Lowrance Elite 5 HDI Fish Finder Review 2023 – Pros, Cons, Specs

By Wade Johnson

Lowrance 000-11146-001 Elite-5 HDI Combo with Basemap and 50 200-455 800KHz Transducer (Discontinued by Manufacturer.jpgOnce you get the hang of fishing with the help of a regular fish finder, you itch to up your game with a more upscale version.

But, the problem with those is that either they are too expensive or too complicated.

Lowrance, one of the fish finders’ moguls, takes anglers out of this predicament with its superior artistry known as Lowrance Elite 5 HDI.

Referring to this as the best affordable fish finder GPS combo will be apt since it employs innovative technology of Hybrid Dual Imaging (HDI) along with GPS and chart plotting

And all that without allowing the price to soar high or the use to become too complicated to overwhelm users.

So if you’re a fisherman whose limited budget is preventing him to invest in a deluxe device yet his passion for fishing won’t let him settle for anything less than a high-end device,

Lowrance Elite 5 HDI is a candidate to buy. Read this article to know what money will be buying for you.

What Makes Lowrance Elite 5 HDI Stand Out?

Lowrance Elite-5 HDI is better than its competitors because it comes with innovative technologies to give a feel of a high-end performer yet the pricing is budget-friendly and the use is straightforward, ensuring both experienced anglers and beginners are equally smitten.

 

Our Lowrance Elite 5 HDI Fish Finder Review

Lowrance Elite-5 HDI is celebrated for its hybrid dual imaging, uncomplicated use and budget-friendly cost.

The unit combines Broadband Sounder and DownScan Imaging technologies to help you receive a stunning view of the underwater, making sure your target lays bare before you – vulnerable enough to be easily captured.

The display is 5” large, neither too big nor too small, with a high-resolution and colored screen that gives you an image so bright and clear that there’s no need left for interpretation.

One look at it and you’ll know what’s cooking beneath the surface.

Moreover, its internal GPS with built-in comprehensive maps of over 3000 US lakes and rivers makes the lives of anglers, both experienced and amateurs, very convenient.

Not only do they have unerring knowledge of their location and the underwater terrain up to a 1000ft depth, but will also be able to mark spots where they previously found a massive fish activity or bumped into an obstacle – letting them know which is a green-light section of the water and which is not.

You can make use of Insight Genesis mapping software to design your own maps if the given charts fall short of your needs. Besides, the unit features an SDcard slot, permitting you to download additional maps or save information that you don’t want to lose.

Buy it if you’re in search of an allrounder of a fish finder that can give you an impressive performance both as a fish detector and chart plotter without falling too heavily on your pocket.

 

Hybrid Dual Imaging

Hybrid Dual Imaging (HDI) is Lowrance’s way of rewarding you with the best possible view of everything present in the water column. It employs two technologies: DownScan Imaging and Broadband Sounder.

With DownScan, the area directly beneath your vessel up to 300ft depth will be exposed. Meaning, structure, fish and vegetation all be revealed distinctively to eradicate all confusions.

Broadband Sonar Sounder will prove beneficial when you’ll want to monitor your lure and highlight fish arches.

DownScan Overlay

This feature will permit you to utilize power of both types of scanning, sonar and Downscan Imaging, at once to help you identify and distinguish fish, rocks, vegetation and structure from one another.

Multi-Window Display

The 5” display is another one of its biggest assets. It’s just the right size to fit on kayaks and small boats while the simple keyed menu present on the side makes it a cinch to run it. Unlike other compact screens, the picture quality and clarity of this one is stunning.

High-resolution colored graphics will provide you with a real life-like view. Moreover, you can split the screen into three panels to get data of sonar, Downscan Imaging and charts simultaneously.

GPS & Mapping

Since its a fish finder as well as a chart plotter, therefore, you also get an internal GPS mechanism and built-in maps. The purpose of combining these two is to provide boaters with an opportunity to not only remain aware of their current location but also have the means to demarcate the fish active green-light sections from the obstacle-laden segments of the terrain that you would want to avoid in the future.

Its built-in maps provide in-depth knowledge of over 3000 US lakes and rivers to enable anglers to fish without any inconvenience. In addition, there’s a feature of Insight Genesis that will allow you to draw your own maps.

Other Features

It also employs features like Trackback that lets you revisit sonar recordings to get a detailed view of any particular spot. Besides, it also offers an SDcard slot, fish alarm and temperature sensor for further convenience.

 

Pros

  • Compact and portable.
  • High-resolution backlit display with sunlight readability.
  • Employs sonar and DownScan imaging to improve fishing experience.
  • Precise GPS and built-in mapping.
  • Customized cartography.
  • SDcard slot.
  • Simple usage.
  • Budget-friendly

Cons

  • Instruction manual lacks information.
  • Installing it on a kayak is tricky.

 

Why Should You Purchase Lowrance Elite 5 HDI?

One should go for this model because this one offers a taste of both worlds: Innovation and simplicity.

Secondly, all the amazing techs and features – capable of maximizing your fishing experience tenfold – are here for you without any catch: No budget-upsetting price or mood-upsetting troubled operating mechanism.

Final Verdict:

Lowrance Elite-5 HDI might be a compact device but its power and performance can knockout even some brawny hunks from the competition. It can go hundreds of feet down to help you see almost anything that’s lying underneath your vessel. Besides, the accurate GPS and detailed mapping will permit you to effortlessly move from one location to another. In short, from performance to price, Elite-5 HDI has got it all to cover the needs of both experienced antlers and beginners. Buy it to become the champion of the fishing game.

 

You May Also Like:

Wade Johnson
Latest posts by Wade Johnson (see all)