i just bought the Lowrance elite hdi 5, I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the Navionics lakes cards? Are they worth the money? Where is the best place to buy them? Also a little curious because some of the ones I've seen online say discontinued. Thanks in advance for any help.

If you have a smart phone get the Navionics it only about 15.00 a year with continuous updates those cards are about 80.00 to update I Hear

The Navionics App is an annual subscription also just like the updatable cards.

Renewal for the map cards is $99.

The Elite models have slow processors and cannot read the extra stuff that Platinum cards have.

The best for the Elite models is the Navionics+ Preloaded. That is a 16GB card like the Platinum, but is not regional and has all the Navionics Nautical Charts for the US and Canada already loaded to it. Plus can have the Sonar Charts map layer added for locations you want.
BUT since the Elite models are slow, you can delete all that is on the card and only download the specific waters you need so the unit won't have to process all the map date it comes with. You can download both Nautical Charts (Navionics maps) and Sonar Charts (user generated mapping) and not bog the unit down.
Don't know where you got the idea that the Elite models have slow processors, I have the Elite 7ti with a Navionics Hotmap Platinum South and it's as quick as you can touch the screen. In other words it's as fast as the person using it. Don't know what more you could ask.

The 2GB version of Navionics+ and Navionics Hotmaps Premium regional cards are discontinued. Ether of those would work great if you can find some old stock.

All new purchases of any Navionics card includes a year of Freshest Data Updates.

The Elite models have slow processors and cannot read the extra stuff that Platinum cards have.

The best for the Elite models is the Navionics+ Preloaded. That is a 16GB card like the Platinum, but is not regional and has all the Navionics Nautical Charts for the US and Canada already loaded to it. Plus can have the Sonar Charts map layer added for locations you want.
BUT since the Elite models are slow, you can delete all that is on the card and only download the specific waters you need so the unit won't have to process all the map date it comes with. You can download both Nautical Charts (Navionics maps) and Sonar Charts (user generated mapping) and not bog the unit down.

The 2GB version of Navionics+ and Navionics Hotmaps Premium regional cards are discontinued. Ether of those would work great if you can find some old stock.

All new purchases of any Navionics card includes a year of Freshest Data Updates.

AustinS, what Lowrance unit are you running that Platinum in? Did you turn the Fishnchip layer on? It is only required the first time, and then from then on it should automatically come on. If not, there is a lot of detail that you are missing out on.

Any more questions feel free to ask away.

Don't know where you got the idea that the Elite models have slow processors, I have the Elite 7ti with the Navionics Hotmap Platinum South and it processes as fast as you touch the screen. Don't know what else you could ask for.

The "idea" came from numerous Elite owners complaining on Bass Boat Central that the mapping cannot keep up with their boat speed.
I posted the solution.

I'm using a Hook 7. I just plugged the card in and switched the unit from Lowrance map to Navionics. I'm pretty new to marine electronics and this is my first time using a map card. Not sure what the fishnchip layer is.