Top 5 Editorial Picks

Five current fishfinders chosen for distinct buyer needs—from compact value to a premium expandable system. These are editorial selections, not Amazon or reader ratings.

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  1. 1
    Garmin Striker Vivid 4cv Fishfinder with Transducer - 4-inch LCD Display - Easy-to-Use Scanning Sonar - Color Palettes, 11.2 Ounces (010-02550-00) 4 Inch STRIKER Vivid 4cv Transducer

    Best Compact Value

    Garmin STRIKER Vivid 4cv

    A straightforward sonar and GPS unit for kayaks, jon boats, and small boats.

    • CHIRP and ClearVü scanning sonar in a compact package
    • A sensible pick when you do not need a chartplotter or SideVü
    • Best fit for budget-conscious small-boat anglers
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  2. 2
    Garmin Striker Vivid 7sv, Easy-to-Use 7-inch Color Fishfinder and Sonar Transducer, Vivid Scanning Sonar Color Palettes (010-02553-00) 7 Inch STRIKER Vivid 7sv Transducer

    Best All-Around 7-Inch Fishfinder

    Garmin STRIKER Vivid 7sv

    A capable sonar-first choice for anglers who want a useful 7-inch display without moving into a full chartplotter system.

    • CHIRP, ClearVü, and SideVü sonar for fish and structure
    • Simple setup with a practical 7-inch screen
    • Strong value for most general boat anglers
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  3. 3
    Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv with GT54 Transducer, 7” Touchscreen Chartplotter, Garmin Navionics+ U.S. Inland 7' Garmin Navionics+ U.S. Inland with GT54 Transducer

    Best GPS & Chartplotter Upgrade

    Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv

    The mapping step-up for buyers who need confident navigation as well as high-quality scanning sonar.

    • Garmin Navionics+ U.S. Inland mapping and touchscreen control
    • Ultra High-Definition ClearVü and SideVü sonar
    • A better fit than STRIKER when charts matter
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  4. 4
    Humminbird XPLORE Series GPS Fish Finder MEGA Side Imaging+ & HD Touchscreen Display Transducer Included) 9-Inch Display

    Best Side-Imaging Upgrade

    Humminbird XPLORE 9

    A current 9-inch imaging platform for anglers ready to build around serious side imaging and boat integration.

    • MEGA Side Imaging+ and MEGA Down Imaging+
    • 9-inch display with touchscreen and keypad control
    • Recommended configuration: 9-inch, transducer included
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  5. 5
    Lowrance HDS PRO Fishfinder/Chartplotter with Smartphone Integration and Preloaded C-MAP U.S. & Canada Charts 10 Inch ActiveImaging HD 3-in-1

    Best Premium Expandable System

    Lowrance HDS PRO 10

    A larger-boat platform for buyers who want premium sonar, mapping, networking, and a serious expansion path.

    • Active Imaging HD and C-MAP charting
    • Wide networking support for integrated electronics
    • Ready to expand with ActiveTarget 2 and the Lowrance ecosystem
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Raymarine C90W Review

The Raymarine C90W is the little brother in the updated C-series widescreen lineup. The update was more like a complete revamp of old C-series into what is best described as a next-generation multi-function display capable of interfacing with radar, AIS, other C-series units, a black box sounder, and more.

The C90W package ships with the display unit, a sun cover, printed installation manual and quick start guide, and cabling. The full 222-page instruction manual as well as electronic versions of the printed manuals are supplied on an accompanying CD.

raymarine c90w multi-function display

Raymarine C90W

Like all other widescreen C-series units, this one has an internal GPS sensor while still maintaining the ability to interface with an optional external GPS antenna if needed or desired. Our test unit came preloaded with cartography covering U.S. coastal waters. The C90W can also use Navionics Gold or Platinum cards in its single front panel card slot.The display unit measures nearly 12.3-inches wide, 7.8-inches high, and about 5.2-inches deep.

Once we receive the optional metal trunion bracket, we will be mounting the Raymarine C90W to our test rig using it. Under most conditions it would be best to mount a display unit this big flush in a panel. Flush mounting generally offers a cleaner look and more support of the display—hardware to do so is supplied.

Compare Prices on GPS Chartplotters.

Connectivity

The display unit power supply feeds in through a cable that also provides NMEA0183 data and a video port. The 90-degree cable connector attaches to the case back with a twist lock that fit securely. The unit can use either 12- or 24-volts DC power.

You will also find two SeaTalkhs network ports and a single SeaTalkng port on the rear of the display unit.

SeaTalkhs allows the C90W to connect to another C-series widescreen display, radar, or a black box sounder while SeaTalkng is an N2K compliant network.

Three NMEA0183 ports are available for interfacing with AIS, a third-party autopilot, a VHF radio, or a few other sensors. Port one is a normal NEMA0183 input/output port. Port two is also input/output capable and high-speed, meaning it can operate at 38,400 baud—a necessity for connecting most AIS units. Port three is normal speed input only.

Screen Size and Viewability

The Raymarine C90W display screen uses a landscape layout and measures 7.7-inches wide and 4.6-inches high. On the diagonal we measured it at exactly 9-inches. Resolution is a very respectable 800 by 480 pixels.