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.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

  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

Standard Horizon Marine VHFs

The full line of Standard Horizon marine VHF radios supply both recreational boaters and commercial marine businesses with top quality products.

This newer series of fixed mount marine VHF radios share a few model names with the earlier line of units—Eclipse, Quest, and Matrix are still around—but with all the new electronic upgrades and feature innovations model numbers have been fully redone.

The basic Standard Horizon GX1150 is the entry level unit. The Standard Horizon GX1600 Explorer holds the middle spot in the product line and is our pick for Best Fixed Mount Marine Radio.
The latest version of the combination VHF radio and AIS receiver is the much sought after Standard Horizon GX2150.

Standard Horizon Combines VHF and AIS

The latest innovation from Standard Horizon combines a full functioning VHF radio with an automated information system (AIS) receiver. This new-to-the-market combination has been designated the Standard Horizon GX2100 Matrix AIS.

Standard Horizon Now has Entry Level Radios

Standard Horizon never really paid much attention to the very inexpensive entry level radio market until the recent release of the sub $100 Standard Horizon GX1000S Eclipse. Now they have taken direct aim at the least expensive marine VHF radios on the market.

Compare Prices for VHF Radios.

An even newer version of this radio, the Standard Horizon GX1100S Eclipse DSC+ is the upgraded version of their entry level radio. It features a class D digital selective calling rating instead of the SC101 rating of the GX1000S.

Mid-Priced VHFs

Standard Horizon has a number of mid-level marine VHF radio models on the market today. One of the leaders in its price range is the Standard Horizon GX1500S Quest X with its biggest in class display screen.

Another mid-priced workhorse is the brawny Standard Horizon GX3000S Matrix.

It was only a couple of years ago that the entry level Standard Horizon marine VHF was the GX1255S Quest. The mid-priced stalwart was the Standard Horizon GX1280S Matrix.

Standard Horizon also had one mid-level radio that was designed for behind the scenes mounting. All functions on the Standard Horizon PS1000 Phantom are controlled using the RAM+ microphone.

Top-of-the-Line and Commercial Grade VHF Radios

The two marine VHF radios riding at the pinnacle of the Standard Horizon lineup today are the Standard Horizon GX5000S.

And the alpha-numeric keypad equipped Standard Horizon GX5500S.

The recently released Standard Horizon 5000-series VHFs replaced a venerable pair. The superior Standard Horizon GX2360S Quantum only lacked a keypad in its long feature list.

Compare Prices for VHF Radios.

The slightly more expensive keypad-equipped Standard Horizon GX3500S Quantum also fell out of the lineup in years past, but is a decent unit.

We long-term tested the GX2360S on our Contender test boat for two years. It offered outstanding performance and reliability throughout the test period.