Furuno fish finder has better software, interface, and functionality than Garmin. It requires less input and the edge swiping is well-designed. Besides, Furuno fish finders have larger screens, more options, better sound, and significantly higher cost than Garmin fish finders.
No wonder things are looking up for networked marine electronics like fish finders. They’re drastically improved with better capabilities. Brands like Furuno and Garmin are battling among themselves to make a better position in the market.
Let’s dig out the differences between Furuno and Garmin fish finders.
A Quick Comparison Table
| Specifications | Furuno Fish Finder | Garmin Fish Finder |
| Special Feature | ACCU-Fish technology to analyze fish sizes | Autogain technology to minimize clutter |
| Available Models | 11 Available Models | 4 Available Models |
| Frequency | 15 to 200 kHz | 50/77/200 kHz |
| Available Display Size | 4 Available Display Size | 4 Available Display Size |
| In the Box | 3 Items in the Box | 8 Items in the Box |
| Warranty | 2 Years Warranty | 2 Years Warranty For Parts & Onboard Service |
| Price | $800 to $4195 | $129.99 to $599.99 |
Key Differences Between Furuno And Garmin Fish Finders
- Features
Furuno fish finders come with ACCU-Fish technology, a unique fish size analyzer based on the latest digital technology.
Bottom discrimination analyzes the bottom and provides a glance recognition of the bottom composition with 4 different types of graphical displays when you connect it to a transom mount transducer.
Besides, you can share and display information through a chart plotter. It allows you to mark fishing grounds and other information.
On the other hand, Garmin fish finders provide fish symbol ID that helps you identify your target fishes. With Autogain technology, you can minimize clutter and maximize targets. The adjustable depth line can measure the depth of underwater objects.
On top of that, A-Scope displays fish passing through the transducer beam in real-time. You will also get a water temperature sensor and depth range shading with Garmin fish finders.
Also Read: Vexilar FL 8 Or Marcum M1 Fishing Sonar?
- Available Models
Furuno has more fish finder models compared to Garmin. You will get 11 different fish finder models and 5 different black box models from Furuno. FCV-628, FCV-588, FCV-688, FCV-1150, FCV-295, FCV-1900, FCV-1900B, FCV-1900G, FCV-2100, FCV-38, and FSS-3BB are the fish finder models.
Besides, the sounder models are DFF-UHD, DFF1, DFF3, BBDS1, and DFF3-UHD.
On the other hand, 4 Garmin fish finder models are Striker Cast, Striker Vivid Series, Garmin Striker Series, and Striker Plus Series.
- Frequency
Generally, conventional fish finders come with 15 to 200-kHz ultrasound frequencies. On the other hand, fish finders on recreational boats have 50 to 200 kHz frequency—the lower the frequency, the wider the search angle and areas.
Furuno fish finders come with 15 to 200 kHz frequencies. So, you can search for fish in wider dimensions that cover more areas.
On the contrary, Garmin fish finders come with 50, 77, and 200 kHz frequency options. As they start from 50 kHz, you won’t be able to search fishes more than 50 degrees angle areas.
- Available Display Size
Furuno fish finders have larger screens than Garmin. With these fish finders, you will have 5.7 inches, 8.4 inches, 10.4 inches, and 12.1 inches screens.
Apart from the screen size, these machines are equipped with RezBoost signal processing technology that improves the clarity and resolution of its screens.
In contrast, Garmin fish finder screens are much smaller in size.
You only have 4 inches, 5 inches, 7 inches, and 9 inches display size options with Garmin.
- In the Box
Upon purchase, the Furuno fish finder package comes with 3 items. You will get the processor unit, a control unit, spare parts, and installation materials with Furuno fish finders.
On the contrary, Garmin fish finder packages contain a fish finder, a transducer, a power cable, a transducer adapter cable, a tilt mount, hardware documentation, and a bumper sticker.
- Warranty
When it comes to warranty, both brands offer somewhat similar warranty coverage. You will get 2 years of warranty with Furuno and Garmin fishes.
Furuno warranties cover the necessary parts and labor. On the other hand, Garmin fish finders cover parts and all onboard services.
- Price
Furuno fish finders will cost a big chunk of your money since they are costly compared to Garmin. Furuno fish finders’ price starts from $800 and can be as expensive as $4195.
In comparison, Garmin fish finders are pretty cheaper. They cost between $129.99 and $599.99.
Which Fish Finder Will Be Best For You?
No doubt that Furuno fish finders are more powerful and deliver extensive fish-finding performance. Now, the question is whether you need advanced fish finders like Furuno, especially when they cost this much.
If you are a professional fisherman, you must go with Furuno fish finders. It’s perfect for you. But if you do fishing for fun, you can choose Garmin for its lower price; I would still suggest you go for entry-level Furuno.
Also Read: Humminbird G3N Or G4N Fish Finder?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
No. You cannot use Furuno radars with Garmin units. Furuno and Garmin are two different fish finders. They have different interfaces, frequencies, and most other things are different from each other.
Furuno is a Japanese marine network electronics brand. It was founded in 1938 and still makes all its products in Nagasaki, Japan. With quality and reliability, it has become a trusted name in the USA and Europe, and people are using these fish finders on recreational and commercial vessels worldwide.
Some of the Garmin fish finder units can work with radar and deliver a well-integrated performance for fishing boats. With radars, you can use the Garmin WZGA display, 10Hz high-sensitivity receivers, Scanning sonars, Built-in ANT connectivity, Wi-Fi units, etc.
Simrad fish finders are better than Garmin in performance and functionality. They have more powerful CHIRP transducers that work deeper. Besides, Simrad allows you to use Navionics charts, requiring fewer updates than Garmin.
Final Thoughts
You should always choose Furuno if money is not the problem between Furuno vs. Garmin Fish Finder. Furuno fish finders are made for fishermen to deliver better results.
They have larger screens and frequencies, allowing you to search for fish in wider areas, which is impossible with Garmin. Most importantly, Furuno machines will make fishing easy and convenient for you.
Also Read: Differences Between Humminbird Helix, Solix And Apex Fish Finders.
