Garmin Nuvi 600 Review

The Garmin Nuvi 600 Personal Travel Assistant is a great widescreen GPS device that won’t break your budget. It comes with preloaded maps for a specific European region or country, and is ready to use right out of the box. You just enter your destination onto the screen, and receive your directions in either 2D or 3D maps. You also get turn by turn voice instructions. However, this device is only loaded with European maps, so if you’re in, or traveling to North America, you’ll need to purchase an upgrade for the mapping unit.

It has a bright 4.3″ widescreen which is easy to see and read. Unlike other devices in the Garmin Nuvi line, the Nuvi 600 does not come with the Bluetooth technology that is currently found in other devices. It does, however, have its own list of great features. Some of these features for the 600 include an MP3 player, audio book player (which does need a required subscription to Audible.com), a JPEG picture viewer, currency converter, calculator, and much more.

It’s light and slim, much like its Nuvi brothers. It weighs a mere 6.2 ounces, and is slim enough to carry in the smallest of purses or briefcases. A very comfortable device that you can use for walking and hiking, as well as driving.


The navigation is reliable, and if you get turned around, the auto-reroute feature will get you back on track quickly. Load times with the Nuvi 600 are quick, and directions are painstakingly clear. As well as being dependable, it is also a very easy device to use. Instructions are included, but with the ease of use of this unit, instructions aren’t completely necessary. You’ll learn the features quickly, and be ready to go in no time.

It’s powered by a rechargeable lithium ion batter that holds up to 7 hours of life after charging. However, it does not come with an AC cord, only a car charger. So if you plan to charge it up before a trip, you’ll need to bear the extra expense of ordering an adapter.

Overall, the Nuvi 600 is very comparable to the lesser Nuvi widescreen devices. With the one major exception being the absence of Bluetooth technology. It is, however, a good personal travel device for a new GPS owner, and will get you where you need to go dependably and quickly.

Product Description 

Get widescreen navigation at a price that won’t break your budget with nüvi 600. Sold exclusively in Europe, nüvi 600 comes with preloaded map data for a specific European region or country. This affordable personal travel assistant comes with many of the popular features found in the nüvi 610 minus Bluetooth® wireless technology — perfect for everyday navigation.

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nüvi 600 features a super-bright 4.3″ widescreen display for improved map viewing, POI lookup and MP3/audio book playback. This landscape display has white backlight and a touchscreen for easy use.

Navigate With Ease

nüvi 600 comes preloaded with City Navigator NT map data for one European region or country. Simply touch the sunlight-readable color screen to enter a destination, and nüvi takes you there with 2D or 3D maps and turn-by-turn voice directions. In addition, nüvi 600 accepts custom points of interest (POIs), such as school zones and safety cameras and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs. Some versions even include a preloaded safety camera database.

Take It With You

Like the rest of the nüvi series, nüvi 600 sports a sleek, slim design and fits comfortably in your pocket or purse. Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery makes it convenient for navigation by car or foot.

Go Beyond Navigation

Navigation is just the beginning. nüvi 600 includes many “must have” entertainment and travel tools including MP3 player, audio book player (subscription to Audible.com required), JPEG picture viewer, currency converters and more. It also comes with optional FM traffic alerts, Garmin Lock™ (an anti-theft feature) and configurable vehicle icons that let you select car-shaped graphics to show your location on the map. Optional software on plug-and-play SD cards for language translation, detailed travel guide and savings program allows you to customize your nüvi for your travel needs.

Physical & Performance: 
Unit dimensions, WxHxD:4.9″W x 2.9″H x .9″D (12.4 x 7.4 x 2.3 cm)
Display size, WxH:3.81″W x 2.25″H (9.7 x 5.7 cm); 4.3″ diag (10.9 cm)
Display resolution, WxH:480 x 272 pixels
Display type:WQVGA color TFT with white backlight
Weight:6.2 ounces (190 g)
Battery:rechargeable lithium-ion
Battery life:up to 7 hours
Waterproof:no
High-sensitivity receiver:yes
RoHS version available:yes
Maps & Memory: 
Basemap:yes
Preloaded maps:yes (regional)
Ability to add maps:yes
Built-in memory:internal solid state
Accepts data cards:SD card (not included)
Waypoints:500
Routes:0
Features: 
Voice prompts (e.g. “Turn right in 500 ft.”):yes (internal speaker)
Speaks street names (e.g. “Turn right ON ELM STREET in 500 ft.”) :no
3D map view:yes
Auto sort multiple destinations (provides most direct route):no
Auto re-route (fast off-route and detour recalculation):yes
Choice of route setup (faster time, shorter distance, off road):yes
Route avoidance (avoid highways, tolls etc.):yes
Custom POIs (ability to add additional points of interest):yes
Hands-free calling with Bluetooth® wireless technology:no
FM traffic compatible:yes
XM Navtraffic (includes basic weather) & Radio for U.S. compatible:no
MSN® Direct for U.S. compatible:no
MP3 player:yes
Audio book player:yes
Picture viewer:yes
Configurable vehicle icons (select car-shaped icons for map navigation):yes
World travel clock, currency & measurement converter, calculator:yes
Touchscreen:yes
Remote control:no
FM transmitter:no
Headphone jack/audio line-out:yes
Dead reckoning:no
Garmin Lock™ (anti-theft feature):yes
Motorcycle-friendly:no
Additional:This USB Mass Storage device is compatible with Windows® 2000 or later and Mac OS X 10.4 or later.

What’s in the Box: 

  • nüvi 600
  • Preloaded City Navigator® NT data for one European region or country (click versions tab to view all)
  • Vehicle suction cup mount
  • Vehicle power cable
  • Dashboard disk
  • USB cable
  • Quick reference guide

Package contents may vary per version. See your local dealer for more information.

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