Garmin vs Lowrance Down Imaging – Which is the Winner?

High-tech navigation and sonar devices have transformed fishing from a once-relaxing hobby spent on the side of a dock into a competitive and performance-based sport. If you’re looking to bring your fishing game into the future, look no further than a top-tier fish finder. Garmin and Lowrance both produce quality products but which offers the best down imaging performance?

Video Introduction to Down Imaging Technology

Both Garmin and Lowrance fish finders produce quality down images but only Lowrance products produce a truly down-centered image. Due to years of legal disputes between the two companies, Garmin fish finders are not built with a down-focused element and instead produce down images by splicing together side images. Therefore, Lowrance fish finders produce better down imaging. 

In this guide, we’ll look more closely at both products and review what sets them apart. By comparing their sonar systems, screen displays, and additional network connectivity features, we’ll help you determine which fish finder you should invest in.

How We Appraised Both Fish Finders

Lowrance and Garmin are both industry-leading manufacturers with a history of producing competing products. Therefore, as we set out to appraise the quality of their down imaging abilities, we needed a clear set of guidelines to reach our final conclusion. After much scrutiny, we finally identified three points that set these fish finders apart – sonar technology, screen imaging, and network compatibility.

Keep in mind, though, that both brands make a range of fish finders and that one may not be better than the other. Use this information to form your own opinion and research each product individually.

Garmin vs Lowrance: Sonar Technology

The heart of any fish finder is its sonar technology. Sonar releases an acoustic pulse that detects underwater structures including trees, floor topography, and schools of fish. This data is then constructed into a clear image of the surrounding environment. Although both Garmin and Lowrance fish finders use sonar, their technologies are unique and individually patented. Therefore, we started our appraisal by assessing their sonar capabilities.

Lowrance Multibeam Technology

Lowrance fish finders are all built using two separate aspects—SideScan and DownScan elements. Lowrance was the first to produce fish finders with specifically down-centered sonar elements, which send out multiple beams of repeating acoustic waves to map out the underwater area.

This creates a clear three-dimensional image of the underside of your boat, extending to depths as low as 300 feet. With that much depth, you can create clear images both at sea or in a lake.

Garmin ClearVu CHIRP Technology

Modern Garmin fish finders use CHIRP sonar to create a composite image which they’ve dubbed ClearVu. ClearVu imaging produces both a SideVu and DownVu image, however, these images are not produced in the same way as Lowrance DownScan images.

Because Lowrance was the first to include a specifically down-centered sonar element in their fish finders, they quickly patented the technology, preventing competitors from designing similar features. This meant that Garmin couldn’t create a true down image. Instead, they create DownVu images by splicing together the inner regions of their SideVu images.

Lowrance’s patent dispute has since been struck down by the International Trade Commission but Garmin is still producing fish finders with their ClearVu sonar imaging. Using this tech, you can operate in waters as deep as 300 feet but the accuracy isn’t always as reliable.

Winner

When it comes to sonar technology, Lowrance is the clear winner. Having had a leg up on their competition for several years, Lowrance has developed some of the most advanced down-centered sonar elements in the industry. However, Garmin is quickly catching up and will soon begin producing GT series fish finders with down-centered sonar aspects.

Garmin vs Lowrance: Screen Display

Sonar might scan the surrounding underwater environment but the screen display is responsible for translating that data into a viewable and understandable format. Therefore, without a high-quality display, you won’t be able to utilize the sonar readings. Understandably then, the next thing we had to assess was the quality of each brands’ screens.

Lowrance Smart Target View

Lowrance fish finders use patented Smart Target displays to produce crisp full-screen views of the surrounding terrain. This technology interprets the DownScan sonar data and transforms it into a rich image of the underside of your vessel.

Lowrance Smart Target images are shown in a full three dimensions and can be tilted, rotated, or panned to get a better understanding of the fish populations beneath your boat.

Garmin Multi-Touch Displays

While Lowrance was resting on its sonar laurels, Garmin set to work to create industry-leading touch screen displays. Current Garmin fish finders are built with multi-touch 1366×768 WXGA resolution screens that produce high-quality, easy-to-read images.

These images also include water temperature and details about the ground topography. But what truly sets Garmin displays apart is that they also include preloaded maps of common coastal territories. This way, you can easily navigate to top sports without getting lost.

Winner

Lowrance might take the cake for sonar but Garmin wins hand down with their screen displays. Garmin screens are higher quality, easier to read and offer more information than Lowrance fish finders. Not only that, but they also provide navigational information with their comprehensive coastal maps.

Garmin vs Lowrance: Network Connectivity Features

Before we could come to a final decision, we had to appraise both Garmin and Lowrance’s connectivity features. Although fish finders are, at heart, a tool, it’s the added little details that make them unique. Both companies pride themselves on creating amazing products so we couldn’t ignore their high-tech connectivity features. Here’s how they compare.

Lowrance Wireless Network Connectivity

As we went through Lowrance’s fish finders, we loved that they are all prebuilt with wireless network connectivity. This makes it easier to connect your fish finder with other Lowrance products without having to drill holes in your boat and feed wires across the deck. No more mess, no more waste of time, and no more worrying about water damage.

Instead, you can link all of your devices to one network, share maps and sonar readouts, and access other fishing data across the network.

Garmin Mobile Compatibility

Garmin fish finders also offer competitive network compatibility but what we loved most was that they also allow you to connect to your mobile device. Whenever you want to access your Garmin readouts, you can simply view the data through your iPhone, iPad, or Android device.

This makes it easier to reach your data when you need it instead of leaving your lines to go check your fish finder. Simply sit back and enjoy from the comfort of your mobile device.

Winner

We’ve got to hand this victory to Garmin. Lowrance fish finders might be able to link up with other Lowrance devices but that’s really no different than Garmin fish finders. What sets Garmin apart is the sheer convenience of mobile connectivity. In the modern age of mobile phones and tablets, Garmin set itself apart by giving users mobile access to their down imaging.

A Final Recount

We’ve gone through the list and compared the two brands side by side but before we announce the winner, we wanted to go back through and review their strengths and weaknesses. Here’s what we found:

• Sonar Technology – Lowrance’s truly down-centered DownScan sonar outperforms Garmin’s composite DownVu imaging.
• Screen Display – Garmin’s higher resolution multi-touch display screens outperformed Lowrance’s Smart Target displays.
• Network Features – Garmin’s mobile connectivity is more convenient than Lowrance’s network connectivity.

Looking at it, it seems like Garmin might win but before we announce our top pick, we wanted to present both the pros and cons to help you better decide which fish finder to buy.

Check below to compare them fairly.

Lowrance DownScan

Pros:

• Truly down-centered sonar scans to depths of 300 feet.
• Tiltable, pannable, and rotatable imaging
• Lowrance fish finders can link to other Lowrance devices

Cons:

• Lower quality screen resolution
• No coastal maps
• No mobile connectivity

Garmin DownVu

Pros:

• High-resolution screen display
• Multi-touch technology
• Preloaded coastal maps
• Flexible mobile connectivity

Cons:

• Down images are produced by making a composite of SideVu images, not from a truly down-centered aspect.

Final Verdict

This wasn’t an easy decision but after appraising both products for their sonar, display, and network features, we had to pick Lowrance as the top down imaging fish finder. You might be wondering why. After all, Garmin scored higher on both its screen display and network connectivity. It all comes down to the purpose of this review.

If we’re looking specifically at down imaging quality, Lowrance takes the cake. Thanks to the International Trade Commission’s rulings, Lowrance had several years to perfect their down-centered sonar technology, thereby producing more accurate images at deeper depths. Garmin simply can’t produce the same accuracy and therefore, falls behind.

However, now that the original ITC ruling has been struck down, Garmin will likely overtake Lowrance in the coming years. Unless Lowrance can upgrade its screen technology to compete with Garmin, it seems that Garmin is set to become the ultimate down imaging fish finder company. Stay tuned over the following years to find out how this all changes!