GPS units are quickly becoming a standard accessory in automobiles in this country. Many come built into the dashboards of newer models, but others are available as aftermarket accessories at many electronic retailers at steadily dropping prices. Two popular models, the Magellan Roadmate 1200 and the Magellan Maestro 3100, are found on dashboards throughout America.
Size
The Roadmate 1200 measures 3.63 inches wide, .69 inches deep and just 3.3 inches high. The Maestro 3100 is considerably larger, coming in at 4.3 inches wide, .9 inches deep and 3.5 inches high. The Maestro 3100 is also heavier, weighing 6.5 ounces compared to the Roadmate 1200's 4.9 ounces.
Features
The Roadmate 1200 is equipped with a considerably greater number of features. It includes estimations on the bearing, distance, estimated time of arrival, electronic compass and heading. There are maps of the 48 continental United States, plus Puerto Rico and Hawaii. The Maestro's maps include only the 48 continental United States. Both GPS units come with pre-installed Points of Interest and a 2D/3D map perspective.
Navigation
Both GPS units are accurate to within 7 meters. They are also both equipped with features that enable the user to avoid toll roads, select the fastest time or shortest distance and minimize of freeway usage.
Display
The Roadmate 1200 comes with a 3.5-inch wide LCD touch screen with a resolution of 320x240 pixels. The Maestro 3100 has the same dimensions but uses an anti-glare TFT touch screen.
Battery Life
Both GPS units use a lithium ion battery with an approximate battery life of 3 hours. This is with the backlight on its dimmest setting, with the battery life being greatly reduced as the brightness is increased.
Performance
Both units have been described as sluggish, with the Maestro taking approximately two minutes to create and display a route while the Roadmate takes about three. The Maestro has been noted for being prone to freezing and changing routes sporadically, whereas Roadmate performs better with route calculations, being more accurate and with fewer recalculations.
Price Point
The Roadmate 1200 retails for about $99 (2009). The Maestro 3100 is an older model and can be found at online merchants relatively cheaply for around $60.
Tags: Roadmate 1200, Maestro 3100, Both units, 1200 Magellan, 1200 Magellan Maestro, battery life