echo map 7 or 1040xs?

I am going to be replacing my Lowrance 104C next spring. I am torn over whether I should go with 2 echo map 7’s stacked or if I should go with the Garmin 1040xs.

If I get the two 7’s(run one on map and one on sonar) and stack them on top each other I will have roughly the same area of screen as the 1040 and if one stops working I could run split screen on the working unit. I do like the big screen of the 104C, but the one time it quit working I was hosed.

Looking for some opinions, and NO I am not getting two Garmin 1040’s

I would do two 7’s. I love having my map on one and running the sonar and down imagining on the other. That is just me though.

get a 10.1″ $100 dollar android tablet with GPS built in, buy the $9.99 Navionics map and download the whole state or your fishing area (for free) when you are on wi-fi. Then just get a water proof case and keep it plugged in to power in the boat and run off the build in tablet GPS. BOOM 10.1″ HD mapped GPS for around $150 dollars.

Then run a 7dv or 10xs along side for your Sonar…..

Evan Pheneger wrote:

get a 10.1″ $100 dollar android tablet with GPS built in, buy the $9.99 Navionics map and download the whole state or your fishing area (for free) when you are on wi-fi. Then just get a water proof case and keep it plugged in to power in the boat and run off the build in tablet GPS. BOOM 10.1″ HD mapped GPS for around $150 dollars.

Then run a 7dv or 10xs along side for your Sonar…..

I am pretty sure that wasn’t an option listed and sounds like a lot of jerry rigging

sticker wrote:

I am pretty sure that wasn’t an option listed and sounds like a lot of jerry rigging

I used to hate great ideas when I wasn’t as wise too lol

Fine, spend all your money. I am sure ‘T’ will be thrilled about that!

Evan, how much data does the GPS use? This sounds like a sweet deal, but wonder how the real life is. Have you personally ran this setup?

Would transition very nicely for winter, that is how well do tablets hold up in COLD weather?

nhamm wrote:

Evan, how much data does the GPS use? This sounds like a sweet deal, but wonder how the real life is. Have you personally ran this setup?
Would transition very nicely for winter, that is how well do tablets hold up in COLD weather?

I have not personally done it, or even seen it done but it has always been something I have wondered about. I would think the winter battery life would suck.

As far as data usage, it wouldn’t use any. As long as the tablet has built in GPS, which most of them do, it can run solely off that GPS and you don’t even need a cell service plan with said tablet. Just make sure if you are buying a low end one that it has built in GPS. You can download the mapping you want for your area on free wi-fi or at home.

I don’t know about the newer tablets but my android tablet has horrible viewing in direct sunlight. For the avionics app I would not trust it over what garmin offers for their mapping software.

As for stacking 2 units vs 1 unit. For me the 1040 would be sufficient as the reliability of Garmin I have been sold on since I switched to them 12 years ago . Though I sure can see the benefits of stacking the 2, the viewing configurations would be awesome.
Tuff choice you have got there.

^^^
I will actually be doing a build thread on this type very very soon, but only a few tablets have dedicated GPS, I have a 10.1 I am mounting on my bow at the moment!