Affordable GPS devices like the Garmin nuvi 1300LM look attractive to people that have never used a GPS device yet. But taking into the fact that higher priced midrange and high-end Garmin devices exist, the Garmin nuvi 1300LM can be a pretty risky bet. Fortunately, Garmin keeps some of the essential features in their budget devices. Since this is also part of the LM series, this Garmin nuvi 1300 device has a lot of life to offer.
Product Overview
Although some key features are sacrificed in the Garmin nuvi 1300LM, the design and construction isn't one of them. It has the same 4.3-inch display that many other Garmin nuvi devices have and it has that thin profile so it is easy to carry around just in case some foot navigation is needed. The display is made of the same material as other displays so its visibility under direct sunlight remains clear. It is also compatible with many of the mounts, suction cups, and travel accessories which is nice for users that may want to buy higher-end version in the future.
Product Features
Garmin came up with a highly simple interface so it can run on all kinds of Garmin nuvi devices. The effort has paid off because now low-end devices like the Garmin nuvi 1300LM can bring the same the experience that high-end users enjoy. The menu screen couldn't have been simpler interface with just two icons taking most of the screen's real estate. These large icons are both easy to see and easy to press so first time users shouldn't have a problem in using this particular device for the first time.
The "Where to?" icon brings up a simple step-by-process that guides the driver in planning a quick route. It is as simple as keying in a particular destination or point of interest and the device will do the rest in properly calculating the route. The Garmin nuvi 1300LM has just about the same number of points of interest as other devices released in late 2010. In addition to these 6 million POIs, the device allows you to add custom ones quite easily. It also throws in a nice bonus allowing you to download the latest map updates 4 times a year. These map updates are free and last a lifetime which is a fantastic deal for a budget device.
You can get an idea on what kinds of points of interest show up by using the other large icon which is the "View Map" option. This option takes you directly to the map where you can see your current position. The map can be viewed in 2-D or 3-D and Garmin nuvi 1300LM does a good job in rendering the colorful graphics. The map can be freely zoomed in and out using the touch controls so surrounding terrain and elevation levels can be seen. Finger swiping can be down to go to other screens of the map.
The Garmin nuvi 1300LM gets the short end of the stick when it comes to navigation compared to other Garmin nuvi devices but it still has HotFix satellite prediction which makes this device accurate in calculating position. It can also calculate routes with minimal fuel consumption in mind. This feature is known as ecoRoute and it comes up with a special route that can save money on fuel. It has a fuel usage counter to see exactly how the savings add up if this feature is used frequently.
A nifty optional feature is the cityXplorer content which can be downloaded in case public transit options need to be considered. This feature highlights specific areas where it is okay to walk or okay to wait for a bus, tram, or subway. The price of the content can start at around and it covers several North American and European cities. The built-in maps only cover the continental maps including Puerto Rico and Hawaii.
Some other nice features are crammed into this budget device including a world travel clock and calculator. In addition to basic calculating, a measurement converter and currency converter are thrown in as well. Thanks to the presence of a microSD card slot, any photos within the microSD card can be viewed using the JPEG picture viewer.
The price of the Garmin nuvi 1300LM started at around 0 and since the device has been around for more than a year, expect to find this model selling for under 0. Garmin has recently announced some new models but the lifetime map updates make this budget device still worth getting and the user interface doesn't disappoint.
display and powerful navigation features. It includes FREE lifetime traffic¹ and map² updates, advanced lane guidance and more.
check traffic conditions more than 2 billion times each month, so you can easily reroute around congestion and arrive on time.
hospitals, police stations and more. And Enhanced Exit Services tells you what services you’re approaching on the highway. 
