| | |  | Navigation Systems | Home » » » Garmin nüvi 500 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator | | | | | | | Description: | | Perfect for crossing over the threshold from city to backcountry, the Garmin nüvi 500 provides a high-sensitivity GPS receiver with turn-by-turn navigation in a ruggedized, waterproof exterior that you can use while hiking, biking, or boating. With its high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver and HotFix satellite prediction, nüvi 500 locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover and deep canyons-whether in the city or out in the wilds. | | | Features: | |
• High-Sensitivity GPS Receiver For Improved Performance And Reception
• Built-In 3D Basemap
• Includes Built-In Lower 48 Us States Topographic Maps
• 3.5-Inch Display, 320 X 240 Pixels
• Easy Touch-Screen Interface
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 0.9 inches | | Product Width:
| 3.3 inches | | Product Height:
| 4.21 inches | | Product Weight:
| 0.5 pounds | | Package Length:
| 6.6 inches | | Package Width:
| 6.6 inches | | Package Height:
| 3.4 inches | | Package Weight:
| 1.2 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 88 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 88 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
230 of 231 found the following review helpful:
An Excellent Multi-Functional GPSNov 06, 2008
By Timothy B. Riley
Let me start by saying that I currently own and use several different GPS units: Garmins Nuvi 750, Colorado 400t, Rino 130 (a pair), Magellan 1470 and a Dash Express (I've also owned Garmins 2720, 2820, Nuvi 350, and a 60CSx in the recent past). I have so many of them because I use them for different purposes:
* Automobile navigation: I travel all over the country and always take a GPS with me for use in my rental cars.
* Walking in urban areas: I love to stroll around great cities and a good GPS not only keeps me from getting lost, it helps me to find areas of interest.
* Hiking in rural areas: As a birdwatcher I find a hand-held GPS receiver essential. Getting lost in the desert or the woods is no fun at all.
* Bicycling: I love to just bike and then try to figure out how to get home later. A GPS makes it easy to find my way back.
* Geocaching: A wonderful hobby that involves finding things that others have hidden using coordinates posted on the web. A GPS is an absolute necessity if you want to do this.
So, why did I buy yet another Garmin, the Nuvi 500? It is a part of my eternal search for one GPS receiver that is appropriate for all of these endeavors. It is important to understand that no GPS is perfect, nor is any one model ideal for everything. However, some accomplish some tasks well but are useless for others. The Nuvi 500 (and it's brother the 550) are useful for all of my needs.
Instead of comparing it to other models that are more specialized, let me grade the Nuvi 500 in how well in works ,right out-of-the-box, for each task that I wanted it for:
* Automobile navigation: B-
There are much better units for this purpose if that is all you are going to use it for. Still, it gets you there. One major feature that I missed at first in the Nuvi 500 was Text-To-Speech (or TTS). This is where the unit pronounces the names of streets and roads. With it a GPS will say "Turn right on Broadway Street". Without TTS is will say "Turn right at the next street". However, in March of '09 Garmin released a firmware update that gives the nuvi 500 this feature! I have downloaded it to mine and it works just like my nuvi 750 (make sure that you download some TTS voices as well). I assume that new units will have this already installed. Still, the display is somewhat small for an automotive GPS, especially if the dash is deep and far from the driver. Although you can buy an optional FM traffic receiver, some units, like the Dash Express, have this feature built-in, plus it can connect via the internet and get real-time traffic info. My Garmin 2820 has built in satellite radio, however it is pretty big and needs to be plugged in.
* Walking in urban areas: A
Here is where the Nuvi 500 shines. First, it is small enough to fit in a pocket (although I do wish that it was thinner) yet it's big enough to see the display without squinting. However, my favorite feature is the user-switchable batteries. Most GPS receivers use built-in rechargeable batteries; nice but when they run down you either have to find a place to plug it in and recharge it or you are stuck without a usable GPS. The Garmin Nuvi 500's back opens up and the expended battery can be swapped out with a fresh one. This is a HUGE benefit for anyone using a GPS in any place other than a car. Another nice feature for the urban tourist is that you can download photos from a special web-site and not only see them on the Nuvi it will give directions to where the photo was taken. Cool.
* Hiking in rural areas: B
The Nuvi is not as ergonomic as those units designed to be hand held. It is a flat, rectangular device without a textured surface, still it is very usable outdoors. What I like about the 500 is that it comes loaded with both City Navigator and Garmin's Topo Map (the 550 does has more North American coverage but does not have topographical coverage). Both units feature "digital elevation model" (DEM) mapping which shows you shaded contours at higher zoom levels, however, the Topo maps will show much, much more. Details like elevations, streams, small bodies of water, trails, landmarks and many other features that can really be useful when you are out in the boonies.
* Bicycling: A
I had my Garmin Colorado mounted on my Trek 7300 bike and although it looked funny (I have photos of it on Amazon's Colorado 400t page) it worked O-K. Still, it did not come with the same type of street maps that the Nuvi does (I could have purchased it for about $100 and downloaded it onto the Colorado if I wanted to) and it was not as intuitive to use as the Nuvis are. Also, the Nuvi 500 really looks nice on my handlebars. Since it is waterproof (as is the Colorado) you don't have to worry about a rainstorm.
* Geocaching: B+
If you haven't geocached and don't ever plan on doing it then you might want to skip this part of my review. However, if you are on of the many thousands that enjoy this growing hobby (over 800,000 geocaches have been placed worldwide) this is a GPS that can take you from your driveway to the cache and back effortlessly. Like the Colorado (and similar models such as the Oregon) you can download cache information directly to the GPS. Other Garmins can download the coordinates but the Nuvi 500 (and the 550) will display the cache information, hints, logs and just about everything that you need to successfully find what you are looking for. You can also record the results of your search (found, did not find, needs repair, etc.) for later transfer to the geocaching website. I've used the Nuvi 500 to find caches and it took me right to it. I'll still use my Colorado but if I only want to take one GPS with me, it'll be the 500.
Additional things that I like:
The Nuvi 500 lets you change your mode of travel (car, bike or on-foot) from the main page. It will then customize you directions based on your mode of transport icon (for instance, you can navigate one-way streets much differently on bike or on foot vs. by car). Another nice touch is when you choose a destination a little tab slides out from the "Go!" icon on the screen which shows your Usage Mode (car, bike, etc.) the Distance and the Time based on your chosen mode of travel. My 750 does not have this feature. Another thing that I like is that you can easily program the Nuvi 500 for on-road or off-road use. If you are traveling on foot you are not restricted to directions that require you to stick to the streets.
Somethings that I am not crazy about:
The specs list the battery life as "up to" 8 hours. I set the backlight to 50% and got 5 hours of use. Still very usable and with a second battery (which I bought with the unit and highly recommend) you can get 10 hours of continuous use without needing to recharge it or turn off the backlight completely. I also wish that the housing had a textured finish on the outside edge, giving you something to help you to keep your grip.
One final gripe: I can understand why Garmin does not include the AC charger with other Nuvi models but this one should really come with one. After all, it's billed as a multifunctional GPS, not an automotive GPS.
I am very happy with my new Garmin. I will be recommending this unit to all of my geocaching, birdwatching and bicycling friends. If you're are looking for a GPS that does it all, so far this one is the best.
UPDATE 12/03/08: The price has dropped quite a bit since I purchased it only a month ago. Now the value is even better! Grab it while you can. TR
82 of 85 found the following review helpful:
 Not bad, but not all good either.May 16, 2009
By D. Granger
This unit is fairly nice, but its more of an on-the-road GPS. It has a terrific 3D view and works well at guiding you down the road. It does lack any way of holding it when in the back country though, and has no screen lock for when you throw it in your backpack, so the touch screen goes nuts while in the pack. It also only comes with the 1:100K TOPO's which are about as useless as they get in the woods, and at the moment Garmin has no TOPO 1:24K maps for the NorthEast, and you have to purchase those separately. There is support for Raster images, but no way to create Raster Maps, which would be a major plus if we could load on USGS 24K maps, which are superior to the ones Garmin uses. I also found the Address lookup ability, which a GPS unit should excel at, was quite useless. There just isnt enough addresses in the unit, it has serious troubles when looking up small towns addresses. I have a legal address and zip code and it refuses to accept it. It will suggest the next town over, or a location several miles from my home, and this is normal for all Garmin's. I find this annoying, because like I said, this should be its strong suit, it is a GPS unit afterall.
I did find some custom made 1:24K maps online, and they are pretty good, but no where near as good as the USGS. Its a good unit, but they didnt think it thru very well, maybe the next generation of this unit will fair better.
Things that need to be changed or added:
1) Should come with 1:24K Maps
2) They need to get the Raster ability working so we can load USGS 1:24K
3) Address lookups need to be updated/expanded and more accurate(This is a real let down right now)
4) Needs a place to hookup up a strap so you have a way to secure it while carrying it around.
5) Desperately needs a Screen Lock, even Garmin's vehicle units have this, but a Cross-Over unit that spends its time in the woods/backpacks doesnt?
6) Should be smaller, its just a little to large to carry around or hold.(Maybe adding the ability to turn the unit and have the screen view turn with you, its easier to hold the unit the long way)
42 of 43 found the following review helpful:
Great choice in an all-around GPS receiverJan 07, 2009
By Steven H. Hulme
"Idaho Spud"
I bought the Nuvi 500 to replace my tried-and-true Garmin StreetPilot i3.
One of my primary considerations is WATERPROOFness... my i3 has worked great on my MOTORCYCLE touring adventures, but when the rains came, it was either in the tank bag, or in a clear sandwich bag, held in place with a rubber band - not ideal.
There are motorcycle-specific GPS receivers, but they are all significantly more expensive. Frankly, I was attracted to the multi-purpose nature of this model. I've used it for motorcycle rides (just trial runs so far), bicycling, hiking/walking, and driving. I'm confident there are better solutions for each individual use - if you can afford a CAR GPS, and a HIKING GPS, and a MOTORCYCLING GPS, and a BOATING GPS, knock yourself out. The Nuvi 500 seems to do a very adequate job at all of that stuff.
Another feature I was looking for - and the Nuvi 500 has it - is the ability to enter a very specific ROUTE into it, and expect accurate directions. (When I'm motorcycle touring, it's all about the JOURNEY, not the DESTINATION. I want to plan the journey, rather than leaving it to GPS-receiver silicon. I could plan my routes using the i3, but it was a matter of entering up to 50 waypoints, and then selecting each one in sequence. Now I can just tell it to "follow route Day 2," and off we go.)
It has "modes" for automobile, bicycle, boating, and walking. (With a myriad of avatar options... when you're hiking, you can use some little blue trudging feet to indicate your current location. Cute!) Also, with a firmware upgrade (readily available at the Garmin website) you can add "Scooter" mode. (I'm guessing they don't have a "Motorcycle" mode for it, because they hope motorcycle riders will opt instead for the significantly-more-pricey Zumo models. But how different could "motorcycle" and "scooter" be, other than the gay factor? That's just a joke... scooters are great!)
This model doesn't have some of the other features found on a lot of high-end models. If you want a unit that speaks street names, or plays your MP3 tunes, or doubles as a cell phone or bluetooth... this may not be the one for you.
My only suggestion for Garmin would be - add a place to attach a lanyard/safety-tether! It would be nice, particularly when hiking, to be able to hang this around the neck, or attach it to a backpack with a carabiner. (Or to safety-strap it to the bicycle or motorcycle!)
Based on my experience, Garmin is VERY oriented toward customer service and satisfaction. They have bent over backwards to keep THIS customer happy. (That's a nice bonus to the fact that they make an excellent product.)
24 of 24 found the following review helpful:
Overall a good unit but has foiblesJun 20, 2009
By lrathome
This is my third garmin GPS unit. Bought the Nuvi 500 as a crossover unit for the topographical maps.
I had previously owned garmin Quests and REALLY liked them!
The nuvis are a mixed bag.
PROS/Improvements over the quest:
1) Excellent large touch screen. Good brightness
2) Excellent acquisition time. With a clear view, acquires satellites in less than a minute anywhere in country, even after just getting in a new city by plane with unit off.
3) Very good sensitivity even in overcast/tree covered/ awninged/ etc conditions. Is able to remain locked on with impressively poor views of the sky.
4) Excellent routing engine. The hallmark of Garmin, their units find the best routes the fastest. Other brand names I've demoed have had quirks.
CONS: the software/firmware/menus are a letdown.
1) The icons are so large you end up going through multiple screens to get to where you want, paging forward and down to get to stuff which should be on the first screen-- annoying
2) The POI list is a DISASTER. Although it has the entire USA, it lacks SO MANY POI to render it almost useless to search by POI. It lacks businesses that the Quest had 5 years ago. Furthermore, when you search point of interests, it can take an eternity; I've arrived to places while waiting to see if they were in the database. Lastly, It will only search for things if you have a city or town of interest nearby and won't alert you if you search and are not close enough geographically, it just states no matches. For instance search for John F. Kennedy airport under air travel when in New Orleans, LA and it states "no matches" quite infuriating. With a nationwide database, it might/should take longer but don't tell me no matches.
3) The screen is not customizable at all. The older units allowed you to populate fields such as altitude, speed, time of day, time of arrival etc. Literally dozens of options available for 4 fields. The nuvi has no options for customizing different fields.
4) The GPS satellite information is no longer available on the nuvi units. Part of the generalized EXTREME dumming down that has occured with Garmin products.
5) The compass is a DISASTER. Not a true compass only approximates direction of travel when moving. An embarrassment in a so called off road unit that has geocache ability.
6) Another search issue-- when searching for a city, it organizes the results not by distance, and not alphabetically. NEITHER, simply randomly and chaotically, again rediculous.
7) No firmware updates to address any of these issues. Garmins lack of sincere firmware updates is weak.
8) The unit crashes routinely losing all of the address book. I've owned it for 6 months and have to replace the address book at least that many times.
9) Battery life is nowhere near advertised. I get 3 hours with 50% brightness timing out after a few minutes.
10) When you switch back and forth between walking/bike/ and driving modes it will not remember preferences. I have to indicate my preferences every time.
I'll keep it for now but really wish they had put the upgraded GPS chip and added a touch screen and memory with Topo to the Quest and called it a day. It would've been a nicer unit.
11 of 11 found the following review helpful:
A Crossover GPS Device with Pretty Good PerformanceAug 10, 2009
By T. Chan
PROS:
1) A crossover type GPS device works for driving, hiking, boating etc. After updating its latest software, you will have an additional usage mode: Scootering.
2) It has longer battery life comparing with other nuvi models. This is good for you to carry it around without worrying too much about running out of battery.
3) Weather sealing design is good for normal out door activities.
4) It has been accurate and reliable so far during my driving and hiking.
5) It has very good satellite acquisition capability. The satellite lock time for hot start normally takes less than 5 seconds. It takes about 45 seconds for cold start. More impressively, all these happened inside a brick ranch house, not in an opening area.
6) Nuvi 500 multi-language supports both display menu and "turn by turn" audio instructions. Switching between different languages is quick and easy. It is well suit for traveling overseas or a family with people that have different language preferences.
CONS:
1) The device does not come with the latest map and the latest operating system. To get free map update, you need to register this GPS device on internet, and to download approximately 3 GB files. It toke me more than 4 hours to download and to do installations. (I have cable modem internet connectivity.) You can pay $10 to ask GARMIN sending you DVD instead of downloading maps from internet, but you have to register on the internet first. As indicated by other reviewers, you need to have a USB cable to do internet registration. The USB cable does not come with this GPS device.
2) Right out of the box, "speaks street names" does not work. Even after your registration on the internet, and after automatically updating nuvi 500 operating system, it still not work. you have to go to GARMIN web side to download languages that support TTS. I think this should be done automatically during system update. At least, after software update, it should give a message to let customers know what they need to do to let "speaks street names" work. Currently, there is nothing.
3) Disconnecting from PC does not work well. After I selecting "eject USB device" from PC, nuvi 500 power does shut down. However, if I do not disconnect USB cable between PC and GPS device quickly, it will start itself and connect with PC again, which is really annoying.
4) The software user interface design is for GPS devices that have flat borders. Nuvi 500 has a higher border around touch screen. This higher border results in difficulty to press icons near the border. I do not have fat fingers, but I miss-selected icons several times near the border.
5) Some GARMIN maps for foreign countries do have problems. From what I known, the earlier version of "Garmin City Navigatorfor Detailed Maps of China" has about 500 meters offset. This offset also existing in Hong Kong and Macau maps that comes with "Garmin City Navigator Southeastern Asia" product. If you use nuvi 500 with those maps in China, you will get lost. It is shamed that GARMIN selling those maps without checking their usability. However, this is not nuvi 500 design or manufacture fault.
Generally say, this GPS device is strong in performance. Even nuvi 500 suffers with GARMIN software, I still give it four stars, because it works well in USA, which is this product package designed for (preloaded street maps for lower 48 states and U.S. topographic maps). Further more, those software issues are fixable, if GARMIN want to do so. For now, overseas travelers should check map accuracy before traveling to avoid headache. One simple way to check GPS map is comparing GPS map with Google map at the same coordinate. There are lot of GPS map vendors that support GARMIN GPS device, which provide alternatives instead of using GARMIN maps. For me, it is worth to do extra work to deal with map issues, such as using third party maps, as long as the device hardware is fast, accurate and reliable. I will travel to Hong Kong soon; and I will use maps that were not sold by GARMIN.
September 10, 2009 Update:
I just came back from my Hong Kong trip, Here were some observations about using nuvi 500 over there.
1) WAAS is not available in Hong Kong, The performance for nuvi 500 was not as strong as in USA. Hong Kong provides one of the worst working environment for a GPS device in the world (so many skyscrapers crowded together). When I walking on the street near high buildings, nuvi 500 could not lock satellite 50% of the time. It worked fine during hiking on the mountain.
2) I got about 80% time of GPS satellite lock when I riding on a mini-bus or on the top level of a double-decker bus. It was very helpful to realize where I was. I did not drive, but I think nuvi 500 should work better on driving, because the dash of a car has more sky exposure for receiving satellite signal.
3) Using nuvi 500 did not identify you as a tourist as using a map. It is so small, people were thinking you were playing video game, or using some kind of scheduler. I played nuvi 500 while walking on the street or riding on the bus without attracting the attentions of the people near by.
4) When I turned on nuvi 500 the first time in an open area at Hong Kong, it could not lock satellite for long time (about 20 minutes). After I manually changed the time to local time, it locked the satellite in about three minutes. I think if I changed datum to Hong Kong datum, it should help the first time satellite acquisition. Since I did not do it, I can not tell for sure. The position accuracy was about same when I switch between Hong Kong datum and default datum. When I came back from my trip and turned it on the first time in US, even nuvi 500 still using Hong Kong datum, it locked satellite signal in 45 seconds.
5) Again, I was using a Hong Kong map that was not sold by GARMIN. This map matches closely to google map in Hong Kong area. As long as nuvi 500 locked satellite, this map displayed my current position accurately. When I switched to use GARMIN base map, I did notice a significant map offset; it displayed my living place on the ocean.
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