Whether you are going on a long trip or just visiting an unfamiliar city, you will definitely need to use a GPS navigator. In this case, the most important thing is to make the right choice, because a low-quality device with outdated cards or an ill-conceived interface can lead to a lot of problems. An excellent choice could be a gadget called LEXAND SA5 HD.
Device package
The LEXAND SA5 Navigator comes in a rather large box, which contains the device itself and all the necessary accessories. These include:
- Adapter for cigarette lighter.
- Mount (mini bracket).
- USB cable.
- Stylus.
- Instruction.
- Warranty.
All components are quite soundly assembled, high-quality materials are used, the “soft-touch” coating is used. The mounting mechanism is no different, rather massive and uncomfortable, attached to the windshield with a suction cup.
Design
LEXAND SA5 HD is quite large and thick, but only slightly larger than other navigators with the same display diagonal, its weight is 175 grams. The main body material is plastic, which looks quite reliable and not too easily soiled. In general, the appearance is very decent, not too expensive, but not akin to cheap fakes.
The body of the device has a headphone jack, a separate tray for memory cards, an input for connecting a rear view camera.
A camera is located on the rear panel, which allows you to use the navigator as a DVR, for the same reason there was a place for an additional memory card.
Display
The screen is far from the most impressive, 5 inches diagonal, a weak LCD matrix with a resolution of 800 by 480 pixels is used. Watching movies and reading books on such a screen is not very comfortable, especially in comparison with other devices that are not focused on navigation. Still, we are not talking about a tablet computer, but about a navigator, so you should forgive not the highest quality picture. But the device boasts good viewing angles, which is much more important on the road.
Specifications
| Processor |
Mstar MSB 2531 |
| Memory | 128 MB RAM and 4 GB Main |
| Camera | 1 megapixel |
| Battery | 1100 milliamp hour lithium polymer battery |
| GPS module | SiRF Atalas-V, 64 channels |
Of the features, we can distinguish the presence of an FM receiver and an audio file player, which will allow you to use the device as a radio.
The chip built into the navigator copes with its main task without any problems, the clock frequency of 0.8 GHz allows it to lay routes instantly, without brakes and failures. The developers promised a performance increase of up to 25% compared to previous models in the series.
Main memory can be expanded with memory cards if needed. Additional gigabytes can be used to download media content (movies, music).
GPS-module is very responsive, it takes less than a minute to start it from the moment the device is turned on.
Software
The software basis for LEXAND SA5 HD is Windows CE 6.0 operating system. A shell and navigation services are installed on top of the OS. This navigator uses the Navitel application, complete maps include a number of countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Finland, Sweden and others. Maps can be updated absolutely free of charge.
The manufacturer claims that this is the first Windows CE-based navigator in Russia, which is able to access the Web using a 3G modem and by connecting to a phone via Bluetooth. This allows you to build routes on the road, taking into accounttraffic accidents and traffic jams, thus saving you time by making a route through free sections, as well as keeping the maps up to date.
In addition to functionality, the device also provides other features. Of the useful ones, you can highlight the ability to use the built-in camera as a DVR. Other functions, such as watching videos, reading books or listening to music, will not bring much benefit, but they will brighten up hours of traffic jams and parking. It is also possible to install simple games, but before that you need to get a memory card, since the main one will go under the cards and firmware.
A video recorder from this gadget is also not worth doing. The installed 1 megapixel camera barely copes with this function and produces an image of extremely poor quality, the picture turns out to be grainy, it is difficult to make out anything, and the viewing angle is far from ideal, but nevertheless, if necessary, it may well come in handy. The presence of this opportunity can be considered a plus.
LEXAND SA5 reviews
Instead of reading announcements and press releases, it would be much more useful to learn about the capabilities of the navigator firsthand, namely from users who have already had a chance to fully evaluate the device.
The main advantage that all users without exception highlight is a good connection. According to them, the LEXAND SA5 GPS navigator very confidently keeps the signal from the satellite, not turning off halfway, as often happens with lessquality models.
Many liked the low price and the ability to download complete Navitel maps (users especially appreciate them). People praised the interface of the navigator and its multimedia capabilities.
Of course, there was a lot of criticism of the device. The holder fell under the distribution, which seemed to many to be weak and uncomfortable, someone rejected the display, saying that it was not at all responsive and strongly reflects (even though it has an anti-reflective coating).
One of the specific disadvantages is the lack of a slot for a SIM card (apparently, not everyone wants to use modems or connect via Bluetooth).
Conclusions
LEXAND SA5 is an average device in the world of navigators that has the same pros and cons as most other models in its price category. The manufacturer put the navigation component of the gadget at the forefront, partially sacrificing multimedia functions, which made it possible to improve the quality of communication and map reception. And in this direction, this device is all right, and poor technical equipment is the scourge of all portable navigation systems.
