I'm looking at the HDS8 Gen2 and I'm wondering if I should get it without the Insight and go with the Navionics instead. I have the Navionics now and I'm happy with it so far. Is the Insight just as good or better than the Navionics?

Cant even compare to the Navionics chip for contours. But I'm a map addict so it's an additional tool with value to have. For an extra hundred bucks or whatever it is it's worth it. Defin some detail on the Lowrance that is not on the Navionics.

Your best bet is insight with Navionics.

If budget is an issue then base map with navionics

Here is your answer.

Will they overlap (overlay) each other? Or, do I have to use them separately?

I have the new hds8 with insight map and Some road beds and railroad beds dont show up, but it does on my navionics chip.

It will not overlap but they have different info at times.. like roads, foundations ect

Ok, so the HDS8 Gen2 has two card slots. If I have the Insight in one and Navionics in another, can I still save snapshots, or do I have to have another card for that?

You can save screenshots to the internal memory then transfer them to the second sd card in the second slot.

Go with the Navionics lots of great features with a new chip, Freshest Data, Community Layer and PC app

Insight is included in the HDS unit, no card required. So you can have Navionics in one slot and a blank card in the other to save images, waypoints, etc.

Thats great, I thought it was a card. Thanks!

Yes and no, need some clarification:
1. If you purchase an "HDS with Insight", it's a built-in version of Insight (think "Insight-Light"). It does not require an add-in card, but is also not upgradeable, and not great compared to Navionics.
2. They also sell the "InsightHD 2012" mapping card. This is supposedly a MUCH better product than the built-in product, and is of comparable quality to the Navionics high-end offerings (dependong on which lakes, and different features, one might be better than the other at any given time (and Insight (any version) doesn't feature Lake Lewisville with contours, if you are local to DFW and that matters to you)).

If you really want "both" options (I REALLY like even the built-in Insight's presentation, but have Navionics Platinum Plus for my big unit) I recommend:
Buy your HDS unit WITHOUT the built-in Insight. Buy the full InsightHD 2012 card (I think it's $100 or $150, so the amount you save on the base unit will nearly buy the card anyhow). Also buy Navionics. The InsightHD card also has significant usable free storage space on it, so you can use it for your recordings (Navionics won't allow that, so you are limited by internal storage, which might be plenty if you transfer often).
That's my recommendation, and future plan if/when I replace my 2nd sonar (HDS5) with a larger 2nd gen unit (have an HDS8 1st gen with Navionics at the dash, the 5 is at the bow).

Dang! Wished it was built in. Ok, that was my plan anyway though. I was thinking about the InsightHD and the Navionics. Have to get a another Navionics card anyway since I'll have to leave my current one in my LMS-522CiGPS.