Sony NV-U83T

usability, performance, price, screen, maps

route planning, durability, design

63% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

The Sony NV-U83T boasts a spacious 4.8-inch touch screen, and you can perform certain operations with the swipe of your finger. The in-car GPS also has text-to-speech functionality, integrated Bluetooth, and 3D views for complicated intersections.

Satellite acquisition time is erratic and route calculations weren't the most efficient. Planning a trip on the NV-U83T isn't as streamlined as other GPS devices we've tested.

The Sony NV-U83T is a seemingly attractive in-car GPS with a large display and useful navigation features, but it shows its ugly side with poor directions and subpar performance.

The big, beautiful screen of Sony's NV-U83T (NVU84 in Canada) Portable Navigation System is easily its most redeeming feature. At nearly 5 inches (4.8 to be precise), it offers dual viewing capability big enough that you can zoom in on the road while...

Split Screen mode is very nice. Just before you get to an intersection, the screen will go into split screen mode. The left side will show you the type in intersection it is, and which route you take (left exit, right exit, go past and make a circle...

Maps are only created/kept upto date by a few map creation companies. All GPS makers simply use one of the map makers packages. During my voyage trip with the unit, I found two issues. An intersection had been rework since the last map update, and the...

As noted below, the hardware is top notch. It also has all the main features I want and I have not had any problem with the Bluetooth function except sometimes, for reasons I can't explain, it will not automatically connect with my phone and I have to...

Although I don't have any basis for comparison against the competitors, the software is somewhat lacking in my opinion, although the latest update (V3.0) is a significant improvement. My major issue is with the routing. I would like the unit to give me...

Detail of map.. you can see some icon on the map such as Chevron, Mobil, subway sandwitch... It's great... and bluetooth... and so on

Bluetooth isn't so good

I liked this product out of the box, especially at the New Egg price, but, as explained below, it had some ""beta issues"" and I ultimately had to send it back for a replacement unit, which I have not yet received. I will comment on the functionality...

One downside from a hardware perspective is the absence of a port for an external GPS antenna. The NV-U73T has such a port and an external antenna is offered as an accessory, but for some reason this was not included on the NV-U83T. Go figure. This was...

Acquires Satellites Quickly, Compact, Easy Menus, Easy To Read, Easy To Set Up, Large Screen, Reliable Performance, Simple Controls

TOUCH

Acquires Satellites Slowly, DOSN'T FIND LOCAL STORES, Inaccurate, MADE ME MISS A WEDDING, MAP QUEST IS BETTER, Short Battery Life, TAKES A YEAR TO TELL YOU, WILL MAKE YOU LATE, WITH A UPDATE NOT GOOD, Wrong directions