Magellan RoadMate 1200
The Magellan RoadMate 1200 was announced earlier this morning, and we have one in our hands ready to be put through a few hundreds miles of testing. While we are out driving around with the new RoadMate 1200, here is what you can expect to find.
This is a no frills GPS, and will be geared towards the first time GPS buyer who has needs for a simple navigation device that “just works”. The 3.5″ screen is very bright, is viewable from wide angles, and the text and maps are clear and sharp. What is also very noticeable about the RoadMate 1200 is the extremely slim profile and light weight. While not “iPhone” thin, I believe it is the thinnest GPS device I’ve held.
On the top is the power button and mount attachment point. On the left is a USB port. The right side has an SD card slot, and a reset switch. The speaker is located on the back and the bottom has no ports (yea!) but does include the other attachment point for the mount.
Inside you will find 1.3 million POIs, nearly double the amount found in other entry level Magellan devices… a welcome improvement.
The GPS is powered by a Centrality Atlas processor/chipset. We’ve used this chipset in the past on other GPS devices and have found that while it isn’t quite as fast to get a signal as some other chipsets, it has performed well. We haven’t had any driving time with the Roadmate 1200 yet, so we’ll let you know how it works out.
Maps from NAVTEQ come on a 1 GB SD card and cover the USA 48, plus Puerto Rico and Hawaii. An SD card with European mapping is said to become available.
Unlike some of the other Maestro models, the RoadMate 1200 doesn’t come with the AAA features such as the tourbook, roadside assistance screen, nor AAA member discount information.
More info soon!
| Store | Rating | Best Prices |
|---|---|---|
Compare all prices on the Magellan RoadMate 1200 Auto GPS ranging from $139.95 to $149.99. | ||
 |  In Stock at The GPS Store, Inc. | $139.95 |
 |  In Stock at circuitcity.com | $139.99 |
 | In Stock at Dell Small Business | $149.99 |
 | In Stock at Dell.com | $149.99 |
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Just bought a Magellan 1200 at [snip]. Brighter display than any other they had. I am very impressed with this unit. It doen’t have text to speech, but most roads on the HIGHLY detailed map display are accurately labeled. Voice routing is good and anticipates turns 0.5 mi ahead. What I am really intrigued about is the satelite aquisition capability. IN MY HOUSE with windows on either side 12ft. away … six aquired. Sensitivity to motion is so good that the map display shows movement as I walk through my house. I don’t know if other devices do this, but at $[snip] this is good enough for me. There is also a location screen that gives coordinates, direction of movement and what streets are in ahead and behind the direction of travel. Voice quality, however is not on a par with more expensive units.
Bugs:
Dimming the display down too low blanks out the screen. Have to do a reset to restore it.
Disconnecting from the line cord while running produces a menu option to decide to continue running on battery power. The menu sometimes appears and disappears too quickly (1 mil/sec?) to make the decision but the unit keeps running anyway, so no real problem.
Am able to store a number of routes (Trip Planner) in advance.
Which GPS system is better? I’m looking to purchase either a Tom Tom One 3rd Edition, Magellan Roadmate 1200 or a Magellan Maestro 3100. They are all basically the same price. I just want a GPS that is really accurate has plenty POI’s and can be updated easily. I also want a GPS that will not easlity run out of memory when updating maps and I’ll still be able to update 2-3 years from now.
Ref: question, Whice one is better ? I’ve used the units you wrote about. Found the TomTom had the best user interface & easy to learn / use.
The Magellan 3100 has limted memory ie: POI are only 750,000. The TomTom has more.
Good luck on your search. When I stopped at Radioshack, they have 31 days past xmas to try the units out & at good prices !!!
Bought my Magellen 1200 on a whim on Black Friday [snip, see comment policy], I love it. It has the bare basics, programed in my house, my work place and drove off. I tood a few different turns and it recalculated the route within a matter of seconds. Extremely pleased.
Thanks CoolBlue i think I’ll go with the Tom Tom. I’ll let you know how it goes.
I bought this from [snip, see comment policy] on online Black Friday and really liked it. I was amazed that you could get a device like this for $[snip]. But then the device started locking up. It would lock up about every 15 min and I would have to restart it to unlock it. I exchanged it for another (the same model) at [snip] and the new one did the same thing plus it would periodically shut it self off. I know that this is a new model and hopefully that can fix it with a firmware update but for now it is not worth the hassle.
Display unit locked up when selecting nearest airport. Tried several times… same result….
“OK” when inputting “goto” address….
Read several reviews that indicate problem with “lockup”.
Purchased mine from [snip, see comment policy] on Turkey day for [snip]. What a great little unit. Big bright display and super thin case. No bugs or problems at all. VERY intuitive interface. Have had one mapping error (supposed be a bank was an eye glasses store) but other than than just a GREAT deal!
I love my “Mag” the other day was the first time my husband and I went out of town I’m not the type that like to ask for directions if we are lost But our “Mag” got us where we needed to go and even found us a Hotel. The only negative thing I can say about the “Mag” is that the phone numbers or not correct my husband called a few places and the numbers where apartments and/or houses other then that it’s a dream! I got lost (which was my fault) and it put me back on track it’s worth every penny!!
i just got my first gps 1200 seemed to be the one for the price i only use it two time so far comeing home from the store right out of the box and then coming from a friends house put in my address and the way i went worked great we will see on trips how it dose. for i first one its great. joe ny
Will there be USB functionality for this unit? The 2 amps claimed on the Magellan site is 4x the USB allowable power drain. The european owners manual (the only one available on-line) makes no mention of PC connectivity. Or is the mini-b USB plug to automobile power cable just cheap to source for Magellan and the SD slot the only upgrade path? Sorry, the price IS right, but the support and information available is tragically inadequate. It’s been weeks since the product launch and Magellangps.com barely acknowledges the products existance.
Jal - I’m not sure what “USB functionality” you are looking for. When I connect the RoadMate 1200 via USB to my computer it does recognize the internal memory and SD card and mounts them as drives.
Thanks, Tim. I wasn’t sure if they had a true USB connection or if they simply used a “stock chassis” and dumbed the USB port down to a simple +5v to reach a holiday price point. I’m still upset about the absence (current as of 12-17-07) of downloadable manuals, detailed specs or technical support on the manufacturer’s site. From what I’m able to see from on-line merchants, the unit does not ship with a USB data cable.
Correct, no USB cable included.
For an owners manual, mine came with a downloadable dvd.
I have a number Magellan products. Does anyone know how I could either use a new SD card with other data - routes, waypoints, etc. from other Magellan software? What about how to download European data.
Just ran out and got the Mag 1200 for my wife, for Christmas. They had a Tom Tom and Garman, both for [snip, see comment policy] (same as Mag 1200). Did I make a good buy, or should I exchange it? Her need is for basic mapping.
I got a magellan 1200 for my mother for christmas. They had a tom tom and garmin should I go back and get either one of them?
Received the 1200 as a gift. To summarize, the unit locks up, does not allow exit from points of interest, displays SD error message and includes seriously outdated maps. There is no online support for this product available on the Magellan website. Hope this is helpful.
I got this product as a gift. Its great but the only problem was the time in the gps would not be correct! I have no idea how to change it! I tried the time zone but the minutes are incorrect also! -_- but otherwise! its cool.
This little GPS is GREAT! Needed a no frills, get it done unit for the not so tech savy lady in my life. This is the one. Great graphics for the $, clear voice, easy touch screen, very very simple to use a true VALUE for the money
Received the 1200 as a gift. At first I could not get the time right, went back to the setup and un-clicked the daylight savings, that worked for me. So far been a nice little unit.
i bought my mag 1200 roadmate on black friday. I bought it because it was cheap and didnt expect a lot. I was pleasantly surprized when I opened it up on Christmas and started using it. Very easy to use. i love it. buy it.
Got it for Christmas. Great no frills GPS. Just what I wanted. Grapahics are very good. Reroute works quicker than others report..about 2-5 seconds. Good sound. Very easy to use!! I am very pleased with this unit. The one touch exit POI’s gives SD card error, but I can see POI list if I push an additional 2 buttons so its not a big deal. No lock-ups. GREAT BUY!
The unit so far has been much more than expected. I got it as a Xmas gift and it would have not been my brand of choice. But using it I was quickly impressed. Only negs would be that the unit does not let you update maps and let you chose an alternate voice. Otherwise it’s a sweet deal.
Just received it 4 Chhristmas from my Lady and I think it is “friggin” great! I had it shut down once or twice when I tried to get it to do “50″ things at once but what or who wouldn’t freak.. I am “Gellan” wit my Magellan!
Received it as a Christmas gift and have tested it on various routes. It’s been doing great. The only negative thing is that the maps don’t show recent changes on our roadways as a result of new construction. I seriously doubt if any GPS, regardless of the brand name, has the capability to show the updates as they happen without some sort of mapping software update.
Received both the magellan 1200 and the LG LN740, which one is better???
Thanks
got this for myself-first gps-very easy to use right out of package-seems to be really accurate and is really addictive when I get started messing with it-really satisified with it-live out in the country and it shows all of the little short and dead end roads-really like it
Bought this as a gift for really good price and it seems to everything we want but I am a bit confused about CD rom and upgrades referred to on box as no CD enclosed - does anyone know if this is an error or what should I do - Thanks peeps
Got 1200 for Christmas,made the Christmas trip home across the state,been making this trip for thirty years,this time the 1200 show me a quicker route. good unit, easy start up,easy to read map,good sound on voice command.
Maybe a silly quesiton, but does this unit accept input of locations by coordinates, or just by address? In other words, can you use it for geocaching?
Allen - I don’t believe so.
Got a Roadmate 1200 [snip, see comment policy] and for the price it’s does a decent job. I took my son back to college last week and on the way home I went on back roads that I’d never been on before and it got me home without issue.
The address entry is fairly easy to use and I had a number of addresses entered very quickly. I also like the feature that shows you your current direction, speed, altitude, longitude and latitude.
I received my Mag Roadmate 1200 for Christmas as well. I live in central IL and am having a problem with “Exit POI’s”. I even tried it on a US highway, like mentioned in the manual. I get “Please insert SD card with map”. I tried it all the way to Chicago and it still didn’t work. I called the factory, after many attmepts, I got the answer that they had not heard of this problem. They sent me a new unit and of course, the same problem.
does magellan roadmate 1200 have updating software on it if not how far up in price or models is the one that you can update software on.And how important is that quality
When I try to use the “Enter Address” option the unit freezes, never works.
Previous correspondent asked about AC adapter for 1200. Calls to Magellan support learned “available next month.” Amazon has them ($16.95 + h&s). Shipped USPS by vendor next day.
Jack
My husband purchased the Magellan Roadmate 1200 for me as an X-mas gift. I gotta tell you, I love this thing. We have used it on several trips and it is always right. Love the way it recalculates if you go a different direction. We would recommend this product and have to many family members and friends.
I was happy with my Mag. 1200 until the DC power cord died. I was told I’d get a replacement through the Mag. website, but they are backordered. It’s been a month and a half and poor support/response. I tried the universal DC power cord from one merchant, and the screen lit up but I got the display “The USB has been connected to the unit. Pleae follow instructions from PC application for updating maps or software.” I could not get out of this screen. Tried the reset button, but not dice. I did find that while plugged into the computerusing the USB cable it was/is putting some charge in the internal battery. I’m hoping it will give me the “about 3 hrs” charge time until/if Mag. does come up with their backorder… my unit appears to still have all the data etc., but not able to power up and operate off it right now. VERY frustrating. FYI, I was able to find the PDF owners manual at the Mag. website and saved it to my computer. That’s how I learned about the reset button that’s on the same side as the card.
Dave,
Ref: The message your getting, I’ve talked to Magellan about this. Some of my customers have had this “problem”
The programming inside the GPS automatically detects the USB cable, it’s expecting to receive an update. It’s just a message, doesn’t mean you need an update.
When you use it on the battery, that message goes away.
While the USB is plugged in, it does charge the unit. Note: it will not show it’s charging, but it is.
MY ROADMATE SCREEN KEEPS FREEZING UP! I HAVE TO POWER IT OFF FOR NEARLY 5 MINUTES BEFORE IT WORKS AGAIN. IN THE MEANTIME I GO OPEN UP A MAP BOOK WHICH I HOPED NOT TO EVER USE AGAIN. WHEN IT WORKS ITS PRETTY ACCURATE. I’VE ONLY OWNED IT FOR A FEW MONTHS. NOT TOO PLEASED!
Thanks Coolblue! I also learned that it charges even if I don’t turn the unit on, and have been making it on battery power to do estimates… I just shut it down to conserve on destination arrival, and repower when I head out for the next estimate on my list.
My replacement DC cord arrived a week ago… after all of that waiting, they managed to send me the wrong cord with a round plug, not the USB shaped plug. I sent them my 5th(?) email, and they responded with the promise of sending the correct cord. I’m not so sure that the correct cord really exists as an accessory ready to ship. Approaching two months of this “service” my happy meter lost another notch with that turn of events. The unit is fine (thus far), support is horribismal. Dave.
Hi,
I received the roadmate 1200 series as a gift but it’s not saying voice recognition on the box. I really don’t want to open it if i can still return it the model is 980-0054-001. There is also a RM1200-SCXVH number. Does anyone have this model and does it have voice turn by turn?
Thanks!
The RoadMate 1200 doesn’t have voice recognition, it does have voice prompts for navigation instruction. It does not have text to speech.
I JUST GOT THE MAG 1200 ROADMATE DOES IT TELL YOU THE ROADS AHEAD IF YOUR TRVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED (OFFICER)
NICK ST LOUIS, MO
I received a mag 1200 for christmas as a gift & have only used it twice. The first time, was in March, it was wonderful. The 2nd time, I tried was in April, it wouldn’t work at all, I found out the store it was purchased from since it was not a relative & I don’t have & can’t get the receipt,they won’t take it back, replace anything. When I plug the mag in the light comes on, but I can’t turn the “screen” on. Any suggestions? Besides trash it. I really would like to use this thing again in a few weeks on vacation
Nick - It operates basically the same regardless of speed.
Lesa - Have you tried giving it a long charge? After giving it a long charge press the reset button on the right side near the SD card and try starting it again.
lesa, Contact Magellan, their customer support is fantastic.
Have you tried too hold the pwr button down for 10 seconds ?
If they can’t troubleshoot it over the phone, usually they can send you another one. (providing you return the old unit to them)
I work for [snip, see comment policy], any of my customers have a problem, I just swap out the unit for a new one, then I return the old unit back to Magellan for credit.
Thats a shame that store won’t help you. They could, and it wouldn’t cost them a dime, as they also could get credit for it through Magellan.
Maybe the person that gave it to you could help, if purchased on credit-card, the store could look up the receipt on that day of purchase.
Good luck.
Hi everyone, I’m also thinking about purchasing the RM 1412, but I don’t see any reviews about this device. Does anyone know anything about this series of Magellan? The other GPS devices I’m thinking about are the Maestro 4250, TomTom G0920, Garmin Nuvi 760 and the Naviton 7100. First time user, but picky.
Bought 1200 in Jan 08 and unit died in May have spent endless hours on hold waiting for tech support to pick up so I can get a Return Authorization (RMA number)– no success. Similiarly, No luck with tech support returning my emails. I do not recommend Magellan.
Hi Tom,
Thank you so much for the info regarding the unsatisfactory customer service of Magellan. To me this is a big biggie! I hope you were able to finally resolve your problem.
I purchase the magellan roadmate 1200 11/23/07. I loved the functionality of this device until it froze on me a month ago (May 2008). Every time I turn unit on, I go straight to the GPS status screen. It won’t show the map or let me view the addresses. The touch screen is dead. It won’t recognize my touches. I’ll be contacting the cust serv hotline hoping I get some results. I’ll report back if I get no where with this device.
I’ve got a Magellan RoadMate 1200 and I tried charging it with the wrong charger after I bought a universal charger that had different inputs. It now doesnt turn on anymore. Is there anyway I can fix this?
Thanks.
Felix, assuming you’ve tried the reset switch I’d say give support a call.
I have the roadmate 1200 since Feb2008. It is working fine, no complains. Is it possible to download any other maps on roadmate1200 (SD card), such as Canada, Western Europe, etc?
Cezar - Unfortunately no.
I got the Roadmate 1200 for my wife, but I’m liking it so much I don’t know if I want to give it to her! I am very impressed by how well it works. I didn’t want a lot of bells and whistles, just a way to get directions from Point A to Point B. This unit works extremely well for that purpose. I am especially impressed by the ease of use. A very good value for the price.
I had an older Magellan GPS that turned on automatically, but the newer Magellan Roadmate 1200 I recently bought doesn’t turn on automatically even though it is plugged all the time, I have to manually turn it on. Is there a way to have it automatically turn on whenever I start my car?
Where can I order a a sd card. I lost mine.
T. Earles - Magellan is your only option.
just purchased de mag 1200, i can’t enter more than 2 digits in an address, any help?, thanks
What is a “de mag”?
Marilu, I think the problem is inputting the wrong city. Make sure that you input the right city. Find out the neighboring cities and use that to find the street number and name you are looking for. Each city has its own street number boundaries. Hope this helps.
My 1200, purchased last Black Friday, locked up and the reset did nothing. I removed the back, disconnected and re-connected the battery and it began working again. One must first remove the rubber inserts covering the screws. Unfortunately it has locked up again and I was hoping to discover a more permanent resolution to the locking problem but there doesn’t appear to be any here.
What is an “sd” card?
SD stands for Secure Digital. It is flash memory, like the removable memory in most digital cameras.
Just got a Magellan Roadmate 1200 when I turned it on a window popped up and said fatal error and then turned off. I fully charged it, reset it and it keeps doing it. I haven’t even got to use it yet I am really disappointed. Just wondering if anyone else has had this problem. I am returning it ASAP!
Everytime I plug my universal car charger into my 1200 to charge the battery it gives me a screen says “The USB has been connected to the unit. Please follow instructions from PC application for updating maps or software.” I could not get out of this screen unless i unplug the unit and then the battery dies:( please help?
When you say “universal car charger”, is this the charger that came with the GPS? What are you plugging it into on the other end?
Everytime i plug my universal car charger into the 1200 to charge the battery it gives me a screen that says “The USB has been connected to the unit. Please follow instructions from PC application for updating maps or software.” I could not get out of this screen, unless i unplug it and then the battery dies:( please help? Should i get a different car charger?
We have the same problem Kirsten identified - “USB has been connected” when using a replacement car adaptor (of course USB has not been connected because the cable goes from cigarette lighter to GPS). Has anyone figured out how to get that message to go away while leaving the car adaptor plugged in?
I just purchased my first GPS, the Roadmate 1200 this weekend. I am a healthcare worker that travels between patients was am tired of relying on MapQuest, Google Maps, etc. (although I realize that the Roadmate may use the same navigation devices). So far, I am impressed with it. I love the feature where I can put in multiple addresses; then I can “optimize” and it will put the addresses in a logical order for me. This is perfect for planning my schedule as I travel all over southern IN. It isn’t perfect; there are some addresses that it won’t get perfectly, and I have submitted updates to Navteq. I am really looking forward to seeing if there will be an updated map via SD. Also, I have had the same issue with the Exit POIs — it gives me an “insert SD card” message. I am wondering if it will do any good to try to contact Magellan about this? Anyway, so far, I am pretty pleased w/ it. I will let you all know if I change my mind and return it . . .
The sd disk will be easily ejected if you press the side by mistake, thus making it possible to lose your sd card. The unit will not work without the card. The unit should have protective door to keep you from mistakingly ejecting the sd disk allowing it to fall out of the unit without you knowing it while carrying in to or from your car. I looked up and my sd card was, gone. After extensive searching around my car and house I didnt find the card. I called customer service and they could not help. They just lied, gave me run arounds then told me my only option is to purchase a new disk from them for $$60.00
the above post I wrote was about the magellan roadmate 1200 by the way, be careful not to loose your sd card. Maybe a good idea is to put tape on it since magellan didnt design this unit with a protective door for the sd disk
I just got mine for free!!! a bank was offering a promo if I opened an account with direct deposit this was the gift!! Great so far but if you try to enter info to fast it will freeze up and you have to be patient. But once i slowed down it worked great!! I can tell it’s one of the cheaper models but I was stoked when I realized it talked (for free I didn’t think I would even get that feature) If you search the net and get it as cheap as you can it’s good for the first time user