Product Reviews

While the 920T is TomTom's most expensive satnav, the 610T sits in the middle of Garmin's range. It's a widescreen device with UK and Ireland maps plus a TMC antenna, so it can receive traffic information from FM broadcasts.

The 610T looks and feels like a high-quality gadget. Both the unit and the windscreen mount feel well made, and the 610T attaches far more securely to its mount than the Go 920T does. The TMC module and cigarette lighter charger are combined in a single unit that plugs into the windscreen mount, and the TMC receiver's aerial wire sticks to your windscreen with suction cups.

The 610T has a fantastic screen, with beautifully drawn icons and vibrant colours. Its interface is slightly less responsive than the TomTom's, but it's still easy to use. You can navigate to an address, a city centre or a point of interest such as a restaurant, or just pick a point on the map. The unit narrows down the list of possible destinations as you type and presents a shortlist of destinations once

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it has enough information.

The 610T has a fantastic 3D map display. It updates smoothly and is bright and clear, so you can easily tell where you need to go. The unit needs its map display to be clear, though, as there's not much additional information on the screen. The map display shows you the distance to the next turning, but not what kind of turning it is, and there's no information on your arrival time as the TomTom unit provides. The 610T didn't encounter any major problems on our test route, and was particularly good at telling us to keep left or right to make sure we were in the right lane.

The 610T gets its traffic information from a TMC antenna, which you attach to your windscreen to receive RDS traffic information. It also has Bluetooth, so you can connect the satnav to your mobile phone and use it as a hands-free kit. As long as your phone supports it, you can access your address book from the 610T's phone menu, and even write and send text messages with the touch screen. The 610T also has Garmin's usual Travel Kit section, where you'll find useful applications such as a world clock, a currency and unit converter and an audiobook player. You can buy extra applications, such as language and travel guides, from the Garmin website.

Thanks to its large screen, clear interface and gorgeous mapping view, Garmin's nuvi 610T is a pleasure to use and a competent navigator. It's also good value for a satnav with an integrated TMC traffic receiver and has some useful extras, but TomTom's 720 is only slightly more expensive, has European maps and is a better navigator.