TomTom One XL-S - Design

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The TomTom XL-S sports a relatively simple design, since it is controlled via the touchscreen interface. The on/off button is on the top, speaker and mounting clip on the back, and proprietary USB cord input and SD card slot on the bottom of the device. The fact that this model does have an SD card slot is a big plus, since the internal memory is almost completely full straight out of the box. This feature allows you to add additional maps, voices, images, and so forth, without having to erase things already on the device in order to free up some memory.

 

The device itself is relatively thin and lightweight. It measures 4.7 x 3.4 x 1.1 (WxHxD), and it weighs just 7.3 ounces. The black/silver casing is attractive, but nothing too extravagant - it seems relatively durable, although I haven't drop-tested mine yet! It is a little disappointing that this device did not come with some type of protective case or storage pouch. I would recommend you purchase one separately in order to prevent scratching/breaking when not in use.

 

The most impressive design feature is the large 4.3 inch widescreen TFT display. It is a full-color touchscreen display, and it sports a 480 x 272 pixel resolution. I found the screen to be plenty bright in the daytime, and the useful "night colors" mode works great for night driving. The screen also has an anti-glare coating to keep it viewable in brightly-lit areas.

I'm impressed with the touch screen's responsiveness. I've never had a problem with it not responding to my touch, and the internal processor will fly through the XL-S's menu system as fast as you can navigate it with your finger. The internal keyboard is nicely sized for typing addresses, and I rarely hit a wrong button when doing so (people with larger hands may beg to differ). 

Overall I'm really impressed with the design of the XL-S, especially its large touchscreen display with large on-screen controls. I wish TomTom had included a carrying case with the device, but that's only a small gripe.  

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