This trip I just took to Tenkiller kinda showed me how dated my stuff is. I really would like to upgrade to down/side imaging as well as GPS with map. Having the two linked would also be a huge plus. Don't really have a budget but don't think I can afford to drop more than $1000 for both bow and console units and everything needed to connect them. Lowrance is probably the best out there but I think I will price myself out of that really quick. I have heard the Garmin stuff is worth looking at too. I haven't seen that Humminbird has the same type stuff as the touchscreen Lowrance units. What do you all suggest?

I have Lowran e units right now, and I am about to go to a Humminbird Onix. My Lowrance units are low end, I have the Elite 7's and don't care for how slow they run.

You are going to need a larger budget to have 2 units that are linkable with the imaging technology that displays stuff to the sides.

You may get close with $1000 for each one.

IMO when you start looking at DI and SI, screen size matters. With GPS, you want it to be able to keep up with your movement and not waiting for the screen to refresh. Trying to get all of that PLUS linkable for a total of $1000 will be tough unless you find some deals on used equipment. Not to mention that you are talking touch screen also. I bought an 899 and it cost $850 by itself. On top of the units, you'll need the cable $50-100 and then you'll have to buy 2 map cards at about $250/pair

If you are really wanting linkable, then I'd consider buying one good unit for the console and wait until you can pick up another one then link them or look at something like the Helix models. Can get a lot of bang for the buck but they aren't linkable. Otherwise, your other option is just wait for the right deal on a couple of used units.

I have a lowrance, and hate it. I have seen a humming bird on a friends boat and it is badass. much much much better.

sorry for the general post, the lowrance is confusing to read and the humming bird is easy to read IMO

Check with David at Shut up and Fish, he is on the forum. He will give you a good deal and explain all that you need to know

OK so the bad reviews so far of the Lowrance is a bit surprising to me. Just seeing the units in person, it seemed the Lowrance had more to offer. Maybe that isn't such a good thing.
As far as linking them, it's not a deal breaker, but I thought being able to have both units read the same transducer would save some install headaches? Is it really not worth the extra cost?
I've only heard a few pepole using Garmin. Units, but no one here has commented yet, anyone use them or are they too new to tell yet?

Just get a Helix 7 SI w/ GPS. $700. And regular Helix 7 DI. It will be close to the budget and the SI unit is also DI and sonar.

"Having the two linked would also be a huge plus."

That is the budget killer and is not available with the Helix 7 or the Helix 5 series.

Me personally, I would like them linked to share waypoints but if I am sitting in the front of the boat, I'd want to be using a front transducer to get more of what is up front than behind. If you get a SI for the front you lose the ability to turn the trolling motor to use the Si at different angles.
Putting a transducer on a trolling motor is pretty simple. I'd even say if budget is a big concern, but the biggest, best unit you can for the console and deal with a cheap 2d at the front for awhile.

Hands on in the store is much different than on the water. Rarely do I get as good di or si images but more importantly, is the unit capable of running your maps fast enough to be useful. If the processor is to slow and you have to wait for the map to load a new page you will hate using it

As others have said, your going to have a tough time getting what you want for $1000. And I too, would want a transducer on the trolling motor for the front unit (without SideVu).I have a Garmin 53dv on the trolling motor and a 43dv on the console. These have DownVu but not SideVu. On lakes that I don't know well, I'll switch the units. Easy to do with Garmin. Those two units total about $800.

SE Kansas grass grower

In doing more research, I'd like to have the side view and mapping on at least one unit. Now, the question is, if I buy linkable units, do BOTH have to be sideview/gps mappable to be able to be linkable and share the same data?
I.e., console unit is dv/sv, GPS map capable reading off of transom transducer. Front unit is only dv without GPS, and is linked via Ethernet to the console unit, will I still be able to read the sv from the console unit as well as the maps or is the software not there to process the data?
I do think having the front transduce is a good thing, never thought about turning the trolling motor with the sv and be able to catch other angles of what is underneath. Linkable may then only be useful for mapping at that point, unless I have to have 2 GPS capable units to be able to share maps from front to back. If that is the case then 2 standalone units would make more sense.

"If you get a SI for the front you lose the ability to turn the trolling motor to use the Si at different angles."

I use Humminbird Side Imaging at the bow with a trolling motor mounted Side Imaging transducer. You don't loose anything, set up properly for the application, turning the motor has very little affect on the displayed images since the screen scroll speed is slow enough that the turning is not recorded, just the effect of the different pulse directions.
If you want a full screen of sharp images, you just have to hold the motor straight for a full screen update. While fishing, it makes no difference what the whole screen looks like, only the very first row of screen pixels is current data-same as 2D sonar.
Humminibird Side Imaging is a fishing tool AND a search tool.

If I could only have one Side Imaging unit, it would be at the bow with the SI transducer on the trolling motor.
When I fish electric-only waters, I do just that.

When checking spawning areas here, I turned the motor at least 4 times, but I still saw the two bass and caught them.

I run HB 1198c on the console linked to a HB 859HD DI on the bow. I use the SI to scout and the di to stay on target. It can share waypoints, tranducers, and GPS

I'm now leaning towards Humminbird. Still not sure if networking is going to be worth it or not so that will sway my opinion I think towards or away from the Onix. If I don't choose networking I think a Helix 7 at the console and a Helix 5 up front will do just fine. Or maybe two Helix 7s, one SI and one DI. If I go with Helix I can probably swing both now, if I go with Onix I'll have to do one at a time.