The Becker company, which specializes in the manufacture of navigation devices, has succeeded in recent years in gaining valuable ground over other well-known competitors. Especially the big players, which are globally active, are still ahead of the company in some points. For this reason, our review for the best navigation devices did not quite make it into the top five. There is still room for improvement, especially against manufacturers like TomTom, which have already grown into a real brand on the market. Nevertheless, the Becker active.6s was quite convincing in some points.
The equipment
Particularly with regard to the equipment, some shortcomings were ultimately apparent. In the end, this navigation device contains 20 country maps, which are up to date. This is, however, a little less in terms of number than, for example, products from Garmin. Even if in the most likely case the customer is not dependent on a multitude of country maps anyway, there is a feeling of security if one at least has the possibility to find one’s way around in a foreign country beyond the borders of Europe. This is why many manufacturers now successfully advertise with globally integrated maps. Even a Bluetooth hands-free kit is not included with this model.
The handling
In terms of handling, too, simplified operating options should have been used. Sometimes it seems to be quite difficult to find your way around the device itself in order to be able to use the Becker active.6s as quickly as possible. Overall, the design appears somewhat old-fashioned, so that the visual impression could have been simplified even more with modern controls.
The route calculation
In the case of route calculation, however, there were hardly any deductions to criticise. In this respect, the Becker model can certainly keep up with the renowned competition. The route calculation is usually done quickly and without complications. Even a long wait is not to be accepted for the calculation. In addition, if nothing unforeseen happens, the specified arrival time usually corresponds to reality.
The target guidance
The target guidance was also looked at more closely in our review. Here, it was especially noticeable that the design mentioned in the settings is once again noticeable. Therefore, it also applies here that the visual representation could have been adapted a bit more up-to-date. The voice guidance also sounds a bit outdated by now. One can be curious to see how Becker will react to such details in the near future, as more and more people are attaching more and more importance to the design of such products.
The map updates of the Becker active.6s
The Becker active.6s has largely kept up in this category. There is no need to hide from the competition in this evaluation round. Regular updates can be obtained free of charge from the manufacturer’s website to keep the device up to date.
The Price
The price is meanwhile quite exactly between 100 and 200 €. This is enough in this category for the midfield in our review. One aspect that causes deductions is an additional cost. The speed camera warning must be purchased separately in the Becker online shop. A minimal hook concerning the price of this product. On the whole, one can say that this model from Becker is a solid but not overly modern navigation device.
Technical information:
Modello: Becker active.6s CE
Maps: Europe (more than 20 countries)
Map updates: daily (for life)
Display sizes: 6 inch
Destination entry: manually