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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Best Compact Value
A straightforward sonar and GPS unit for kayaks, jon boats, and small boats.
Best All-Around 7-Inch Fishfinder
A capable sonar-first choice for anglers who want a useful 7-inch display without moving into a full chartplotter system.
Best GPS & Chartplotter Upgrade
The mapping step-up for buyers who need confident navigation as well as high-quality scanning sonar.
Best Side-Imaging Upgrade
A current 9-inch imaging platform for anglers ready to build around serious side imaging and boat integration.
Best Premium Expandable System
A larger-boat platform for buyers who want premium sonar, mapping, networking, and a serious expansion path.
The Garmin 60 uses a monochrome screen measuring 2.6 inches on the diagonal with 160 x 240 pixel resolution. The high resolution on this Garmin marine handheld made the edges of small fonts and circles smooth and easy to read. We found the night lighting on this Garmin portable GPS
The Garmin 60CSx portable is the latest incarnation in the 60-series handheld GPS lineup and our latest Garmin portable GPS review. The ‘x’ in the model designation adds a removable memory card and a high-sensitivity GPS receiver. It shares all the utility of earlier 60-series versions and has both a
The Garmin 60CS handheld shares all the functionality of its 60C brethren plus has both a built-in electronic compass and barometric altimeter. These two added sensors get this handheld the “S” designation. Eight pushbuttons and a rocker switch are located below with function labels clearly marked on the case front
The Garmin 546s test unit we reviewed combines the capabilities of a high-sensitivity GPS receiver, mapping chartplotter, and 1000-watt internal sounder into a single unit that comes preloaded with Garmin BlueChart g2 U.S. Coastal cartography. A 500-series plotter from Garmin can be purchased in a wide variety of configurations. Here
Our Garmin 545s test unit shipped with a powerful internal sounder, internal GPS sensor, and was preloaded with Garmin BlueChart g2 U.S. Coastal cartography covering both mainland coasts from Canada to Mexico, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and Guam. The compact 500-series chartplotters from Garmin can be purchased in a wide
The Garmin 541 is the latest update in this series of Garmin marine GPS chartplotter. The 541 unit ships equipped with a high-sensitivity internal GPS sensor and preloaded Garmin BlueChart g2 U.S. coastal cartography. Also included with the display unit is a power/data cable, protective front cover, tilt and swivel
This Garmin 540s was destined for installation on a 19-foot center console boat used primarily in the waters of the Upper Florida Keys. The boats owner was looking for a compact multi-talented unit to replace an antiquated non-operational chartplotter. Shop for the latest Garmin 540-series chartplotter combos here. In this
The Garmin 5212 multi-function display offers a very clean look with only a single power button on the bezel. Everything else in this chartplotter is controlled via touch screen fields that act as buttons, keys, or prompts. This Garmin touch screen chartplotter display will interface with radar, black box fish
The Garmin 5208 front panel offers a sleek look with only a single power button on the bezel. Everything else in this marine chartplotter is controlled via touch screen fields serving as pushbuttons, alphanumeric keys, or prompts. Like its siblings, the 5208 will display radar information, fish finder data from
Our test version of the Garmin 498C came equipped from the factory with an external GPS antenna, an integral sounder, and a dual-frequency transducer. Other models of the 498C are available with an internal GPS antenna. The unit is pre-loaded with Garmin BlueChart cartography that covers the U.S. in great
The Garmin 441 is an updated version of an earlier Garmin small screen marine chartplotter. This unit ships equipped with an internal GPS receiver and preloaded Garmin BlueChart g2 U.S. coastal cartography. Additional hardware and documentation includes a power/data cable, protective front cover, tilt and swivel mounting bracket, installation instructions,
Our Garmin 440s test unit shipped with an internal sounder, internal GPS receiver, and was preloaded with Garmin BlueChart g2 U.S. coastal cartography. The pre-loaded charts covered a very large area that includes both U.S. mainland coasts from Canada to Mexico, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Guam, and the Great Lakes.
The Garmin 198C we tested came equipped from the factory with an external GPS antenna/sensor, an integral 500-watt sounder, and a dual-frequency transducer. It has an internal world map built-in to memory and uses Garmin BlueChart cartography to enhance map details. The display unit case is just over 6-inches high,
The compact Garmin 178C we tested was equipped with an internal GPS antenna, an integral sounder, and a dual-frequency transducer. Other models of this Garmin chartplotter are available with an external GPS antenna and single frequency transducer. The unit contains an internal world map and uses Garmin BlueChart cartography to
The just released Furuno software update for the NavNet3D system adds several new features, improves a few others, and fixes one known issue. Software version 2.05 contains files to update the 12-inch and 8-inch MFDs, black box MFD, radar, and both black box sounders, DFF1 and DFF3. Any of these
Furuno NavNet 3D is the latest iteration of this well-known marine electronics company’s network operating system. I’ll be reviewing the system with a 12-inch multi-function display unit. The 12-inch MFD package ships with the display unit, metal mounting bracket, user’s handbook, installation guide book, flip-card operators guide, and a computer
The Furuno LS6100 has been proving itself a viable performer as a member of the Furuno fishfinder lineup for nearly a decade. As an entry level 300-watt dual frequency monochrome fishfinder this unit has been a reliable fishfinder even as it faced newer competition. I reviewed this Furuno fishfinder several
The Furuno GP7000F is a standalone chartplotter fishfinder, it comes equipped with an external GPS antenna, an integral sounder, and a dual-frequency transducer. The display unit measures just over 10-inches wide, 6-inches wide, and 5-inches deep. A large plastic mounting bracket ships with the Furuno GP7000. It is fastened with
The Furuno GP-33 is a new release WAAS-enabled non-mapping GPS navigator that displays loads of useful navigation information on a high-resolution 4.3-inch color screen. The GP-33 package ships with the display unit, protective display front cover, tilt-only mounting bracket, GPS antenna with a 10-meter cable, operators manual, quick start guide,
The Furuno FM4000 marine VHF radio is the only recreational grade unit in Furuno marine electronics lineup. They do offer a full GMDSS compliant commercial radio as well but it costs about four times as much the radio featured here. The FM4000 ships with the radio, detachable microphone, plastic tilt