Best Touch Screen Car Stereo for Fun on the Go
Say no to those boring long trips by road all alone feeling deserted and exhausted. Now you have a friend in the car stereo, which could make it more fun and entertaining. Modern day car stereos have been designed to meet growing user demands. They offer so many features which could come handy while driving. As it often said, you get what you pay for. You have so many options available to choose from, but the best touch screen car stereo could make a big difference. From powerful sound output to smartphone integration, GPS navigation and many other resourceful features can make your driving experience fun and easy going.
In this review about best touch screen car stereo, we are going to take you to the world of digital audio and video platforms and guide you to the best among the available options.
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** Below, you'll find our more detailed reviews by click in "Reviews" column, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.com .
What is a Touch Screen Car Stereo?
These devices are nothing but media players meant to be assembled in your vehicles and offer certain features likewise GPS navigation, Android phone integration, satellite radio and hands-free calling, etc. which you can operate with the touch of the screen provided. These stereos are just like your normal ones but small in size to fit in your dashboard easily.
What You Should Look for in a Best Touch Screen Car Stereo?
With the introduction of Android phones and iPhones, all the world is at your reach in the form of applications. This need is so badly felt that modern day TVs, refrigerators, and many other devices have begun to integrate all these features into one unit. Touch screen car stereos also come with a number of features and applications installed within the small box. So, let us get down to some key features which are prerequisite to a good and all-around performing device.
- Power and Sound Output
Investing a big amount on some media player no matter it is your touch screen car stereo or the one for home use and getting an inferior quality sound output will disappoint you a lot. This is the first feature you should and will look for to ensure that the unit is capable of providing a good crystal clear sound output. The higher RMS value, the higher and better is the output.
- Availability to Different Audio Sources
Although the world has moved on to USB flash storage devices, Bluetooth connectivity devices, etc., some people still love to keep their favorite CDs and DVDs in the car's glove box. So, a car stereo must include a USB port, a 3.5mm jack for universal connectivity and a slot for CDs/DVDs.
- Smartphones and Application Integration
As mentioned earlier too, smart devices are getting more attention and recognition as we are moving ahead in time. People prefer devices which can get along with their smartphones and integrate some of their favorite Android applications too. Some car stereos do offer to integrate your phones and a few basic applications into their unit, but the higher you will go with the price the better options will be available to you.
- Local and Satellite Radio Availability
A lot of people love to listen to FM radios/live commentaries of sports events on the go and for such people, local and satellite radios offer so much that they will not want to miss this feature in their stereo units. Well, most of the new touch screen car stereos can support satellite radio, but they will require additional equipment installed all together likewise SiriusXM Connect SXV100 or SXV200 Vehicle Tuner along with a monthly or annual subscription.
- GPS Apps & Navigation System
Traveling to new places with no local guide available at your service could be a messy situation. At some places, you can get these guides but at a cost which will be more than reasonable to you. In these situations, GPS and navigation applications like Waze and Google Maps could play more than a local guide for you.
- Physical Dimensions
Single DIN stereos occupy little space in the dashboard, but they do not offer you much, whereas double DIN stereos come along with large touch-sensitive displays which help you in GPS navigation, DVD playback, reading messages & notifications and much more app based features.
- Quality Controls
The controls whether in the form of buttons or touch screen should be sensitive to feather touch. This increases their service life as you don't have to poke them hard to get your job done. Also at a very high speed, you will not want to fumble with your dashboard controls and lose focus on the road.
See more about car audio systems:
Reviews: The 5 Best Touch Screen Car Stereo
A long list of features is not enough to put a car stereo in the top spot, but the quality of features will definitely help it reach there. As you have come through this article, you will have a very clear picture of what you should get to meet your requirements. We have listed some top-selling touch screen car stereos and we hope that you will find the right one for you among these products.
1. Pioneer-AVH-280BT
(Image source: www.amazon.com)
Pioneer is the name one cannot miss out when talking about touch screen car stereos. With AVH-280BT, you can get all the features of the NEX line to name some, responsive, powerful and intuitive NEX user interface which is easy to use and customize. A new clear resistive touch screen which offers brighter and vibrant colors, now also has enhanced touch sensitivity. Now, you can have all of your favorite contents on a large 6.2-inch touch screen. It supports all kinds of audio sources whether it is a CD or DVD, USB storage device or one of your latest iPhones. The Bluetooth feature allows you to stream your music or call hands-free over a wireless connection.
Pros
- A very sleek look
- It provides 6.2 inches WVGA resistive touchscreen with LED backlight
- Audio streaming and hands-free calling with Bluetooth
- 5-Band graphic equalizer
Cons
- Problems with visibility when it's very sunny
- A slight buzzing sound when streaming through Bluetooth
2. Joying 7-Inch Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
(Image source: www.amazon.com)
This stereo has a lot to offer. It runs on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop and CPU: RK3188 Cortex A9 Quad Core 1.6GHz which make it fast and responsive. The unit supports Google play store and Google voice search. It is also capable of supporting a large number of GPS and navigation applications. The Bluetooth offers you hands-free calling and audio streaming.
The double DIN panel comes with ISO harness and may require dash kit and ISO harness adapter for installation. Easy to connect Wi-Fi, hotspot for the internet, and support for 3G/4G dongle as well as backup camera have been provided too. Many other features like Mirror-link Airplay and RDS radio have been included.
Pros
- Runs on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
- CPU: RK3188 Cortex A9 Quad Core 1.6GHz
- Bluetooth streaming and hands-free calling
- Wi-Fi connectivity, hotspot for the internet
- Support for 3G/4G dongle
- Joying provides a 24-month warranty of free replacing with defected parts
Cons
- Provides very small app storage space
- Security, no encryption storage and no locking down the device
3. Pioneer AVH-4200NEX
(Image source: www.amazon.com)
These touch screen stereos feature an innovative, powerful, responsive and easily customizable user interface. The NEX (Networked Entertainment Experience) line of receivers is designed for latest iPhones and Android smartphones. With Apple, CarPlay, experience a smarter and safer way to connect your iPhone in the car. It lets you use Maps, read messages and listen to music with just a word or a touch.
Android Auto extends the Android platform into the car and automatically brings you useful information and organizes it. It is compatible with Android phones running on Android 5.0 or later. The intuitive interface of AppRadio application gives you full on-screen access and control to contacts, maps, and calendar, etc. The Bluetooth connectivity provides you with hands-free calling and audio streaming. There are several other apps that can make your experience even better and entertaining.
Pros
- 7-inch clear resistive touch screen display
- Powerful output: Peak 50W x 4 channels; RMS: 17W x 4 channels
- 13-band graphic equalizer
- SD Card reader for audio and video playback
- Built-in Bluetooth for hands-free calling and audio streaming
- USB Direct for iPods and iPhones
Cons
- Screen becomes washed under direct sunlight
- It is hard to access equalizer while driving
4. Kenwood Double-DIN In-Dash 6.1" LCD Touchscreen
(Image source: www.amazon.com)
Kenwood offers in-dash 6.1-inch large touch screen car stereo. It allows DVD/MP3 playback. The built-in Bluetooth offers hands-free calling and audio streaming from iPhone and Android smartphones. USB input allows you to connect iPod and iPhone and enjoy your favorite Pandora stations. You can control all CDs/DVDs, audio, video and other functions with just a swipe of the finger. This advance music player lets you see artists and song information.
Pros
- Large 6.1-inch touch screen display
- CD or DVD playback plus AM /FM tuner
- Built-in Bluetooth for hands-free calling and audio streaming
- Built-in support for iPod, iPhone, and iPad
- Music playback through USB
Cons
- Few issues with touch screen have been reported
5. Pioneer AVH-X5500BHS In-Dash 7" LCD Touchscreen
(Image source: www.amazon.com)
This receiver features a large and beautiful 7-inch WVGA motorized touchscreen display. The MIXTRAX technology by Pioneer itself and built-in Bluetooth offer you hands-free calling and audio music streaming. The updated and innovative UI; eliminates complicated layered section displays and allows easy and smooth operation of the unit. It offers a lot of multimedia options to ensure that you will have a full entertainment. Audio and video functions are easy to customize. This unit has a built-in HD Radio tuner to allow you to enjoy the radio in the same quality as your digital music. Now you can experience FM stations in CD-quality sound with crystal clear reception and no audio distortion.
Pros
- It offers you a 7-inch WVGA motorized touchscreen display
- Built-in Bluetooth and MIXTRAX for hands-free calling and music streaming
- Built-in HD Radio tuner offer CD-quality sound with crystal clear reception
- It offers you to customize color with 5 display colors and 112 color key illumination options
Cons
- No drawbacks are known as of now
Conclusion
After digging deep into this niche and comparing the details of the touch screen car stereos that are available on the market. I came up to conclude that AVH-280BT is the best touch screen car stereo you can buy either from Amazon or from any auto parts and accessories store. To declare it as a winner I took some of the key factors into consideration such as performance, features offered and cost.
This unit brings to you the powerful and innovative user interface of the NEX series which can be customized easily and thereby becomes very easy in handling. A large 6.2-inch resistive touch screen comes with increased touch sensitivity offering the smooth operation to the user. It supports CD or DVD playback and USB connectivity to stream files from flash storage device. The Bluetooth enables hands-free calling and file streaming over the wireless connection. Last but not the least; it is also very cost-effective when compared to other touch screen car stereos.
Like I said in the beginning, you get what you pay for. Pioneer AVH-4200NEX is a good option for high-end users but for people with a budget Pioneer-AVH-280BT is a great option. I hope this review on touch screen car stereos will help you choose the right one, keeping in mind your requirements and budget.
