That's a tricky question to answer, because there are many different scenarios.
Some points to ponder which may help to clarify things:
- The Navigator is an all-in-one solution, and contains street (turn-by-turn, similar to a typical Garmin, Tom Tom, etc.) AND off-road GPS / mapping software and maps.
- Both the Hema 4WD Maps and Hema Explorer apps are designed for off-road use, and do not do turn-by-turn. There are apps from other developers which provide the turn-by-turn functionality, if you wish to have this function on your in-car device.
- Do you already own a device to run the app on, such as a tablet or smart phone (iPad, iPhone, Android Phone or Tablet)?
- If you have an iPad, you can run either the Hema 4WD Maps or the Hema Explorer app, as they are both available for this platform. If you already have an iPad, is it capable of GPS functions? Only iPads with the Cellular (mobile / 3G / 4G) capability have internal GPS.
- If you have an Android device, Generally, it will have an in-built GPS but it is worth checking anyway.
- Do not make the mistake of thinking that a tablet (iOS or Android) is NOT a computer! There are still things you need to know and learn to be able to use a tablet. They may be simpler than a typical Windows or Apple MAC laptop or PC, but they are still computers under their shiny screens, and therefore there is still a bit of a learning curve for you in order to best use one of these devices. By and large, a Hema Navigator will be easier to use than a typical tablet device. However, this is dependent upon your level of skill and knowledge of technology based "gadgets".
- A tablet could have a much larger screen than a Navigator, which might be seen as an advantage, but a larger screen also means:
- It's heavier
- It uses more power (not such an issue if you are plugged into power, as you usually are when using within a vehicle)
- It could be more difficult to mount due to it's size and weight
- It might obstruct more of your vision through the windscreen, depending on the mount used.
- A tablet can be used for other stuff while travelling, such as:
- Checking email
- Surfing the web
- Playing games
- Watching movies
- Listening to music
- etc.
These are just some of the pros and cons of trying to decide between buying apps or the Hema Navigator to assist you with your off-road driving adventures.