As lots of folks have tried different brands...What's the best color GPS/Graph UNDER $1000? By best I mean picture quality, contour/structure detail, baitfish, fish on structure detail, and overall durability! Give it up boys, I'm shopping!! I'm just like almost everyone else, I'd love to have the SI, but I just aint got that kind of jack to spend on one, so keep it AT, or UNDER $1000 please

Bass, if 10 people reply you will probably get 10 different opinions.

I personally think the best bang for the buck right now is the Eagle FishElite 480 Sonar with external GPS at Cabela's for $349.99. I don't expect them to have many very long at that price. If you want color step up to the 500c for $100 more.

I wanted a little bigger screen, so I'm currently running a Lowrance LCX-25c on my boat. I've been very happy with the unit.

If you have older Lowarance units on your boat, you can get a manufacture rebate from Lowrance or you used to could back when I bought my 25c. I had an old X75 on my boat that the pixles went out in. I called Lowrance asking about repair. They told me if I wanted to up-grade they would sent me a rebate if I gave them the serial # off the unit. I got $250 off from Lowrance on the LCX-25c as well as another $100 off at Cabela's with one of their coupons. It made the unit much more affordable. Something to ponder.

Lowrance LMS-522C or the Lowrance LCX-27C

These are both great units. The GPS coverage is fast and accurate, resolution is very good, they are easy to use and Lowrance has awesome customer service and they stand behind their products.

just my $.02

520c from Lowrance is a great unit. Complete setup is about $700. If you have the room for it, spend a little more and get into the 27c or 28c series. They have a little bit bigger screens and two slots for memory cards.

Well ALL of ya are pointing me in the direction I was already heading; that is with a Lowrance.....My brother just bought the 520C and LOVES it....But even though I haven't looked at his yet, a 5" screen is a little smaller that I want....So, what kind of price are we talking for the
LCX-25C?
LMS-522C?
LCX-27C?

He said he bought the unit for just under $600 but HAD to buy the chip which was another $200, so he spent $800 total

The 522c is the dual freq version of the 520c so if you want the bigger screen you will have to move to the 27 and 28 series. cost on a 27c from Hodges Marine is $955.

I like my 520c (both of them)...

So Keeb, I'm guessing $955 is WITHOUT the $200 chip...?

I would assume the chip you are talking about is a Navionics or similar chip? If so than yes you are correct. No chip included.

LCX-25C has been phased out and replaced with the 27C now I believe. I think it was a software up-grade. I don't remember. Hard to keep up with all the latest and greatest coming out. The difference between the 27C and 28C is the 28C is pre-loaded with all the maps from Navionics IIRC. I didn't need maps from all over the US, so at the time I just went with the 25C instead of the 26C and bought the Hot Spots south card for my unit. It was on sale for $699.99 at the time I bought mine.

I just got the 522c, but have not been on the lake with it yet.

Thanks fella's! I appreciate all the info!!

Ifish a 28c at the console and a 27c at the bow. They are hard to beat. They are a higher watt unit than the 520c. The picture quality is great and the gps is also great.

Thanks catch n release!!! Keep it coming boys!!!! The more info I get the easier the decision will be!!!

Well you could go with the big boys.The LCX-38C (8.5" screen) or the LCX-112C (10.5" screen).

You said you wanted SI, so why not buy the 797c2? It is a great color side imaging unit (I have 2) for under 1000.

The smaller screen SI, I think 797? is $999.99 at BPS. You said at or under $1000.

OK Skeeterhawk, I'm open to ALL suggestions...Whats the PRICE on the LCX-38C AND the LCX-112C????? You've got my attentions! But remember boys, I'm a workin' man!!!

J-High and Chickenfried are trying to dupe me aren't they??? OK boys, how much we talkin' for the 797???? And tell me the GREAT features they have....???

Just got the LMS-520C, SWEEEET!

520C with Navionics 3D chip. Saving for the Hummingbird Side Imaging unit. With those two I should have everthing covered!

These two units are $1700 and $2200 respectively so they would be just a little out of your original price range.

All of the SI units are cool but again have limitations to your requested requirements. The 797 has the smallest screen of the SI models. It is comparable to the 520c in size. The next two bigger models also cost bigger dollars. Roughly $1700 for the 997 and $2500 for the 1197.

Go to hodgesmarine.com and check out their prices. They probably have the best online prices that you will find.

No joke on the 797 SI.http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_98143_200001001_200000000_200001000_200-1-1

I have been looking at these pretty heavy myself...and I have been all over to do it and spoke with several people. I was about to purchse the Lowrance 520 but after seeing the Humminbird 797SI, I am pretty sure I have changed my mind. The SI feature is well worth the extra money in my opinion. The 797SI has 4000 watts and the Lowrance 520 has 2400 watts. On the flip side, unless you are fishing in 900 feet of water or more, the higher power is not going to make a difference. Humminbird and Navionics have also teamed up to where they can pre-load Navionics on the unit as well. The Lowrance is 4808480 picture size...the 797SI is 640x480. One other thing, the 797SI will swivell 360 degrees standard (good if you have one unit only). If you want the 520 to swivel, you have to purchase the $50 swivel mount. I am just waiting for someone to come out with 0% interest.

The SI units are well worth the money but beware the units with the preloaded maps are not the latest and greatest HD maps. If you only fish within 300 miles of the metroplex the units without the maps + the 08 chip will be the way to go.

humminbird 797 si baby! You want it and its in your price range. You can add a $150 navionics premium chip later. I got one and I love it!

I've got the Eagle 500c with the navionics '07 chip. It does everything I need it to do, for half the price of the 797. I did get to play with a 797 on Sandlin a few weeks ago- those things are awesome. I just can't make myself shell out that kind of $$$$ for a graph.

Do what I did and go talk to the people that sell them and see what they tell you.Thats what I did and I ended up buying a Humminbird 787c2i.I got it off ebay less than 600 shipped to my door.Every salesman I talked to had nothing but good things to say about Humminbird.They didn't trash the Lowrance units,but they all liked Humminbird.

So does the 520 or 522 come with the chip?

no

Yet another off topic subject.Should be in the equipment section.

The 520 and 522 come with pretty good background maps pre-loaded.

Lowrance 520c if you are going to mount it in your dash, if not get the 522cigps. They are the same price the 522 has the gps antenna inside of it so you don't have to mount it.

Hey Triton21Driver, have you got a chance to try the 787 yet? That's the model also recommended to me by a business selling both Hummingbirds and Lowrance's.

jlp 1, I sent the transducer that came with it back to Humminbird to exchange for one I can mount inside and that has an external temp probe.It has just been a couple of days and I havn't gotten it back yet.

I just bought the LMS 520c today at BPS so I'm hoping it works good.

I really don't think size really matters (in the 2D world). Now in the SI world size does matter (a lot), but that is out of your price range and not what you're are interested in.

In the 2D world all you are seeing and really care about is the first 2 inches of display and pretty much the remainder of screen can be set to your GPS/Map. All the remainder of the Sonar display is just history (if you didn't throw out that marker in the first 2 or 3 iniches, it's to far back anyhow).

Now the LMS-5XX units do have a problem of not being able to Zoom all the way in on waypoints if the lake you looking at (fishing) is HD with a Navionics Premium Hotmap. If you have the LXC-xxx (27c in my case) unit then you can Zoom all the way in on the unit even with an HD Lake from Navionics.

But borrowing the Zoom problem, the 5 inich display is just fine (LMS versus LCX units).

Bigger is not much better in the 2D world. But Color is just because you can see it better in the sun light.

we got the 520c installed and used it twice so far. works great!