5 Awesome Big Screen Displays

When it comes to big screen entertainment, it’s hard to beat a big GPS fish finder. With the promise of good times ahead, the view on the screen of these larger-than-life displays confirms you’re going to a favorite spot and about to have some serious fun. So if bigger is better, how big a screen can you get?

With the move toward fighter jet-style glass cockpits in boats, where old-style analog gauges are replaced by large flat screens, boat builders have already began building their helm stations centered around open panels to accommodate the biggest displays. Here are five of the biggest available today.

Garmin GPSMap 7616xsv

Garmin GPSMAP 7616xsv

Designed for anglers and cruisers who demand high performance, ease of operation, and feature integration in a plotter/sonar combo, Garmin’s 16-inch GPSMAP 7616xsv multi-touch widescreen includes built-in dual CHIRP sonar plus CHIRP ClearVü and CHIRP SideVü scanning sonar which just happens to support 50 kHz/200 kHz, 77 kHz/200 kHz plus Minn Kota and MotorGuide trolling motor transducers. Its built-in 10 Hz GPS updates your position and heading 10 times per second, displaying position and heading on pre-loaded BueChart g2 and LakeVü HD maps.

Humminbird Solix 15 Mega SI GPS

Humminbird Solix 15 Mega SI GPS

Humminbird’s Solix 15 SI features a large 15.4-inch display with LED backlighting, CHIRP-ing MEGA Side Imaging, MEGA Down Imaging and traditional 2D sonar. Its Cross Touch interface allows users to operate the SOLIX either as a touchscreen or with the keypad for easier control in rough water conditions. Features include GPS chart-plotting, built-in Bluetooth, Ethernet networking capabilities, AutoChart Live with depth, vegetation and bottom hardness mapping.

Lowrance HDS 16 Carbon

Lowrance HDS 16 Carbon

The HDS 16 Carbon offers a 16-inch SolarMAX HD multi-touch display with advanced anti-reflective coatings to provide wider viewing angles without blacking out when viewed through polarized sunglasses. Its 10 Hz internal GPS offers built-in C-MAP and a multitude of mapping options, while a dual core high performance processor delivers fast redraw speeds and quick response times for CHIRP sonar, Live Network Sonar, StructureScan 3D and StructureMap with the power to run split-screen views showing it all at the same time. The HDS 16 Carbon can even control Mercury VesselView Link, pair with Power-Pole shallow water anchors, and control SmartSteer-equipped electric trolling motors.

Raymarine gS 195

Raymarine gS 195

For now at least, marine displays don’t come bigger than Raymarine’s massive gS 195 – a 19-inch multi-function display with touch or remote control and the ability to run just about everything on board based on its LightHouse II operating system. It operates Navionics, C-MAP by Jeppesen or Raymarine LightHouse-compatible charts for multiple navigation options, and works with Raymarine high resolution CHIRP sonar modules with DownVision. Add an auto-pilot, radar, satellite TV, AIS modules or anything else you like, since the gS is compatible with all.

Simrad NSS16 Evo3

Simrad NSS16 Evo3

Simrad’s new NSS16 Evo 3 uses SolarMAX HD display technology that won’t black out when wearing polarized sunglasses combined with an all-weather touchscreen and expanded keypad for total control in all conditions. ForwardScan sonar lets you cruise confidently while StructureScan HD imaging and dual-channel CHIRP-enabled Broadband Sounder technology makes fish finding a breeze. Built-in Wi-Fi enables access to GoFree online services, and delivers smartphone monitoring and tablet control to extend your display’s reach beyond the helm. The NSS16 evo3 features a 16-inch HD display and includes Insight charts.