I have never owned an Ipilot, but I am really pleased with the xi5. It holds on piles really well.

That still doesn't mean I can catch fish, but I can hold on top of them well.

Also, I bought mine from David at Shut up and Fish.

I had trouble with my I-pilot when I first got it. The remote wouldn't communicate with the gps head most times. Tried new remotes a couple of times. No go. Finally put a new gps head on it. Works fine now, from any where on the boat. Tried it in my drive way first. 80 ft. away with my Kenworth blocking the line of sight. It worked very well. In high winds it will make you dizzy. I'm better off running it myself with the remote. I react faster than the gps does. My

I bought a 22' center console with a 36 volt MG Xi5 networked to HDS 12 & 7 Lowrance gen 3 units. I think the set up is a crappie fisherman's dream for vertical fishing. I have not used the foot pedal control yet. I'm thinking my boat size plus the wireless foot control response will be a challenge to fish tight areas of heavy infested tree and brush areas (I have not tried it yet).

Things I like:
No need to use markers - The Xi5 will go to the way point and anchor accurately on top of a brush pile. The jog feature will allow you to work the BP in 5' increments in any direction. Many times I will move the front of the boat forward 20' and fish from the back of the boat. If another BP is close by, I use the screen of the HDS to tell the Xi5 to go there and anchor on top of it. You can also tell it what speed to go to the waypoint. The heading mode works great and changes to the heading and speed can easily be made with the remote control. I have not used the route navigation yet, but it allows you to set up to a 4 mile route and follow it at what ever speed you want.

What I don't like:
Deploying and retrieving the trolling motor is a PITA. Especially for an older guy with a few stiff joints.

The remote control should have a LED screen or at least some LED lights to let you know the mode the motor is in. The motor housing has LED lights and also beeps when you change modes, but it is hard to hear or see the lights except when you are close to the motor. The remote control is easy to use but would be enhanced with built in LED lights showing the mode.

Are you saying that if a boat had an Xi5 and lets say a Helix 9 you would be able to use the Helix to anchor the boat?

Nope. The helix wouldn't anchor the boat. You hit the button on the remote to anchor.

If you're running Lowrance, you can communicate with your trolling motor to have it take you to waypoints, etc. I don't have Lowrance. I have Birds, and I use the anchor feature just fine. I just have to go find the piles instead of having it take me to them.

I have the I-Pilot on a 20' Ranger. The mount and deployment set up stinks, can't see it good on any vessel. Other than that, on most days the spot lock and other contour follow features are pretty good. High winds are pretty hard on spot lock but not nearly as difficult as manual control when on a great bite. Linked with Lakemaster on your Humminbirds are a plus, I was on a hump on Cooper Lake last summer in 20+ wind when I first tested the contour follow feature. I set it to follow 25 foot and dropped a buoy beside the boat. When I made the loop around the hump all I had to do was reach down and pick the buoy up. I chose the Minn Kota because of compatibility with Humminbird, it does have negatives, in my opinion mostly in the mount design. As stated above, be sure you are pricing the features you want, that could be the major price difference. Also, if you will be linking with graphs, get it done by professionals, there are quite a few different cables involved, took me awhile to get mine all together.

I have the Xi5 and love it.

I like to crappie fish so I like how the Xi5 stays on a spot better. I had a MK and the first time I threw a marker on a pile I quickly realized just how much the MK wandered. Put the Xi5 on and am quite impressed so far.

http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/rdbassing/media/20150703_073214_zpsyyamiwlp.mp4.html

http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/rdbassing/media/20150718_100932_001_zpsxcupaf5i.mp4.html

First video was of us staying on a stump within a foot or so in a 20+ mph wind.

Second video is anchored up in the middle of the Toll bridge that crosses over Lewisville. I stayed within a foot of that column for better than a half hour and caught fish. I have also done it on the 720 bridge. The MK would never do that. You just need to be ready in case you do lose signal because it will kick around looking for a signal (just hit the anchor button once and it will stop.)

The only downside is it is a little slower if you are moving from one spot to another. I also wish they had a digital display on the remote. A little trick is to set the foot remote on and adjust the speed on the dial knob so when you turn on the prop with the hand-held remote, that will be the speed it will turn at. I've had my Xi5 for a year and no issues so far.

If you fish brush piles, then you need an Xi5.

I forgot to add that I do have mine linked to both my HDS-9 Touch (console) and HDS-7 Touch (bow) with the Gateway/Pinpoint/NEMA 2000. It works great but the issue I have is I have over 600 waypoints on LL and if I want to select a specific waypoint (lets say 450), I have to scroll through hundreds to reach and select #450. I have talked to Lowrance about adding a search function to the program but have not heard back from them.

Can you mount an onix transducer on the xi5 ?

I would not like to give up my bow mounted onix.

Mo

Sure, you would just have to run the cable externally from the motor to the top of the head. I have a lss-2 transducer mounted to mine and I use a spring to keep tension on the cable but still allows it to turn without getting all tangled up.

To clarify the linking with the Lowrance, it must be a Gen2 or Gen3 unit. Gen1 , EliteX and MarkX will not work with the Gateway (link between the Xi5 and the FF).

I've had the XI5 since last summer. It replaced a MK Maxxim. I like it for brush and docks. Timber I usually just clip a brush hook onto it and at least with the wireless remote I can't keep the boat in position as much as I like on bridges. Probsbly like any other big purchase. Figure out what your gonna use it for most and buy it for that. Have 2 buddies with MK Ulterras and one I know has been in the shop more than once for not deploying! That won't ever be a problem w the MG since it's manual but I can see that being a hassle for somebody with a bad back. I also have mine linked to the touchscreens and it seems when I touch a spot on the graph and select navigate to waypoint I have to go search for it after the graph thinks I'm there. It is awesome on brushpiles in the wind or boat docks though!! Fished one last fall on the side of the dock with the wind crashing into it and pulled 30 slabs out from under it from the back of the boat while the TM held us in place and let us fish!! That was pretty sweet!

I've owned the ipilot for many years until the xi5 came out. Don't get me wrong I loved my Ipilot for many of those years...
When it comes to smoothness in steering and spotlock MK Ipilot is historic. It's not even comparing Apple to Apple...
Then came the Utera which can help you deploy and stow, but you will have to work to say on the bps since MK didn't improve its gps at all.
So for the current state of technology, the xi5 outshines the Ipilot by a mile!!!!!

As for linking, It is nice to be able to tell the trolling motor to go to your waypoint(s) from your graph. I.e. If I see waypoint number 835 on my Lowrance as I am approaching it, I can touch the waypoint and the GOTO option can execute automatic goto/lock on waypoint 835. I can get my rod ready for action...Note: no trolling motor can really spotlock well under obstructed bridges...