TomTom Go 720 90 (Traffic Performance)

The TomTom Go 720 is an attractive, slim navigator with plenty of extras. It works with TomTom’s Map Share technology, so users can download road changes from other users, and even upload their own. It also offers a 4.3-inch screen, 2GB of storage for music and photos, and an FM transmitter. The POI database is small, however, about 3 million.

 

When it comes to traffic the Go 720 is something of a hybrid, as it can receive both GPRS and TMC data. Getting GPRS traffic requires a compatible Bluetooth cell phone with a data plan (the TomTom site has a list of compatible phones, which currently number more than 100). This method has the advantage of being free (not including the cost of the data plan).

 

To get TMC traffic you’ll need TomTom’s RDS-TMC Traffic Receiver ($129), which is nothing more than a suction cup antenna that you attach to your front window for the best reception. It comes with 12 months of free traffic. After that you’ll need to pay $59.95 per year. The information you get from GPRS and TMC is pretty similar, but TomTom says GPRS has more coverage on traffic flow. So if you have a data plan on a compatible Bluetooth phone and can take advantage of the free traffic, that is the option to try first.

 

Attractively designed traffic screens and attention to detail made the Go 720 more of a pleasure to use than the other devices here. A vertical tool to the right of the map view lets you see where incidents occur on your route, and helps you navigate around them. This worked smoothly during our tests. Rerouting required just a simple click, and gave no choices for the new route. You can also call up a helpful overview map of the entire area to see exactly where traffic problems occur.

 

Overall, we like the TomTom Go 720 best. It stands out from the pack with its overview map and vertical slider, and it does the best job making traffic information usable. It also deviates from the standard, overpriced TMC traffic. If you’re looking to save money in the long run, using the TomTom Go 720 with GPRS and a compatible phone is your best bet.


Read Full Review: TomTom Go 720