There’s no objectively “best” brand among Garmin, Lowrance and Humminbird — all three are genuine, well-supported manufacturers. The right pick usually comes down to ecosystem fit rather than any single spec sheet.
Garmin
The broadest ecosystem — chartplotters, autopilot, radar, engine monitoring and LiveScope sonar all talk to each other natively. Best if you want one brand handling your whole boat’s electronics long-term.
Lowrance
Part of the wider Simrad/B&G family, so it integrates well if you’re already running B&G autopilot or Simrad radar. SolarMAX HD screens are excellent in bright sun, and ActiveTarget live sonar has a strong following among competitive bass anglers.
Humminbird
Owned by the same parent company as Minn Kota, so Humminbird sonar and Minn Kota trolling motors (particularly with i-Pilot Link) integrate especially well. A strong choice if Minn Kota is your trolling motor of choice.
Our advice
Look at what you already own or plan to add — trolling motor, autopilot, radar — and pick the brand that shares an ecosystem with it. Starting from scratch with no strong preference? Ask us and we’ll talk through the trade-offs for your specific boat.
If you’re shopping for a 12-inch chartplotter, the shortlist almost always comes down to two names: Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 2 and Lowrance HDS Pro. Both are LiveScope/ActiveTarget-ready, both come in similar price bands, and both have loyal followings. We’ve sold and fitted plenty of each, so here’s how they actually compare.
Screen and interface
The ECHOMAP Ultra 2 runs Garmin’s familiar touchscreen UI with physical keypad backup — handy in rough conditions or with gloves on. The HDS Pro uses Lowrance’s SolarMAX HD display, which is noticeably brighter in direct sun, plus a hybrid touch/keypad layout of its own. In side-by-side testing on a bright afternoon, the HDS Pro’s screen held a very slight edge for glare; the ECHOMAP’s menus felt a touch more intuitive for first-time users.
Sonar and live imaging
Garmin pairs the ECHOMAP with GT-series transducers and is LiveScope-ready — arguably the most established forward-facing sonar on the market, now in its second generation with LiveScope 2. Lowrance counters with Active Imaging and ActiveTarget 2, which many bass anglers rate just as highly for real-time target tracking. Neither is a wrong choice; it often comes down to which ecosystem your local fishing community already runs, since shared knowledge and settings help.
Feature
Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 2 126sv
Lowrance HDS PRO 12
Display
12-inch touchscreen + keypad
12-inch SolarMAX HD touch + keypad
Live sonar
LiveScope-ready
ActiveTarget-ready
Charts
Navionics+ preloaded
C-MAP Discover OnBoard preloaded
Networking
Garmin Marine Network
Lowrance/Simrad NMEA 2000 ecosystem
Our verdict
Both units are excellent, genuine, well-supported chartplotters and you won’t go far wrong either way. If you already run other Garmin electronics or want the deepest LiveScope ecosystem, go ECHOMAP. If brightness in direct sun is your priority or you’re already invested in the Lowrance/Simrad/B&G network, the HDS Pro is the stronger pick. Browse the Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 2 126sv Bundle or the Lowrance HDS PRO 12 Bundle — both genuine stock with UK & Europe delivery.
FAQs
Can I mix Garmin and Lowrance electronics on one boat? Yes, but they won’t share sonar/network data across brands, so most anglers standardise on one ecosystem per boat.
Which has better resale value in the UK? Both hold value well; Garmin has a slight edge in the UK secondhand market currently. Unsure which is right for you? Get in touch and we’ll talk through your setup.
