Lowrance Elite 7 TI

The Lowrance Elite 7 TI also offers an LED-blacklit touch screen display.

Editor rating: 9.0 / 10

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By NicoleK

Lowrance Elite 7 TI Review Facts

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Fishing can be done at a leisure or competitive level. Competitive fishing was thought up when a fisherman was at a basketball game and wondered why fishing wasn't done at a competitive level, the way basketball is. It is actually the 4th most popular sport in the United States. An estimated 40 million Americans fish for the sport which is higher than golf in America. It is also not as straightforward as just catching the biggest fish either. There are several factors that go into competitive fishing like the type of fish, the strength of the fishing line used and the areas that the fishermen are fishing in. It also can be done online, oddly enough. There are some competitions that are offered over the internet which offers cash prizes for the biggest catch. Another interesting fact is that the health and safety of the fish are also important when competitively fishing. The competitions ensure that especially because the fish is released after, that the fish are being handled with care and that their mouths are not harmed during the reeling in process. In some competitions, if a fish is harmed during the process the fisherman is penalized for hurting the fish- especially so if the fish dies in the process. In a lot of competitions, as well, where they allow the use of fish finders in order to offer better chances to those out competing. This article focuses in on fish finders, specifically the Lowrance Elite 7 TI.

Lowrance is a very popular brand based out of the United States. They are a very popular manufacturer in GPS and Sonar technologies. We looked at the Elite 7 TI because of how popular it was with consumers. We looked at consumer reviews in order to determine what others thought of it too, from professionals to amateurs. We also looked at the features offered both advanced and basic in order to determine whether the unit is worth the cost that is associated with it. Finally, we looked at the fish finders specs in order to determine how well the unit works and how advanced the technology used is. This is our in-depth review of the Lowrance Elite 7 TI. We hope that this article serves you in your next fish finder purchase.

Editor's Pros & Cons

Pros

The increased screen size upgrade is praised by many reviewers
This fish finder offers easy set up especially for those who are less technologically inclined
This fish finder is quick loading for more seamless usage
This fish finder is quite easy to read as well

Cons

Some reviewers have some technical issues with two devices not talking to each other effectively

BASIC FEATURES

Basic features are features that should come standard with fish finders. This product offers both basic and advanced features. The basic features include a screen that displays where fish are and differentiates between fish and debris under the boat. The screen is also LED which means it can be read in both light and dark environments, allowing the user to utilize this equipment during different times of the day. This unit also uses CHIRP Sonar which is supposed to be one of the best technologies on the market today for detection. The SONAR sends signals out into the water and uses those signals to identify what is around the boat. This displays on the screen with information to the fisherman about what their surroundings look like. It also offers an internal GPS antenna which offers active fishing guides and maps for those who need assistance getting around. On top of that, this fish finder has an internal memory that will kick in when out of range to offer maps without the use of external sources. It also offers a microSD card slot which allows the consumer to buy additional cards for more storage. The fish finder also has additional imaging software including StrctureScan, DownScan Imaging and SideScan imaging in order to offer the best and clearest displays of imaging today.

ADVANCED FEATURES

Advanced features are features that are usually a little more specific to the brand and the unit itself. They are the features that aren't necessarily rare but less common and not necessarily expected when looking for fish finders. This offers a level of convenience but not a necessity to the technology. This product offers a 7 inch, high resolution screen which makes it easier to see and identify the items you are looking for when using this type of device. It also offers GoFree Cloud accessibility in order to free up storage space on the devices memory card. It uses a Navonics plus card which shows 18 thousand lakes in Canada and the United States. On top of that, it offers many that have 1 inch HD contours. This device also offers a quick-release bracket which makes it easier to install and release. The DownScan Imaging is 455 kHz, the SideScan imaging is 455 kHz as well, the CHIRP Sonar is 83/200 kHz and the Broadband of the unit is 50/80/200 kHz. This product also offers up to 31 different languages in order to suit a wide variety of individuals and not just the typical English/Spanish/French languages offered with many other comparable products. This product also offers Lake Insight technology as well as Nautic Insight PRO to assist fishermen even further with their trips.

USE

This item is used for fishing in order to access an image of the water beneath the boat. It uses Sonar technology in order to send out wavelengths. It takes the interruption in the waves and identifies what has interrupted them. Fish finders can typically differentiate between debris, the lake bottom, weeds, and fish in order to allow the fishermen quick access to what they are trying to catch (in this situation it would be fish). Some fish finders have additional technologies that assist with the Sonar technology like hotspots and navigation technology. This allows the fishermen to not only find fish but go back to areas that they had better luck with in earlier trips or even earlier in the day so that they can potentially have continued success later. There is a unit that goes below the boat in order to put out the waves and it connects via wire (sometimes wireless) to the screen display to show where the fish are. It is important that the mounting unit is easy to install but also strong enough not to break off when in motion. It is sometimes also handy that the screen is waterproof as this is pretty much always used when out on a boat where there would be more water and moisture than on land.

CONNECTIVITY

This product offers an internal GPS antenna in order to offer more range. It also offers an internal SD slot that allows for more storage and therefore can be used when out of range of signals. This device can also be plugged into a computer in order to update both the device and the maps. The company offers continual updates so having this option keeps the unit relevant and will extend its usefulness. The product also has access to GoFree Cloud which will free up some space on the SD drive for other information.

POWER SOURCE

This product runs off a 12 Volt DC rechargeable battery. There wasn't information about the battery length but it is common with fish finders that the battery life depends on the activities being performed by it. Some fishermen want bigger transducers which will drain the battery faster.

ACCURACY

This product offers CHIRP Sonar technology which is considered one of the best technologies available right now to detect what is under the surface of the water. Those that used this fish finder appreciated its accuracy but found that they sometimes wanted a bigger transducer. Luckily with this product, you can use larger ones for an additional charge. Overall, though, they found that this unit was quite handy and accurate in determining what was under the surface at pretty decent depths which is positive.

EASE OF USE

Those who used this product found it quite easy to use. Typically with technology with more options the screens/display tends to be a little busier which makes it harder to use. This product moves between screens in order to offer more options, making the screen less busy which is positive. Those who used this product found it easy to use and the switch between screens to be quite fast. The screen is easy to read due to the sun filter, as well as the backlit screen and the navigation screens are easy to use as well. Overall it seems to be a positive experience even for those who are not technologically advanced.

DISPLAY

The display of this product offers numerous upgrades to the previous version that many found to be satisfactory and helpful. For one, the screen is now two inches bigger than it was before which is helpful especially for those with poor eyesight. Additionally, it is now offered in HD which means a much clearer image for those looking for more details. The screen is LED and backlit which means that it can be used in darker environments. It also has a sun screen layer on the top of it which means that it can be used even in areas that are quite bright without strain to the eye. The screen is also high-resolution, which again, means that details are much clearer and easier to read. The screen is also a touchscreen in order to be more active in the usage of the unit and the screen is also easy to use. Those who purchased this unit found it easy to use and found that the screen also switched screens fast and easily which is positive.

PRICE

This unit is midrange in price which is acceptable considering all its additional features. It also works fairly well. There were few negative complaints about this product outside of some more professional complaints (those using this product for fishing companies). Some advertisements gave the impression that more than one transducer can be used at a time with this product which helps those with bigger boats see what is below the boat at the front and the back simultaneously, unfortunately this is not something that is offered yet. This upset some consumers. A major benefit to this product that not many other products in this price range has is that it has wireless access which means the user can download updates right from the boat if required. This is something that a computer is usually required to do so that is positive. Those who used this product had little issues downloading content and found that being able to download the software was extremely convenient. Overall, this product seems to be worth the cost which is good.

KEY FEATURES

High resolution, HD, LED-backlit touch screen
Navionics card with 18 K US and Canadian Lakes
Easy-to-use menus
CHIRP Sonar technology
StructureScan, TrackBack history and Lake Insight availabilities
Wireless and bluetooth capabilities
DownScan Imaging, SideScan Imaging and Broadband
500 Watt RMS
12 V DC Operation
Offered in up to 31 languages

BOTTOM LINE

The bottom line is that this product is a pretty good one. The product falls about mid-range in price which is probably indicative of the quality of the unit. The wireless features are fairly handy and being able to update the unit from the boat is also handy. This unit also comes with the option for an extended memory which is also handy. The company continually releases updates for the unit whether it be technological updates or map updates which means more and more areas of water can eventually be discovered and utilized. This product is also versatile in that it offers all sorts of different options for viewing along with technologies like Lake Insight and Nautic Insight Pro to assist fishermen with their trips. It also offers cloud technology so that the SD card doesn't fill up completely. The CHIRP Sonar technology is probably the most important piece of technology offered by this unit, as this is going to be the thing that offers accurate information about what is below the boat. CHIRP Sonar is one of the best technologies on the market today for this type of use so that is really positive. Overall, there were very few negative reviews on this product. It seems to be built well, offers top of the line technology and has a long battery life. Overall we think this product is worth consideration!