Lowrance is one of the foremost fish finders in the business. They are the pioneers of fish finders and they dominate the SONAR device market for more than sixty years. There is a vast range of Lowrance models in the market such that anglers may find it quite tedious identifying the exact one they prefer to buy. The choice to pick from ranges from small to large models. Along with their unique features, they are capable of overwhelming a new person planning to invest in Lowrance fish finders.
In fact, you may also notice that Lowrance fish finders look similar to the eye which may add to the uncertainty of choice. Below are 6 Lowrance fish finders for your various fishing needs to enable you to make informed decisions as regards your choice for fishing.
Important Information about Lowrance Fish Finders
Contents
Below are important things you should know about this amazing brand.
Innovation
When it comes to innovative technologies such as a touchscreen, SideScan, DownScan, StructureScan HD, maps that are customized, and Broadband radar, Lowrance has it all. There are also other added features such as the NAIS Collision Avoidance system and Sonic Hub Audio prominent in their High Definition Systems (HDS) brands.
Also, Navico OS has been featured which was the much talked about feature in the fish finder industry. Their TotalScan transducer is capable of handling the trio of Down, Side, and CHIRP Imaging, within just one connection to a device.
Price
Lowrance offers great value for their affordable priced models. They compete favorably with Gamin fish finder in the aspect of providing the best value for money.
- A variety of choices – Users have a wide variety of choices to choose from in the Lowrance brand. Whatever you need whether as a pro or a novice, you will surely find one of Lowrance products that suits your needs.
- Affordable fishfinders – The brand is well-known for giving anglers quality at reasonable prices. You could as well buy a decent fish finder within $200.
In contrast to other brands whose entry-level models start from $500, for budget-conscious shoppers, they will find Lowrance as a viable option.
- Responsive customer support – They possess a great customer support team who are always ready to provide information about whatever you need to know about their products and brand. They also offer the option for user’s online support for fast and easy answers to inquiries.
- Easy to use – In terms of ease of use, Lowrance fish finders come up as one of the best. Most novices get acquainted easily with fish Finders use with Lowrance products.
- Long warranty – There is at least a 1 or 2-year limited warranty based on the model purchased. Also, for products on its five-year Advantage program, users get an extra warranty of 3 years.
Lowrance Fish Finder Comparison Table
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Best Lowrance Fish Finder Reviews
1. Lowrance Elite-5 Fishfinder
This fish finder is very easy to use and offers great value for its price. It is the best value in our reviewed product list. It includes a built-in GPS and navigation features, it replaced in enhanced sensitivity, high target resolution, and noise elimination.
The elite 5 offers easy detachment and installation. You will get clear images from its DownScan features and with 300 feet scanning depth you will still easily identify fish from structures.
Added to its features are the Fish ID and Ice Flasher. Fish can be found in any temperature using Ice Fisher as the name implies.
On the other hand, the Fish ID function displays the current depth of each fish. This unit is quite easy to use and operate coupled with its reasonably low price. All these sets Elite-5 up as one of the desirable Lowrance fish finders to look out for in the market.
2. Lowrance HDS 7
Frankly speaking, this product is not the best in terms of price as it is quite on the high side, but users are assured of a feature-packed unit that is worth every penny spent on the purchase.
The screen size is large enough, about 7 inches with an amazing screen resolution of 640 x 480 pixels. You will be able to read the display screen clearly in whatever condition such as under the sun or steep edges. We found this product easy to use and the addition of front-panel pushbuttons coupled with arrow keypads adds to its ease of use and control.
It possesses an in-built Wi-Fi which seamlessly connects to an iPad for controlling a boating app. If you are on a low budget, we would not recommend this product. But if you are more concerned about ease of use and great features, then this is a product to consider.
3. Lowrance 000-12638-001 Hook-3X
This fish finder is quite affordable and easy to use coupled with LED-backlit color display. It is quite portable with a small screen size but fair enough screen resolution of 320 x 240-pixel which helps to show a more detailed fish structure. While using this unit, you won’t need manual adjustments of settings as it comes with an in-built Advanced Signal Process.
It features Fish I.D. whereby users can adjust the way fish targets are shown. It’s easy to operate making it ideal for novices who is just getting used to the fish finder. It has a top-notch mounting bracket helping users to switch viewing angles easily or unmount for storage.
Another plus about this unit is its energy efficiency which could last for almost 20 hours on battery between charges.
4. Lowrance Elite-7X
Lowrance elite 7x offers a down imaging scan equipped with top-notch signal processing which reduces the number of time users spends to focus on images. With all its amazing features, it’s surprising to see that it comes in a budget-friendly price.
It possesses advanced CHIRP software that gives a fish, plant, and bottoms clear images. The elite 7x screen size is 7 inches while the screen resolution is 480x 800-pixel. The screen size allows users to clearly see images regardless of time and weather. Users will get to enjoy enhanced target separation and power with incredible scanning depth up to 1,000 feet.
The menus are quite easy to use and also easy to mount and unmount the unit. Another plus to this product is that it is waterproof which can withstand water splashes and short duration immersion into water. Although it lacks some features like and mapping, we believe this has helped to reduce the cost while you can purchase it for its other amazing features thereby making it our best budget-friendly Lowrance fishfinder.
5. Lowrance HDS 9 Fish Finder
Lovers of high definition (HD) will find this an ideal fish finder to buy. It features a downscan and broadband sound with its data shown on HD.
This product comes in three various size of screen namely 7, 9, and 12 inches. We fancy the 12 inch screen due to the wide area allowing users to make the most of its amazing features. On the other hand, its SolarMax Plus technology ensures a sharp image all through the day even at sunny times.
The scanning depth of this top Lowrance fish finder is about 300 feet with 328 meters radius scan. Beginners will find this fish finder so easy to operate with its full, intuitive, and customizable screen touch.
Also, it is quite flexible in various positions and features an easy to release mounting system. However, the only thing we don’t really like about this unit is its expensive price.
6. Lowrance HDS-12 Fishfinder
This is another unit with HD and touch screen features from Lowrance. It mimics the look of a tablet or high-end smartphone. It comes with a 12 inch screen fitted with broadband radar, functional GPS services, Ethernet port, and slots for SD card. Video camera is also supported on this device.
Fitted with a bradband sounder, down and side scanner, you are certain to detect any fish or structure underneath your fishing kayak. Its split-screen feature allows users to switch between sonars. This fish finders biggest attraction is its screen size and touch screen display. The major drawback is the price which is on the high side but if you compare it to its features you will realize that it’s a fair deal.
7. Lowrance Elite-4
This product is packed with amazing features such as the CHIRP function which complement the well-known Elite-4. The CHIRP gives increased energy getting into the water column which also helps to give the underwater landscape a clearer visual.
Do not get carried away with its portable size as it is packed with mind-blowing features to make your fishing expedition a memorable one.
It possesses GPS and DownScan for real underground images below the fishing boat or kayak. With this product, the CHIRP and DownScan can be used simultaneously to harness both features for the more efficient discovery of fish.
Despite its size, the GPS and SONAR is quite accurate coupled with a reasonable price for its high valued functions.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. Differentiating between the Lowrance HDI and DSI units
The main difference being, the Hybrid Dual Imaging (HDI) units possess both 2D traditional SONAR and DownScan Imaging. They can both be overlayed. Meanwhile, the DownScan Imaging (DSI) units back up only DownScan Imaging. They are incapable of offering traditional 2D SONAR.
2. Differentiating between the Lowrance HDS and HDI units
While the HDS and HDI units possess the same sonar potentials, the HDS has a swifter processor and more organized system options. HDS has multiple settings for tuning the SONAR according to your preferred options. It is also better for pelagic fishing.
Conclusion
It is always difficult picking the best Lowrance Fishfinder, we’ll have to make do with the Lowrance Elite 5. It is one of the best because it contains so many features and is also very affordable. It provides very clear images even when hit by sun rays. Installation and operation is quite easy. It is usually slow most of the time, but that’s the only setback you will have to make do with when using this fish finder. Also, the Lowrance Elite-7X is our best-budget priced unit as it offers great value at affordable price.
Hi, I’m Scoty
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