Garmin Nuvi 760
Update: As is the case with most of our reviews, we purchased the 760 off the shelf, from a local retail store.
With the possible exception of the 770 which includes European maps, the Garmin Nuvi 760 is the flagship GPS of the Garmin auto line. It has nearly all of the advanced features GPS connoisseurs look for, a widescreen display, Bluetooth hands free calling, live traffic reporting, and an FM transmitter. It also comes with a hefty price tag. If the success of the Nuvi 660 is any indication, the 760 is almost certain to be a winner. We’ve dedicated a few full days of quality time with the new Nuvi 760, and here is what we found.
Physical Design
The Nuvi 760 is a beautiful GPS device. Maybe not quite as sexy as the TomTom 720, but we’ll still take her out. A few immediate differences are seen from the previous top of the line 600 series. First, the face of the device is black. To me, this is an improvement over the previous Nuvi devices not simply from an aesthetic point of view, but it also makes the screen appear slightly easier to read against the high contrast surroundings. We’ve talked about the color of your GPS before and this is a tiny but welcome change.
Another improvement over the 600 series is that the flip-up antenna is gone. No more pulling up the antenna to activate the GPS chip. It does seem to take noticeably longer for the 760 to get a GPS signal each time we turn it on compared to our 300, and 600 series Nuvi devices. Across the top of the device is a slider which turns the 760 on and off, and can serve as a “hold” switch causing the device to ignore touch screen input. That feature can be especially handy for pedestrian use. On the left side is a headphone jack and SD card slot. The maps are loaded in an internal memory so the SD card slot is only needed for additional map coverage or multimedia files, should you desire. Along the bottom is a USB port for connections to your computer, as well as the power/mount connector. On the back is also a connector for an external GPS antenna, should you need one, but you probably won’t.
Update: People have asked for a more specific definition of “noticeably longer” signal acquisition time compared to the 300 and 600 Nuvi series. My 300 and 600 series devices will typically connect within 10-20 seconds while the 760 typically takes 20-30 seconds. It is a noticeable difference, but not significant.
I’ve nocked countless devices in the past for having connectors on the bottom which tend to make it difficult to mount the GPS very low on your dash. However in this case the power connector (part of the mount) only sticks out about 1/4 of an inch, so this isn’t much of an issue. While that bottom location also is where the “eject” button for the mount is, you can take advantage of the ball and socket joint in the mount to angle the GPS up to access the eject button if your GPS is mounted very low on the windshield.
In typical Garmin fashion, the mount and hardware design is nearly perfect. The mount is compact making it easy to stow, the ball and socket joint in the mount is perfectly tensioned for easy adjustability of screen angle, yet it holds tight enough to not bounce around on rough roads.
The power adapter for the car also serves double duty as the FM TMC traffic antenna. This is simply brilliant. The last thing I need is one more cord hanging around my dash… especially one with multiple suction cup mounts that just scream “Expensive GPS hidden in this car!”. Integrating the traffic antenna with the power cord eliminates a dash full of spaghetti cable and one less accessory to forget taking with me. Before using one of these combo cords I was concerned that it might not have as good of reception as a separate cord stuck up on the windshield, but I’ve found with this and other Garmin combo power/antennas that the reception has been just fine.
Of course the only way to make the traffic receiver even better would be to incorporate it into the device itself so I could still get traffic on trips less than 4 hours (estimated battery life) without needing to take the traffic adapter. But still the traffic solution offered with the 760 does beat the competition when it comes to convenience and other devices that have built in traffic receivers haven’t had great reception.
Perhaps the best part of the newer Nuvi devices is the screen. The screen is incredibly bright, brighter than just about any other GPS on the market. These newer screens (as compared to the early 300 series for example) are so bright it is the only GPS I’ve ever considered turning down the brightness from the maximum setting. Text is crisp, and extremely readable.
We would have liked if the Garmin 760 came with an AC adapter, but in all fairness most other GPS companies are skimping on this accessory as well. While most of my trips are short enough to do without a power cable, you may still want to take the power cable with you since it doubles as the traffic receiver.
Routing to an Address
As you can imagine, I frequently get friends, neighbors, and relatives asking to borrow GPS devices. When someone who has never used a GPS device asks for a loaner, I often (but not always) hand them a Garmin. The reason is that they are dead simple to operate.
Navigating to an address is really simple. Power on -> Where to -> Address -> State -> City -> Street Number -> Street Name -> Go. But to be picky, there are a few things I’d like to see changed. I prefer to enter the street name first, then number. And why, oh why, does nearly any GPS on the market today not know that I type “NY” in the state field I want…… you guess…. New York! Again, in fairness most other GPS devices on the market are equally dumb and don’t understand state abbreviations. Instead I’ll just keep having to type N-E-W-Y-space-Y before it knows what I’m taking about.
Again, being really picky, there are two other things I don’t like about the Address entry feature. First, after selecting the city and town there is only one street in my town that begins with the letters “Mon”, yet I need to enter two more characters “Montg” before it will show me that one result. The second is that it isn’t at all accommodating if you make a spelling error. A few other devices on the market are much more elegant when it comes to spelling mistakes.
More people have recently begun to ask which GPS devices support QWERTY keyboards for address entry. The Garmin Nuvi 760 does offer a QWERTY option for you fast thumb keyboarders like myself.
Finding POIs
Finding POIs is just as simple. Where to -> Points of Interest -> select a category, a sub category if applicable, and then look through the resulting list. A nice bonus is that the list will tell you which direction the POI is in relative to your current location. The font size used is good and big, however we would prefer (again, being picky) that the address not be shown on this list instead making room for one more item on the list before you need to scroll. Once you click on a POI the address is shown, making it somewhat redundant in the POI list. Once you find the POI you are looking for, click ‘Go’ and you are on your way.
And we still would like to be able to view POI icons in the 3D map/navigation display, something that other devices have offered for quite a long time.
Multi Destination Routing
It took a few years, but Garmin finally heard the cry and has given us Multi Destination routing without the need for a big old bulky StreetPilot device. Thank you, thank you, thank you! To create a route with tons of points in it go to Tools -> Routes -> New. From here you can add a starting point, an end point, and lots of points in between. I haven’t yet tried to hit the limit on how many points you can add to a single route, but I’ve been told it is 50. If you need more than 50 points you should probably look into some sort of commercial navigation system anyway. 
After you’ve entered in your starting point, your ending points, and intermediate points you can calculate the route and go. You can manually reorder the points in the route, or have them “optimized” by using the ‘Optimally Reorder Points’ function. Yes, the Garmin Nuvi 700 series does include the highly sought after “route optimization” feature many people are looking for. I’ve always been upset with a few GPS manufacturers who offer a feature called “Route Optimization” but it is really “route sorting” where the list is sorted from closest to furthest away, which is often not the most efficient order. However once again, Garmin gets this right and the feature they call ‘Optimally Reorder Points’ is in fact true route optimization.
Note that through the Routes feature, you can now also plan routes in advance by setting a starting location other than your current location. In most other Nuvi devices you could only do that through a complex work around which involves disabling the GPS and then browsing the map to find your starting location. Not anymore! So when would you use this feature? Next week I’m going to a trade-show. I want to know now how far it is from the airport to my hotel. And I might want to plot out a route from the hotel to the convention center. With most of the other Nuvi devices it was an unbearable workaround to get that information. Now I can just take advantage of the Routes feature to set my starting location as a POI (the airport) and then my destination as another POI (the hotel) and preview the route.
Traffic
As mentioned above, integrated into the power connector is a FM Traffic antenna. Here you can connect to The Clear Channel Total Traffic Network (TTN) to receive live traffic information as it pertains to your route. While we’ve put quite a few miles on our 760, we haven’t yet spent a ton of time in traffic. While we’ve been in an area covered by the traffic service, we haven’t been able to spend time in rush hour traffic to give it a run. However there are not too many unknowns here. The TTN is used on quite a few devices, so we know the service works fairly well. And we can say that we were able to get a connection to the traffic network where a few other devices had dropped in “fringe” areas, so the reception appears to be fantastic.
You don’t need to turn anything on to activate the subscription. Once the GPS is plugged in and it finds a traffic report, the ticker starts on your three month trial subscription. After that the subscription costs $60 annually.
Detours, Excluding Specific Roads
The Detour function on the Nuvi 700 series unfortunately still leaves quite a bit to be desired. I don’t think it does what most people would expect from a detour function. For example recently I was driving back home from a conference and the trip was about 150 miles. About five miles after leaving I came across an accident where the road was blocked. I wanted to know the best way to get around the block which I could see was about 1/4 - 1/2 mile in distance. With most other GPS devices if you use a detour function you can specify how far out you want to avoid. Hitting Detour on the Nuvi however will just create an entirely different route all the way to the destination. Not quite what I needed. 
Note too that what I experienced seems to conflict with what the User Manual says what should happen:
The nuvi attempts to get you back on your original route as quickly as possible. If the route you are current taking is the only reasonable option, the nuvi might not calculate a detour.
What the manual seems to describe is what I wanted it to do. But instead it calculated a new route for the next 145 miles that didn’t touch any of the previous roads in the all of the way to the destination. I also wish there was a way from the Maneuvers list to “exclude” one of the items in the route.
Update: Subsequent testing shows that what the Detour function is doing is in fact similar to the other Nuvi models. What it does is basically detour around the next road segment. When I was testing it I was on a long, limited access highway. I thought it would (and should) take me off at the next exit, and then get me back on one more exit further. However it excluded the entire highway. Still not what I’d hope for out of a Detour function, but it does seem to match what the manual suggests and previous Nuvi operation.
In the ‘Next Turn’ bar at the top of the screen gives you a list of all of the upcoming maneuvers in the current route. I really want a button on the right side of this list that says “exclude”, “delete”, or “remove” that would create a new route avoiding that road or intersection. Yes, I could accomplish the same thing with a via point or a Route, but it is nowhere near as convenient.
Where the hell did I park?
One of the other new features in the 700 series could only be called “Let me scratch my head look around and see nothing that resembles my car in this parking lot.” Instead of getting out the remote on your keys and trying to “light up” your car, you can use your GPS to find your car. The premise is simple. When you remove your Nuvi from the mount it will remember the coordinates where it was when it was separated. Then later as you are looking for your car you can go to ‘Where to’ -> ‘Favorites -> ‘Last Position’ and it will help you guide you to your car. Clever, simple, and only you will know how often you might use it.
Navigation
The navigation screen hasn’t changed much over prior Nuvi versions. The top still has a Green bar with the Next Turn information. At the bottom left is your estimated arrival time, bottom center takes you to the Menu, bottom right shows the distance to the next maneuver, and there are zoom buttons at the top left and top right. I still miss not being able to easily answer someone when they ask me “how long before we get there?” Of course I can look at the estimated arrival time and compare that to the current time. I also wished that the screen would zoom in a little more when there are side streets. Sometimes “straight ahead” isn’t always obvious and in densely packed streets that are not always parallel and perpendicular it is sometimes necessary to zoom in to find which way I want to go. There are nice big zoom buttons though so it isn’t too big of an issue.
Some of you older Nuvi users will notice something else on the screen, a speed limit graphic. When you are driving on a road where the Nuvi knows the current speed limit, that information will be displayed. Most of the limited access highways we drove included speed limit information while most of the city streets did not. But when driving in an unfamiliar area it is nice to just look down and see what the limit is rather than just wondering to yourself when it last was you saw a speed limit sign.
While looks aren’t everything, the Nuvi series devices including the 760 have a beautiful, easy to read map. The colors are vivid, and the font anti-aliasing and shading of elements makes many other devices look like they were drawn by a kid with crayons. What we don’t like as much is that those beautiful graphics seem to come at the expense of a slower screen refresh rate. In contrast to other devices on the market your car icon tends to “hop” down the street a bit more rather than gracefully slide. However you won’t think much of that issue if you haven’t compared it to other faster devices and I don’t find that it inhibits on navigation.
Voice, TTS
As would be expected in a device of this caliber, Text to Speech is offered. The voices haven’t changed that I can tell from previous Nuvi devices. I can hear them just find, however other people have complained to me that the TTS voices are difficult to understand and they end up using a non TTS (recorded) voice for their navigation. I didn’t have any trouble with the TTS voice.
The voice prompting frequency and instruction types were similar to other Nuvi devices. In general we found the prompts to be frequent enough, yet not to chatty in most environments. At highway speeds however (say 55 mph and above) we would have liked to have had much more advance warning of upcoming turns and exits…. say once at 2 miles out and then again at 1/2 mile out. When not watching the map and relying on the voice prompts, you might not always have enough time to switch as many lanes as you need to at highway speeds.
There is also an FM transmitter in the Nuvi 760. You can select a station yourself or, in a leg up on the competition, you can have it scan through and try to pick the best station for you, then reporting back what station you should tune your stereo to.
While FM transmitters sound great on paper, be prepared that they don’t always work well. Depending on where in your vehicle the antenna is, what type of an antenna it is, and the availability of “open” stations in your area– your results may vary. In my testing the FM transmitter worked on par, no better and no worse) than most other FM transmitters out there. This makes sense because the output power is regulated by the FCC and they are designed to put out as much power as possible. I’ve seen some FM transmitters underperform or outperform others, possibly due to the antenna location within the device, but the 760 appears to be on average with most devices.
In my car I needed to set the volume about twice has high in my stereo as I would ordinarily set it at and there was a bit of static I could hear while the Nuvi 760 wasn’t speaking its sweet nothings to me. I was able to drown out some of that static by having the 760 sing some MP3 music files to be in between navigation instructions.
Bluetooth
Don’t believe what you hear salespeople say in stores about “Bluetooth is Bluetooth, if your phone has Bluetooth of course it will work with this GPS.” Check the compatibility charts to make sure your phone is supported. Once paired, you can use the 760 to place calls to numbers in your Phone Book, POIs, or dial manual numbers. You can also receive calls through the 760. Like the FM transmitter, your results will vary depending on the phone you have.
We found that the phone book transfer option was much, much faster than on other competing devices, requiring no waiting at all. The same goes for the call history list. The phone call sound quality was marginal– which is about as good as can be said for most GPS devices unfortunately. The tiny speaker and tiny mic just never leads to outstanding sound quality. However the convenience of dialing through the GPS rather than the phone and being able to directly dial POIs as you navigate to them might outweigh the marginal sound quality.
Purchasing Guidance
Quite simply, it is really hard to go wrong with the Garmin Nuvi 760. It offers a great package of features including Bluetooth hands free calling, an FM transmitter, included and semi-integrated traffic receiver, Text to speech, and multi destination routing in a product that is physically very well designed and attached to a mount which is second to none. While we have a few gripes with the interface here and there, the issues are small and often amount to little more than personal preference. A product like this has great expectations and is held to a higher standard than many others.
As we mention with almost every Garmin product we talk about, the biggest thing that might cause someone to look to another product is the price. The MSRP price when announced was $857.13. You can find other GPS devices which offer similar features nearly half that amount in some cases. We’ve seen it advertised at around $700 in some places, however you can still find other devices with similar features for nearly a couple hundred dollars less. But you do get a product with a great set of features and few flaws.
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What is the difference between “Waypoints 500″ and “Waypoints/routs 50″ (and I’m not looking for 450
)?
500 = Number of “favorites” you can store
50 = Number of via points that can be in a single route.
I’ve been a 660 user for quite some time and like it very much. I have only a few gripes, but a big one is this: If I am traveling down the interstate, such as I-10, and I put in a POI such as a restaurant or a coffee shop, the Garmin should have the ability to see that I’m on a directional route and suggest stops ‘on the way’.
Instead, it shows me places behind, off to the left and off to the right.
This makes some sense in some circumstances, but not in a route heading down the interstate.
This one thing alone would keep me from upgrading to the 760 if it is the same.
Anyone hear whether Garmin will offer a firmware update to Nuvi 6xx users? I have a 660 and would love the QWERTY keyboard and multiple waypoints.
Nice review and I do agree on most of your points. However a few things they changed on the 760 over the 660 which I dont like at all are
1) Speaker is tinier (thanks to the slimmer design) and sounds less than desirable as compared to the one on the 660 which was nice and had a solid amount of (comparable) bass.
2) Why did Garmin remove the ability to access the volume + screen brightness in one quick touch (as with the 660). Volume is accessed now from the home screen (2 clicks) and brightness requires you to practically dissect the unit.
3) Satellite sync/link up takes much longer in the 760 as compared to the 660, especially if the unit has stayed off for a while i.e. you’ve left your car parked overnight and start the car / unit first thing next morning. The 660 took under a minute, the 760 takes incredibly long (in my case between 3 - 4 minutes) but once it does, then through the day, it syncs up much quicker. Dont know why it does that.
4) They skimped on accessories i.e. Carrying case + wall charger. Ok I admit I didnt’ use the wall charger a whole lot but carrying case? Why would you build a portable GPS and then not include the carrying case especially when they did include it on the 6XX series.
Otherwise its a great unit, screen is great and I got mine with 2008 maps ($70 value).
Floridaguy - Most other GPS devices (except for the Magellan Maestro series with their Exit POI functionality) suffer from that same issue. But it is a good point to remember. You can search ‘along route’ which might get you exactly what you are looking for but sometimes you are willing to go a ways to the side of the route that it might not pickup, but don’t want to go backwards.
Todd - I really doubt it, but it would be nice. Garmin doesn’t typically offer big new features in firmware updates.
Kamal - Thanks for the comments, and valid points.
Hey now… “big old bulky StreetPilot” … thems fightin words! I love my streetpilot! I bought a TomTom 720 and took it back and went back to my 2720!
I’m not sayin’ the 2720 isn’t a great feature packed navigator… Just that it’s missing a little something in the looks department.
tim - thanks for the review!! Can you create routes in mapsource and then upload them to the 760? What about a tracklog like the old gps V had? thanks jim
Yes, you can transfer routes and record tracklogs. I might have an addendum for those features in a couple of days.
Haha well yes I suppose that is true… my girlfriend always says “When are you going to get a cute one!?”
Does the 760 (or any GPS) automatically change the time when you pass from one time zone to another?
Tom, I don’t believe so. I can’t think of other GPS devices that do either, but it isn’t something I keep track of either.
FloridaGuy: It is very easy to have your unit only give you POI’s along your route. After you click “where to,” click the “Near…” button at the bottom and choose “My current route.” I like being able to search for POI’s that are not directly in front of me: You’d never know when you just past the best restaurant within 100 miles otherwise!
Great review and followup comments. [snip] Thank you all for your efforts
I like my Nuvi 660 alot, but I have one big problem: it seems it does not support Topo maps, and one of the main uses I need it for is hunting…
Ani idea?
Thanks
Doru, I believe you can load topo maps on your 660 and the 760, however it generally isn’t recommended since your 660 isn’t built to withstand the outdoors. Open USB port, open SD card slot, etc… It wouldn’t take much to ruin it.
Nice review. I have had the 760 for a few days now and I really have enjoyed it. I was negitively suprised to see that the carry case and a DVD of “City Navigator NT” was not included. But after calling Garmin both could be ordered for about $15 each.
I was positivly suprised though to get a coupon to Audible.com in the box for two free audio books. Taking advantage of that was about a $60 value for me. And the books work both on the Garmin and my iPod.
One annoying feature about the 760’s Route and POI function is the the big red flag used to pin waypoint locations. They completely cover the name of the waypoint rendering the name unreadable. this is in all map views (3D, Track-up, North-up) and zoom settings.
Not a deal breaker, but you would think someone at Garmin would have fleshed-out this problem and corrected it. Maybe in the next software update Garmin can produce a fix to print the waypoint names OVER those POI and Route flag pins.
I’m terrified!
My Garmin Nuvi 760 froze during the first hour of using it. It was paired with my cellphone, then i switched it off and when I tried to turn it on again something like a screen calibration display shows up reding “press dot”, but without any further responce, no matter how I press that dot. There is a chance that my battery is down, but after a few hours of charging there is no improvement. Is this a hardware breakdown or software problem, can I do something by myself?
Dim, while I haven’t experienced that myself, I have heard other people say similar things about other Nuvi devices. A call to Garmin support is probably in your future, but I’ve heard of people getting through the calibration display game by clicking it “faster”. I’m not entirely sure what they meant by that since I haven’t seen it myself, but perhaps it will mean more to you since you’ve seen it.
I almost bought a 660, but heard that the “loaded”760 was coming out shortly. I was very impressed with your review of the 760, but a few things I questioned in the 660 seem to be the same in the 760, namely the limited distance in notifying you of an upcoming turn especially at highway speeds. This was one of the few things I had hoped Garmin would rectify in the 760. Now that the 760 is out, pricing on the 660 is significantly lower. Now my question (s), is the 760 worth the extra bucks over the 660? The new design is nice, but as Kamal noted, is the sound not as good as the 660, and what about maps, are the updated maps in the 760 that much better than the 660?
Fred, the speaker on the 760 doesn’t sound quite as loud as the ones in the 600 series, but I’ve found it to be plenty loud enough at highway speeds. It is difficult to say how much the new maps might impact you in your area. I’ve found some things that have been corrected, as well as a few new mistakes in my area.
How does this unit do in downtown with tall buidlings? My old street pilot 2610 usually lost satellite under those circumstances.Made the unit very unhelpful.
Greg, I don’t have a huge city close enough to me for a true urban environment, however the chipset does hold well for me in some challenging areas. It will certainly get a much better signal than your 2610. My only issue with reception on the 760 is that it takes longer than other devices to get its first signal, but after it gets the signal it holds on tight.
Hi
Just got a Nuvi 760. I like it, but not 100% convinced it’s the best. Some features that I think should be included in a good GPS is not there. Like exclude a portion or road from your route. NEEDED bad, as many roads in the USA are beng worked on for months. HAD MY FIRST PROBLEM, HAD TO DO A FULL RESET BECAUSE IT STOPPED TALKING. NO SOUND AT ALL. AFTTER THE RESET IT WORKED. If this happens again, back it goes.
So the difference between the Nuvi 750 and the 760 is the 750’s “silver” case color, no bluetooth and hundreds of dollars cheaper. Hmmmm why would anyone buy the 760????
Dean, I believe the 750 doesn’t come with, but is compatible with, the traffic receiver.
Funny, I bought the 750 today and it’s black, not silver. I’m returning it tomorrow. Cannot get a signal. The “Where Am I?” feature tells me I’m located in Tam Tam, China. I live in Massachusetts!
I have a 680 but i think iam going to return it for this 760. is it really worth it? how much different is the interface? Also, Im a police officer and obviously need nav in the same city everytime. is there Anyway around having to type in state-city, everytime, its very annoying and time consuming in the 680? I also wonder what the EMERGENCY vehicle setting in the 680 does.
Jason, I don’t think you will find many differences. The address entry interface hang changed much excepts perhaps the Qwerty option. I thinkthe emergency option just changes which road rules are followed.
Can you tell me if the Bluetooth functionality actually is heard through the vehicle speakers via the FM transmitter? Or is it solely heard through the 760’s built in speaker?
I got the 760 today and it is all black. A friend of mine got one and its got some silver in the case. Its strange since garmin does not publicize the option, i wonder if its any indication of production time. However, i did notice on the 760 it does not give me the emergency option, i hope im not depriving myself of something. I got the unit from [snip] which had it for sale $[snip]. Not to bad considering the 680 i returned cost me $[snip]. not sure why the price drop,i feel like if it costs more it must be better? hopefully in this case its not true. I wish i could figure out a way to set my city as the default any time i need to get somewhere, having to re-enter it everytime while trying t respond to a call is cumbersome. If you figure out how to do this plase let us know. thanks
DRiV3n - I recall Bluetooth will go through the FM transmitter.
Anyone know if the Nuvi 770 will have more than 2GB of total internal memory? If so, how much memory does it have?
Mike, I suspect it will have more than 2GB since it would be needed for the additional mapping. I don’t know for sure how much it does have.
Tim, any idea on why the 760 is now shipping in solid slick black? another question i have is why is the msn direct w/traffic charger less than te normal just traffic only charger? dont they do the same thing except msn offers more options?
Jason, as far as I know all of the 760’s have been shipping in black. The MSN direct traffic/charger connects to a different service with different options than the FM (RDS-TMC) traffic receiver. I don’t know why it costs less (I recall there might be a difference in the duration of the free trial), I suppose only Garmin could answer that.
I lead motorhome tours and need to follow a route that is spelled out in a logbook. When are you going to write an article on planning a route in City Navigator on a laptop and then transferring the route to the Garmin? Thanks.
Jerry, at this time I don’t plan a full article on that topic since the manual seems to cover it well. I may discuss the features a little more, but probably not as a full instructional piece.
Strange about the colors. I just received my 760 from tvnav.com (which is very close to Garmin headquarters in Kansas), and it is black on the front and back, but silver on the sides. Oh well, regardless of the colors, this thing is GREAT. If it had route avoidance, it would be just about perfect. Thanks for the great review, Tim!
That is what mine is too, Jeff. Black on the front and back and silver around the sides and top/bottom.
Tim. You responded to Jerry that “the manual covers it well”. The Nuvi manual really doesn’t cover creating routes using the software much at all. Is there a seperate manual that discusses specific route creation methods. Some people need to take very specific streets along a route rather than a route that is automatically generated as being “shortest” or “fastest”. Is it explained how to do that anywhere that you know ?
…Thank you
Hi Robert, yes, page 20, 21, & 22 of the MapSource Manual cover creating routes on your PC.
I’m new to GPS and about to buy. I can buy a Garmin Nuvi 750 at a reasonable price. Is there an appreciable diffence between this and the 760?
Don - see comments number 26 & 27.
Using the nuvi 760, can I find gas stations with the lowest gas price within some distance (say 2 miles) of my current location? Can I do that using any GPS currently available?
bb, you can get that if yousubscribe to the MSN direct service with the associated hardware. You can only do that with a few GPS devices on the market today.
Is there a difference between the 680 Nuvi screen and the 760 Nuvi Screen. The specs look the same, but the 760 looked much better in the Bestbuy - side by side. Was it the way they had it set or is it brighter and more crisp?
Mark, in my own testing they look very similar. However I’ve heard a few reports from people who don’t think it is as good as the 600 series, particularly at high and low angles. When I view them both side by side (comparing to a 660) I can detect a difference, but it is small.
Regarding the power port on the bottom of the unit: You say it is part of the mount. What if I want to use the unit without the mount? (I want to know if I can velcro the bottom of the unit to a certain place on my dash where the back will be supported.) The vehicle dash top is very far away for friction mount use, and the windsheild is very sloped and even farther away. I have a nice place to mount, but it won’t work unless the bottom of the unit is flat against the dash, and any power plug sticking down there would be an issue I would have to solve.
The power connector connects to the side of the mount. The mount then connects to the back and bottom of the 760. The part where the mount sticks out from the bottom of the 760 sticks out by about 1/4 of an inch. You mount is in two pieces, the suction cup part and then the part that connects to the 760. So you could remove the suction cup/arm, but still attach the power cable to the mount and the mount to the device, but the bottom of the mount will stick out about 1/4 of an inch from the bottom of the 760.
Also, I can shed light on the black unit question: Seems a certain Big Box retailer has special versions of the 700 series units that have an all black, shiny “piano black” body. This is not the two tone case that some have. It is all black, and glossy. I have seen it myself on the 750.
Hi guys, have you ever questioned if the new nuvi 700 series uses SiRF chips? I’ve noticed on garmin’s product feature info page on the 700’s nuvis, they’ve deleted the SiRF logo. Meaning it wasn’t built with a SiRF chips on it. It was there before they’ve released the 700 series and now it’s gone. Maybe that is why when the first time I’ve turn my unit on, it took 10 mins. to acquire a signal and 5 mins. thereafter because it is a non-SiRF like the 200 series. Any thought?
Ekie, some of the hidden diagnostic screens and copyright info suggests that it is a SiRFstarIII chipset.
Tim,
So there is no way that an ordinary user like me could confirm that it really uses a SiRF chips? And why did I experienced a lost satellite reception passing thru a tunnel if it was really built with SiRF chips? I have the 660 and didn’t have this issues. Do you think I had a deffective unit that I should return?
No, there isn’t a way an ordinary user could confirm the chip. That is common (now) in the GPS market. Your 660 has a couple of advantages with the flip-up antenna which puts the chip in a more optimum, horizontal position for reception.
Tim,thank you for telling me that. So I decided to stick with my 660 for now and I’ll just return my 750.
Tim, The long sigal aquistion times concern me. You mention above in your review a few seconds longer while other are mentioning 5o to 10 minutes. No one has that kind of time to wait for the signal to come up.I wonder if the long times do not reflect the situation for the average user.
I haven’t seen anything close to that long except for the first time I took it out of the box. Under normal conditions (GPS upright, in mount, on dash, outside of my garage) it gets its signal within about 10-15 seconds.
Thanks Tim,That seems very reasonable.I also called Garmin support and he explained to me that the first time it initializes, one should under ideal circumstances allow it full sky view in an unobstructed area for up to 30 minutes after it finds the signal to determine the location of all 12 satellites,if possible which it then stores. This will also help signal acquisition in the future. He explained that partial satellite acquisitions, ie letting it be on moving for 5 to 10 minutes can only further confuse it for the next time it needs to determine position, with longer signal acquisition times until it figures it out
Had my 760 a few days and first observations
1. My screen is really bright and I like it.No problem seeing it even at night. Seems brighter than the 680.
2.The mount seems improved also.Locks the Nuvi on better and has a quick release button.Easy to use.
3.Signal is great! Mine picks in 15-20 seconds after I turn it on.It is between 11-17 feet accuracy.
4.Love to be able to sort routes, That is what I bought it for and it works great so far.
5.The voices are good but the speaker is smaller than the 680 so they are not quite as loud but still very good.
6.Re-routes quickly when you go offtrack.
7 Road lock does not seem to be a problem, have not run in to that scenario yet.
8.Really like it being thinner than the 680. Put them side-by-side in Best Buy tonight and you could really tell. Fits in my pocket better.Best Buys 760 unit was Solid Glossy Black, Mine I like better it is Matt Black nice finish with a silver stripe in the middle
9. My cellphone works better and people and understand what I am saying clearly. Had a problem with this on the 680.
Really glad so far that I updated from the 680. Traffic works fine with the cable provided but I miss my MSN so I ordered a cable and am going to probably end up selling the GTM 20 on ebay sometime. Also I emailed Garmin about a Mapsource CD and they emailed back “it’s on the way to you free”. Great service.Will write more as I use the unit more.
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Jerry, thanks for sharing all of your points and nice chatting with you.
Tim, Thanks for all the great information. I also called Garmin about my specific usage of the unit (see question 38). The technical support person I talked to had never run across that particular application before but said it’s easily done. She also sent me a free City Navigator disk to install on my laptop. I was just notified that my 750 had shipped and will be here on Tuesday. I’ll let you know once I play with it a little. Thanks again for your help.
I like the “Where Am I” Feature
Re: #61 Great review; thanks! Like you, I prefer the 760 in matte black. Can anyone tell me where I can purchase a 760 in that finish?? Thanks!
Tim,
Your comments and those of others on the Garmin 760 have been immensely helpful to me as I am a first time GPS buyer.
I have ordered mine from an established long time electronics mail order company; they were out of stock so it is on backorder. Since it is on backorder, I got a $50 price break.
Anyway, I have a question. I noticed a post in a forum that said that there is a problem in the 760 software v2.10 when specifying an intersection as a destination. A ‘no match’ message is returned. That post also indicated that the problem is corrected in release v2.20 of the software.
Now, for the question, does Garmin provide upgrades to their software?
Rick, Yes, you can upgrade to version 2.20 (and subsequent updates) for free.
Tim,
Thanks for letting me know that an upgrade to v2.20 is free.
Now,how does that happen?
Are they downloadable from the Garmin website or do you have to get a CD from them or some other way??
Also, one last question
Is the battery in the unit replaceable and can it be replaced by the owner?
You can download the update from Garmin’s website. They have a program that you can install on your computer that will run it for you. The battery is not replaceable.
Tim,
Thanks immensely for the help.
I am looking forward to receiving my 760.
I have been a sofware developer on mainframe systems and client/server systems in the business world for 38 years.
I know that software has bugs and constantly requires updates; I am glad that Garmin at least provides them to you.
Mark Wheaton
I bought mine online at [snip] Pre-ordered but they may have in stock now.Matt Black with Silver Stripe in middle I would call them direct to see. Jerry
Can someone please tell me how to activate the DVDs for the Nuvi 770? Garmin sent me the DVDs and said I needed the codes found on a green sticker of the DVD cases. I cannot find such green stickers or codes.
The unlock codes for the DVD are in the box and paperwork that came with your unit.
Thanks Jerry
The 760 and 770 do not come with any unlock or serial codes in the box like the prior 600 series.
Garmin sent me the DVDs for both North America and Europe to install on my computer. I asked Tech Support how to activate them and I was told that I needed the codes found on a green sticker of the DVD cases. There are no such green stickers or codes on those DVD cases, so I really would like to know if someone else had the same problem and how they resolved it. Thank you
What is the number of via points available in the 700 series? I have a StreetPilot III and have had to use up to 4 or 5 in some routes. I’m comparing the StreetPilot 7200 with the nuvi 750 and will use them in my motor home and towed vehicle as I do currently with the Streetpilot III.
One thing that makes the 750 preferable is its compatibility with Macintosh computers.
Bruce, I haven’t tried hitting the limit yet myself, but I’ve been told it is 50.
I just purchased a 750 from a “big box” store, and I’m not finding any DVD’s or printed manual in the box. It does have the hardware, a Quick Start sheet, and some multi-language warnings. Am I missing something.
Roger:
I just got my North America DVD in and unlocked it. Really easy. it asks you if you want to go on line and get your online code and you say yes. Then you put in your name and password registered on Garmin. Mine then unlocked. Now I need to learn how to use this.
Zach:
You need to download the manual online no printed manual but there is a help button on the 750 that answers alot of questions. On the DVD you need to call or email Garmin and request one. They sent mine free.
Jerry, Thank you for the info just want to make sure that the DVD you unlocked was the one that Garmin sends someone for free if they purchase one of the Nuvi 700 series and that you did not need to pay for the Unlock Code.
Roger:
DVD was free and didn’t have to pay for the unlock code.
Jerry, You have been of much help, thank you
Regarding the color(s) of the Nuvi 760: I just hung up with a supervisor at GARMIN Customer Service. She explained that there are two (2) different color versions of the 760: Matte black - Part No. 010-00657-10; and Piano Black or Gloss Black - Part No. 010-00657-18. The latter version is a so-called “special edition”, sold at two of the largest national chain ‘big-box’ electronics retail stores. The matte black version (which has a metallic colored center stripe in the middle, delineating the front and back sides) is currently for sale at numerous other sources, both on-line and at national chain stores, as well as other large national stores which charge an annual membership fee. Hope this helps.
Further to my description of the Nuvi 760 (Post #85) above, “Piano Black” is the term used by one of the two large, ‘big-box’ retail electronics store chains. Indeed, “Piano B” is printed on my receipt. I use “Gloss Black” interchangeably with “Piano Black” — bottom line, this version comes with a glossy, shiny black color as opposed to the other version of the Nuvi 760, which is Matte Black.
I have a mobile service business. I have searched very hard to find a GPS that really has a FULL OPTIMIZATION FEATURE for several stops per truck per day. Q.: Would it be wise to buy less expensive GPS units with less features, and use some sort of PC program to generate and upload to the unit, routes daily for each truck? If so what would you suggest?
I am sure that this has been discussed elsewhere, but I’m a real newbie. Why the change from MSN traffic? Have been looking seriously at the 680, but if Garmin is moving away from MSN, I’ll pass/
Jim:
The 760 does have MSN Capability, just doesn’t ship with the cable. I personally prefer the MSN because of its features, and bought the cable for my 760.
Jerry - appreciate the info. Any idea why they changed so that it is now what amounts to be an add-on?
I would like a responce also to # 87.
Great website!
Ted:
I am a Realtor and that is why I upgraded to the Nuvi 760.You can put routes in and it will optimize them for your best trip. Hope this helps.
Roger - Thanks for your earlier information. When I called Garmin they said that all the maps were already loaded, that DVD’s were just for new maps. Seems weird, since it’s a new model anyway.
I have to say..so far I’m less than impresssed with Garmin. A “server error” message comes up each time I’ve tried to register, and I get a “page error” message when I try to go into their email support section.
Any tips?
Thanks,
Tim,
I’ve been looking at your reviews and the comments. Love them. I want to know if there are any other differences between the 760 and the 770 besides the European maps and the price.
I am trying to decide between these two and the TomTom 720 and 920T.
That is it Jean, maps and price are the only differences between the 770 and 760.
The Garmin StreetPilot 7200 (and also 7500) can display composite video input from external analog source such as a DVD player or camera. Does the Nuvi 760 (or 770) have that capability? Can it connect to a backup camera in a wireless manner?
The Nuvi 700 series does not have video input capabilities.
Thanks Tim.
I’ll take the 770 off my list. I don’t need the European maps…at least not any time soon.
Now I need to decide between the 770, and the TomTom Go 720 and 920T….So, Back to the reviews… This site is proving to be very, very useful. There is so much good information here that I have not been able to get elsewhere.
Zach:
Actually, one would want the actual DVDs if one would prefer doing all the planning using a PC before a trip as an example, but you can also do other great things with the maps loaded on the PC. The only way one can do that is by installing the map on MapSource on the PC. The DVDs that I got from Garmin are not newer, they are identical the the pre-loaded ones.
How do I know if my 760 has 2008 maps? i just bought it and then found this site. In Oct. “Kamal” mentioned in this forum that his came with the 2008 maps a “70$ value???? November,07
I just got my 750 and the unlock code for the City Navigator disk is in the nuvi itself. Just load the disk onto your computer and connect the nuvi to your computer. The instal wizard asks if you have the code or if it’s in the unit. Just click on “inside the unit” and continue on. Mine installed just fine.
Shannon, if you go to tools -> settings -> map -> map info, you can see the map version. I would be really surprised if any shipped without that version.
Thankyou Tim, I will check this out.
Folks,
I am awaiting arrival of my 760.
In preparation, I have bought a Garmin AC charger for it from a big box - part number 010-10723-07; it has the mini USB connector and is compatible for the Nuvi 600, 300, 200 series.
However, Garmin’s website shows its part number as 010-10723-00.
Does anyone have the Garmin part number for their AC adapter for the 760?
Thanks,
RickM46
Rick,
On my product, the part number is 10723-00.
I got my Nuvi 760. It froze right away, was ok with restart. Next morning it said it was April 07 and would not pick up satellites. Called support and did a hard reboot and it worked fine. Two hours later I went to turn it back on and it was dead. Garmin is shipping me an exchange.
I hope we early adapters are not in for some trouble.
When it did work it worked great. Fast signal aquisition, good route planning etc.
Greg
I want to thank this site, its reviewers, as well as the many folks who have taken the time to post here about the new model 760: how it stacks up against previous models and also, letting us know that the unit comes in two (2) different color styles — matte finish and gloss black “enamel.” While function is perhaps most important, form (aesthetics) has its place too. I went out to one of the big-box stores and saw the glossy Piano Black version of the 760 first hand and knew immediately it was not for me. The shiny, slippery, black plastic shell looks fragile and cheap; none of which are attributes I want for a device that I will carry both in my car and on my person. The smudged fingerprints all over the shell are another negative. Of course, design and appearance is subjective and your mileage and viewpoint may vary. Again, my thanks for the insights and for the heads-up.
Can someone tell me the difference between the 750 and 760?
Also, do either or both work easily and compatibly with Mac OS X? Does one work better than the other?
Terrific site!
Mark, see comments #26 and #27. Both work with Mac OS X, and work the same with OS X.
Thanks Tim !!
Tim,
First of all, thank you for your wonderful reviews. I am looking to purchase my first GPS receiver and the site has been extremely helpful, and it’s a first-class website.
I am trying to decide between Nuvi 760 and Tomtom 920.
Can you please explain why you said “[Nuvi-760 is] Maybe not quite as sexy as the TomTom 720″?
Which of the two (Nuvi760 vs. Tomtom920) has the best overall user interface? Least amount of annoyances in your opinion?
I think it would be very helpful if there was a direct comparison article between Nuvi760 and Tomtom920.
Thanks again, and keep up the good work!
Dennis
I had a Nuvi 660 which worked great until it was stolen. I am considering the 760 and have a question. The 660 had a “truck” selection for type of vehicle. It allowed an earlier prep for upcoming turns. I’ve noticed the 760 doesn’t have “truck” available. Did Garmin lengthen the prep for the directions for auto, making the “truck” unnecessary?
Dennis - I just personally think the 720 is a better looking device from a physical standpoint. User interface really comes down to personal preference on top brands like Garmin and TomTom. The Nuvi perhaps as fewer annoyances because it has fewer features/options.
Bob - Garmin hasn’t changed the lead time for turn notifications.
Tim how does a GPS of this price not have a feature that rerouts you around traffic and back onto the highway? Are there any other units you could reccommend that do this and do it well? This is a very important feature for me. Thanks.
Zac, unless I’m misunderstanding what you area looking for, the 760 does include a traffic receiver that will notify you of delays to your route and can reroute you around that traffic.
Tim,
You stated, “For example recently I was driving back home from a conference and the trip was about 150 miles. About five miles after leaving I came across an accident where the road was blocked. I wanted to know the best way to get around the block which I could see was about 1/4 - 1/2 mile in distance. With most other GPS devices if you use a detour function you can specify how far out you want to avoid. Hitting Detour on the Nuvi however will just create an entirely different route all the way to the destination. Not quite what I needed.”
In other words. I want a nav unit that can route me around accidents and road work and such and back onto the highway.
Zac, at that time I was in an area not covered by the live traffic reporting services. Had I been in the coverage area it is likely I would have been routed around the block. So instead I used the manual detour functionality.
Regarding the comments concerning the colour of the unit, I see Garmin are now doing a pink version of the 200 and 250 here in the UK and Ireland, quite obviously aimed at the female market from the promotional material on their web site, which is quite interesting if their products are seen as “boys toys”, as it were.
Does anyone know if there is a different SKU/Part number from Garmin to differentiate the glossy black and matte black versions? I’m probably going to purchase this online and want to see if I can get a matte black model.
Drew, see comment #85.
Thanks for the response Tim (I think you meant #86), I have read this entire thread and am still unclear that if I buy online and they don’t state it is glossy black shall I assume it is matte? I’ve looked at a few online sites and have not seen any mention of color like they do in the Big Box stores mentioned in comment 86.
Roger - Thanks for your earlier response (#99) - I think I’ve finally got things working (it does help to read the manual….). Two questions:
1. How does one obtain maps not included (eg. Hawaii)?
2. Why does the FM transmitter work sometimes when the map is showing and not work other times? Is it a timing thing?
I’ve seen some review comments about the FM transmitter not working well. So far mine seems to be fine except around power lines.
Thanksk,
I just got a new nuvi 760. All is well except that when I turn on the unit, it takes a long time to acquire the satellite signal (a few minutes, or a few tens of minutes sometimes). Is this normal, and has anyone else experiencing similar problem? Or is there something wrong with this particular unit?
How is the signal reception of other nuvi models?
Harry, My 760 picks up usually in around 30 seconds or so when cold then it is good the rest of the day. Try it for a few days and see if it doesn’t get better.
Harry, also see comment # 60.
I would like to know how many years the Lithium battery will last. It is very painful to toss an $800 unit because of a bad battery, even at the 5 year mark.
Is there any chance of you doing a direct comparison of the Garmin 760 versus the TomTom 920? I’ve read both of your reviews, but it would be great if you could give us the lowdown on which one is the better device overall, ignoring price since both will be about the same price online.
Screen lag is a big issue with me, as well as interface usability. Thank you
Folks,
My Nuvi 760 was just delivered; it was on backorder from a ‘popular, established, you have 30 days to return, knocked off $50 from list due to backorder’ mail order electronics store.
I am a newbi to GPS.
I will let you folks know about my experience with it after a little more use.
However, out of the box, I was impressed with:
It is made in Taiwan (I’ve had good luck with them);
It was perfect in finish (black and silver) - no scratches;
All items present;
It charged after 4 hours (the battery indicator does not show up when you first turn it on);
BlueTooth connected to my cell phone (Motorola Razr) easily;
It connected to my Dell PC easily;
FM works;
Easy to use screens and menus;
It has version 2.10 of its software;
It does take a few minutes - less than 3 - to acquire satellites (which I knew about due to this forum);
It does have the software bug in 2.10 where it does not find an intersection as a destination (supposedly corrected in version 2.20).
Will keep you posted.
Folks,
Has anyone downloaded the latest version of firmware 2.20 from the Garmin website for the 760?
Any issues if you did?
Thanks
Rick,
I’ve downloaded and installed the Nuvi 760 Software Ver. 2.2.0
Easy download and installation with no issues
Ron - Garmin says 1000 full charge cycles. Most people would rarely complete a full charge cycle in a day… or even several days.
Nate - the TomTom 920 has a much faster screen redraw rate.
Rick - Yes, that is corrected in 2.2. I’ve also had no problems with the update.
Thanks Tim, but could you give me a bit more? Which device do you prefer, and for what reasons?
I was dissapointed with how few crossing street names appear on the nuvi 750 when compared to the magellan 4040. I was in simulate mode and set the map detail to max but still hardly any crossing streets were named. Even if the streets arent on my route I still think it would be nice to see what streets I am about to pass on my way to my next turn. Is this normal or was it a function of being in simulate mode?
Tom - I believe what you are seeing is normal. They don’t label as many side streets that are not part of your route as other brands.
Bought Streetpilot III May 2001. It’s now damaged and considering a replacement. Non-user replaceable battery units is not acceptable. Love my Garmin but cannot buy a Nuvi. Any suggestions?
I’m echoing Harry’s comment (#122 above) about a long time to acquire a satellite reading. Mine never did while in the house (trying to set a route) nor while I was driving downtown - probably a 15 minute jaunt. After a while in my pocket (by which time I was walking) it finally kicked in. After that it would pick up fairly quickly when turned off and on. What gives? Do they NOT pick up satellite signals indoors? Do they not pick up the initial signal in a moving vehicle? I’d hate to think that I have to sit with it in the middle of a cornfield each time I fire it up.
Any suggestions / observations will be appreciated. Thanks.
Zach,
My 760 picks up well outside. Aquires a signal in 30 seconds or less initially. The 760 is not made to use inside a building so it may or may not pick up a signal . Mine does sometimes.
Thanks Jerry - will keep after it. Should they pick up the initial signal OK from inside a moving vehicle or do you have to “prime” it by standing outside at the outset?
Zach,
I don’t have to be outside the vehicle, mine picks up fine inside.Good reception.
Very informative forum.
Mike - Most all auto GPS devices use non-replaceable batteries.
Zach- GPS isn’t designed to work indoors. If you don’t have a signal and start moving it will take the GPS longer to figure out where you are versus if you were stationary. Try what is suggested in comment #60. That has worked for me.
Does it zoom in when you’re approaching intersections in “View Map” function?
I had C320 which did it and because of this I switched to 2720. 2720 was great at this; it did zoom in “Navigation”, but stayed at the set zoom level in “View Map”. I sold my 2720 and looking for 760. I hope it does the work with mapping similar to 2720 and not as c320.
Hey all, question. with all of todays sales, i got a tomtom one LE and a mio C320. i picked them both up at good prices, just curious which one you would recomend over the other? I have a 760nuvi myself but this one is for a gift to my girlfriend. just wantd to get some opinions. Thanks
Tim,
Do you know what the max size SD Card that the 760 will read?
Thanks
Folks,
Does anyone know what the max SD card size that the 760 will read??
Thanks
Thanks Tim. It seems to be functioning a bit better now. Question: I couldn’t get a signal last night after about 6 minutes outdoors, but we had a heavy overcast. Is this a common problem? Thanks again.
i am a realtor. my wife and i also do a decent amount of traveling in the usa. if you had to decide only between the 680 and the 760, which one would you select for us. why? explain the differences if you can also, please.
Tim,
I spent time at two large Electronic stores today and went in with the decision that the TomTom 720 was the unit for me. However, both clerks directed me away from that device to Nuvi 760. There main reason is the ease of putting in route information. Have you found that to be true as well? Is it worth the additional cost? I know that garmin is the leader but I have seen so many great reviews on the TomTom 720 that I am not sure which one would be the best fit. Any input and advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Zach - overcast won’t make a difference in satellite reception. See comment #60 and give it a shot for about 30 minutes.
David - Adding in destinations is largely personal preference. One nice advantage the TomTom has in this area is that it doesn’t force you to spell everything correct. You can make spelling errors and it will look for best matches based on what you have typed.
Tim and Anyone else that have used both,
So dollar for dollar and option for option, would you say that you get more bang for your buck with the TomTom 720 than the Nuvi 760? The only challange the 720 has is that it just takes a little more study at first on planning a route but once this is mastered it is comparable to the 760? Or were the sales clerks steering me to the more expensive model because they work on commission? I find myself a pretty knowledgeable when it comes to technology and just want the best with least amount issues. And, As they say “Time is money”. Again any input from you or others would be greatly appreciated.
Craig:
I am a Realtor also. I had the 680 and sold it to buy the 760. Reason was that the 760 has where you can put in multiple routes and then have it put them in order so when you are showing houses it makes your trip more efficient. The 680 would not do this. I really like my 760 alot and am glad I made the move.
Craig or anyone else: I just returned the Nuvi 360 because I wanted the larger screen. Thinking about the 680 since THE large warehouse chain has a special going for not much more than I paid for the 360 and less than some are selling the 660. I’v read some negatives about the MSN component on the 680. In general, were you happy with the basic navigation/bluetooth/MSN on the 680? Thanks
I’m thinking about buying the 760, but in the bluetooth section you said to check the compatibility charts to see if it will work with your phone. Where can I find a chart that has that? Great site by the way. It’s been a tremendous help.
Neil - check here.
I currently use Co Pilot Live running on a Pocket PC as my GPS. One of the features that I like about Co Pilot is the ability to map out a trip on my PC including waypoints and then load them onto my Pocket PC. Does the Nuvi 760 support this type of functionality.
Neil,
Doesn’t look like Garmin has all the phones that will hook to the Nuvi 760. I have a Blackberry 8100 Pearl and it works just fine. I would say if it works with the Nuvi 680 it will work with the 760 fine.
Ron - Check out comments #9, 43, 61, & 99. MapSource is the program you need. Garmin seems to be giving it to some people (but not all) who ask.
I was on Garmin’s site and it appears that the 700 series is not WAAS enabled or SiRF powered. Using something called ST Mirco?
Howard ,You really don’t need WAAS at all a non factor. On the chip mine says SIRF GSC3F GPS MODULE. Here is how you can check for your chip:
Hold your finger on the battery icon until the diagnostics screen comes up. Go to the screen that Has Version information on the top. Hit the start test button, then hit the MOR button. Scroll down till you see your chip. Mine was the last item on the Inventory. What does yours show?
I am thinking of purchasing the 760 but am concerned about the number of waypoints it can hold. If I install a card will this increase my waypoint limit? I currently use a 2720 and have over 500 waypoints stored. If the 760 can do this then I will be purchasing one. Thanks
Tony - Your 2720 can hold 2,000 but the 760 can hold only 500.
I wish someone would do a direct comparison of the Nuvi 760 and the TomTom 920t. I’m ready to buy one, and I need to know which is the better unit overall.
From what I read here it appears that the Garmin Nuvi 750 is almost ideal for my needs. I’ve been using the Garmin C330 as my very first GPS product but I’ve found that I need a multiple via point capability. After reading the review and comments 1 through 156 I have a couple of questions still.
1) Does the device come with an adapter to get its power from the car? In other words, am I limited to the battery life or will it remain charged as long as it is plugged in to a live aux power outlet in the car.
2) I live in one of the states that prohibits suction cup attachments to the windshield. Is there a friction mount for this device for use on the top of the dashboard? I’ve only had the C330 fall off the dash once with such a mount.
3) In the multiple via point mode can additional via points be entered after one or more of the prior via points have been visited? I’m in the local delivery business and receive new destinations via a pager during my work day.
4) Also dealing with the multiple via points, if I go “off route” for some reason, will the routing again be optimized? My point here is that I may have to go back to headquarters to pick up more product and I want to know whether the route to all the remaining via points will be optimized at that time.
I’m looking at the option to purchase this device on line but I want to make sure that once I get it I’ll be able to use it to good advantage.
i have done a comparison of my own and here is what i have decided. I will be returning my nuvi 760 and keepig my new TomTom 920t for the following reasons. The 920 has mapshare!! that alone is huge if your in or traveling to a growing area. My nuvi doesnt have several neighborhoods that my 920t had right out of the box. The speaker quality on the 920T is 110% better than the worthless one on the Nuvi. The 920t has voice input which actually works! nuvi doesnt offer it. The 920 has a status bar that shows me what steet i am on constantly, the nuvi only tells you once you turn onto a street but forgets to remind you where you are at once you actually turn onto the street. When sitting in one place, the nuvi would constantly show my position turning about and acted like it couldnt keep synced. the tomtom from the same spot stayed still. The bluetooth on my tomtom seems more relaiable than it did on the nuvi, the nuvi kept dropping my connection. Tomtom suport was pretty helpful on the phone today and i like that. Those are just a few things that have helped make my mind up, both are strong units, just depends on your preferences.
jelang - (1) Yes, it does. (2) Yes, there is. (3) Yes, you can. (4) In that scenario I would cancel the route, navigate directly to HQ without the other points, then once back at HQ open the route again and re-optimize the rest of the waypoints.
Thanks, Tim. So I gather from your response that there is a way to “save” and “reload” a route.
Yes, you can save up to 10 routes at a time with multiple points in each route.
What is an approximate length of time needed to fully charge a depleted battery?
Thanks,
The problem with slow satellite acquisition is well-known and has been discussed in other forums. It seems to happen mostly with the first usage of the day. I’ve had it take as long as 12 minutes on my 750, switched on in the exact same location where I switched it off the night before, with a clear unobstructed view of the sky. In normal circumstances (i.e. when this “bug” isn’t doing its thing) it can lock on to the satellites in less than 15 seconds. Various causes/solutions - some bordering on superstitious - have been proposed - including:
- Using a PIN code puts the microprocessor into a loop, interfering with its ability to process the satellite signals. Don’t use a PIN and the problem goes away.
- Upgrading the firmware to Version 2.20 makes the problem go away.
- The problem gets worse as as you store more audio files.
- It only happens on the first usage of the day - sometimes it doesn’t even happen then.
- One poster says he talked to a Garmin rep who told him they are working on a software solution.
My own experience over the course of a couple weeks is that about two thirds of all first usages of the day have this problem. I’ve used it twice since installing 2.20 and it hasn’t happened either of those times, but one of them was a little over a minute, which is kind of borderline.
Those of you who haven’t seen this yet, please don’t insult our intelligence by reminding us that it won’t work in our sub-sub-basement. We already know that. This is clearly a defect, and if your unit doesn’t have it, just be thankful - but remember, it does sometimes spontaneously strike a unit that has been working just fine.
Please excuse my ignorance, but what does the 2.2 refer to? How does one upgrade (or, for that matter, find out what he currently has. My 750 was purchased on 11/9 - have there been upgrades since?)
Another Bozo question: What are waypoints?
Thanks,
Oops….just saw my first question covered in an earlier post. v 2.2 — firmware - Garmin site. Got it.
Jason:
Thanks for doing the time to make a comparison. Leaning towards the 920t myself.
I am a first time GPS buyer and was considering the 680 or the 760.
I do alot of offroad jeeping and was wondering if the 760 does topo and if so how well is it?
I would like to map poi’s as i jeep.
This thread has been extremely helpful and i’m leaning towards the 760 but i travel local highwas alot and am concerned about the lag time and missing turns. Is there realy a differance between the 680 & the 760
Thanks
Hi Tim,
Regarding your comment #116 “the manual detour function” is this feature available in the 660?
Thanks,
Mark
Mark M - Yes. Menu -> Detour while you are navigating a route.
Tim…Thanks!
Does the 760 have “Truck” or “Bus” routing, as the 650 does?
FML - I don’t have mine with me at the moment, but I don’t think it does.
tim
can you give me your opinion of which gps you would go for between the garmin 680 & 760 and any info you would like to pass along. tghis will be a gift and your opinions would go a long way for me
thanks
Debbie - Check out comments #61, 150, and 151 on this page.
tim
i read what you said to read.
Can YOU give me your opinion, please.
it would mean a lot to hear your thoughts.
thanks,
Cebbie
the lag time on the 760 is really bad. i would already be passing the street about 5 -10 seconds before it showed me on the map. On my TomTom 920t, its dead on, no lag time
I have a nuvi760 and did some research before purchasing, I am having trouble getting the MSN Direct going. First of all I have no ICON on my display, nor can I locate my code. It receives Traffic updates just fine, just nothing for MSN Direct. Can anyone assist me?
-Does the connection between nuvi 760 and the cigarette lighter recharge the battery whilst driving? or should i also but an ac charger for recharging it at home before i intend to drive.
- Can the 760 listen to mp3 music at the same time whilst viewing the on route mapping screen
- whats the largest size memory card that the 760 takes ?
- what is the 760 internal HD size ?
- Ideally should i put all my mp3 music onto a seperate memory card or store it on the internal 760 HD ?
Nice review ! keep it up !
al5061, did you purchase the MSN Direct receiver? The receiver that comes with the 760 only gives traffic information, not the MSN Direct info.
AH Yes, it charges while driving. You can listen to music and drive at the same time. Cards over 4 GB might work, but when you have that much info on the card it can slow down the performance of the device. The internal memory and free space are in the specs in the upper left of this page. I’d keep the files in internal memory if possible since it probably provides faster access.
No, all I got was the power cord that receives traffic. So, I guess that answers my question, now if I get that receiver, will the 760 recognize it immediately and start displaying the MSN ICON on the settings display?
also, if I do purchase the MSN Direct cord for my 760, how will it affect how it receives the traffic info. Will it do both, or will I have to have 2 cords attached to the device?
al5061 - Correct, you would need to purchase the MSN Direct receiver/subscription. That cable will also do traffic, but uses a different traffic provider that has different coverage. You can read about it here a bit.
Interesting comments above about the nüvi 760. I have just bought the 760 (my first nüvi), migrating from the GPSMAP 276C. The reason? I don’t like the rather cumbersome 276C for my travels which are 90% on established tar/good gravel roads. I’ll just keep the GPSMAP 276C in reserve for the odd time I need backtracking! The 760 is a beautiful device, and works to my satisfaction here in South Africa. The touch screen is what really did it for me, AND you can route with the device. We’ll have to see about the robustness of the unit, since some of our gravel (AND some paved!) routes can really shake a vehicle and everything inside it!
Bought my first ever sat nav, nuvi (760t) Eu maps delivered 22nd Jan amazing piece of kit only two problems using the phone symbol on the start up screen it misses the last digit of the number if you use where to & phone home it dials ok secondly bought it from a reputable dealer in the UK on line when I register it with garmin it comes up this (serial number has already been taken) is this common or is this been cloned by a stolen unit? serial no RH side base of unit looking at the screen. great site helped me make my mind up between tom tom & garmin
Just received my nuvi 750, based on what I read here and other places.
I would now like to transfer my waypoints from my streetpilot. I tried saving them, renaming the file from a .gdb to a .gpx and copying to the nuvi, but it didn’t read it. Do I need to save and rename each waypoint individually, or is some formatting change required?
On a side note, my call to tech support on this was ineffective; I seemed to get a newbie who said my StreetPilot City Nav software would transfer the waypoints (although I already told him it didn’t). I did get him to send me a new DVD, but haven’t received it yet.
On another topic, before I ordered I spoke to Garmin tech support and was told the 750 has either a SiRF chip or SiRF technology, but she was evasive as to what exactly the “technology” was. Upon receiving the unit, I performed the chip check (see 158 above) and got the same result as OrlandoRealtor. Has anyone gotten any other result from this check?
Question on how to enter “other” street addresses, specifically county roads. We have a lot of rural addresses in this area, and if someone lives, for example, at 36 West County Road 23, how should this be entered? I think we have similar issues with frontage roads and, possibly, highway addresses. Enter entire name? Abbreviations?
Thanks,
Oops! Option to save as .gpx (my previous post 190) built into City Nav (File | Save as and select type gpx). Oh well, the Garmin guy was right, he just didn’t explain it. Copied to the nuvi gpx directory and read perfectly.
Still interested if any other results to OrlandoRealtor’s chip test for the 7xx series. If Garmin is really using the “technology” without the chip in some units, there should be a different chip listed.
Those people who are having satellite reception issues with their 700 series devices should read this article and update to the latest firmware. Your problems will likely go away!
I am a realtor looking for my first gps system. This forum has been extremely helpful. Programming Multiple Routing before setting out is important to me but not optimalization. A friend let me try her old Nuvi 200 series model and I had the following experience utilizing her instructions. First, it gave me significant advance warning of turns - 1-2 miles away - which several writers have complained about not having. Second, and most important, I entered 4 addresses into Favorites before starting out, in no special order, and then proceeded to drive. I selected the first address I wanted to visit and after arriving there picked another random address on the list and was directed there. This seemed to work perfectly well for my needs without having the newer multiple routing option. Do the newer models have the same capability, or am I missing something about how Favorites now work?
Sue - If you don’t need to optimize the order of stops and being able to view the total time and distance for the entire trip doesn’t matter… then you don’t really need any of the features multi destination routing is best for.
I have been posted this same question at the TT forum, and would like to get an answer to the same question but about Nuvi 760. This is important to me as I live in EU.
Is it possible to plan a route as we are driving a BUS rather than a car or motorcycle, with a Nüvi 760/770?. This in orther to avoid low viaducts
Lusodana - There is no bus option on the 760. Only automobile, bicycle, and pedestrian.
Lusodana, we also live in the EU, in the United Kingdom. What you do is you instruct your bus drivers to use their common sense and look out for the signs warning of width and height restrictions, like viaducts, bridges and so on. GPS systems are not a substitute for the use of common sense and there’s nothing like actually driving the route yourself.
Yes Ravi, I know; but it is a headash to realize that the signs coms up to late and you can not turn on. Believe me it can happen in the continent. Som times there is no sign at all. Try to drive i.e. in Italy, at San Remo, or at the Pyrenees.
I recently went from Toronto to Niagara Falls New York. I have a nuvi 750. I used the route feature so that I could go to the Rainbow Bridge to USA as opposed to Queenston which is the usual one. After I got over the border I made a wrong turn and I started to be directed back to Canada. Is there a problem with rerouting while on a preset route?
Hello Tim, I was curious to know if the 760 has an altimeter or geocoder… i.e. lat - long coordinates features
Thanks in advance
thinking of buying the nuvi 750 . I do deliveries, sometimes as many as 20 stops at a time. I heard nuvi can only optimize 10 stops. does anyone know the limit?
CAN ALL THIS BE ACHEIVED ON Nuvi 760 …
Hi, Just bought Nuvi 760, not yet opened, someone showed me his Tomtom 720… it blew me away. The Tomtom plays movies and reads out SMS (messages) when the phone is connected, Allows other voice files including reading into your own voice!!!
CAN ALL THIS BE ACHEIVED ON Nuvi 760?