Wishing for a single GPS that can serve you well on land and at sea? One that functions as both a fixed-mount on the boat or in the car, or also as a handheld running on battery power? A while back I would have said you’re outta luck, Bub, but after testing Garmin’s new GPSmap 640, I’d say you need a GPSmap 640. With a 5.2” WVGA 800 x 400 pixel touch-screen, the 640 is easy to see and easy to use. You can trash the instruction manual (we knew you were going to do that anyway) and you’ll still have no trouble plotting your position and navigating to distant destinations with its intuitive menu and modes. There are separate automotive and marine modes, which help make the shift from land to sea easy. And in both modes, this machine’s data pools overflow with information. On the marine side you get depth contours, nav aids, port info including marinas and services, and even tides and currents. I thought the marine data was well above that of most built-in marine charts, although the “Mariner’s Eye” view (essentially, a bird-s eye view of the chart) didn’t do too much for me. The data is all from Garmin’s BlueChart g2 data pool and if you upgrade with a g2 Vision card, you’ll even get 3-D bathymetrics. Plus, this unit is 0183 compliant, so in most cases the 640 can be integrated into your boat’s existing system. It’s not compatible with the Garmin Marine Network, though, so boats with this system will need a different unit in order to interface.
What about land use? Just switch into automobile mode and you’ll get turn-by-turn directions from City Navigator NT road maps. Separate mounts for car and boat use are included with the unit, and I found that the GPS kept its fix even when I held it in my hand or sat it in my lap while driving, instead of putting it in the mount. On top of that, it also comes with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack, which lasts for up to nine hours and locks into place on the rear of the unit. Put all of these factors together, and you have a unit that’s about as flexible as they come: it can be a used as a hand-held, a fixed-mount marine, or a fixed-mount automotive GPS, without changing a darn thing. No matter how or where you use the 640 you’ll like the fact that it’s also waterproof to IPX7 standards. Wish granted!
Price: MSRP is $1,200, so you’ll see it for less.
The Highs: Maximum flexibility for multiple uses in a touch-screen GPS. Fixed mount or handheld, however you like it. Integrated antenna grabs and hold tight.
The Lows: Not compatible with Garmin’s Marine Network.
Who Wants It: Boaters who need help navigating roadways, as well as waterways.
