Garmin 93sv vs Lowrance Elite 9 ti2

I am getting a new boat soon. I’ve narrowed my choice for rear sonar to the Garmin Echomap Plus 93sv or the Lowrance Elite 9 ti2. From reviews and Youtube, it seems like the Garmin has less detail in DI, but from using the displays in stores, the touchscreen seems easier to navigate and set up. The Lowrance unit can have all four features setup on one screen (gps chart, sonar, DI, SI) vs the Garmin only allowing three. The Lowrance doesn’t seem to have adjustable screen sizes. The Garmin does. Price is about the same at $1,000.

Does anyone have experience with these units? Is the Lowrance DI more detailed? Are the Lowrance screen sizes adjustable?

Other thoughts?

I have the 93SV with livescope and I love it. Didn’t spend any time really setting up at all. It was ready to go out of the box.

I’ve never run lowrance but the DI is as good or better than hummingbird. The SI is great and the mapping is top notch.

Plus, livescope. Nuff said. I’d highly recommend.

Lowrance has the best DI. But, if you have 4 screens up at once are any of them gonna be real good, no. Way too much going on for a 9″ screen. Very nice unit and have used it on the 14’er few times now.

What do you mean rear sonar? Do you have others you may want to link to? Tiller?

Really enjoy my 73sv. Only beef i had with it was their lakevu map details but seeming they now are with navionics that should no longer be a concern.

Yes. Running a tiller. I’m putting a basic Helix 5 CHIRP gps on the front to link with a Terrova. The way we fishing I don’t really need the two sonars to match or communicate. I back troll often so, I want the rear sonar to have the better features and want to save a few dollars by avoiding the MDI, DI, and SI on the bow. When I do foward troll, I am typically in the back watching the sonar near the tiller.

Thanks for the input. Keep it coming.

I had similar thoughts about the four screens. I figured, if it had the ability to size each screen differently, then i could run SI and DI larger with the map to watch for just way points and 2D sonar smaller for bottom density. Seems like with DI, 2D sonar is getting less and less necessary.

What’s the boat? Curious to why you would want the linked finder on the front when your main command center is in the back? Alot of casting?

MARK KEMPEN wrote:

I had similar thoughts about the four screens. I figured, if it had the ability to size each screen differently, then i could run SI and DI larger with the map to watch for just way points and 2D sonar smaller for bottom density. Seems like with DI, 2D sonar is getting less and less necessary.

I haven’t used the elite ti units but it’s surprising to me that you wouldn’t be able to customize the size of each chunk on the screen. I can do that on my much less expensive lowrance hook 2 unit.

Good to know on the older hooks.

I have an old 7″ lcx16 that allows me to resize the chart to make the 2D sonar larger. Playing with the demo units in stores, I could not get the Elite 9 to allow me to resize so I’m wondering if anyone with an Elite unit has figured it out. I’m not seeing much online with that feature. Garmin had it as one of the first things to do when setting up a custom combo.

To answer Mr. Beads. I plan to rely on my partner up front when trolling forward and using the terrova puck for the bow sonar, but I don’t anticipate doing it much as we back troll with a transom unit 75% of the time and cast 20% of the time. Forward trolling with boards is maybe 5% of my outings roughly. When we do, I plan to make small adjustments with the remote based on what I see on the back unit if necessary, but my partner still wants to see a sonar up front, and I prefer to not mount an additional puck.

I really wonder if the rumors are true that the Lowrance DI is more detailed than the Garmin version too.

MARK KEMPEN wrote:

Lowrance DI is more detailed than the Garmin version too.

Lowrance owns the rights to DI, or at least the original good one, everyone else is doing their own version. As good as they might be it ain’t no lowrance. How good do you really need it to be is another question…..

Many Garmin units few years back were sold with a transducer that pieced together the di image by using the si, some were very butthurt about it, rightfully so bc the di was awful. I believe most now come with the ducer with the dedicated di crystals in it.

Great stuff. Good to know about the DI.

I don’t know why I didn’t do this first but I looked up the manual for the Lowrance Elite. It looks like there is a way to adjust the screen sizes. I think I’m leaning toward Lowrance but will confirm in store. Shucks, I have to go play some more. ☺

Thanks everyone!

I run garmin’s and really like them. The 93sv is a awesome machine. The preloaded maps are great. I sold my lowrance for the garmin

Hey folks, Just found this post even though its over a years old, I’m debating now myself. I currently own a Garmin UHD 93SV. Love it. Can’t get another, totally out of stock and guessing through the season this 2021 summer due to Covid supply mess. I was planning on getting a second for up front and linking them to share way points and such.

Now I found in stock locally on sale the Lowrance Elite 9ti2 for same price as garmin… Actually out the door for $650. I bought one but now questioning if I should even install it, sell it, and wait for Garmin supply and deal again for $700? Would most likely forgo this season w/ only one finder behind my console. Nothing up front, but I’m up front mostly so don’t even see the fish finder then.

I also want to consider Panoptix Live Scope in the future, but understand Lowrance has a comparable product now for the same add on price of about $1500… I could buy another Lowrance now, uninstall the Garmin and sell it, and have a nice Elite 9 in front and center console for about $1300 total.

Any feedback on both these products now that they’ve been in the market for some time?

Much appreciated.

Rov