Get more for less.(GPS receivers and navigation systems)(Product/service evaluation)

Prices for Global Positioning System navigators are dropping, and features such as internal batteries, touch screens, preloaded map databases, MP3 players, and spoken street names ("Turn left on Maple Street," not just "Turn left") are trickling down from pricey models to lower-cost ones. Real-time traffic alerts can also be had from less expensive GPS units, but expect to pay a subscription fee.

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We tested 18 devices costing from $250 to $700. All were very good or excellent at letting you enter a destination, but they differ in other respects, such as screen size, the controls' convenience, the information given to the driver, the ability to go into biking or walking mode, and the ability to offer detours or limit route options--to avoid toll roads, for instance.

Full of features. The top five devices in our Ratings are multitalented. All provide top-notch navigation functions, including street-name pronunciation. All can report traffic delays,but the TomTom Go 910 must be paired with a compatible Bluetooth phone to do so; with the Magellan CrossoverGPS and Garmin Nuvi 350, you need to ...