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) | Transducer, 4-inch LCD Display, Easy-to-Use Scanning Sonar, Color Palettes, 11.2 Ounces 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
  2. 2
    Garmin Striker Vivid 7sv, Easy-to-Use 7-inch Color Fishfinder and Sonar Transducer, Vivid Scanning Sonar Color Palettes (010-02553-00) | Easy-to-Use 7-inch Color Fishfinder, 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
  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
  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
  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

Independent Marine Electronics Product Reports and Installation Tips

Our independent unbiased reports will help you choose top rated marine electronics and electrical gear for your boat. We make it easy to pick the right gear for your boat and budget.

Marine Electronics Reviews gives our readers straightforward facts and opinions, that are simply not available from any other sources, on how well a product performs in the real world.

Our product reviews are not rewritten, rehashed, or regurgitated press releases often portrayed as a review by other publications or websites. We extensively research every piece of gear and we do our best to install and test out the electronics we review.

We test everything electronic or electrical you might find or use on a recreational or small commercial boat. After you have picked the right piece of gear use our knowledgeable installation tips to get it installed on your boat the right way.

What We Test

So far we’ve tested and posted reviews on everything from small boat autopilots to marine VHF radios to marine GPS chartplotters to fishfinders to image stabilized binoculars to electric bilge pumps. As we continue to test products in these groups we’ll keep posting the results.

New Reports and Reviews

Our posted marine GPS chartplotter reviews cover a wide range of units from stand-alones capable of providing basic GPS navigation and mapping to units that combine navigation with an internal fishfinder.

We have also reported on large screen multifunction displays that network data with a variety of other sources like black box sounders, radar, satellite receivers, and AIS units.

We have also looked at a number of marine autopilots, weather receivers and most recently added coverage of satellite phones and a handful of miscellaneous pieces to our gear lineup.

You will also find extensive “How To” coverage linked from our boat electronics page.

In the most recent reviews posted, when applicable you’ll find a table added in the right hand column containing gear specifications. In reports where specifications are a critical component you’ll find a large table in the center column.

Many of our reviews also feature “Compare Prices” links where you can search for the best prices for each piece of gear we review and purchase the unit of your choice without further shopping or search.