Magellan Maestro 3100

in Inexpensive GPS Systems

Score: 7.2/10 , Based on analysis of reviews and performance evaluations.

• Overall

Magellan Maestro 3100 Overall - 7.25 (Good)

In the expanding GPS market, the bare Magellan Maestro 3100 has trouble keeping up. Take-for-granted features like text-to-speech or even a photo viewer are not offered with this particular Maestro. If you're a Magellan fan but want to add text-to-speech and a AAA TourBook, consider upgrading to the Magellan Maestro 3140, or the popular Magellan Maestro 4250.

What the Experts Say: 

• "The Magellan Maestro 3100 is an affordable, simple, and basic portable navigation system for first-time buyers, but you can get better performance from other similar systems." -- CNET

• "There's a lot to like about the Magellan Maestro 3100, but perhaps the best thing about it is the price." -- GPS Magazine 

Magellan Maestro 3100 Performance - 5.5 (Mediocre)

The Magellan Maestro 3100 is a solid performer overall, though it is sometimes sluggish in recalculating routes. CNET says it "accurately and easily got us to our destinations" but it "froze on a couple of occasions, and route recalculations can sometimes be slow." GPS Magazine likes the "good routing engine performance," however, "the routing system was reluctant to accept a different route if [they] deviated from the suggested path." 

Magellan Maestro 3100 Ease of Use - 6.5 (Acceptable)

CNET likes the streamlined setup of the unit: "Aside from the power button on the right side, you will use the Maestro 3100's touch screen to perform most functions, from entering addresses to adjusting the volume. This allows the device to have a simple and clean design." GPS Magazine says the interface has improved over earlier Magellan models, but "found it extremely annoying that the ETA isn't displayed on the map screen." 

Magellan Maestro 3100 Design - 7.25 (Good)

The Magellan Maestro 3100 is small unit, measuring at 4.2 inches wide, 3.5 inches tall and weighing just 6.5 ounces. While GPS Magazine liked the "handsome hardware design" and the "small, portable size," they found "the updated map screen's pastel color scheme and small text difficult to see -- particularly in bright sunlight." CNET also felt the display could use some improvement: "While maps were readable, we thought the color was a bit washed out and wished there was a little more contrast," they write. "Lowering the screen's brightness helped slightly, but it wasn't quite up to par with some other systems we've seen." Reviewers also had issues with removing the unit from its mounting apparatus. 

Magellan Maestro 3100 Features - 8.0 (Very Good)

The Magellan Maestro 3100 is not intended for consumers seeking extravagant features. CNET says the Maestro 3100 "is all about delivering the basic navigation features without any extra fluff." GPS Magazine summarizes, "You won't get Text-to-speech, Bluetooth, Traffic, an MP3 player, or photo viewer on the Maestro 3100, but you do get very good navigation capabilities and current maps at an extremely affordable price."  

Other GPS Devices to Consider

MSRP: $299 Mio DigiWalker C520

A great device for going against the grain, the Mio DigiWalker C520 offers abundant features for its price class, and an easy-to-use 4.3-inch touchscreen. However, some say its navigation capabilities are not superior to other mid-range GPS devices.

MSRP: $299 TeleNav Shotgun

The TeleNav Shotgun is only the second GPS-dedicated device to offer Internet connectivity. But its appeal lies more in its innovation than in its functionality.

MSRP: $200 Garmin nuvi 200

The Garmin nuvi 200's trump card is "no muss, no fuss" navigation that's absent the frilly features increasingly offered on even the cheapest navs, but fully loaded with Garmin's trademark accuracy and simple operation.

MSRP: $150 Magellan Maestro 4200

Grandfather to the popular Maestro 4250, the Magellan Maestro 4200 offers many of the well-liked navigation extras that have distinguished the series but for a more agreeable price tag.