The Lowrance HDS-5 we tested had an internal Broadband Sounder ™, internal GPS receiver, and was preloaded with Lowrance Nautic Insight ™ U.S. Coastal cartography.
The HDS-5 package ships with the display unit, mounting bracket, dual-frequency transom-mount transducer, operations manual, installation manual, quick start guide, and a combination NMEA0183 data/power cable.
Alternatively, the HDS-5 can be purchased as a standalone chartplotter or standalone fishfinder. The chartplotter version is designated the HDS-5m and the fishfinder as the HDS-5x.
Buying a new unit? See the compact chartplotter option below.
Cartography options include Nautic Insight (coastal), Lake Insight (inland lakes), or a Navionics world base map. The Lowrance HDS-5 has a single chart-card slot and can use Navionics Platinum and Platinum+ charts as well as any Navionics inland lakes cards.
We measured the Lowrance HDS-5 case at 5.8-inches high by 7.1-inches wide and just under 3.3-inches deep.
Lowrance HDS-5
We used the accompanying gimbal bracket to mount the Lowrance HDS-5 to our test rig.
A removable front bezel makes for easy panel mounting without any additional hardware other than the appropriate mounting screws.
Connectivity
When connected to these optional devices, the Lowrance HDS-5 can display Sirius weather and radio, or even engine gauges. A single cable that fastens to the case back with a twist-lock connector supplies power and NMEA0183 data through individual legs.
The display contains an internal GPS sensor, but the unit can still use an optional external GPS sensor if needed or desired. We used the internal antenna for this review.
The onboard NMEA 0183 interface supports data transfer rates of up to 38,400 baud. This unit can also interface with a NMEA 2000 or Navico Ethernet network.
Screen Size and Viewability
The HDS-5 is equipped with a 3.6-inch wide by 3.6-inch high display screen that measures 5-inches on the diagonal and carries 480 by 480 pixels of resolution.
The Lowrance HDS-5 is display screen is bright, sharp, and generally easy to read.
Sometimes however, especially on the chart page where there is lots of information displayed, you’ll need to get up close and personal to view all the detail that appears onscreen.
When viewed straight-on the screen maintains its brightness whether or not the user is wearing polarized sunglasses. Even at steep side angles I noted no darkening or reduction in readability.
I rated this Lowrance excellent for daylight viewability. No screen fogging was apparent in the display at anytime.
The Lowrance HDS-5 has both a day and night color palette. The night palette changes numbers and letters shown onscreen to a darker color for easier night viewing. On the sounder page, the colors invert for enhanced low-light viewing.
For example, we had the sounder set to show water as white so when we went to the night palette water showed black. On the chart page the night palette has little effect.
Daylight brightness can be set to one of ten levels using the keypad and switched to one of four levels using the light/power button. Even with the brightness set to minimum the screen maintains an intensity level, which in my opinion, is too bright fo