[lastupdated]
IMAGING
FREQUENCIES
DURABILITY
PRICE
SUMMARY:
The Garmin Echo 200 comes with a 5-inch 16-level gray-scale HVGA display. The resolution is 320 x 480-pixels, and the depth penetration is 1500 feet in the fresh water and 600 feet in salt water. It doesn’t come with a GPS system, but it has other useful features such as split screen, great depth capabilities, and quality sonar. The price is what’s great about this unit; it’s affordable and suitable even for the people on a tight budget.
PROS
- Easy to install and use
- Affordable
- Good depth penetration
- Required tools for installation are included
- Readable display
CONS
- The user manual is poorly written
- No protective plastic cover (sold separately)
- Not designed for kayaks
Review
This all-around fish finder combines simple operation with a dynamic 300W of rawsonar energy. It’s a well-made gray-scale fish finder well worth its price. Some people might consider it expensive because of the lack of color screen, but the features this device offers pay off for the lack of color display. It has an HD-ID sonar which penetrates up to 1500 feet of depth. This device is more than enough for amateur fishermen as well as for professionals.
People often have prejudices toward the gray-scale fish finders, and a vast majority of the market considers them outdated. That is not true, and we will pay attention to some technical details as well as the quality of production and overall value. If this fish finder is inside your budget, read this review and maybe you find it worth buying in the end.
The Specifications
Display size – 5 inches
Display type – 16-level gray-scale HVGA
Display resolution – 320 x 480-pixels
Sonar type – Dual-frequency and Dual-Beam
Sonar Frequency – 200 kHz and 77 kHz
Depth penetration – 1500 feet (fresh water), 600 feet (salt water)
Split screen, water temperature graph, water speed sensor
Beam width to 120 degrees
The Display and the Resolution
The 5 inches of the screen surface is more than enough for you to see and clearly distinguish particular shapes and forms underwater. Although it’s not a color screen, that doesn’t mean it lacks functionality. It has the split screen feature so that you can multitask quickly, but we’ll review that later in the article.
So, the size of the display is quite good, and regardless of it being black and white, it’s readable and clean. The resolution, on the other hand, is not that impressive. But, considering it’s a black and white screen, this resolution comes out pretty neat. You won’t have trouble reading and identifying symbols on the screen, for sure. The buttons on the casing are straightforward and practical. It’s not hard to navigate through the menu and individual settings.
The Sonar
One of the most important features of a transducer is the cone angle. When a cone has a larger angle, it will cover a wider area.
Dual-frequency and Dual-Beam sonar features are good, and they provide a clear image of the situation below the vessel. The greater the area, the more readings you’ll get.
Also, this sonar penetrates an outstanding amount of depth. 1500 feet is quite deep for a sonar in this price range. All in all, the sonar is well-made, and it’s a quality piece of hardware. Although it may sound impossible that an affordable device has good sonar, it’s true with Garmin echo 200.
Split Screen and Other Features
Split screen is a great commodity to have. It’s useful to multitask while using this fish finder. For instance, you can compare particular readings, or analyze two readings on two different frequencies. Also, split screen zoom is something you might find in handy. With this feature, you can review same pictures but with different zoom levels.
Water temperature graph allows you to follow the stats and dynamic changes precisely. This may help you with identifying the type of fish according to the temperature, and so on. Water speed sensor is a valuable asset worth mentioning as well. It gives you an insight of the water speed, and that can help you to fine-tune some settings. Also, UltraScroll technology displays fish at high boat speeds.
Garmin’s Smooth Scaling technology ensures that you always have access to your sonar history. You can analyze it and return to the spots you might have missed.
The Upsides and Downsides
One of the upsides is that this fish finder is user-friendly and quite straightforward. Anyone can mount it and use it in a matter of minutes. It’s relatively easy to setup and install. A vast majority of anglers doesn’t want to hassle with complex installations and complicated equipment. The other valuable upside is the high depth penetration. This fish finder has no problems sending signals up to 1500 feet of depth. Even at high speeds, the penetration stays flawless. The third upside is the money value for excellent features this fish finder offers. Many fishermen find the depth capability of this fish finder quite good.
The Quality, Reliability, and Value
Garmin is known for high quality. They make their fish finders to last and resist the rough weather that’s common in the marine world. The casing is evidently well-made, and overall assembly is top-notch. It’s also pretty trustworthy. You can rely on it even in the roughest weather and harsh environment. The good quality of the display will let you easily distinguish particular shapes by day as well as by night. The value is, as we said, amazing. The price-to-quality ratio is impressive. In simpler words, you’ll get a well-made product for a very reasonable price.
The Conclusion
Garmin echo 200 is praised by many users who had the chance to spend some time testing it. The positive feedback proves this is one of the best value-to-price ratio products. Its powerful sonar enables accurate readings and clear insights of what’s happening below the boat. Although it lacks some crucial features like GPS and color screen, the other features are well worth the money. Whether you’re an experienced angler or you’re just an enthusiast, this fish finder will meet your demands. If you’re on a limited budget, don’t hesitate to buy it, you won’t regret a thing.
