Quote Originally Posted by jp View Post
I'm looking at Humminbird and Lowrance to determine which is best. I'm willing to spend about $1200, but it is difficult understanding all the features. I like the Humminbird 898C HD SI, but need to determine the value of side imaging. What about the Lowrance HDS7. Lastly, is it worth the money to upgrade or should I just stay with a 5" screen which would be a little less.

I'm sure this is a frequent question, but would appreciate others input.

Thanks!

IMO it is all about what features that you think will end up really making a difference for you personally. I went with a Humminbird 858C HD DI Combo and I have been happy with it. I really wanted a 7" screen vs the 5", that was very important to me. I also thought while I liked the idea of downimagine as an option I didn't really care too much about the side imaging, although that does seem to be more popular. For what it is worth, IMO whichever way you go getting a 7" display is really nice to have and worth the extra money especially when using a split screen view.