Garmin vs Lowrance Side Imaging – Which wins?

 

Fishing gets a bad rap from those who don’t enjoy it. It’s seen as a boring sport spent on the side of a lake with a line in the water, waiting for something to happen. Yet, fishing is more exciting than that. You just need the latest technology. Garmin and Lowrance fish finders can both help you score bigger catches but which company provides the best side imaging?

Garmin and Lowrance fish finders both provide excellent side imaging but the two companies excel in different areas. If you want crisp, clear images, go with Garmin but if you are looking for excellent sonar, Lowrance is your best bet. Both brands offer unique features that will improve your fishing experience.

Let’s take a closer look at each brand and explore where Garmin and Lowrance outshine each other. We’ll appraise their sonar, displays, and additional features to help you decide which device will land the biggest catch.  

But before we get into that have a look at the below videos to get an idea of what the side imaging looks like on Lowrance and Garmin:

How to use Lowrance Side scan

 

Garmin SideVu and ClearVu on the Water Video Demo

How We Appraised Both Fish Finders

To properly appraise both Garmin and Lowrance’s side imaging, we had to break down their products into their most basic components. We examined both devices’ sonar technologies, display qualities, and their overall effect on your fishing performance. We’ll give our honest opinion about which device is better but use this information to reach your own conclusion.

Both brands make high-quality products and have led the industry for years. Regardless of which you decide to buy, you are sure to land an amazing product.

Garmin vs Lowrance: Sonar Technology

We couldn’t begin to appraise these two products without examining their most important feature—sonar technology. Sonar scans the water and creates a readout of what’s beneath and around the boat. Without quality sonar, neither fish finder would be able to create quality images or accurate readings, therefore, we started here.

Lowrance Multibeam Technology

Lowrance fish finders use two aspects to create a composite image—SideScan and DownScan. Lowrance SideScan is created by using multi-beam technology that creates a comprehensive three-dimensional view of everything to the sides of your boat.

Lowrance’s SideScan technology sends out a repeating acoustic pulse that covers an impressive 600-foot radius from either side of your boat. With such a wide range, you won’t have to waste time looking for schools of fish and can start catching sooner.

CHIRP Garmin SideVu Sonar Technology

Garmin fish finders also use two aspects to create a composite image—SideVu and DownVu. Their SideVu technology is created by using CHIRP sonar technology that scans the surrounding waters and produces a crisp image of the underlying structures and fish populations.

CHIRP sonar sends out a repeating pulse ten times every second to create a consistent, high-quality image but it can only reach a radius of 500 feet from both sides of your vessel.

Winner

Although both devices utilize their own patented sonar technologies, neither tech is markedly worse than the other. The only clear marker between the two is that Lowrance sonar can reach a wider area than Garmin. With an additional 100 feet of view on both sides, Lowrance takes the win.

Our Lowrance Reviews

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Garmin vs Lowrance: Screen Display

Sonar might be the backbone of any fish finding device but without a crisp, easy-to-read display, that sonar won’t do you much good. The full-screen display takes whatever sonar picks up and translates it into an understandable image with data you can put to use. Therefore, the only logical next step was to appraise each devices’ screens.

Lowrance SmartTarget View

Lowrance fish finders are built using SmartTarget full-screen displays that let you clearly view and interpret the SideScan sonar data. SmartTarget screens create rich images of what’s around your boat, allowing you to quickly identify underwater topography and possible schools of fish.

The three-dimensional images are high quality and can be quickly panned, tilted, or rotated to help you easily understand what’s surrounding your vessel.

Garmin Multi-Touch Display

Garmin fish finders are built using a multi-touch widescreen display with an impressive screen resolution of 1366×768 WXGA. Thanks to the multi-touch screen, you can quickly identify surrounding structures and find fish colonies without much difficulty.

Additionally, Garmin fish finders are preloaded with a range of coastal maps to help you navigate through unknown waters. You will easily find new fishing spots without the fear of getting lost or losing out.

Winner

When it comes to screen displays, Lowrance has very little chance of beating Garmin. Garmin screens offer higher resolution and better translation abilities, making it easier for you to read and understand the side imaging sonar data. Although Lowrance has better sonar, Garmin’s screens outperform Lowrance, making up for their smaller scanning radius.

Additionally, Garmin’s added maps are a nice touch that Lowrance simply doesn’t offer. By giving fishers more information about the geography and local coastal areas, Garmin screens definitely outclass Lowrance displays.

Our Garmin Fish Finder Reviews

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Garmin vs Lowrance: Other Unique Features

The last thing we had to consider was each device’s unique features. Every brand adds its own unique touch to improve the overall quality of its products and Garmin and Lowrance are no exception. We appraised a few of the features that make their fish finders more accessible and improve their overall usability. Here’s what we found.

Lowrance Wireless Network Connectivity

Our absolute favorite feature of the Lowrance fish finders we reviewed was that they come prebuilt with wireless network connectivity. This is a nice touch because it allows you to link up your fish finder without drilling holes, installing wires, and worrying about possible water damage.

Instead, you can simply connect wirelessly, share maps, study your sonar readings, and find the best fishing spots around. No more wasting time trying to connect your fish finder when you could just do it remotely.

Garmin Mobile Compatibility

What we most liked about the Garmin devices we reviewed was that they also offer mobile compatibility. With Garmin fish finders, you can simply connect over your phone and control the readouts from wherever you are.

Garmin’s network mobility extends to other Garmin devices as well as to your own mobile devices. Connect to an iPhone or iPad or link up to your Android devices.

Winner

Although Lowrance fish finders come with network connectivity, we most enjoyed the mobility of Garmin devices. Lowrance fish finders could link up with other Lowrance devices but we found that it was more useful to have mobile access using a phone or tablet.

You can access SideVu no matter where you are and find exactly where the fish are without repositioning. Therefore, we have to hand the victory to Garmin for sheer convenience.

One Last Recount

Before we announce our top pick, we wanted to go back through our appraisals and review what set each device apart from the other. In the great showdown between Garmin and Lowrance side view, here’s what we found:

• Sonar Technology – Lowrance outperformed Garmin with a wider 600-foot radius.
• Screen Display – Garmin outperformed Lowrance with better resolution and pre-loaded coastal maps.
• Unique Features – Garmin outperformed Lowrance with better mobile connectivity.

So, all in all, it looks like Garmin fish finders outperform Lowrance fish finders. However, before we wrap things up, we wanted to present both the pros and cons for each option. This way you can make a more informed decision before buying.

Here’s what we found:

Lowrance SideScan

Pros:

• Wide 600 ft. sonar radius from both sides of your boat
• Clear screen display
• Images can be tilted, panned, or rotate for easier readings
• Lowrance fish finders can link to other Lowrance devices

Cons:

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

Garmin Side Vu

Pros:

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

Cons:

• Shorter sonar radius

Final Verdict

So, at long last, let’s announce our final victor!

After appraising both Garmin and Lowrance fish finder’s sonar technologies, screen displays, and network features, we finally came to the conclusion that Garmin side imaging outperforms Lowrance side imaging.

Although Lowrance fish finders provide better sonar scanning, Garmin’s readouts are easier to read and provide more information. Best of all, you can access the fish finders no matter where you are on your boat. Therefore, we believe that Garmin fish finders are the better products.

Nonetheless, both companies create amazing fish finders. We recommend doing your own research and coming to your own conclusions. You may find that Lowrance fish finders are better suited to your needs and could provide better access if you already own Lowrance-compatible devices or motors.

Find more about each product at their dedicated brand websites or explore our site for more reviews and appraisals.

Conclusion

Experienced fishermen know that fishing is far more than just sitting on a dock or at the edge of a lake. Now that fishing has joined the 21st-century, you too can fish like a pro by upgrading your game with high-tech fish finders. Take some time to explore your options and find the best side imaging possible to transform your fishing experience into a futuristic sport.