Routing, navigation. TomTom GO Premium test

TomTom GO Premium is the most advanced and - unfortunately - the most expensive navigation in the brand's portfolio. Are its parameters, quality of workmanship and functionality worth the price? We decided to check it out.

I honestly admit that when I heard its price, I grabbed my head! Who will want to pay that much for navigation. Yes, it is branded and supposedly very nice and useful, but in the end only navigation. Are you sure just ordinary navigation? 

TomTom GO Premium. Why additional navigation?

Many people wonder why buy additional navigation? In most new vehicles, even if it is not standard equipment, you can buy it as an option. In addition, in the age of smartphones, all you need is one device that performs many functions.

I like to have additional navigation in the car, even if the car already has factory navigation. Not because something else can be stuck to the windshield that obscures the view while driving. There are several reasons. First of all, most test cars, even if they have factory navigation, are not always updated. Different brands have different regulations in this regard and some users may still use free updates made on the website for a certain period of time, and some have to pay for them immediately. It is not surprising, therefore, that updating the factory navigation is rare and if we already have navigation in the car, we use it even though the state of the maps may already be out of date.

This means that it is sometimes easier to update the secondary navigation, especially if its manufacturer provides it to us for life free of charge.

Secondly, I like when both the navigations I use (factory and additional) agree on the chosen route and mutually confirm each other - which most readers may consider to be a whim, but whatever, you can have some weaknesses.

The company's navigations also have various, not always intuitive menus and graphics that complicate it instead of making it easier to drive. The choice of additional navigation allows us to adjust it, in every respect, to our individual needs and preferences.

After all, there are still many vehicles on our streets that do not have factory navigation and their owners only have to buy an additional device or use a smartphone.

TomTom GO Premium. Technicia

But let's go back to TomTom GO Premium.

Tom Tom is a brand in itself. The quality of devices and installed maps is at the highest level. TomTom GO Premium is equipped with a large, 6-inch (15,5 cm) dot screen (with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels WVGA), embedded in a wide bezel, the edges of which are in an elegant silver color. On the back there is a switch, a loudspeaker, a micro-USB power socket, an external Micro SD card socket (up to 32 GB), as well as a 6-pin connector for connection to a magnetic holder.

I love navigation devices with a magnetic mount. Thanks to them, when leaving the car, we can quickly remove the device and hide it, and after entering the vehicle, we can mount it just as quickly.

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The same is the case with the TomTom GO Premium. The handle, despite the fact that it "carries" a fairly large device, is discreet and not "conspicuous". Additionally, and I like it very much, the effect of creating a vacuum is caused by turning the knob, not by moving the lever. It is also a very discreet and elegant solution and just as effective. The handle also has a micro-USB socket for power supply. The microUSB-USB power cable is exactly 150 cm and - in my opinion - it could be longer. It's good that it ends with a USB plug, because the navigation can be powered via the supplied 12V plug for the cigarette lighter socket or without it from the USB socket, which most new vehicles have. As for the 12 / 5V power plug, unfortunately it only has one USB socket. It is a pity, because then we could use it to power / charge another device, e.g. a smartphone.

The whole thing is perfectly made, the casing and its texture are pleasant to the touch, nothing creaks or bends under your fingers.

TomTom GO Premium. Only navigation?

TomTom GO Premium comes preloaded with maps of 49 countries. When you buy a device, you get a lifetime update, along with a speed camera database and TomTom Traffic - information about the current road traffic, road works, events, traffic jams, etc. Whoever has used it at least once, probably cannot imagine a journey without this useful function.

I like TomTom graphics. It is not overloaded with information and icons. It is simple and possibly sparing in terms of details, but therefore very clear and intuitive.

All in all, TomTom GO Premium does not differ in any way from the cheaper models of the brand in terms of navigation. But these are only appearances. There is power in the device, which we will discover only when we start to look more closely at its additional functions. And then we will see why it costs as much as it costs ...

TomTom GO Premium. Navigational combine

TomTom GO Premium is equipped with Wi-Fi and a modem with a built-in SIM card. This allows the device to connect itself to the internet to download map updates (Wi-Fi) and up-to-date traffic information. And here we see another advantage of this navigation. Because to update it, we do not need a computer. All you need to do is log in to the Wi-Fi network, and the navigation will inform us about new versions of maps or a speed camera database to be updated. And he will do it on his own in just a few or a dozen minutes. Our participation comes down only to pressing the icon confirming its execution. It couldn't be easier.

The IFTTT service (If this then that - if this, then this) is also undoubtedly interesting. It allows you to combine navigation with various smart gadgets at home (SMART), such as: garage door, lighting or heating. For example, we can program that if our car is 10 km away from the house, then the navigation will transmit a signal to turn on the electric heating in the house.

Thanks to the TomTom MyDrive application, we can also synchronize our smartphone with navigation, for example to send a contact list with home addresses or travel routes prepared on the phone, tablet or computer.

But that's not the end

TomTom GO Premium is like Mercedes, it can be controlled by our voice. Thanks to this, without taking your hands off the steering wheel, we can enter a new address into the device, adjust the volume or brightness of the screen to the desired level.

After synchronization with a smartphone, the navigation can also function as a hands-free set, read incoming messages or, after our command, choose a phone number and connect the call.

And at this point, I stopped paying attention to the price of the device.

TomTom GO Premium. For whom?

Of course, it may happen that by purchasing this model for our car, we will double its value immediately. In fact, if someone drives a lot ...

But seriously. TomTom GO Premium will be useful mainly for professional drivers who spend many hours "behind the wheel" and for whom such a device with such functions will be ideal. It will also be useful for people who, due to professional reasons, drive a car a lot, and its interior sometimes becomes a mobile office. Also "gadget lovers" and lovers of everything that is SMART will be satisfied with it.

After all, the number of functions performed by this inconspicuous device is impressive and can be compared with the cars of the most luxurious brands. Therefore, I am not surprised by the price, although it may scare most customers. Well, you have to pay for top-of-the-range goods, and in this case there is definitely no way to overpay.

PROS:

• convenient, magnetic suction cup;
• lifetime updates of maps, speed cameras and traffic information, performed automatically;
• possibility of voice control;
• IFTTT service that allows you to control external devices;
• wide possibilities of synchronization with a smartphone;
• perfect design of the device;
• large and clear display.

MINUS:

• High price.

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