Hear the name Rand McNally, and the chances are that you'll think of paper maps rather than navigation GPS. However, over 150 years after the brand first appeared, the Rand McNally OverDryve 7 Pro is a worthy selection in any compilation of the best car navigation system, giving average motorists and commercial fleet drivers alike a powerful GPS option. What's more, the OverDryve 7 Pro can double up as a tablet when it's detached from its mount, making it one of the most versatile GPS systems that you can get.
Rand McNally OverDryve 7 Pro review: Navigation
The Rand McNally OverDryve 7 Pro provides coverage for the USA and Canada, and includes map updates and traffic alerts for the life of the device, so that the most up-to-date routes will always be on hand, and you'll avoid car accidents and construction delays during your commute. The OverDryve 7 Pro will also quickly present alternate routes, should you want to avoid a specific road or just happen to want a more scenic drive. No matter where you’re driving, it tells you the speed limit of that particular road, and keeps you informed of the correct lane to drive in to make your next turns.
Rand McNally preloads the OverDryve 7 Pro with an impressive 10 million points of interest, taking in gas stations, hotels, restaurants, stores, museums and other noteworthy landmarks. Adding and saving your own favorite destinations into the system is quick and simple, and you can program multiple stops along the way – and add them in while driving – with the system automatically sorting them into order by distance and taking you to each via the best route.
Rand McNally OverDryve 7 Pro review: Features
In terms of features, the Rand McNally OverDryve 7 Pro is one of the best, delivering real-time updates about the weather, traffic, and fuel prices on your route. Advanced lane guidance, toll costs, and warnings are all served up as well, while the device comes with a smart assistant, allowing for voice assisted navigation.
Your smartphone can be easily synced with the GPS via Bluetooth, giving you hands-free calling and texting. And if the kids are screaming or you've got music playing, a noise cancelling feature on the dual microphones means you should still be able to get your instructions heard without shouting.
A built-in 8 megapixel dash cam can be used to remember particularly scenic parts of your journey or to give insight into any accidents that you might have while on the road. There's also a 2 megapixel self facing camera, as you might find with any tablet device, which the Rand McNally OverDryve 7 Pro just so happens to convert into as well.
It's Wi-Fi capable and allows you to take pictures, as well as download and play music, podcasts, audiobooks and games. The platform is compatible with both Android and iOS and can even pair with additional accessories, like Rand McNally’s tire pressure monitoring system and wireless backup camera.
Rand McNally OverDryve 7 Pro review: Design
The Rand McNally OverDryve 7 Pro might be a little bulkier than most car GPS devices, but it still retains a clean, modern design. The large 8-inch capacitive touchscreen display has a 1280 x 800 resolution, making it one of the best in the market, to ensure that everything is crystal clear and you won't get eye strain keeping track of where you're going. The menu navigation is intuitive and simple to grasp, while the GPS connects to its mount via magnets, so it’s always securely in place but still easy to remove.
The OverDryve 7 Pro ships with a fairly typical one-year warranty, and while Rand McNally has tons of information about the device on its website, including informational articles and FAQs, any questions you might have can be directed to its support reps via live chat, phone or email.
Should you buy the Rand McNally OverDryve 7 Pro?
The Rand McNally OverDryve 7 Pro comes loaded with all the premium features you’d expect from a top-end GPS and much more besides. As well as all the direction, traffic alerts and guidance you could wish for, the OverDryve 7 Pro integrates with your smartphone to keep you connected while you drive, and call or text hands-free. The large screen is of the highest-resolution that we've seen, while the integrated cameras and conversion into a tablet top everything off. It doesn't come cheap, but when you're getting so many devices in one, you'd expect to pay a little more.
