Uniden TRAX 350 GPS unit

Uniden's entry-level GPS navigation unit provides some excellent features normally reserved for more expensive models. It lacks style, isn’t compatible with the SUNA Traffic Channel and doesn’t include Bluetooth, but at this price it is pretty good value.

The Uniden TRAX350 follows the same pattern as the rest of Uniden's GPS range and its design is largely uninspiring. It has a plain matte black casing, with a gloss black bezel surrounding the 3.5in display. On the right, an AC power connection and mini-USB port are present, while an SD card slot is located at the bottom of the unit. Annoyingly, the TRAX350 doesn't charge via USB, and there is no AC adapter included in the sales package. Unlike the Uniden TRAX 436, it doesn’t include a microphone or a socket to connect an external antenna.

The Uniden TRAX 350's user interface is a mixed bag. The navigation menu is nice and simple, with four large buttons that provide access to Find, Manage, Route and Settings menus. However the map screen is a little too busy for our liking, with plenty of buttons and icons making it feel cluttered. Thankfully, the 3.5in touch screen is responsive. This makes the smaller buttons on the map screen easy to press.

Navigating to an address on the Uniden TRAX 350 is a five-step process that guides you through the selection of country, state, city, street name and house number. Once you've narrowed down your search, you can also navigate to a city centre, street midpoint or an intersection. Unlike many other units, address input takes place on a single screen. Conveniently, the on-screen keyboard eliminates letters that do not correspond to possible addresses, narrowing the potential search results.

The TRAX 350 includes text-to-speech, 3D landmarks and terrain, fixed speed and red-light camera alerts, and multipoint route planning. Unfortunately the 3D landmarks make the map screen more cluttered. The elevated view of particular roads that come with the 3D terrain is an excellent feature, however, and does aid navigation. The 3D terrain views are especially useful when identifying highway and freeway entrance and exit ramps, and overlapping roads. The Uniden TRAX350's text-to-speech voice is clear and loud. It pronounced most street names without any issues.

Like the rest of the models in the TRAX range, the Uniden TRAX350 uses a NemeriX GPS receiver. Using the GPS in and around the city led to a loss of signal at times, most likely due to the tall buildings and the lack of a clear view of the sky. However, the start-up time is reasonable. The TRAX350 takes around 30 seconds to find and maintain a signal.

The Uniden TRAX 350 doesn't have any multimedia or non-navigational functionality, though this isn't a huge issue — especially at this price point. Maps of both Australia and New Zealand are included, with Uniden claiming the New Zealand maps are worth $169.95 if purchased separately — adding to the overall value of this GPS.