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Lowrance HDS-9 Gen2 Touch Insight Review

Rating
3/5
 
Lowrance HDS-9 Gen2 Touch Insight has an average rating of 3 out of 5 based on 1 user reviews.

lowrance_hds9_touchinsight

VendorPrice
BassPro$2399.99
WestMarine$2449.99

The Lowrance HDS-9 Gen 2 Touch Insight is a touchscreen GPS marine navigational system with the ease of a tablet computer or smartphone. It comes with everything long-time Lowarance High Definition System users expect with a few new enhancements.

The basic features of the device include a high-definition, nine-inch, widescreen color easy-to-use touchscreen display. It has several built-in fish-finding tools including a few sonar arrays and the award winning Broadband Radar and seamless integration with all of Lowrance’s performance modules. It also has GPS-enabled navigation charts and maps, an Ethernet port, two full-sized SD card slots, and a camera connector.

Fishfinding Technology

No marine navigational system would be complete without a sonar system or two and the HDS Gen 2 Touch Insight is no different. The units have built-in Broadband Sounder, StructureScan HD and Side- and DownScan features, and switching between the modes is quick and clean. You can also split-screen several of these modes at once with a data-recording feature that lets you to view sonar history in a user-friendly, back-scrolling manner.

Navigation and Contour Maps

For those tired of fishing in uncharted waters, the HDS Gen 2 Touch Insight is fully-integrated into Insight Genesis, a web-based feature that allows anglers to generate their own real-time personal HD contour maps. The feature also offers 3D perspectives, navigation waypoints, GPS integration, StructureMap, Broadband Radar, and SIRIUS weather overlays, and the free version overlays your data on Bing satellite maps. The unit also comes with Navionics and Insight USA inland and coastal cartography options, pre-loaded with the many of the same features as Genesis, for fishing trips without Internet access. Other features can be installed from SD cards or via the included Ethernet port.

The Touchscreen Display

The most prominent new hardware feature on the Gen 2 Touch Insight is the new HD LCD touchscreen. This enhanced SolarMAX PLUS widescreen display is brilliant and clear even in bright sunlight and at wide viewing angles. It has enough room for up to four real-time split-screen panels, and if you are familiar with tablets and smartphones, you will have very little trouble with this setup as every application and feature is accessible via icons on the screen, and the device has an on-screen keyboard. There are also five buttons along the right edge of the device for use on rough seas.

Networking Features

The two built-in SD card slots make customizing the HDS-9 Gen 2 Touch Insight simple. Insight HD and Fishing Hot Spots Pro cards come included in the package while the dual Ethernet port provides access to the device’s Internet and networking features. Navico also has plans for a wireless module that will integrate the HDS Gen 2 Touch with iPhone, iPad, and Android devices.

Anglers with smartphones and tablets knew a touchscreen sonar/GPS navigation system was coming. It was just a matter of time. The HDS-9 Gen 2 Touch Insight is just one of three devices from Lowrance featuring wide multi-function touchscreen displays. While the new touchscreen interface may put off some veterans, most will find the feature very useful.

You can get a great deal on Lowrance HDS-9 Gen2 Touch Insight here.

 
 
 Lowrance HDS-9 Touch InsightHumminbird 1198ci SIHumminbird 1158c DI
lowrance_hds9_touchinsighthumminbird_1198humminbird_1158cdi
Screen Size9 in10.4 in / 264 mm10.4 in / 264 mm
Screen Resolution480 x 800 pixels480 x 800 pixels480 x 800 pixels
Display TypeWidescreen, 16:9 ; WVGA color TFT LCD4:3 Color TFT4:3 Color TFT
ImagingBroadband 2D, Structure Scan, DownScan Overlay2D and Side Imaging2D and Down Imaging
Transducer TypeTransom Mount/Trolling MotorTransom Mount/Trolling MotorTransom Mount/Trolling Motor
Transmit PowerMax 250W Broadband, analog equivalent 30,000W and 32W Broadband, analog equivalent 3,750 W equivalent 3750W1000W RMS
8000W Peak-to-Peak
500W RMS
4000W Peak-To-Peak
Sonar Frequency(50/200 or 83/ 200 kHz) + 455/800 kHz83/200 kHz 2D
455/800 kHz Side Imaging
200/455 kHz 2D
455/800 kHz Down Imaging
Maximum Depth5000 ft / 1524 m1500 ft 2D
150 ft Side Imaging
600 ft 2D
250 ft Down Imaging
GPS Antenna TypeInternal, high-sensitivity GPS+WAASInternalInternal
Waypoint Storage500030003000
Routes2005050
Plot TrailsUp to 10 trails - up to 12,000 points/trail50 w/20,000 points each50 w/20,000 points each
Background MapExpanded U.S. BaseMap or Insight USAHumminbird ContourXDHumminbird Contour XD
MSRP$2449$2799$2199
ReviewsReviewsReviews

User Reviews

Posted by CPD

  • 3/5
3

This is a very solid unit but it has one major flaw. It will route through land between waypoints. After I bought it I found out that patents prevent Lowrance from implementing correct turn-by-turn marine navigation. It’s kind of disappointing that they charge $2500 for a unit but they don’t want to pay for patent use.

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