Lowrance mapping hds 7 w/ insight vs mapping cards

Ok so maybe this is a dumb question but I have to ask.

I recently bought an HDS7 gen 2 with Insight USA pre loaded. My question is, is this the same software that is on the Lowrance Lake Insight Pro V-15 map card? I know the pre-loaded maps include some contour lines and also the Fishing Hotspots info so I am just curious to know if I gain anything by spending $100 on the card.

Any info on this would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Dave

You will gain at least $100 worth of value by buying the insights pro. You get so much more detail that you’ll think you were fishing blind without it.

I believe someone on here is selling a new one for $75. I’d take him up on it if I didn’t have a ’15 card already.

Lake insight that gets preloaded on the HDS units is really not comparable to the Lake Insight Pro (or HD) chips. So much better detail for where we fish. Now, if you were in a coastal region then it might be fine, but for inland waters I find it really lacking.
If you are looking for advice, save a bit of money and just get the Lowrance Lake Insight PRO chip, not the HD. The only difference is shaded relief and when you zoom in to usable scales it goes away anyhow.

I have the V15 HD chip in mine and it’s worth every penny over the internal insight mapping which works but the chip shows so much more information.

Also the extra $50 for the HD chip in my opinion is worth the price…. You get the shaded relief BUT you also get a 1 year Insight Genesis premium membership which is $100 on it’s own.

I use Insight Genesis ALOT! it makes your maps even better and VERY detailed and accurate.

Chris Messerschmidt wrote:

Also the extra $50 for the HD chip in my opinion is worth the price…. You get the shaded relief BUT you also get a 1 year Insight Genesis premium membership which is $100 on it’s own.

I wasn’t aware of the inclusion of Insight Genesis when you purchase the HD chip. I would agree that would make it worth it.

Thanks for the input. I had a $100 gift card so I did order the Pro V15 chip (non-HD) so it should be here Monday. Hopefully I find time to check it out on some areas I have already fished so I can see the difference.

Thanks,
Dave

If you used Lakemaster chips before the only difference you will likely see is the contour line color.

I previously used a Navionics card in a humminbird unit. I just recently purchased this HDS 7 Gen 2 and have not used any map cards in this unit. I was unimpressed with the detail and accuracy of the “pre-loaded” maps on the HDS w/o a map card so that is why I was asking.

Thanks,
Dave

Steve Asche,

You do get the insight Genesis Premium subscription for 1 year if you get the V15HD chip. This is not included in the regular V15 non HD chip..

Great buy if you ask me!

Chris Messerschmidt wrote:

Steve Asche,

You do get the insight Genesis Premium subscription for 1 year if you get the V15HD chip. This is not included in the regular V15 non HD chip..

Great buy if you ask me!

I agree! Not sure I need another chip at the moment since I already have 3, but when I do I might consider it if they still have that offer.
I plan on making my own maps for an area of Lake of the Woods that isn’t mapped and uploading through the Insight Genesis site. That will be a bit later this summer though. If I had a membership then I wouldn’t have to share the map with everyone so maybe I should get a new chip

Go with the Navionics + you can prover the mapping on Navioncis.com click on the webapp, once here zoom in on the areas that you like and click on the sonar icon on the lower left for the high def sonar charts view.