Garmin StreetPilot 7200 Review

Looking for a GPS device with Trustworthy Navigation, Turn-by-Turn Voice Directions and a User Friendly Touch Screen interface on a Big 7" Screen? The feature-full Garmin StreetPilot 7200 will save you hours travelling and maybe just the travelling companion you need. Read on to learn more!

Although Garmin states that the Garmin StreetPilot 7200 is made specifically for for larger vehicles such as RVs, trucks and buses, it will also fit on the dashboard of most cars. This GPS unit comes with premium features and is particularly suited to those who will spend a lot of time commuting. The StreetPilot 7200 brings the following outstanding benefits to you coupled with a few drawbacks:

PROS

CONS

 

PROS

Easy Reading on Large Screen

The Big 7" Screen is beautiful and allows you to view street names with ease. You can now quickly view your location without having to take your eyes off the road longer than is necessary. The unit also automatically dims and brightens because of the built in photo sensor.

User Friendly Interface

The simple and intuitive touch screen interface is a pleasure to use.  All functionality is accessed through the touch screen - a departure from the series of buttons along the side of the unit in older models. The default sensitivity is perfect, but you can adjust it if it's not to your liking.

Navigate Effortlessly

No longer do you have to take your eyes off the road to view street names and points-of interest (hotel, gas-station etc.). Text-to-Speech technology enables this GPS unit to announce the name of a street on an upcoming turn. For example, it will say, "Turn right on Charlotte Street," rather than "Turn right in 200 feet." Essentially, this keeps your eyes on the road for a safer journey to your destination. Pronunciation of street names is impressive for the most part, though it can sound a bit comical at times.

Use the wireless remote control to control all of the functions of the StreetPilot 7200. Zoom in to the map, change views or enter an address from the alphanumeric keypad. There's even a "Speak" button that announces the next turn.

Time & Money Saver

Do you dislike having to download maps from your computer to your GPS device? The StreetPilot 7200 comes with a database of preloaded, highly detailed maps and points of interest like hospitals or restaurants.  The huge built-in database of nearly six million hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, and attractions will save you tons of time.

You may discover that the new theatre that opened last year is not in the built-in POI database. No problem. You can simply add it to your existing database. This unit allows you to upload your own custom points of interest such as art galleries, favorite shopping malls and red light cameras to your database.

Are you a Realtor or Sales Person? If not, I'm sure you will still appreciate the Multi-Destination Routing the StreetPilot 7200 provides. You can enter a number of destinations into the unit and it will give you the most efficient route for your journey.  This is excellent for planning a trip where you have several stops to make.

Pinpoint Accuracy

The StreetPilot 7200 represents the next generation of GPS accuracy. It is WAAS-ready and can help increase accuracy of positioning data to within 10 feet.A non-WAAS GPS receiver can fix your position to within 50 feet.  WAAS, short for Wide Area Augmentation System,  is a system of satellites and ground stations that provide GPS signal corrections, giving you even better position accuracy. 

By default WAAS is turned off in the 7200 since it consumes a lot of power. You can simply enable WAAS under "GPS Settings" to turn on this functionality.

Great Travel Add-Ons

Real-Time Traffic  & Weather Information

Empower yourself by knowing what the weather will be like along your route or at your destination. Learn what the  current conditions, forecasts, and storm warnings are via XM Weather data. Both XM Weather and XM Nav traffice are paid subscriptions and utilize the GXM-30 Antenna, which must be purchased separately.

There are 2 options for receiving traffic data:

I've been very frustrated and disappointed with the FM receiver in the past using the StreetPilot 2720. I would definitely recommend a subscription to XM NavTraffic instead. The information is indeed real-time and allows the 7200 to quickly calculate and suggest alternative routes for your journey.

Powerful & Versatile Entertainment System

Travelling is fun with the StreetPilot 7200. Enjoy over 150 channels of XM satellite radio channels with all the benefits of satellite programming such as commercial free programs, exquisite sound quality and a wide variety of music.  No need to worry about reception of your favorite channel as you leave one location for another. The radio channels are the same regardless of your geographic location.

The GPS unit also features a built-in MP3 player and an Audio book player. You can download your books from audible.com and listen and enjoy on the road.  View your DVDs on the huge screen by connecting your portable DVD player to the A/V in connector. Note that when navigation instructions are given, all entertainment audio is muted. 

Your music & books can be stored on 850 MB of memory. If needed, you can utilize the expansion SD card slot on the left side of the unit, with up to 2 GB to store your media files.

 

Cons

Cost

The StreetPilot 7200 is priced as a high-end unit that will cost you between $500 and $800. The price has dropped considerably though since it's introduction, where it was well over $1000. In addition, if you want XM satellite weather and traffic, you can expect to pay about $200 for the Garmin GXM30 XM Satellite Antenna which is required for these services.

No Restricted Routes

Truckers still need to beware of restricted routes that trucks can't travel on as well as low overpasses. Garmin's web site states

Garmin mapping software does not contain truck routes or low clearances. From the settings in the Navigation icon, you can put the unit in truck mode (under vehicle type). This means that the unit will  navigate on major roads as much as possible. However, if there is only one way to get to your destination  and it is going down a street on which trucks are not allowed, the unit will plan to navigate that road.

Difficulty Getting Back to Main Screen

You may find yourself having to press the back button more than a few times just to get back to the main screen. Even though the remote will allow you to easily return to the main screen, it would be nice if the touch-screen software interface allowed this functionality. Previous models provided an external, side button that circumvented this issue.

Conclusion

The Garmin StreetPilot 7200 is a first class GPS unit that makes your travelling safer and easier with a remote control, turn-by-turn voice directions and a large screen for quick viewing. The intuitive, touch screen interface is very simple to use. It's also capable of making travelling fun and interesting with it's built-in MP3 and audio book player, plus serve as a TV to view DVDs.

The optional XM antenna allows real time traffic and weather information to be delivered directly to the unit via satellite. Nation wide radio programming is also available via this add-on. 

No longer over a grand, the 7200 can be yours for about $525 at Amazon. If you have the money to spend, I would recommend the Garmin StreetPilot 7200. It's definitely worth the investment.