The Garmin Drive 50LMT is a vehicle navigation system that provides drivers with all the essential features that one could search for in such a device. However, although it is undeniably reliable, the Garmin Drive 50LMT will not cut any best vehicle navigation system shortlist. This is simply because it lacks many of the premium features that most of us have grown to anticipate. As a result of Garmin’s decision to stop producing the model, it is now quite difficult to get. Below you will find Navigation GPS Garmin Drive 50LMT Review.
Video Quality, Safety Features, and Alerts
The Garmin Drive 50LMT records your journey continuously once you turn it on. The device has a built-in G-sensor that will automatically save the video along with the hit’s date, time, and GPS coordinates. A 4GB microSD card is already inserted and used to save the film. The default frame rate for the dashboard camera is 30 frames per second, and the maximum resolution is 1,920 by 1,080 pixels.
To save space on the memory card (or to just record at a lower quality), you may lower the resolution to 1,280 by 720 pixels at 30 frames per second. The device lets you watch videos while superimposing them on a geographical backdrop. The films your Garmin Dash Cam captured may be viewed on your computer using the corresponding software.
The DriveAssist also has Bluetooth for hands-free calling and a voice-activated navigation system. Depending on your preferences, it may alert you to things like sharp curves, school zones, speed changes, one-way streets, and more. If you’re following the automobile in front of you too closely at 60 mph or more speeds, several safety systems, such as Forward Collision Warning, may sound an alert.
A lane departure warning, on the other hand, will sound an alarm if you wander off the roadway or into the path of approaching vehicles. If you have been driving for extended periods without resting, there is even a tiredness indicator that will recommend prospective rest locations along your journey. During my evaluations, I could not activate these warnings since doing so would have required dangerous driving, but their inclusion is much appreciated.
You can receive phone calls, text messages, and calendar reminders on your smartphone if you link it with the DriveAssist over Bluetooth. A smartphone mobile app called Smartphone Link also broadcasts information about the weather and traffic. Because the GPS component provides free lifetime traffic information, you can be certain that you will always follow the quickest route.
The 50LMT is also functional with the wireless backup camera and babyCam sold by Garmin, allowing you to observe what is behind you and watch your children simultaneously. You may play back this video using the gadget or the Dash Cam Player software.
Garmin’s devices can video record and come with features that increase driver awareness. These features make use of the camera in a variety of different ways. The device can identify when a motorist strays from their lane by using the camera, and it will provide both an audio and visual alarm on the side of the screen when it does so.
Even with the camera in the corner of the windshield, the system was accurate and would alert us during testing as though we had crossed the centerline by a fraction of an inch. The camera’s off-center position in the windshield didn’t affect the system’s precision.
When it determines that a motorist is approaching another vehicle at an unsafe rate of speed, a forward collision detection function will sound an alarm and allow the driver to use the brakes. A warning would sound if the traffic ahead of you began moving if you hadn’t begun accelerating straight away. This was one of the more minor features, but it was quite useful.
There were a few instances in which we were distracted while sitting in halted traffic and received a kind reminder to “move it along.” This came in helpful while trying to obtain a better picture of where an address that had been typed was situated. In addition, the screen will transition to the camera view and display a flag ahead as you approach your destination to assist with the navigation.
Navigation
The Drive 50LMT is an effective navigation system; nevertheless, it does not make up for its lack of functionality in any way. You will get Garmin’s navigation platform, allowing you to establish as many waypoints as you want along the path to your final destination. After that, it determines the fastest path through all the waypoints you specified.
The navigation software alerts you before approaching turns and even informs you which lane you should be in for an impending turn by indicating which lane you should be in. Using the landmark guiding feature, you will see simplified depictions of surrounding landmarks, making it much simpler to identify where you are and where to make turns. In addition, it is equipped with a speed limit indicator that displays your current speed and the maximum permissible speed for the road you are traveling on. If you’re driving on an unfamiliar route, doing this might help you avoid getting a speeding penalty.
In the same vein as the menu, the navigational display of the Garmin satnav is pretty much the same as that of the previous few generations, except for the additional Smart capabilities that have previously been discussed. The view is in three dimensions, and three-dimensional landmarks in built-up regions assist you in navigation. At the bottom of the screen, you will see your current speed and arrival time, and in between the two will be the current street name.
The current speed limit is shown on the left, and the next turn is indicated at the top of the sign. A voyage summary appears on the right edge, but thankfully, it only stays there for a little period. This is because the 5-inch screen seems congested whenever the summary is there. This screen does not have a very high resolution. Still, it is bright enough to be easily readable, and its capacitive touch technology makes it more sensitive than cheaper resistive touchscreens.
Design
The 480 by 272-pixel display on the resistive touchscreen seen in the 50LMT may be found in the 50LMT. This is on par with other simple GPS devices, particularly ones that are priced in the same range as this one. It also comes with an internal battery that can be charged, allowing you to use the GPS even when it is not connected to an external power source. The battery may last for up to sixty minutes at a time.
This is particularly beneficial if your car’s single DC charging plug is already in use but still needs to charge your phone. On the other hand, if you believe you will need a longer battery life, the TomTom VIA 1515M can operate without an external power source for up to three hours. Garmin maintains a team of customer service professionals that may be reached via phone or email. If you wish to learn more about the device or solve a problem alone, the Garmin website has several different information resources you may use at your convenience.
Interface and Setup
The DriveAssist 50LMT has a huge screen that is 5 inches in size and presents you with the following choices as soon as you turn it on: Check Out This Map and Where To? Along the top, you will notice information on the intensity of the signal, the remaining battery life, and whether or not the camera is activated.
After you have finished the first setup, which consists of only obtaining satellites and setting the time and date (all of which are done automatically), you are prepared to begin using the device. The suction cup mount makes it extremely simple to connect the device to your windshield, and the grip it provides is highly reliable.
Garmin Real Vision is a function that displays a picture of your destination so that you can’t possibly miss it. This feature is accessible in certain areas but not in others. There are forward-collision warnings and “Go” alerts, which let you know that traffic is proceeding ahead of you so that you don’t hold up traffic on the road or at a green light. Safety features include these two types of warnings.
To obtain software and map updates, you must connect the device to your computer using the USB cord supplied in the package. It is important to note that the item cannot be charged by connecting it to a computer via a USB connection. You cannot power it with anything other than the vehicle charger.
Watching Your Back
You may combine the DriveAssist with Garmin’s BC 30 Wireless Backup Camera in addition to the plethora of capabilities that come standard with the device. The system costs $150, and despite having the word “wireless” in its name, it requires quite an amount of cabling, much like the Yada Backup Camera system that we examined in the past. The Yada system is quite similar.
The instructions state that the camera should be mounted on the trunk and holes should be drilled in the vehicle’s body before the wire is brought inside the cabin. We discovered that entering the car was possible via the holes around the license plate lights on the back. The next step is to install a wireless transmitter within the cabin, which then communicates with the Garmin DriveAssist device.
Should You Buy The Garmin Drive 50LMT?
The Garmin Drive 50LMT is a navigation device with very few bells and whistles; for example, it does not include a voice-activated navigation system or a capacitive touchscreen that supports high definition. Despite this, it can perform navigational tasks at the same high level as the most costly automobile GPS devices. Given that Garmin has discontinued the model, however, it is possible that finding one may prove to be a bit of a struggle.
Conclusion
The DriveAssist 50LMT lives up to Garmin’s stellar reputation as a leader in the global positioning system (GPS) industry. It will not disappoint you if you are looking for a GPS gadget with a huge screen, a dash cam, and features that enhance your vehicle’s safety. If all you need is a dash cam and not GPS navigation, some options to consider include the Garmin Dash Cam 35 or the Cobra CDR 855 BT, both of which also function as action cameras and radar detectors in addition to their dash cam functionality. The 50LMT, on the other hand, is the product we recommend purchasing if you are looking for a tool capable of doing everything. We hope you enjoyed our Navigation GPS Garmin Drive 50LMT Review.
