Lowrance Mark-5x DSI Fishfinder Review

If you’re looking for a mono fishfinder that can display structure very well then Mark 5X DSI is your best bet. It also does a great job of finding fish but the fish are displayed as outlines instead of the usual arches so it does take some getting used to it.

The Lowrance Mark-5x DSI fishfinder is at the very top of mid-range units. Using innovative DownScan Imaging the Mark-5x gives you lifelike images using sonar to reflect sound waves off of the fish and other objects in the water. The Lowrance Mark-5x gives you precise and beautiful images that also let you see where the climates are changing in the water telling you where the fish are hiding and where your lure needs to be.

A back-lit and water resistant 5-inch monochromatic display is easy to read when the sun is too bright or the clouds are out. Using the key-lit feature an angler can even use this fish finder at night. The FSTN display has a high resolution of 480 x 480 so it will not be a problem seeing clear images that the sonar pick-up.

The Lowrance Mark-5x DSI puts out 4,000 peak-to-peak watts and 500 RMS. Along with the high wattage the fishfinder also uses frequencies up to 800 khz, making the Mark-5x able to locate fish with ease. Using the Skimmer DSI transducer you get water temperatures, water speeds, and much more. The transducer can be either transom or motor mounted. The maximum depth amount is a very manageable 250’ as that should allow you to see the bottom of most fishing spots. There is an audible alarm letting you know different things such as if you are too shallow or too deep.

The Mark-5x is a very easy unit to manage because of its easy menus and usability. A very unique feature for a fishfinder is the way that you can choose between manually making your best image or just putting the unit on cruise control and having it decide what are the best options for you. The extreme simplicity of navigating through this fishfinder can be directly attributed to the Unique TrackBack feature on this unit. Warranty is one year parts and labor, so you know that you are purchasing a quality product backed by a warranty.

I bought this fishfinder a month ago and used many times since then. I’ve spent all this time changing the settings and tweaking the configuration but I still can’t get the display to work properly. The screen is always cluttered and hard to read. It was piece of cake to install but that’s the only good thing about this unit. I’ll have to return it.

While this unit is nothing special it does what I need it to. I mainly use it for depth and water temperature readings. Here are a few things to consider before purchasing one yourself.
1) I planned on setting the Elite-5 up in the cockpit with a Mark 5 I already owned in the bow and switch them out as needed. Unfortunately even though the mounts match up the units use different connectors. I guess that is something I should have checked out before buying.
2) The upgraded transducer for temp readings came included in the box along with the trolling motor mount. I was unaware and spent an extra $20 ordering the mount by its self.
3) The mount has quite a bit of play in it allowing the display to tilt easily. This becomes a problem with the viewing angles especially when wearing sunglasses. Not a huge problem but something to be aware of.
In the end it meets my needs so not much to complain about.