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TomTom Go 750 Live review

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Verdict

An excellent standalone satnav, but TomTom is treading water with this release

Review Date: 21 Dec 2009

Reviewed By: Jonathan Bray

Price when reviewed: £174 (£200 inc VAT)

Overall Rating

Features & Design
5 stars out of 6

Value for Money
4 stars out of 6

Performance
6 stars out of 6

PCPRO Recommended

With the explosion in Android smartphones and the arrival of satnav on the iPhone, prices for smartphone satnav software have plummeted in the past 12 months. It's now a commodity rather than a luxury, and that puts standalone products such the new TomTom Go Live 750 in a precarious position. Is there any room for a £200 product when you can buy the equivalent on a phone for well below £100?

It can't possibly compete on price, but that doesn't mean this is a poor product. In fact, this TomTom continues in the vein of last year's Go 740 Live (web ID: 237552). It offers excellent routing, with IQ Routes to ensure that those it calculates are based on real average speeds rather than posted speed limits. Map Share allows you to take advantage of user-submitted map corrections and send in your own.

And, if you choose to pay the £8 inc VAT per month charge, you get all the benefits of TomTom's live traffic updates and data services (via the built-in GPRS radio). The services also include a live fuel price search, POI look-up via Google, and speed camera alerts.

It still works brilliantly too. In our road tests, the TomTom Go 750 Live, just like its predecessor, is the only product to come close to reliably finding the fastest routes in and around London, and its instructions are clear and timely.

So what's new? Well, not a lot, and therein lies the 750's main problem. The UI has been given an update - a long overdue improvement that includes a revamp of the dashboard panel and route overview screens. The map graphics have been tarted up, and IQ Routes info added to the traffic bar on the right of the main screen. In the routing options, you now have the option to go "Eco", which will pick the route likely to use the least fuel.

Alas, it's still packaged in the same dumpy 127 x 24.3 x 85mm (WDH) shell, which makes it awkward to stash in a pocket, and the screen remains stuck at a lowly 480 x 272. We'd love to have seen a sleeker device with a nicer screen.

But although the Go 750 Live is beginning to look old-fashioned, and it's certainly not worth an upgrade from the Go 730 or Go 740 Live, it's still the best in the business. And the bonus is that it's available at a price considerably less than both its predecessors.

Author: Jonathan Bray

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Comments

User comments

I agree I would probably buy the software for my phone rather than a dedicated device, that's if I didn't already have a satnav bought for me 2 years ago.

However this is perfect for the not so tech-savvy. Like my dad! He wants one for xmas and as he struggled playing a DVD on my PS3 buying and getting him to use a touchscreen phone would be a knightmare. A stand alone satnav is much easier, just hit a button type in an address/postcode and away he goes. So yes this does have a market!!! Mind you I'm not so sure I would go for the top of the range model when I can get a really good mid range one for £150.

By anthonysjones on 21 Dec 2009

I think the biggest problem with phones is you can't get a signal pretty much all the time. The coverage is terrible for 3G so what's the point in a satnav app

By TimoGunt on 21 Dec 2009

Limited memory

I recently purchased this device, and although it seems ok I found that I cant update it to the new map version as there isn't enough space on the device. Thats without installing any other things on it before hand... Cant say I'm happy having to fork out for a 4GB card as well.

By GhillieDhu on 21 Dec 2009

Watch out for map updates

TomTom offer really great map updates (all the roads change every couple of months - have you noticed?) but the Ts & Cs are crippling - miss renewal by a day and you're hit with extra costs

By hminney on 24 Dec 2009

Map updates

My TomTom works quite well but oh dear me this company asks so much for its updated maps that it would be cheaper to get another GPS. And, when my existing maps aren't good enough then, tis a new GPS for me and I wish that I had never heard of TomTom.

By xentro on 24 Dec 2009

Cheaper to buy another GPS?

If you can buy a new GPS with full West Europe mapping for less than fifty quid, count me in!

By mspritch on 24 Dec 2009

Down scaled new revision

My other half purchased the 730 version last year for her use. So i thought i would get one aswell for my travels thinking this would be a slightly updated version but the same. How wrong was i to assum:-( not reading specifications this unit does only half of the 730 no other functions but a satnav. No ipod control No audio books No music support. Stand alone well this one does. No other functions except for phone, photos, and documents. (bummer)

By shangaa on 10 Jan 2010

Review the whole package and not just th GPS unit.

The GPS itself might be fantastic but, like all TomTom GPS devices, it can only be updated using the free TomTom HOME software, which really is RUBBISH. When updating you get a warning message not to disconnect your GPS. Fine, only the connection breaks all by itself. There is no auto recovery, data is in a mess, updating again results in error messages. Be prepared to spend a few hours rebuilding TomTom Home directory structures, getting unhelpful advice from TomTom support, and trying update again, and again. In the end it gets there, but it should be hassle free, My next GPS will be a Garmin.

By redfava on 26 Jan 2011