TomTom GO 730 GPS Receiver Review

Comfortable and affordable, the TomTom GO 730 GPS receiver provides a nice navigational experience without going overboard. It does, however, raise some interesting concerns regarding the incredibly minor differences between TomTom's various models. By Michael Patrick Brady

TomTom GO 730

from $179.95

The TomTom GO 730 GPS receiver has a lot in common with the GO 930, which we reviewed positively several weeks ago. In fact, the two models are virtually identical save for a few minor features. While the TomTom GO 730 is a very nice, capable GPS receiver (as is the 930), there is something a little disconcerting about having two separate models to account for relatively minor differences. Especially when the cost of the two models is so different; the 930 is roughly twice as expensive as the 730.

What's Different?

First, the TomTom GO 930 features an accelerometer for tracking your travel when the GPS is out of sight of the satellites. This means that when you enter a tunnel, the GPS is able to continuously update your position with decent accuracy while you're inside, rather than stopping and then restarting when you emerge. The GO 730 does not have this feature.

Second, the TomTom GO 930 has 4GB of internal flash memory, compared to 2GB for GO 730. This is because the GO 930 includes maps of Western and Central Europe, as well as Canada and the United States. The 930 needs the extra capacity to hold the extra maps. The 730, which only has maps for the United States and Canada doesn't.

Those are the only differences. Otherwise, the software, user experience, navigational performance, and design are all the same.

Why Two Models?

As I previously mentioned, the TomTom GO 930 costs about twice as much as the GO 730. That means that TomTom has valued the ability to update position information while in tunnels and the inclusion of European driving maps the same as an entire TomTom GO 730 unit.

When I reviewed the 930, I was impressed, and remain so. It's a good GPS receiver, there's no doubt about that. To see it contrasted with the 730, however, gives me pause. I'm beginning to get a more complete picture of TomTom's GO series and am concerned about the arbitrary and minute differences used to justify higher prices.

I understand that the addition of an accelerometer might be enough of an upgrade that an entirely new model number might be justified. That said, it may also have been a small enough upgrade that a slightly refined model number, like 730A, might have made more sense than leaping right to 930. TomTom and other GPS manufacturers already use this kind of convention when denoting models that are capable of receiving traffic information and those that are not, like the 930T and the plain old 930.

The memory upgrade from 2GB to 4GB is also small, and only necessitated by the inclusion of extra maps on the 930. I don't believe that extra maps should be considered a "feature," per se, of a GPS receiver. They strike me as accessories; they're not an intrinsic aspect of the GPS's technology. The 930 may as well be called the "TomTom GO 730A with maps of the U.S., Canada, and Europe." Yes, it's long and unwieldy, but it's also clear and descriptive.

At Amazon, a brand new GO 930 costs $519, the GO 730 costs $284. The TomTom maps for Western and Central Europe can be purchased separately for about $100. So, for roughly $384, you could have everything the GO 930 has (minus the accelerometer) on your GO 730. Is the tunnel-tracking ability worth $135 to you?

The Problem

What concerns me is that by giving the TomTom 930 a higher model number than the 730, they give consumers the impression that it is a significantly more advanced GPS receiver. I think most consumers would consider the ability to track their own position inside tunnels to be a very, very small, incremental upgrade, a feature whose utility is limited, and solves a problem most drivers probably didn't realize they had.

Such incremental differences between models dilute the GPS market, and serve only to confuse consumers. To discover the differences between the 930 and 730 requires attention to detail and the ability to compare them directly, something that the average shopper isn't always able to do. Model numbers should be meaningful, helpful guides up and down the ladder of a product line. They shouldn't be representative of incredibly minor details or arbitrary add-ons.

Conclusion: This One, Not That One

If you do spend a lot of time in tunnels, by all means, get the GO 930. If you travel in Western or Central Europe, I'd advise you to pick up the GO 730 and buy the maps separately. If you're just looking for a good, affordable GPS for use in the U.S. and Canada, the plain old GO 730 will serve you very well.