TomTom GO LIVE 820: Full Review

Subscores

Published: June 23, 2011 12:00 AM
By Fabien Pionneau
Translated by: Jack Sims

The TomTom GO LIVE 820 is identical to the TomTom GO LIVE 825 that we have tested, with just one difference. It has a smaller screen. It measures 4.3 inches against 5 inches on the GO LIVE 825. This is obviously a little less comfortable and this means we've given the GO LIVE 820 a four rather than a five star rating for hardware.

Hardware and finish: a nice finish

Features: a modern, well-designed interface

Navigation: the best traffic info system

Extra features: speed cameras and Bluetooth handsfree

For more details:

> Full test of the TomTom GO LIVE 825

Towards a more comprehensible range

The release of the GO LIVE 820 and 825 mark a change in the TomTom product naming policy. The mid-range, made up by the TomTom VIAs, enjoyed LIVE connected services on some models up until now. This situation notably allowed the VIA LIVE 120 to draw alongside the top end and the TomTom GO LIVE 1000 in particular.

Now, only the high end models, the GO LIVE 820, 825, 1000 and 1005, have connected services. The Via 110, 120 and 125 still make up the mid-range, while the Start 20 and 25 are the entry level models. They are all available with European maps, though some models can also be purchased with UK maps only. Models with a reference ending in the figure 5 have a 5-inch screen against 4.3-inch screens for the others.

3/5 TomTom GO LIVE 820 DigitalVersus 2011-06-23 00:00:00

Pros

LIVE services for those who do a lot of driving: traffic info and speed cameras
Good overall responsiveness
Interface is clear and easy to use
Superb finish
Compact, built-in mount

Cons

Unreliable voice recognition
Just one stage possible in journey planning
A few map errors (common to all models with TeleAtlas maps)

Conclusion

No surprises, the TomTom GO LIVE 820 is just as good as the VIA LIVE 120 that it replaces. Well designed, well finished and affordable, it has a nice display and is simple to use. The LIVE services are a major added value on this model, particularly the very effective traffic info.

OUR SCORE