If you have earmarked around about £100 for your satnav kit then there is no doubt that you have the widest choice of what is available, and not all in the obviously budget range.

The immediate choice to make is whether to go for a software only solution, which will run on a smartphone, or an all in one device. Software comes in two types, either with the maps stored locally on a memory card or downloaded over the air as you travel. With the former, such as ALK’s CoPilot Live 7 which runs on Windows Mobile and Symbian S60 devices you get software of a similar quality to that you would expect in a top-end dedicated device, and that can also use the phone’s internet connection for live traffic information and even dynamic points of interest.

Binatone X350, under £100

Over the air solutions such as those from Wayfinder and Telmap tend to offer fewer features and require permanent use of the data connection on your phone, but as the maps are stored remotely they are more likely to be more up to date than those stored on the device. As these are effectively subscription services there are also more attractive pricing schemes starting at as little as a few pounds for a month (or even a free fully functional trial that will last for a weekend).

Screen size is the biggest issue to consider when deciding between a phone or dedicated device. A 2.8” screen is about the smallest usable size on a phone, but even then is no match for a 4.3” widecsreen display.

If choosing a dedicated device in the £100 bracket you will find the quality varies wildly. At the very bottom, around £80 for a Binatone X350 you get very maps and software and middling build quality. It works for simple in-car navigation, but you can feel that it is a budget option. However with falling prices some decent specced models are moving into the budget sector. The two stand-out models are the HP iPAQ 314 and Navman’s S50 3D. Both have large widescreen displays, Bluetooth for handsfree use with a mobile phone and support TMC for live traffic information. Having both been launched originally at far higher prices both can now be found at around the £120 mark.

Must-have:
Windscreen mount
In-car charger
Speed camera database

Good to have:
Widescreen
Bluetooth
Multimedia support

In parts two and three we’ll take a look at mid-range and high-end navigation devices.

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