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Tomtom Go 930 Traffic: The All Important Test

part of our review of the Tomtom Go 930 Traffic on Friday 24th October 2008

The all important test! This is where we determine the overall score for the TomTom Go 930 Traffic.

The Score Sheet

Appearance

Out of a possible 11, the 930 scored 10. The system is well constructed and feels sturdy, if a little heavy. The 930 cannot be criticised for it's looks in any way, shape or form. The outer shell feels rubbery and is coloured entirely in jet black, offering a professional and business-like appearance .

Packaging

We disregarded the fact that the box looked bruised and battered, purely as this is a test model. It's still a neat compact box that is cleverly designed.

Out of a possible 13, the 930 scored 10. A windscreen mount wasn't included in our test system so we cannot score that.

It was a very pleasant surprise to see not only a quick start guide but a version of the pdf manual in print! The quick start guide comes in the form of a poster explaining how everything fits together whilst the printed User manual explains how to work the system.

A USB PC dock is included but a USB cable for charging on the go would have been a nice addition, as would be a main wall charger. Another handy addition would have been a case of some sort (even just a cloth case) just to keep the system clean and tidy when not in use.

PC Software

The software was quick and easy to install and the Go 930 Traffic was found instantly, scoring 6 out of 6 here.

Support

Telephone support is offered as standard which is a great feature. The Latest Maps Guarantee means you can download any newer maps free for 30 days, meaning your system is up to date, regardless of when it was manufactured. After 30 days, maps are then a chargeable item. Maps are currently priced between £40 and £80 for each region used by the 930T and are available here.

MapShare is where you and other users can share map changes. This is only available for one year beyond the first use of your maps so if you want to continue using it beyond this date, you will have to buy a new set of maps.

Speed camera updates are also provided free of charge for the first download.

Because official map upgrades and MapShare are not free for life, the 930 scores 80% here.

The System Itself

The time it takes for the system to turn on is decidedly average though the variety of functionality is the Go 930's redeeming feature. Out of 23, the system itself scores 22 which is incredibly respectful. Had speed camera alerts been a free-for-life upgrade, it would have scored full marks.

The system is very similar to the TomTom Go 920T apart from the variety of maps and a couple of additional features. This is a good thing in that the range can be easily broken down and understood by potential customers. The negative point here is that perhaps the 930 doesn't have enough bells and whistles to give it that extra boost above it's competitors.

One comment worth mentioning here is that it would be great to see the on/off function amended so that when you press the on button, the system becomes alive instantly whilst there is charge in the battery. It wouldn't save much time but it would save a little.

The Road Test

Scoring 28 out of 30, the Go 930 performed well on the road. The menu is easy to use and the accuracy of the postcode mapping is flawless.

The Go 930 Traffic uses Point of Interest (POI) supplied by Tele Atlas and so was unable to correctly navigate to Castell Coch which suggests that there have been no (or few) map updates in our area between the release of the 920 and the 930. Whilst the location is correct, it's not paired up with the access road to it which is approximately one mile away from where it directed us to. In fact, if we followed the directions, we would have been taken onto a dual carriageway into Cardiff city centre - away from the required destination and a good few miles before you could perform a U-turn.

The re-routing speed was average if a little slow, though it projected new instructions before we reached the roundabout at the end of the slip road.

A very interesting fact is the accuracy of the mapping algorithm. The entire journey between points 1 and 5 should have taken 32.5 minutes over a distance of 16.6 miles. In reality, it took 29 minutes over 15.4 miles. We would rather see overestimation rather than underestimation, so credit here where credit is due.

Would We Recommend It?

We scored the TomTom Go 930 Traffic 8 out of 10.

Our main concern is whether there is enough new features to warrant purchasing this as an upgrade to the Go 920.

We like the IQ Routes and the Advanced Lane Positioning technology. We like the power and robustness of the Go 930. We would recommend it to someone who needed the best money could buy. We would probably not recommend it as an upgrade to the 920, mainly as we are aware of the 940 which is due to be released soon. We suspect that this will have some new features, which when combined with IQ Routes and Advanced Lane Positioning technology will result in a must-buy upgrade.

The Totals

Given everything that we have discussed, the TomTom Go 930 Traffic was been awarded 90% in our thorough test, the highest thus far!

There isn't much left for TomTom to do to receive 100%. We'd love to see a model for caravans, vans and trucks with a screen of 5" or more. A mains charger and USB cable in addition to the dock would make for a better equipped system. A more accurate POI file together with some ingenious (and perhaps novel) features would certainly be welcomed too.

Overall, a good quality system which we feel is aimed more towards new users than those upgrading.

Additional Tomtom Go 930 Traffic Review Pages

• Advanced Lane Guidance
• Enhanced Positioning Technology
• Explanation of the Screen
• IQ Routes
• Packaging Photographs
• Product Photographs
• Quick Summary
• Screen Photographs
• Specifications
• Windscreen Mount