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IMAGING
FREQUENCIES
DURABILITY
PRICE
SUMMARY:
The Lowrance Elite-7X has a great resolution of 800 x 480-pixels. It comes with a 7-inch 16-color TFT screen. CHIRP and DownScan Imaging offer a clear picture of what’s going on below the vessel. Advanced signal processing helps you to adjust focus settings when in split screen mode. The TrackBack feature lets you review your sonar history.
PROS
- CHIRP and DownScan technologies
- Good display resolution
- Powerful sonar
- TrackBack function
- Easy to use
CONS
- No GPS
- Could have a better depth capability
- No maps included
Review
Elite-7X comes with an excellent resolution and with great hardware. The CHIRP Sonar technology is top-notch. It’s the latest sonar technology, and it offers amazing readings and pictures. Also, the 7-inch screen is remarkable; you can clearly distinguish shapes, forms, and terrain underwater. With all of these commodities combined, there’s no way you can make a mistake by purchasing this fish finder.
It has everything you need for a great fishing experience. Whether you’re a professional angler or an amateur, it doesn’t matter; this fish finder will certainly meet your expectations. The pre-packaged Navionics Gold chart-card features U.S., Canada, Alaska, and Bahamas coastal, Great Lakes and major Canadian lakes details. It may come with a heftier price, but it’s worth every penny.
The Specifications
Display size – 7 inches
Display resolution – 800 x 480-pixels
Display type – 16-color TFT
Sonar type – CHIRP, DownScan Imaging
Sonar frequencies – 50, 83, 200 kHz (DownScan Imaging) and 455, 800 kHz (CHIRP)
Power output – 250W (RMS)
Depth capability – 3000 feet at 50 kHz
GPS
The Screen and the Resolution
The 7 inches of screen surface offers a great insight of what’s happening below the deck. It’s more than enough space to put different fish symbols, readings, and GPS waypoints in one place. The resolution is exceptional. It provides a crisp and sharp image. You will be able to distinguish particular shapes and forms on the screen easily. Also, the adjustable LED backlight comes in handy in sunny days or by night. The color screen makes it easier to identify certain types of fish, and so on. Overall, the display is impressive. The split-screen feature lets you multitask with ease.
Why is Having GPS Valuable?
The GPS is one of the most useful features nowadays. Many finders don’t come with GPS feature integrated and it forces the customer to buy an additional GPS device. With this finder, you’ll get the GPS as well with all the benefits. You can mark individual waypoints; you can track your movement or the migration of the fish. You can also mark points of interests and hotspots like boat ramps and areas with high concentration of fish. Although GPS isn’t a necessity, it certainly comes in handy. If you, for instance, fish in unfamiliar waters and get lost, GPS is the thing that will help you.
CHIRP and DownScan Imaging
CHIRP sonars are the latest technology sonars which provide much more accurate readings and better picture quality. Instead of sending just one frequency wave, like conventional sonars, CHIRP sends a continuous blast of waves to ensure a better visual presentation.
This sonar also offers better target identification at greater depths. It’s much easier to identify bait and fish targets.
DownScan is a brand new technology that offers anglers a different view of everything underneath the boat. You can quickly identify various terrain, structure, and fish with DownScan technology. DownScan provides almost a photo-like visual representation of what’s going on underwater on the screen. This technology combined with the CHIRP Sonar technology gives immaculate results.
Other Useful Features
This fish finder has many useful features, and it offers great functionality whether you’re an amateur or a professional. It has Selectable single-frequency sonar operation with Broadband Sounder performance. The Optional chart upgrades include Lake Insight, Nautic Insight Pro, NavionicsHotMapsPremium, Fishing Hotspots Pro, and Jeppessen C-Map Max-N. All of these auxiliary features offer different things.
Advanced Signal Processing reduces the need to manually adjust settings to see the structure and other detail more clearly. As we said, the split screen allows you to multitask with ease on this big 7-inch screen. For example, you can mark individual waypoints on one side of the screen and scan the bottom on the other aspect of the screen. Split screen zoom feature lets you analyze particular images at different zoom levels.
TrackBack feature can come in handy if you want to rewind and review your sonar history. If you think you might have missed a crucial detail, you’ll quickly catch up with the TrackBack. Multi-Window Display lets you choose from pre-made page layouts, including a three-panel view with chart, CHIRP sonar ranges, and DownScan Imaging.
Upsides and Downsides
The obvious upside is the CHIRP Sonar technology. Only the top-quality products have it because it’s the latest technology in the business. It provides excellent readings and great visual presentation on the screen. Good resolution is also an upside of this fish finder. You won’t have any problems whatsoever with identifying certain shapes and fish because of the high definition. The color display comes in handy as well, although it’s not a necessity. Speaking of need, the GPS is a major upside of this fish finder as well.
On the other hand, many people have reported that the device tends to run slow and has CPU problems. The booting also, reportedly, takes a long time. Other than that, there weren’t any particular reports. The price is pretty hefty if you consider that as a downside.
The Conclusion
This device is a high-end fish finder for amateurs as well as professional anglers. Although it comes with a high price, it’s worth every penny. The 7-inch display offers a great insight of the situation below the vessel. It is also well-made, and the hardware is top-quality. You won’t make a mistake if you purchase this fish finder, but you might find your pocket empty in the end.
