Garmin Nuvi 500
While we certainly didn’t need to add to the already huge lineup in the Garmin Nuvi line, Garmin has introduced a new member– the Nuvi 500. Still, the Garmin Nuvi 500 does fill a huge void in the GPS market providing both auto navigation as well as off-road capabilities yet retaining functionality such as a touch screen. Yes, the ultimate “I just want one GPS, what should I get?” answer might very well be here within a couple of months.
Auto
When you get right down to it, you can think of the Nuvi 500 as a waterproof version of the Nuvi 205, but it waterproof and comes with topo maps. It comes with auto maps of the 48 contiguous US States plus Hawaii and Puerto Rico. (The Nuvi 550 includes the USA & Canada, but no topo maps.) Want traffic services too? The Nuvi 500 can be connected to either a TMC traffic cable or the MSN Direct traffic service. As a bonus you also get the Historic Route 66 map guide by by MAD MAPS. The only thing that appears missing from these otherwise fully loaded devices is Text To Speech. Multi Destination Routing with route optimization also appears to be supported.
Off-Road
Waterproof to IPX-7 standards and an 8 hour battery life make the Nuvi 500 series very capable for off-road tasks. Topographic maps are included with the Nuvi 500 so you can tap a switch and move from auto maps to topo maps. All of the basic off-road navigation functions are included– compass, tracklog, removable battery, and connectivity with geocaching.com.
The Garmin 500 Nuvi can also be used for bicycling, walking in pedestrian mode, or loaded with optional marine charts for boating.
“This multi-mode nuvi is the ultimate device for those seeking portable navigation in the car and in the great outdoors,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “This product allows us to combine features from several of our most popular automotive and outdoor navigators into one compact unit. From weekend trips to the lake, to a hike around the trail, nuvi 500 is ideal for people seeking automotive and recreational navigation in one dynamic device.”
We are extremely excited to see this product hit the streets and can’t wait to take one for a spin…
Garmin says you should be able to get your hands on one in Q3, pricing of the 500 and 550 is currently displayed as $499.99 for either model.
| Store | Rating | Best Prices |
|---|---|---|
Compare all prices on the Garmin Nuvi 500 Portable / Handheld GPS ranging from $392.95 to $499.99. | ||
 |  In Stock at Dell.com | $499.99 |
 |  In Stock at Buydig.com | $397.19 |
 | In Stock at Dell Small Business | $499.99 |
 | In Stock at Best Buy® | $499.99 |
 | In Stock at Tiger GPS | $429.99 |
 | In Stock at Vanns.com | $449.98 |
 | In Stock at J&R | $499.99 |
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Actually all the Nuvis with recent software can load TOPO maps as well as the standard Navigator maps. So all Nuvi’s are able to “Crossover”. I have a new Nuvi 200 and use the 2008 TOPO in it without any problems.
But the BIG issue with that is that they are not waterproof— get a drop of water or dust inside that huge SD card slot and your Nuvi 200 is toast. Your Nuvi also has a shorter battery life and doesn’t have a replaceable battery.
If you’re going to use the topo maps enough to warrant spending the cash for the maps– you probably won’t want those limitations.
Absolutely correct. I only use mine for geocaching etc.. so rain usually is not a factor. Hmm maybe I should carry a baggy…
Yeah, that is probably not a bad idea.
Looks like just the PND a lot of posters are asking for. Expect it will be a pretty good seller. I’ll assume Inland Lakes and Offshore maps will also be quite usable with it?
I think there are a group of people that are looking for something exactly like this. And they want it bad. But I’m not sure this will be a record seller.
$130 - Garmin Nuvi 200
$ 90 - Garmin Topo USA 2008
$125 - Garmin eTrex Venture HC
For a total of $345, versus $500 for the Nuvi 500. (And of course those are current street prices versus the MSRP.) Sure, there are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches, but there is still a premium price there for convenience. (That many will be willing to pay.)
Trying to figure out which marine maps are compatible with the 550 unit. So far only the BlueChart g2 Vision is listed, which is rather expensive and with some limitations for this unit. Apparently Garmin’s marine maps have not been developed for this unit and standardization is not a consideration.
Isn’t another advantage the larger screen than the eTrex?
I received a NUVI500 as a B-day gift. Great gesture on the part of the giver but WHAT A MAJOR DISSAPPOINTMENT - considering the price. Not all that user friendly - I go out on the lake it says I do not exist but it was sold to use on a boat.
Oh you want to use it on the boat? Go buy a cable hunt down the maps- pay for them and then download them. Wait a minute. This piece of junk cost $500 and now I NEED to do all this to make it do what it was supposed to do and pay extra.
Save your $$$ and aggravation. Buy the lesser expensive units. The aggravation offsets any convience you might get.