Key-pad vs touch-pad sonar units:likes and dislikes?

With Garmin’s transition to touch screens,I’m wondering what you guys and gals think of these after using them for a while. I’m still on my first Garmin, an Echomap 73SV with key-pad,and after looking to upgrade to a 9 inch screen, and finding only touch screens, I decided to table it for now. So whatchya all think?

I don’t use Garmin but I had the same outlook on Lowrance last time I upgraded in 2018. I had always used units with buttons and wasn’t real excited to use a touch screen. Eventually I did buy a touchscreen unit though. The screen gets dirtier quicker, that’s for sure. The Lowrance unit I have now still has some buttons so I can use them instead but I find myself mostly touching the screen. It’s just something you get used to. Maybe someone will chime in with their specific experience of a Garmin touch screen.

I have livescope with the 93SV. I really haven’t given much thought to the touch screen until I read your post. I’ve just taken it for granted but after thinking about it I would not give it up.
It’s just so easy to use.
I was fishing a little tourney on the lake yesterday and another guy had one and wasn’t to familiar with it (I am far from an expert) and showed him how to go from forward to down view. I was standing over his shoulder and barking out commands, it was soooo easy to see the screen and push the prompts. I didn’t have to say “press the button under the start button, no no that one the other one, no that other one next to that one ”
Plus, you have a 1/2″ x 1″ icon to press instead of a woodtick size button which is nice for this sausage finger guy.

My $.02

I used to be 100% against touch screens for fishing thinking you would get slime and debris on your screen all the time. After getting a 93UHD for my Livescope, I will likely only get touch screen devices in the future. The convenience factor of things like pinch zooming sonar or moving around a map screen is so nice to have and getting the screen dirty isnt the issue I thought it would be.

I’m sold on touch screens now

I have Lowrance in my boat and Garmin on the ice. Touch screen all the way for this guy. I use my helix 5 every once and a while still and it drives me crazy moving through screens.

Touch screen is way easier to use. Yes your screen gets smudged but it does not effect your ability to see it really. No way I would go back to fumbling with the buttons.

My first touchscreen had a limited number of buttons and that was sort of frustrating. My newer Gen 3 Lowrance has more buttons and I really like it. The touchscreen is nice for the reasons mentioned, but I still like to have buttons for quick navigation.
The one drawback to a touchscreen is using it in a portable situation you may not be able to get the screen to respond to touches because of lack of grounding.

I was 100% against touch screen. I would not buy one because I can’t stand having smudges on the screen. After seeing the convenience of my buddy using his touch screen I think I could buy one and cope with the smudges.

Good comments all. My main concerns are related to dirtying up the screen, and not being able to operate it with gloves on, as I fish in the cold a lot. Got used to pressing buttons with gloves.

I clean my screen frequently as I’m getting blood (mostly from the fish), slime, and watermarks from rain, snow, and splashing. And above all, I’m satisfied with the functions and quality of the older units, so not really motivated to go to UHD or touch screen. Will see; may eventually have to cry uncle.