Garmin vs Lowrance

I'm searching for an additional graph for the console of my next boat. I have been debating the garmin 93sv. This would allow me to use Garmin mapping. Also, I will have a back up side imaging unit. The other option is adding a lowrance hds9. The positive to this unit will be the touch screen capability for naming waypoints. However the hds9 will not have transducers. It will strictly be mapping. What is everyone's opinion?

my 93sv is 5 stars for SI and DI, standard mapping is 2 1/2 stars.
93sv is not Navionics/LakeMaster compatible. The 93sv is VERY user friendly.
Customer servvice is excellent, always answer the phone and all my questions .

To my knowledge, I thought the garmin maps were better than navionics? My primary graphs will be navionics/lake master compatible.

My garmin map is lots better than the other two and yes I have owned both and would not trade you anything for my garmin.

I have used Bird and currently have Lowrance but put a Garmin on my wifes pontoon and thats what I will have from now on.

I've never used a Garmin, so I can't comment on it.

In my opinion, if you use an hds 9 for a chart plotter only you'd be paying a lot of money for features you didn't use. I assume you aren't worried about networking since it sounds like you don't mind using multiple brands. Just seems to me like you could save a little by looking at the hook or elite series, both of which have a 9" screen. Or, the hummingbird helix series. The best I can tell, an HDS 9 Gen 3 even without a transducer is still around 2K. So you could potentially save more than a grand.

Another thought, if youre set on the touch screen, take a look at the Simrad Go7 XSE series. It's a 7" screen, but is fully operated by touch (like a smart phone). If you aren't familiar with them, they are a sister company to Lowrance. So, it comes with Insight, or you can load navionics.

I think their is still a few of the Gen 2 HDS 9 out there for around 12-13 hunderd

Switched to Garmin 5 years ago. Simple to use, love the quick connect/disconnect, and Panoptix is cool as hell.

SE Kansas grass grower

Ray Marine FTW

I have a good price on my 94sv in the trading post.

What I meant was The standard mapping on Garmin is just that, standard, which is OK. My point for only 2 1/2 stars is that you can't use the Navionics/Lake Master chips with a Garmin, you have to buy their chips,..jim

Sorry for misunderstanding. I thought you rated the Garmin map chip at 2.5 stars. Fortunately, I will be running a helix 12 as my primary graph.

I would defiantly say the standard Garmin mapping is certainly less than to be desired. On the other hand the chirp sonar and side scan are awesome!

Only concern I would see, other than the limited to Garmin only mapping, would be if you use that unit for mapping only, wouldnt you want a graph that can be linked to your bow unit? That way if you drop a waypoint on the mapping only graph, you would see the waypoint on the bow graph. I know that would only be an issue when offshore fishing for the most part but still would seem whatever unit you plan to use at the console for mapping would want to be linked with the unit at the bow. JMO

Garmin can share waypoints.

I have a 73SV and I completely agree with this. I would love to be able to use Navionics mapping with my Garmin. The SI and DI are excellent on Garmin. For the price I think these units are really tough to beat.

I asked the same question, but I sent my inquiry to Lowrance themselves.
I've always had Lowrance, my Bug has X-135's fore and aft, and an HDS-5 on the console.
I was looking at the Garmin 73 with down and side imaging, but there was something about patent infringements or something. Then the lack of decent mapping.
So I emailed Lowrance and told them I'd always used Lowrance, but I'd been looking at Garmin.
I told em to talk me out of Garmin.
Within a day, I had a response.
They told me that Lowrance is exclusively a fishing company, all research and development is fishing.

Period.

Garmin is into other things besides fishing.

So, My next purchase will be the Lowrance Elite 7ti.

how many pros have made the switch to garmin in the last couple years?

Garmin does GPS. They are the biggest company for Gps's. Garmin has put a lot on money into freshwater fishing. many good companies do more than one thing and are good at it? many...

Love the Garmin that I have.

Garmin is having some legal trouble with the ITT for patent infringement of Lowrance technology. Personally if I was looking I'd go Lowrance but I'm not going to switch from HB

Yeah I understand they can share way points between Garmin units, but cant they share with Humminbird or Lowrance? If not and he runs the Helix as his primary unit or a Humminbird or Lowrance at the bow, they will not share between the units if they can not be linked together. I was under the impression that they are a different file type, just as Lowrance and Humminbird cannot share between units since they are different file types and different connections to run Ethernet cable.