: logging miles-by-state, and web updating.) The software is a revamped and beefed up cousin to the X40 series and fixes many of the smaller feature requests that have been requested. The POI management has been greatly enhanced as well and 2010 maps are on board. An incredibly helpful feature is that the maps (when zoomed in to a reasonable setting) will actually show icons for "what" restriction is on a particular road segment or location (i.e. an icon for height issues, one for weight restrictions, one for hazmat, one for no trucks allowed at all.) It doesn't provide detail as fine as "nothing over 12'9," or "nothing over 28,000 pounds," etc. However, being able to determine what type of truck restriction is causing the GPS to "avoid" using a particular road as compared to your specific load is very helpful. This model is only available in a 4.3" size at the date of this post.

The rest has been beaten to death on this forum and elsewhere, but if you need me to answer specific questions about why we said something on the chart, or what it means, then just hit this thread. If you have something to ask in terms of a different brand or a laptop GPS program, or just want to bash one of these companies or units, please do so in another thread more appropriate for it. There are many, many, here.

- Don

Link: Truck GPS comparison/review (updated June 7, 2010)​

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