No one likes getting lost on a journey. It’s especially inconvenient if your job involves driving.

Luckily, navigating is easier than ever before thanks to a range of technology. While many people opt for a smartphone app, we still think a sat nav is the way to go.

To test the theory, we asked one of our Halford Mobile Expert drivers, Rob, to swap his smartphone for the TomTom GO Discover 7” sat nav for one week. How did the sat nav stack up against a smartphone app? Let’s find out…

Did the sat nav make a difference to your day-to-day job?

Rob: The sat nav made a big difference. When I was looking for a destination, it took me to the correct spot, on the correct side of the street, even down to the right house number. This saves a lot of time during the day trying to pinpoint a house.

It also always found faster route calculations when there was congestion, which then decreased journey times.

Were there any other benefits of using a sat nav?

Rob: The larger screen size is a big plus as you can see the upcoming map destinations much easier compared to on a smartphone app.

This really helped when trying to follow the directions while driving to my next destination. I was also able to easily see any traffic alerts and speed cameras that were ahead.

Another great thing is it monitors the speed you’re travelling at against the speed of the road you’re travelling on.

You used the TomTom GO Discover 7” Sat Nav, which features did you find most useful?

The TomTom GO Discover 7″ Sat Nav

Rob: The sat nav comes with lots of different features and most of these were very useful.

While using the sat nav, it picked up any traffic alerts [through the TomTom Traffic Alerts feature] on my route and then diverted me onto a faster route avoiding any potential congestion. When you need to get to a destination on time, this is a big help.

The pin that is dropped at your destination is very accurate and takes you directly to the correct address, not just the street.

It also finds you the appropriate route automatically once inputting your vehicle’s details and it even updates you on the nearest carpark [the TomTom GO Discover 7” comes with one year of parking availability updates].

And would Rob recommend a sat nav to others?

Rob: Yes! This sat nav is a great option thanks to the traffic information, updates and the variety of features it contains. It’s very simple to use and pretty self-explanatory.

It even detects the correct house down to the house number.

TomTom GO Discover 7” Sat Nav

During the week, Rob used the TomTom GO Discover 7” Sat Nav. It clearly made a big difference to his day-to-day work, so let’s take a closer look at some of its amazing features.

HD 7-inch screen

The high-quality 7-inch screen provides exceptional picture clarity. Combined with a powerful speaker, the sat nav provides crystal-clear route guidance throughout your journey.

TomTom GO Discover 7" Sat Nav

Sat nav v smartphone

TomTom world maps

Wherever your journey takes you, you’ll benefit from up-to-date TomTom world maps. Giving you total confidence, the maps can quickly and easily be updated via WiFi.

TomTom Traffic

With the GO Discover 7”, you won’t need to worry about traffic. It provides up-to-date traffic information and will help reroute you around any jams, something Rob found handy.

Sat nav
 

Sat nav

Lots more!

There are many more features to take advantage of. Each is designed to make your journeys easier than ever before. This includes one year of speed camera alerts, live fuel prices and car park availability.


Rob’s week testing the TomTom GO Discover 7” was a huge success, and he found the larger screen and additional features helped in his day-to-day work.

Still not convinced a sat nav is better than a smartphone app? Check out our Sat navs: 5 features you won’t find on an app article.

You can find a wide range of sat navs from top brands including TomTom and Garmin over at Halfords.com. If you need help finding the right sat nav for your needs, check out our sat nav buyer’s guide here.