Digital Trends

Navigon 8100T December 15th, 2008 | by Nick Mokey

Features and Design

Besides its distinguishing 3D view mode (which Navigon calls Panorama View 3D), the 8100T comes stacked with just about every other high-end GPS feature available, from a text-to-speech engine that pronounces street names and directions aloud, to Lane Assistant Pro, which tells drivers exactly which lane to get in, and Reality View Pro, which shows a life-like representation of complex highway intersections. Curiously, though, Navigon has dumped the Landmark View 3D feature, which shows major urban buildings in 3D, from its lower-end 7200T in the 8100T. We weren’t too disappointed – if anything, it might be a testament to its throwaway novelty value.

Two other major features push the Navigon out from similarly priced competitors: its extra-large screen and free real-time traffic updates. At 4.8 inches across, the 8100T’s screen is a full half-inch larger than almost all competitors. And of the many GPS companies out there, only Garmin matches Navigon in offering free traffic updates for like included in the price of the unit.

From the outside, the Navigon is easily one of the more impressive car GPS units we’ve handled. From its hefty weight, to the sturdy brushed-aluminum bezel that feels like it belongs on the grille of an Aston Martin, Navigon’s hasn’t skimped much on built materials or design. This is one attractive and well-built nav unit. 

Accessories

The quality of a mount can make or break (in some cases, literally) a good navigation unit. In the case of the 8100T, the mount follows the lead of device itself in going big. Really big. Upon removing it from the package, we almost thought someone had replaced the usual skeletal-looking mount with some sort of showerhead or handheld self-defense device. It looks like a curved piece of modern art that extends the GPS unit out from the windshield to the driver, as if on a pedestal. Besides this decidedly upscale feel, it’s also unique because the car charger powers the stem, then the GPS itself through a series of gold contacts that close when you clip the unit onto the stem. It’s all very elaborate, and seemingly unnecessary, but it contributes to the 8100T’s solid feel. You might have issues finding somewhere to stash it if you like to take it down when you leave the car, though, and its physical size also makes it more of an eyesore and obstruction without the GPS attached.

Other accessories include a car charger that also works as an FM antenna for TMC traffic signals via its cabling, a USB cable for connecting the unit to a computer, a soft bag for the nav unit, an SD card with mapping information for North America and Canada, and an adhesive plastic disk for adapting the mount to a dashboard. Unlike the 7200T, which freaked out when we connected to chargers besides its own, the 8100T will work just fine, minus its traffic abilities. Somewhat nonsensically, though, the car charger does not seem to work when plugged directly into the unit, only the window mount, which can cause for some majorly frustrating setup issues.

Image Courtesy of Navigon