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Home / GPS / Marine / Chartplotters / Fishfinders / Handhelds / Marine GPS Comparison
Deciding between a marine chartplotter, fishfinder or handheld GPS? The tables below cover every current Garmin model across all three categories, available to buy from ActiveGPS.
Each table lists the key headline specification and starting price for every current model, with a link through to the full comparison table for that category where you can see the complete specification breakdown.
For further help on deciding the best marine GPS system to buy for your needs or maybe as a gift for somebody else, please see the product pages or phone 01733 777623 (Mon-Fri 9:30am-5pm) outside of these hours please contact us.
Chartplotters are fixed-mount marine GPS displays for helm mounting, ranging from the compact 4.3-inch Garmin ECHOMAP Plus 45cv up to the 12.1-inch Garmin GPSMAP 1223. Garmin GPSMAP models are dedicated navigation chartplotters, while Garmin ECHOMAP models combine a chartplotter with built-in fishfinder sonar.
| Model | Screen | Key features | From | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garmin GPSMAP series | ||||
| Garmin GPSMAP 1223 | 12.1" | Touchscreen, worldwide basemap, NMEA 0183/2000, WiFi | £2199.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin GPSMAP 1222 | 12" | Keypad, worldwide basemap, NMEA 0183/2000, WiFi | £1999.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin GPSMAP 1022 | 10" | Keypad, worldwide basemap, NMEA 0183/2000, WiFi | £1379.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin GPSMAP 923 | 9" | Touchscreen, worldwide basemap, NMEA 0183/2000, WiFi | £1199.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin GPSMAP 723 | 7" | Touchscreen, worldwide basemap, NMEA 0183/2000, WiFi | £799.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin ECHOMAP series | ||||
| Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 2 122sv | 12" | Touchscreen, UHD ClearVu/SideVu sonar, worldwide basemap | £2199.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 2 102sv | 10" | Touchscreen, UHD ClearVu/SideVu sonar, worldwide basemap | £1629.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 95sv | 9" | Touchscreen, Navionics+ UK and Ireland, UHD ClearVu/SideVu sonar | £889.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 75sv | 7" | Touchscreen, Navionics+ UK and Ireland, UHD ClearVu/SideVu sonar | £749.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 75sv | 7" | Touchscreen, BlueChart g3 UK and Ireland, UHD ClearVu/SideVu sonar | £779.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 75cv | 7" | Touchscreen, Navionics+ UK and Ireland, ClearVu sonar | £529.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 65sv | 6" | Touchscreen, Navionics+ UK and Ireland, UHD ClearVu/SideVu sonar | £679.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 55cv | 5" | Keypad, Navionics+ UK and Ireland, ClearVu sonar | £379.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin ECHOMAP Plus 45cv | 4.3" | BlueChart g3 UK and Ireland, DownVu sonar, NMEA 0183 | £339.99 | Full comparison |
Fishfinders use sonar to show what is beneath the boat. The Garmin STRIKER range covers CHIRP, ClearVu and SideVu scanning sonar with built-in GPS for marking and returning to fishing spots, from the entry-level STRIKER Plus 4 up to the STRIKER Vivid 9sv.
| Model | Screen | Key features | From | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garmin STRIKER Vivid 9sv | 9" | CHIRP, ClearVu/SideVu sonar, built-in GPS, WiFi | £429.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin STRIKER Vivid 7sv | 7" | CHIRP, ClearVu/SideVu sonar, built-in GPS | £339.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin STRIKER Vivid 7cv | 7" | CHIRP, ClearVu sonar, built-in GPS, GT20 transducer | £419.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin STRIKER Vivid 5cv | 5" | CHIRP, ClearVu sonar, built-in GPS, GT20 transducer | £219.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin STRIKER Vivid 4cv | 4.3" | CHIRP, ClearVu sonar, built-in GPS, GT20 transducer | £219.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin STRIKER Plus 4 | 4.3" | Traditional CHIRP sonar, built-in GPS, dual beam transducer | £139.99 | Full comparison |
Handheld GPS units are portable, battery-powered devices for use away from a fixed helm mount, such as on an open boat, RIB or kayak. Several models in the range also include Garmin inReach satellite messaging and SOS for use beyond mobile signal.
| Model | Screen | Key features | From | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garmin GPSMAP H1i Plus | 3.5" | Touchscreen, inReach satellite messaging, 64GB memory | £849.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin GPSMAP 86i | 3" | Satellite messaging (inReach), floats on water, 35 hour battery | £499.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin GPSMAP 67i | 3" | inReach satellite messaging, 165 hour battery, TopoActive Europe preloaded | £499.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin GPSMAP 79s | 3" | Floats on water, 19 hour battery | £299.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin GPS 73 | 2.6" | Floats on water, 18 hour battery, SailAssist | £159.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin inReach Mini 3 Plus | 1.9" | Colour touchscreen, iridium satellite messaging, voice and photo messaging, 350 hour battery | £439.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin inReach Mini 3 | 1.9" | Colour touchscreen, iridium satellite messaging, 350 hour battery | £389.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin inReach Mini 2 Marine Bundle | - | Iridium satellite messaging, marine accessory bundle, 30 day battery | £319.99 | Full comparison |
| Garmin inReach Mini 2 | - | Iridium satellite messaging, 30 day battery | £249.99 | Full comparison |
CHIRP - CHIRP offers better sonar detection which mean you will get a clearer picture of the waters below you boat making it easier to identify fish, rocky seabeds and more.
DownVu (or ClearVu) - Note: On the newer Garmin Chartplotters this feature is called ClearVu. DownVu is the Garmin feature that provides a view below the boat.
SideVu - SideVu is the Garmin feature that provides a view to the sides of you boat.
Q. What is the difference between a chartplotter and a fishfinder?
A. A chartplotter shows your position on a marine chart for navigation. A fishfinder uses sonar to show what is beneath the boat. Garmin ECHOMAP models combine both in one unit, while Garmin GPSMAP chartplotters and Garmin STRIKER fishfinders are dedicated to one function each.
Q. Do I need a handheld GPS or a fixed chartplotter?
A. A fixed chartplotter is helm-mounted and suits boats with a permanent navigation station. A handheld GPS is portable and battery-powered, better suited to open boats, RIBs, kayaks, or as a backup to a fixed unit.
Q. What does a Garmin inReach device add over a standard marine GPS?
A. Garmin inReach models add two-way satellite messaging and SOS alerting via the Iridium network, for use beyond mobile phone signal. This is separate from chart navigation and sonar features.
Q. Can I use a fishfinder for navigation, or a chartplotter for fishing?
A. A dedicated fishfinder such as the Garmin STRIKER range includes built-in GPS for marking waypoints and basic navigation, but does not include the detailed chart coverage of a chartplotter. A chartplotter without sonar cannot show fish or bottom structure. An ECHOMAP combo unit is designed to do both.
Q. What size chartplotter or fishfinder screen do I need?
A. Screen size is generally driven by boat size and mounting space, from compact 4.3 to 5 inch displays suited to smaller craft, up to 9 to 12 inch displays for larger boats or where multiple data views are needed at once.
We are official Internet Retailers of Garmin products and we sell genuine Garmin accessories and maps. We purchase from the Garmin UK distributor. We do not buy on the grey market and we do not sell counterfeit products. You can rest assured that by purchasing from ActiveGPS.co.uk you will receive the full support of Garmin.
This page was last updated on: 16th September 2026
