Is the RoadMate 1430 a good value?
Read Ratings and Reviews

The RoadMate 1430 is one of the latest entries in the Magellan fleet of portable car GPS systems. A wide 4.3" screen heads the large list of "most wanted" features included with the Magellan RoadMate 1430.

This Magellan RoadMate GPS comes preloaded with maps of North America and Puerto Rico. The maps may be viewed in 2D or 3D. With "TrueView" you can view a split screen giving you a detailed picture of the approaching turn.

Magellan is using the Centrality Atlas III processor which has an integrated GPS receiver. The Centrality Atlas III has high sensitivity for obtaining satellite locks in weak GPS signal areas and gives an accuracy of 3 meters.

"SayWhere", which is Magellan's text to speech, allows the Magellan 1430 to announce street names along with when and what direction to turn. With this feature you can keep your eyes on the road without having to look at the Magellan RoadMate GPS to determine the street you should be on.

Creating a route is easier than ever and you have several methods to do so. You can enter an address and "QuickSpell" can anticipate your entry and complete it for you. It will also correct your spelling. You can select an address from the address book or pick a previous destination. You can also just touch the icon displayed at a desired Point of Interest and a route to that destination will be created. You may also create a multiple destination route allowing you to create stops along your way. Great for deliveries or sales calls. You can also program the Home icon with your home address and create a route to your home location with a touch of the icon.

You can even select how your route will be created. You can program the fastest route, the shortest distance or the most economical route. You can also select whether or not to use freeways, avoid tolls and more. In addition, if you should miss your turn or take a wrong turn, "Auto reroute" will get you back on course. "SmartDetour" can be customized to sense when you are stuck in traffic and create a detour to get you around the problem.

There is a wrecker icon on the screen that, when touched, will give your current location allowing you to give accurate directions to your location.

There is a three month trial subscription to traffic included with the RoadMate 1430. With Magellan "TrafficKit™": The integrated traffic receiver provides real-time traffic updates. Delay advisories along your route appear on the touch screen with details about the incident. Your Magellan GPS calculates your ETA based on traffic conditions and automatically offers a new route option when there's a quicker way. When the trial period is over you will have to subscribe to the service if you wish it to continue. The following link will give you coverage details of the service: Magellan Traffic service area.

The RoadMate 1430 comes with 6 million preloaded Points of Interest with interactive icons for easy routing. Along with the Points of Interest, the RoadMate has an address book which allows you to add Points of Interest of your own. A SD card slot is also included with the unit, however the SD card must be purchased separately as it is not included with the unit. With a SD card you can back up your address book.

There is nothing like word of mouth recommendations. That's why we have included owners' reviews of the Roadmate 1430 on this site. When someone purchases a GPS with their own money and actually uses it in everyday life, I think you can get a much better picture of how the portable GPS system will meet your needs. We have tired to include both the pros and cons of the unit being reviewed. I hope this will help you make a decision.

Owner Roadmate 1430 Reviews

Amazon:

By Sean R. Riley, March 2, 2009

Pros:
UI (user interface): easy to navigate menus. widescreen certainly comes in handy for scrolling and typing
Automatically traffic detouring
Auto reroute
Trip planner / Multiple destinations automatically sorts multiple destinations per trip
Voiced street names announced for every turn including freeways exit/on ramps and oh yeah my favorite the doorbell or chime to alert when exactly your turn is coming up and its balls on accurate every time!

Cons:
Touch screen response has its moments, but seems to be only when it hasn't warmed up
There is only one (1) way point you can set at a time, but I never seem to mind that since it saves previous addresses for later if you find yourself needing to use them again. no pedestrian mode.

Overall I love this model it only has what I need it for and that's GPS!

By Barry K. Westman, January 14, 2009

I would definitely recommend the Magellan RoadMate 1430 unit. This is our first GPS, and after much research, I decided to go with this one based on the good reviews it has received from users, the features you get for the price, and a great deal that was being offered. I'm very happy with the unit. It does what it says it can do, and without any problems.

I still haven't opened the manual yet, because it's so easy to get going. The unit walks you right through it, and you're up and running in no time. Good choice.

By Stephen H. Spinak "Birdfan", December 28, 2008

From the fastest routing mode, the software installed in this GPS was taking us on local roads with congested traffic instead of keeping us freeways. Fortunately about a month after I bought it, Magellan posted firmware that corrected the problem.

Best Buy:

Roadmate 1430

By ernieB, 01/12/2009

Being some what frugal I searched for about a year before purchasing the Magellan 1430. finally there it was on the BestBuy site at $199. Tripped to BB which had all popular Gps units on display ready to try, which was very helpful. After verifying features I read about on line I bought it, took it home, ran through some preliminary simulations then took it on the road. The impressive performance of this unit will satisfy any one who needs a fully functional GPS for negotiating today's traffic. After a weeks use it appears that the maps are current. A great value.

By Aharris562, 01/10/2009

What's great about it: Great price
What's not so great: Address not listed

I haven't put it in my vehicle yet, but the first address I listed was our business that has been there for 8 1/2 years and its not in there. Actually the entire street is not listed. The local high school that is celebrating their 100 anniversary isn't listed in POI under education. I hope it gets better or I'm returning it TODAY.

By David09, 01/01/2009

What's great about it: It is very easy to use right out of the box.
What's not so great: Nothing

It said it had 3 months of traffic reports for free. But when I opened the boxit said you get 12 months free!! I was impressed on how easy it was to set up. It took no time at all!

Owner Portable GPS Ratings

Roadmate 1430

Amazon:

6 Reviews
5 star = (3)
4 star = (1)
3 star = (0)
2 star = (2)
1 star = (0)

Best Buy: 6 reviews: 4.2 out of a possible 5

Buzzillions: 1 review: 4 out of a possible 5

Roadmate 1430 Specifications

Introduced: January 2008
Unit dimensions: 4.57" W x 3.27" H x 0.73" D
Display size: 4.3" diag
display resolution: 480 x 272 pixels
Display type: WQVGA - wide-format color touch screen
Weight: 7.1 ounces
Battery: rechargeable lithium-ion
Battery life: up to 3 hours
Memory available for map storage: Secure Digital (SD) card compatible
Antenna type: Integrated multidirectional patch

What's in the Box:

Magellan RoadMate 1430 GPS Receiver
Preloaded maps for entire U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada
Receiver Cradle
Windshield Mount
Cigarette Lighter Adapter (12V DC) with built-in traffic
Dash Adhesive Disk
Quick Start Guide
Manual on CD-ROM

Note: The state of Minnesota prohibits the installation of portable GPS units on the windshield of your vehicle.

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