# Best Live Sonar Unit these days? Garmin vs Lowrance vs Humminbird?



## jmlassi (Jun 1, 2014)

Just looking for real-world opinions...Those things are pricey!


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## 6Speed (Mar 8, 2013)

Ford, Chevy, Ram...same kinda thing. I like Ford's and Birds best. The Chevy and Lowrance next. Do some searches on the site. This gets beat to death yearly and the older threads would be better than my simple opinion.


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## ThreeDogsDown (Jan 19, 2018)

I think it comes down to how much do you want to spend. If you are already on a H-bird platform, might as well go with a Mega Live. Same applies to Lowrance and Garmin users. 


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## bobberbill (Apr 5, 2011)

Technology is changing everyday. 2K+ to catch a mess of gills is a little pricey.


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## jmlassi (Jun 1, 2014)

ThreeDogsDown said:


> I think it comes down to how much do you want to spend. If you are already on a H-bird platform, might as well go with a Mega Live. Same applies to Lowrance and Garmin users.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


For that reason, I was leaning towards Lowrance (I have HDS on my boat) but you need HDS Live to be compatible, so either way I am going to have to buy the whole package...$3K


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## jd4223 (Feb 12, 2012)

I gave up on Lowrance due to Customer Lack of Service...Went with Humminbird and never looked back. Still have 2 HumminBird Flashers a Super 60 and a Super 30 II with the Yellow Bird Trap Box..Both units still work.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

All the technologies work. But the new "live" stuff from each manufacturer are pretty amazing to watch. Adds a new level of excitement, IMO.


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## Gillgitter (Nov 5, 2003)

Think I'll wait a couple years and see what the prices do.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Gillgitter said:


> Think I'll wait a couple years and see what the prices do.


Not sure they're like a TV but I doubt they'll go up.


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## Big Hoss (Sep 4, 2018)

The biggest difference in these units would be do they offer an ice bundle, or do you need to make one.
Watching videos, I'd say it goes L,G then HB as far as sensitivity. However, when it comes to ice gear, I'd put L last.


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## Benz (Sep 25, 2010)

I went with HB. Lowest price option is helix 7 G4N MDI for $650 and then the mega live transducer which is $1,500. Looks great so far.

I run the helix shuttle with chirp transducer and then 2 10ah Dakota lithium batteries. Which adds another $600 or so. It’s small but light. Easily goes back on the boat for the rest of the year and networks with my Solix to share ML and waypoints.

Garmin is a bit ahead but it’s been out for three years and HB will start pushing updates soon and likely will catch up.


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## piketroller (Oct 24, 2016)

Here was a good video I saw a few days comparing all of them. They all have pros and cons. The interesting thing was the big con with the bird stuff was much less usable range than the other two.


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## Carlos E Altuna (May 11, 2019)

I don't own one but want one.... So I have looked into it. All 3 seems to be very close in Tech. But I feel Garmin has a huge advantage as the _live_ is compatible with dozens of their models. Both Low and Bird have made it so you have to buy all new in addition to the Live. I would guess this means the garmin would also be more likely to be compatible in years to come as you upgrade.


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## Benz (Sep 25, 2010)

Carlos E Altuna said:


> I don't own one but want one.... So I have looked into it. All 3 seems to be very close in Tech. But I feel Garmin has a huge advantage as the _live_ is compatible with dozens of their models. Both Low and Bird have made it so you have to buy all new in addition to the Live. I would guess this means the garmin would also be more likely to be compatible in years to come as you upgrade.


HB live works with all helix 4GN 7”+, all helix G3N 8”+, all solix 1,2, and 3, and all apex and all onyx. Pretty much everything made in the last 3 years or so works if it’s got at least Megadown imaging plus. 


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## piketroller (Oct 24, 2016)

Benz said:


> HB live works with all helix 4GN 7”+, all helix G3N 8”+, all solix 1,2, and 3, and all apex and all onyx. Pretty much everything made in the last 3 years or so works if it’s got at least Megadown imaging plus.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


Same with Lowrance. Compatible back to the Carbons that have been discontinued for over two years now.


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## sweet lou (Jan 14, 2018)

bobberbill said:


> Technology is changing everyday. 2K+ to catch a mess of gills is a little pricey.


I have the Garmin Panoptix
Pricey yes, I have mine set up to use year-round, my black box is in my rod locker(easy in and out) Have to take a pass-through cover off to get the Panoptix transducer off the boat bought another power cable mount everything in a milkcrate. (works great) When I was on Higgin's Lake this year at the sunken cabin cruiser(northwest side of the lake) I was using the down image of the panoptix trying to catch fish.

Here again, it's pricey, but to me well worth it. At some point in time in the near future, I won't be alive. Time to have fun and my heirs will be short $1500.00.


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## Raylaser (Jan 29, 2015)

sweet lou said:


> I have the Garmin Panoptix
> Pricey yes, I have mine set up to use year-round, my black box is in my rod locker(easy in and out) Have to take a pass-through cover off to get the Panoptix transducer off the boat bought another power cable mount everything in a milkcrate. (works great) When I was on Higgin's Lake this year at the sunken cabin cruiser(northwest side of the lake) I was using the down image of the panoptix trying to catch fish.
> 
> Here again, it's pricey, but to me well worth it. At some point in time in the near future, I won't be alive. Time to have fun and my heirs will be short $1500.00.


I agree with Lou, the Garmin to me seemed the best bet when I bought it, however that was 2 years ago and there are more options out there now than at that time (even new options from Garmin). I have the Panoptix with Livescope and Ice Fish Bundle. Very pricey but I thought I'd reward myself as I hadn't spent any money for ice gear in years. I also bought with the intent of using it on a boat which I don't currently own but want to get in the near future. Main drawback for this unit after price - the weight. This sucker is heavy and bulky. I move a lot and it's not as easy to move and hole hop like my Vexilar flasher was. I gave my flasher to my nephew when I bought the Garmin and sometimes whish I still had it just to hole hop and ID the depth and see if any marks. Then move my sled and the Garmin to that new territory. Good news, my nephew and I usually fish together so he has the flasher for recon and I move the Garmin when he marks fish. Teamwork, LOL! But in all honesty, the Garmin has great range with Livescope so you can recon a fairly long distance from the spot your in to see what the bottom terrain looks like and to see if there are fish present. I will usually start at a predetermined point based on a lake I know, or if I'm new to a lake I base it on lake topo maps and any word of mouth intel. Once the transducer's in the water you can scout 360 degrees to see if you're in a good spot or what direction looks promising to move towards. This unit (or any of these types of devices), truly are game changers if you have the extra money to spend. That said, I've caught a lot of fish with just a simple flasher as well. Heck, when I was a kid, we caught a lot of fish and there was no such thing as electronics!


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## BobberDown? (Apr 4, 2016)

I still have had the original garmin livevu panoptix ice unit that came out years ago and it is working like a champ. Live scope seems to not be that much of an upgrade from the ps22 transducer. The only difference I really notice between mine and live scope is the view is maybe a little bit clearer and you can see the fish's body orientation which from the ps22 livevu transducer the fish only comes up as a blob. I dont see that as a huge advantage but its a step above what I have for sure.. if I wanted to I could get the live scope transducer as an upgrade to my current livevu ice setup so thats a cool perk of the garmin.


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## Craig M (May 17, 2000)

I still use my old lowrance x67c. Old, cheap and flat out works for what I do.


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