2 September 2008 12:00 GMT / By Stephen Patrick

It seems that like all gadgets, satnav units are facing a price crash at the moment. This latest Magellan unit is available for around £140, which, considering how much it packs in for the price, is a bargain.

The look is attractive, with a black gloss fascia that encases the standard 4.3-inch widescreen display. The technology inside is fairly standard, so you’ll find a SiRF Star III GPS chip that managed to lock-in to the tracking satellites fairly quickly.

The interface is easy to use but there are some quirks to it, such as having to toggle between two screens to enter letters and numbers in to the postcode finder. You quickly get the feeling it was originally designed for a smaller 3-inch screen and hasn’t been optimised for this larger display.

With 2GB of internal memory you’ll be able to carry a host of maps, which in this case are supplied by Navteq. Magellan informs us that it covers 24 European countries. However, you will find that England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are counted separately.

Being a basic model you won’t find Bluetooth installed, so you’ll need to connect the device to your PC to update maps. The supplied CD also only offers basic mapping and POI information.

In the box you’ll find the normal gubbins such as a windscreen suction mount and power cable.

Verdict

The Magellan Maestro 4215 is very much an entry-level satnav unit and while it works reasonably well, it’s better suited to the casual user rather than someone who needs to find different locations quickly and regularly.

However, the price, with the inclusion of European maps makes it a compelling purchase.

Score

Review Recap

Made by

Magellan

Price as reviewed

£140

Latest price

Compare prices

The good

Big screen, 24 countries covered, latest chipset

The bad

Awkward interface, basic design

Quick verdict

This is a decent satnav that loads quickly but the interface has been designed for a smaller display

Key specs

GPS, Li-ion battery, SD, Touchscreen, USB

Score

Recommended articles