MapmyIndia Zx150

Full Review

MapmyIndia Zx150 is the top of the line GPS device from MapmyIndia that has plenty of functionalities and a great set of features that make it one of the most power-packed GPS devices we have tested so far.

Features & Design
MapmyIndia loaded the Zx150 with most of the essential features we usually see on a GPS device. Firstly, the device is powered by the SiRF Atlas IV chipset that has an ARM 11 processor clocked at 500 MHz.  It has a SiRF III GPS antenna built-in, 128MB of RAM and 2GB of internal storage which can be expanded via SD memory card slot that supports up to 8GB.

The suggested routes for Bangalore city for most common places were accurate. The signal lock was stable even while driving in place shadowed by trees and buildings.

The Zx150 is by no means a compact GPS device at 17 x 78 x 98.5 (mm) but it isn’t heavy either for its size. The large 5-inch touchscreen is bright with good visibility outdoors but sports quite an ancient QVGA resolution (320x240 pixels). Apart from the front screen, the rest of the body has a matte rubber finish that protects the body from smudges and scratches. The build quality and design is good. There are ports for AV-in and headphones, a memory card slot and a miniUSB port for charging and transferring data on the right side.  The AV-in port can be used for connecting a reverse camera to use the GPS display as the screen for the reverse camera.  On the top right, the device has a small power button and the opposite corner has a slot for a stylus which MapmyIndia refers to as a Touch-pen. The back has a metallic speaker grille.
The device uses Windows CE 6.0 as its OS and it came preloaded with the latest MapmyIndia Map software that covers more than 600 cities with over a lakh POIs (Points of Interest). The Map software is the usual Mireo viaGPS 3.0 Black Edition interface already seen on other MapmyIndia devices I tested before.  The map has 3D/2D viewing mode and day- and-night mode.  Apart from standard features like voice guided turn- by-turn navigation, searching by street address and place names, the map also supports search by entering co-ordinates which is an essential feature. Geotag images can also be imported.
The Zx150 plays audio and video off the memory card. For videos, MapmyIndia included an AVI converter software in the bundled CD. There is an e-book reader and picture (.jpg, .bmp, .png) viewer as well. Its Bluetooth support enables it to be used as a hands free device. Making and receiving calls or browsing phone contacts list could be done on the device after pairing it with a Bluetooth enabled cell phone which is a convenient feature especially while driving. Like any other MapmyIndia GPS devices, the Zx150 also comes with a useful Sleep mode.

Performance
The device booted up in 11 seconds but waking from sleep mode took just a second. From a cold start, it took around 2 and half minutes to get the signal lock which is impressive. The touchscreen is responsive and the device’s interface and the map’s interface were responsive. Response to touch input is not lighting fast but happened at satisfactory speed.
Entering the destination address could be done easily by entering the address (locality, street, town) or point of interest. The onscreen keyboard has keys which are big enough for comfortable typing. After selecting the desired destination, the map clearly shows the suggested routes and the upper left corner of the screen has a mini screen showing the next manoeuvre.  The suggested routes for Bangalore city for most common places were accurate. The signal lock was stable even while driving in place shadowed by trees and buildings. Rerouting also happened in a second. The list of POIs was up to date and the vast amount of information it has in its database is commendable. The only problem I found with the device performance is the below average onboard speaker volume which is definitely a drawback. However, thanks to the headphones out, it at least gives us the option to connect it our headphones or car audio system.  As in the older MapmyIndia Vx140, Geotagged photos we loaded up could let us easily get to our desired destinations by just touching the photos.
Screen visibility is good even under bright sunlight but considering the size of the device; it seems more likely that the Zx150 will find its place more in the car than in the hands of the pedestrians.  The 1600mAH Lithium Polymer battery lasted us for around 2 hours which is not stellar but average. The battery life is not much an issue if you use it in the car as the car charger can be hooked up even during navigation.
Audio playback quality was not clearly as good as most dedicated MP3 players, so was the video playback on the 5-inch QVGA screen. However, the device does its job and it’s a good thing that it does more than just assist you on the road.
Priced at Rs 19,490, the MapmyIndia Zx150 offers a big bright screen with powerful map software to guide and entertain you on the road. If you are looking for a more affordable option for in- car navigation, you can check out the smaller screen Satnav Moov 560 but it lacks a few goodies that the Zx150 has. For more details on pricing and maps upgrade plans you can check out the link here.

Bottom Line

Excellent GPS device for in-car navigation that not only assists you but also entertains you on the road. Its pricing is a bit high but its excellent features with commendable performance make it worth buying.