Labs

The TomTom Go has sat on the PC Pro A List for what seems like an age now, but we've seen little evidence this month that its position is under any serious threat, which is some going given that it was first launched last summer.

In our tests, the Go 720 simply wiped the floor with the opposition. A long route from London to north Wales was calculated in five seconds - three times faster than its closest rival - and the Go also fixed on a satellite in just 35 seconds from off, a full 20 seconds quicker than most devices on test.

The maps themselves and the main map display aren't the most modern, but they do the job, and the screen refresh makes it far and away the smoothest here. Voice instructions are clear and timely, and there's full text-to-speech, too - the 720 is the only satnav here that

ADVERTISEMENT

will read urban street names out to you as well as major A-roads and motorways. Ease of use is outstanding, with all the important functions a click or two away and pre-trip route planning simple to get to grips with.

TomTom is also the only manufacturer to include map-correction tools, which is a great feature that allows you to highlight errors in the map, upload them to an online database and share others' corrections to keep your device up to date. Other useful innovations include a light sensor that dims the screen automatically when it's dark or overcast, and dynamic volume that's based on the volume level in the car's cabin, not simply the speed you're driving at.

It complements these innovations with a solid core of features. You get Bluetooth hands-free features (it will even read out text messages as they arrive); speed-camera data is preloaded; and PC connectivity is superb, with a docking cradle included along with the excellent TomTom Home software. The only major omission is traffic information - TMC or traffic info over your phone's GPRS connection are optional extras.

But the price more than makes up for it: what was once a satnav at the top of the price spectrum has now dropped into the bargain basement. Its £159 price tag means the Go 720 isn't only the best all-round product in this month's Labs, but also among the cheapest. It's the clear winner.