Portable, sleek, and stylish, the Magellan RoadMate 1470 is what a handy and feature-packed portable navigation device should be. It comes with a colored touch screen display, housed in a thin but durable outer body measuring 3.3 inches in depth and 5.2 inches in height. Other brand models which come in the same price tag as the RoadMate 1470 typically have a 4.3 inch wide screen but this navigation device from Magellan is outfitted with a larger 4.7 inch wide screen.

Since the screen comes in a matte finish, it is able to diffuse bright glare making the navigation device highly viewable even when exposed to direct sunlight. The fact that this unit comes with a bright backlighting helps a lot as well.

The power switch is located at the top edge of the device, where a slider turns the power on or off as desired by the user. A 5-second countdown is presented to the user when turning the device off, so as to choose whether to cancel the action or to proceed to immediate shut down. If no other option is chosen within the short period the device will shut down completely.

The mini-USB port and the micro SD card slot are located at the bottom part of the Magellan RoadMate 1470 unit. The mini USB port is typically used for charging as well as for computer connections. The speaker is located at the back of the device as well as the mount for the windshield suction cup.

For maps search you can tap anywhere on the Magellan RoadMate 1470 map screen so you can explore on the maps preloaded already into the device. You have the option to view the maps on 2D or 3D modes, and you can also zoom in and out or slide according to your route search preferences. The device also allows you to search through Local options where you can find street addresses and GPS coordinates. You can search through a myriad of events, places, and other points of interests such as restaurants, hospitals, and gasoline stations.