Hello! I am finally get my first decent fish finder. I currently have a 200$ hook 4 lowrance with no special features and I am upgrading to the humminbird. I would like down imaging and side imagine and wondering which would be best , the gen 3 or gen 4? Can’t really find much of a difference between the two and don’t want to get the older one if it becomes to outdated. I was looking at the hummingbird helix 8 chirp MSI+ GPS 4 . I also have a minnkota ultrex I pilot and figured they would go good together. Any thoughts on this setup? The only issue is the gen4 is back ordered untill may 31 ! But I can find some gen3 now .. is it worth it to wait? 

My 2 cents ~

When we look at HOW Fast this technology is advancing,

Buying the NEWSET most up to date unit may be the way to go.

Because in two years - there's a decent chance it will be old news and that's a bummer. 

With a wait for the G4N, it might be out dated & superseded sooner than that.

btw - I have G3N Hexlix 10 - it's  very good for my needs.

Good Luck.

A-Jay

Heck, I have twin 93’s and want to upgrade, but the stress and learning curve still intimidates me.  Maybe next year

37 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

My 2 cents ~

When we look at HOW Fast this technology is advancing,

Buying the NEWSET most up to date unit may be the way to go.

Because in two years - there's a decent chance it will be old news and that's a bummer. 

With a wait for the G4N, it might be out dated & superseded sooner than that.

btw - I have G3N Hexlix 10 - it's  very good for my needs.

Good Luck.

A-Jay

I don’t mind waiting untill may I guess then.  I know where the fish are most of the time untilk then from years of fishing the spawn. It’s after which haunts me ! Guess I’ll get the new one and just take the pain of waiting 

I understand wanting to go with the birds since you have a MK TM. I also have birds and an Ultrex. That being said, there is no advantage to having both if your TM doesn't have i-Pilot "Link".

22 hours ago, jbsoonerfan said:

I understand wanting to go with the birds since you have a MK TM. I also have birds and an Ultrex. That being said, there is no advantage to having both if your TM doesn't have i-Pilot "Link".

Can I get the link part separate since I have the ultrex ? Or would I have to buy a whole sepwrate unit again

1 hour ago, Ksam1234 said:

Can I get the link part separate since I have the ultrex ? Or would I have to buy a whole sepwrate unit again

I think so, but not 100% sure.

10 hours ago, Ksam1234 said:

Can I get the link part separate since I have the ultrex ? Or would I have to buy a whole sepwrate unit again

Yes. Will cost about $800 to add LINK to an Ultrex.

 

As far as G3 vs. G4, the price is pretty similar right now due to super high demand. Good luck finding either in stock. The G4 units can’t really do much now than the G3. G4 has a WIFI capability which no one knows the function of yet, and a direct connect for NMEA engine data.

 

I wouldn’t worry so much about having the latest and greatest. Even the “outdated” G2N equipment provides and excellent image. The only problem you may run into is support for networking older and newer units

I added Ipilot link to my Ulterra and it did cost $800 but I sold my old head and remote for $400 to a guy in Texas.

6 hours ago, Dirtyeggroll said:

Yes. Will cost about $800 to add LINK to an Ultrex.

 

As far as G3 vs. G4, the price is pretty similar right now due to super high demand. Good luck finding either in stock. The G4 units can’t really do much now than the G3. G4 has a WIFI capability which no one knows the function of yet, and a direct connect for NMEA engine data.

 

I wouldn’t worry so much about having the latest and greatest. Even the “outdated” G2N equipment provides and excellent image. The only problem you may run into is support for networking older and newer units

Ok I don’t think I want to spend 800$ to add it. At this point does it matter if I get a humminbird or lowrance or garmin since I don’t have the link?

15 hours ago, jbsoonerfan said:

I think so, but not 100% sure.

So if I don’t get the link then it doesn’t matter which fish finder I get? Lowrance or garmin or humminbird at this point 

It won't matter, because without the link your TM won't communicate with your graphs.

1 minute ago, jbsoonerfan said:

It won't matter, because without the link your TM won't communicate with your graphs.

Well thank you.. I wish I would have known that and looked into it. I think with that being said I’m going with the lowrance elite FS 9