lowrance x15, lms480 or eagle fishelite 480

I am looking to pick up a GPS / Sonar unit. If I narrow it down to the the x15, lms 480 or eagle 480, which is the best. I know the x15 is more $ but is that much better in that it is worth the extra $$$. Thanks
Todd

I have used the X 15 for the past few years. I really like it. I think you have to balance cost vs. features you want. For me the extra dough was worth it because the hi pixel count, mapping features, larger screen, etc. Check out Lowrance.com and download the product demo’s to see which one you prefer operating. The demos let you operate the units on your computer. Pretty cool.

I am kind of in the same boat. I am thinking about the lms480 or the fishelite 480. Not sure which to get. The resolution is going to be better on the lms and fishelite than the x-15. But the x-15 has a bigger screen. I will be watching this post to see some of the comments. Thanks.

It seems to me that they pretty much have all the same features except for the screen size on x15 and better resoluton on the 480’s. I dont understand why the x15 is so much more $$$ based on the screen size. I am only wondering on the x15 because I saw one at a store that is the combo unit I believe (I have to go back and check) and it was priced at $580. If it is the combo package it has to be mispriced as I have seen them running at about $1000. I guess I will see when I go back.

Hi all, I bought a 480 from the guy that has free shipping and no sales tax (outside of IA). Sorry, I’m the 2004 poster child for Jolly Ann Marine….

I had an X-65, so I can’t tell you the comparison between the x-15 and a LMS 480. Since my boat’s been in the garage since I’ve installed it, I’ve just ran it in the demo mode.

I know that (most) people that have an X-15 like them and the larger screen does help when moving around in the boat. I spent too much time researching the two units (not the Eagle) and finally settled on the 480.

Here’s my reasons.

For the lakes and rivers I fish, either one has plenty of power (watts). The 480 has more pixals, which means better detail. The x-15 has a bigger screen which means you can see what you went over longer.

I did talk with a few people that had warrenty problems with Lowrance, but it was odd (I thought) that it was only the people that had X-15’s or the 320’s.

So then it was down to price. If I had the extra money (and my wife didnt’ get a hold of it) I would have gone with a larger screen unit. Although, I think I would have stayed away from the 15, because of service issues.

One last note about the service from Lowrance. The folks I talked with, loved the 15 as long it they didn’t have any problems. The ones that had problems were frustrated with the way Lowrance stood behind these unit. I personally think that if these units had been bought from an independant dealer, the dealer could have/should have helped resolve the issue.

Did I mention I was the 2004 poster child for Jolly Ann Marine?

Good luck in your choice!

PS Because Wade has access to all these units and more, I would recommend sending him a pm with your specific application and see what he recommends. Contrary to what I have posted in the past…he is a nice guy.

Buy the biggest screen you can afford.

I have a X15, I would not fish without one. I have tried many other depth finders nothing compares to the X15. Go with the largest screen you can afford you will not be trying to upgrade next year spend the extra money.

Guys, the x15 is a favorite of many. Some guys have reported some troubles with it. As with all electronics, you can get a lemon. Be sure to test your electronics RIGHT AWAY. If something is wrong within the first 30 days you can usually exchange it for a new one. After 30 days, you’re often left having to send the unit in for repairs. I’m talking about all electronics here, not just the x15.

One other point I want to bring up. A little WARNING for those looking at the x15 GPS combo. Be careful that you are buying the GPS Combo and not just the sonar. A get calls/emails saying they saw the x15 combo for around $650-$700. That is NOT the combo unit. That is sonar only. The problem is that some websites/retailers do not make this very clear. Just a word of caution…

As far as Lowrance combo units…

It’s partly a matter of what options you want and how much can afford. A lot of guys can’t/don’t want to spend nearly a grand on a FF/GPS combo. If you’re looking more in the $500-$600 dollar range, the LMS-480M is a good choice for the money. Lowrance units give a guy a lot of options in mapping accessories – Navionics HotMaps, ReelBottom, ProMaps, Lowrance MapCreate, or you can use a service like Kirsch’s Maps and throw ’em on a memory card.

If a guy wants a color unit, the Lowrance LMS 330C at $629.99 is not a lot of extra money over the Lowrance LMS 480M , again depending on what a guy wants to spend.

I would strongly suggest that anyone looking to buy a new Lowrance take a look at the Lowrance Product Emulators/Demos . You can take a test run right from your personal computer. It’s a nice feature.

We have a lot of good info on Mapping Software on the site, and there are even some Mille Lacs Screen Shots on there for a better idea of what the mapping looks like. The screen shots are on a color unit.

Good luck in the search!

Derek is 100% right.

But my advice is to look at the one you can afford and buy the next one up in price.

Why should you have any extra money? A ‘reel’ fisherman is broke and owes everybody. He has just enough money for his next boat payment and looks for loose change in the couch for gas money.

Kevin! I agree with you!

I keep forgetting about the couch…my wife thinks I LIKE taking the cloths out of the washer and putting them in the dryer!