Garmin Echo 200 vs. Lowrance Mark 5X

I'm looking at a new depth finder and was wondering if anyone has the Garmin Echo 200. I've never had a Garmin but the display on this model looks great in the store and it looks relatively easy to operate. I've always had Lowrance depth finders and was also considering the Mark 5X or maybe even the 5X Pro. I don't know, just looking for some input before I make a decision. I've read mixed reviews on both of them on Cabelas and BPS sites. Of course I'm a crappie fisherman and will be using the unit to find structure/cover/fish, not just depth. Any input would be greatly appreciated!

I looked at both of those units, went with the mark 5 pro. The guy at bps said "friends don't let friends buy garmin" LOL. I read all the reviews (mixed at best), but from what I could gather, Garmin is just entering the low end/entry level FF market, and I was a bit skeptical of the new units. I went with the Mark 5 pro and like it so far as I have had Lowrance for several years myself. It is a bit difficult to get adjusedt to your liking because of the menu, but its not that bad. Plan on spending 2-3 hrs getting it set like you want it if you go with the mark 5.

Thanks for the info. I was kinda leaning towards Lowrance anyway because that's what I know, and I know they have been making depth finders for a long time. I was looking at the specs of the Mark 5X Pro and see it has 2400 peak to peak watts. I don't really know what that means but I do know it's more powerful than the standard Mark 5X unit lol. How good can you make out structure and cover with your unit?

I have the Mark 5 X I wanted the single freq. So I know that what's on my screen is right under my tm.

Garmin has been in the sonar business a long time and are good units. Most salespeople are just full of their selves and most only know the path to the toilet and payday. The high advertised power of these units seems impressive, but are actually calculated instantaneous values and cannot be measured by any readily available meter.

Believe what you want.

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Originally Posted by Slabs Inc

I have the Mark 5 X I wanted the single freq. So I know that what's on my screen is right under my tm.

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Slabs, do you like this unit? It seems fairly priced and powerful enough to do what I want it to considering I don't want to break the bank and I'll be using it on a 14ft jon boat. I don't understand what you mean by seeing what's under the tm because of the single frequency, guess I need to do some studying on the single and dual frequencies. I basically just want a good unit that will find cover and structure good and maybe mark fish. Does your unit mark fish good? I had a X510c at one time, which is a lot more powerful and higher priced, but I didn't get to use it long before I sold my old boat.

Yes I love it, you can't beat it $for$. What's under the trolling motor. Mine is on the front of my boat and all I do with it is find brush pile and stay on it. The duel freq has a wider beam and also shows what is out to the side as well.

I'm sure either one will work. I just got the Lowrance because that's my preference.

Ahh ok, gotcha thanks for the advice. From what I've read a single frequency 200kz unit will be better suited for my needs. I never fish, nor have fished, in a lake over 100 ft deep but they say a single frequency unit like this will be clearer/sharper/more defined on shallow depths like I fish. My home lake is Guntersville and I rarely fish in water of 50ft.

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Originally Posted by xSOUTHERNx

Slabs, do you like this unit? It seems fairly priced and powerful enough to do what I want it to considering I don't want to break the bank and I'll be using it on a 14ft jon boat. I don't understand what you mean by seeing what's under the tm because of the single frequency, guess I need to do some studying on the single and dual frequencies. I basically just want a good unit that will find cover and structure good and maybe mark fish. Does your unit mark fish good? I had a X510c at one time, which is a lot more powerful and higher priced, but I didn't get to use it long before I sold my old boat.

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Here are some diagrams that may help understand sonar beam shape...

The left is "Single Beam"...the center is "Dual Beam"... the right is "Quad Beam"...

Remember ...if it ain't in that sonar beam shape...it ain't gonna show on that DF screen...

(Higher frequencies generally give sharper detail...but get too dark in deeper water...
Lower frequencies generally ping deeper...with less detail)

Rickie

rnvinc, thanks for those diagrams they really show it clearly. The single beam and dual beam look almost identical to me but from what I've read the single beam will be sharper/clearer.

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Originally Posted by xSOUTHERNx

rnvinc, thanks for those diagrams they really show it clearly. The single beam and dual beam look almost identical to me but from what I've read the single beam will be sharper/clearer.

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The Single Beam will be sharper because it is a higher frequency..(200kHz)..
The Dual beam will cover a wider area...

The only disadvantage of the narrower Single Beam would be that it is entirely possible to miss seeing a brushpile if it's outside the smaller 20 degree cone...in 10 ft of water...the cone is only about 3 & 1/3 ft across the bottom...

Rickie

How do you tell what object on the screen is outside the 20 degree beam on a dual beam unit? How do you know which side it is on?

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Originally Posted by xSOUTHERNx

Thanks for the info. I was kinda leaning towards Lowrance anyway because that's what I know, and I know they have been making depth finders for a long time. I was looking at the specs of the Mark 5X Pro and see it has 2400 peak to peak watts. I don't really know what that means but I do know it's more powerful than the standard Mark 5X unit lol. How good can you make out structure and cover with your unit?

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The pro 5 has dual beam, and can do the split screen if you want. any of the FF will show structure to some degree, whether it be a dark spot/hump on the bottom with fish all around. The more power the unit has the better it will show the bottom, structure and fish, but you'll probably never use all the power most FF have imo. The more power it has the deeper water it can be used in. I've got limited play time with my pro 5, but it seems to show structure pretty good, different presentation that my old lowrance but it shows the same basic structure and fish on the same waypoints as my old one did.

Garmin does make good stuff, but from what I've read, it seems to be more popular on the bigger/coastal boats. HB & Lowrance have the majority here, and you can get a good "discussion" going by asking the ? of "which brand is better". Go with what you feel comfortable with or features that you like. Either brand will serve you well. Installation is the most important part imo, how pretty of a picture you want to see and how much $$ you're will to spend is entirely up to you.

Well, I did it. I decided to go with the Mark 5X and a Johnny Ray base. Thanks for all of your input guys! I'll will post some pictures soon of all the fish I'll be loading the boat with. HA! doubt that's gonna happen but we'll see how it turns out...

10-4 Fish On

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Originally Posted by blindhog

How do you tell what object on the screen is outside the 20 degree beam on a dual beam unit? How do you know which side it is on?

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In a Dual Beam model...some units are selectable to which of the 2 beams (or both at the same time) the unit uses...

Because the sonar beam is a cone shape..there is no way to tell which side of the boat the object is on...only that the object is in that cone somewhere...

Rickie

Just purchased a Garmin 550c a few months ago and the unit works fine. I see nothing wrong with Garmin fishfinders.

i think that software would be a issue to consider when deciding to buy,be cause all manufacturers seem to have pretty much the same sonar frequencies options,but they all use different software to convert for the user and display on the screen and thats what everybody wants is a acceptable picture coming across the screen.there all doing the same think thou .

i put a garmin 300 c on my trolling motor and i love it its got its got so much built in to its worth ever penny witch was less then $200.00 on sale i also have the eagle 350 s cuda with g.p.s. on the back i also love it only thing is its black and white i also got it on sale for $ 209.00 it works great to the g.p.s. has saved my butt more then 1 time in the fog and finding my brush piles dont be worry about the lower end ff er iv been running mine going on 2 years now their great for crappie fishing