TomTom x50 Range Reviewed

[Darren]

TomTom's x40 series (540, 740, 940) was received to critical acclaim back in Aug 2008.

Following on from the very popular x20 and x30 model ranges the x40 needed to be very good if it was to persuade existing users to dip into their savings and upgrade. And TomTom's LIVE services did just that.

Just over a year later, TomTom announced the x50 range (550, 750, 950). Although the external design remained unchanged, the finish has been subtly altered and the software upgraded to the latest Navcore release, version 9.
We have had access to a 550 and 950 for review, are they worthy successors to the x40 range?

Click here to read the full review.
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Darren Griffin

[dougproctor]

I swop or sell my GPS units like the wind but this one feels like it is going to stay. Well, for a while anyway. Have had the 720, 730, 740 and now this and they all get better and better.
The biggest jump for me has been in Traffic. I regularly travel through Hindhead and we know what happens there. With all my previous TT's, the RDS TMC data was never right and was just ignored. With the 950, it told me there was a traffic jam and it counted down the miles and was spot on where it started!
I have also used the Google search and, when working, is an excellent addition to the unit's services.
An all round excellent unit with, I believe, free 12 months Live services if it is still on.
Doug
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Returned to a proper Garmin although still have Co-Pilot on a Galaxy S3!

[Darren]

I presume you have an x50 now but what persuaded you to upgrade from the 740?
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Darren Griffin

[dougproctor]

Hi Darren,
I probably had about three sat navs between those two! I had a Becker Z205 before the 950 but just fancied the Live Services. As I said, the standard RDS-TMC is pretty rubbish and have been caught out on numerous occasions and in the end, it was ignored as the information being so out of date.
Probably tried out most brands although not all models of sat nav and always come back to TomTom although mine has a Garmin map overlay so have the best of both worlds!! The Becker was a bit of a change from the usual but support was very patchy to say the least. At least TomTom will answer you although they may or may not redress your problems.
Doug

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Returned to a proper Garmin although still have Co-Pilot on a Galaxy S3!

[Darren]

Ok, let me re-phrase the question then....

What made you drop the 740 which had LIVE services, only to return to the 950?

And what is a Garmin map overlay?
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Darren Griffin

[nickjwhite]

Hey...It's great to see that there are people out there with money to burn. A new SN every time one comes out? and a few others in between?
I am still using my original Go, which I have to say has never given me any trouble at all for many years. The maps get updated 4 times a year and it still does what it says on the tin.
That said...I would sell my soul for a x50, but Mrs Nick thinks we should spend the little we have on such irrelevancies as food and council tax etc. That's women for you.
Anyone with loads of wonga want to sell me their x40 for a couple of pints and a kiss (if you are female)?
I will continue to covet an x50... and thanks Darren for not only excellent reviews, but for a fantastic service provided by your team on cams etc.
Nick

[karzi]

Nice little review and to the point.
I think the question is, why did they bother to release an X50 in the first place, apart from the software, it is a backwards step.
Almost makes me loose a little respect in TomTom as a company to be honest, really why bother with the hardware refresh?
They should have made the device faster and slimmer with smoother graphical refreshing , I think my IPhone 3gs is actually quicker.

[Darren]

[Lui-G]

I've owned TomTom on a Palm T3 for a long time, only to then move onto TomTom on my Nokia N95.

The move to the N95 was a backwards step (no touchscreen), but at least I always had it with me, and could get traffic updates without tethering.

Late last year, I decided to finally buy a 'real' TomTom.

I bought the 930T - to avoid LIVE monthly payments and get the Traffic data I was paying for, for free.

Kept it for a week and sold it on. - RDS NEVER worked despite having the areal in different positions, at home, at work, around the M23 and M25... I also somehow managed to buy Traffic updates for the device TWICE - yet they never activated! - oh and also, in the process, accidentally bought their traffic cams database - ironic since I use PocketGPS. Oh and the Map up-to-date promise DIDN'T work and told me I had to buy the latest maps, but had to buy the 1 year update service! - this was another bug in the software.

So I decided to buy the 940, but then the x50 had just been announced, so I waited and bought a 750 as soon as it was available.

Due to the hassle I had with the 930T they exchanged all my add-on purchases for the 930T into Live service, so I ended up getting about 1.5 years LIVE services & Map updates for 2 years.

So, is it nice? - Yes, I like it. The sound quality (compared to the Palm T3 and Nokia N95) is TERRIBLE. Getting LIVE services & Google search as i walk to my car is brilliant.

The touchscreen is a little TOO sensitive - compared to the Palm T3 version. Sometimes pressing on one item, it selects the next screen's item too.

I use it with the bluetooth remote - as my windscreen is too far away to reach comfortably - and here the voice control can be a nice feature. Also, having a tactile interface (the remote), then you can navigate through the menus without taking your eyes off the road.

Will I sell it on when I get an iPhone this Summer? - Most probably, now that the iPhone TomTom offers the same features (LIVEServices), and at a more flexible rate since I don't need 24/7 coverage. Although I will miss the remote feature.

[Juniper]

I have had a TomTom One v1 for ever. I am seriously thinking about the 750 (though only really tempted because of the free 12 months offer on the Live services). Is the rest of the device that much better than the One?
I am not interested in MP3, text, picture viewing - just Nav.
Intrigued by talk of the remote control in the last comment...

[Darren]

[DeLorean]

A great Darren review, thanks

I’ve previously owned a 300, 500 and currently a 910.
The winning feature for me was the windscreen docking mount.
Plonk it on and off you go (hopefully).

However the x10 models were initially plagued with issues surrounding the windscreen mounting shoe.
Personally found the 910 heavy and wobbly, so waited in anticipation for the next range.
It arrived and what a nice form factor… but the windscreen docking shoe had disappeared!
TomTom’s winning feature (for me anyhow) had gone!

Friends buying subsequent series were constantly complaining about having to connect the power, RDS-TMC and external antennas connectors separately.
They looked scruffy with wires trailing all over the place whereas mine could be cunning routed through the dashboard as there was no need to disconnect them.

So I stuck with my 910...it went up in smoke and melted it’s case…I had it fixed…then the hard disk failed…I had it fixed again…but I still persevered with it!

Then after years of waiting the x40 range appeared and the windscreen docking shoe was back and looked the business!

I agree that MP3 playback and the photo gallery features are a little pointless (I’m sure other would disagree), but I personally find the document reader useful for displaying notes & simple language dictionaries as I use my 910 extensively in mainland Europe.
The 910 can display HTML documents which is a bonus (sorry I don’t know about other models).

I think the next time my 910 packs up I’ll call it a day.
Hopefully this will coincide with a 950 price drop or special offer

A quick question?
Does the live subscription allow roaming and its use in mainland Europe?
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🔸🔸 Currently using TomTom GO 940 & Locus Map 🔸🔸

[Darren]

[dougproctor]

Hi Darren,
Boredom with sat navs makes me change them. I sold my 740 as, at the time, I was not interested or had done any research on Live Services, bought the Becker which was a whole new experience and then found Live Services and went back to the 950.
I download from TT Home a Garmin colour scheme because I prefer the clean lines to the browny and red thing that TT use as their default. Sorry, map overlay was the wrong word to use.
I now have a mobile caravan and keep looking at the Truck sat navs because I have been caught out by the narrow roads before when towing although I have downloaded what POI's I can gather on the 950 to try and compensate. They sell a TT Truck SD card although it does not work on the X50 series, only the X40 or so I believe.
Doug
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Returned to a proper Garmin although still have Co-Pilot on a Galaxy S3!

[Juniper]

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