5 Useful Tips to Buy Marine Electronics on a Budget

The market is flooded with different options of discounted multifunction marine electronics. Given that, how do you pick the right system for your particular needs? Below are a couple of pointers about features you should consider while buying basic models along with what additional features you should expect in the high-end marine GPS electronics. Let’s take a look at five useful tips to help you make the right choice of marine electronics under a fixed budget. Here we go:

1:- What Type of GPS Do You Want?

Talking about marine GPS, you have three options available - a handheld unit, GPS & chart plotter combo, or a standard GPS receiver which would be hooked to your system. Each of these GPS categories has its pros and cons.

For those mariners who need an accurate, yet pocket-friendly GPS unit that can be utilized on and off the boat, a handheld GPS with basic features is the best option to go with. Onboard marine electronics frequently include GPS receivers as an integrated package. You can find GPS fish finders combo, radars, chart plotters, basic GPS, and then many more marine GPS combos for your individual needs.

2:- What About the Environment?

Well, here we are talking about the marine environment you and your GPS unit will be in. while the open water, you are normally exposed to the sun, making it difficult for you to read nothing but the brightest displays. Even on a normal day, you might struggle with choppy waters that will interrupt your balance. In such a situation, a handheld GPS unit having a small screen is definitely a pain to read. Moreover, the small controls would be hard to manipulate while struggling to maintain your balance on water. For mariners who do a lot of sailing on water, the ideal option is to go for a GPS or GPS combo with a large display and large control knobs so it’s easy to navigate even on the bobbing waves.

For small boat owners, searching for shaded or below-deck space for a system to link to the standard GPS is something problematic. Remember that computer screens aren’t designed for viewing under direct sunlight. One more thing you need to consider while picking the best marine GPS for your specific need and boat type is the dashboard space. For small boats and dash, you need marine electronics that are easy to expand as and when needed to add other devices in a single display.

For the bigger boats with a spacious dash, you can choose between whether or not you want to load the dash up along with multiple displays or if you’d prefer an integrated model with a large, high-resolution viewing area. It would be more sensible for larger boats to have multiple or multifunction display for the fish finder, GPS navigation, and as well as radar.

3:- What Else You Want Your GPS to Do?

These days, you will find that even the most basic models of budget GPS offer high accuracy and are capable of storing different details and data. In some cases, that might be all you need from your GPS. or then, in case you’re interested in fishing, you may consider a GPS/fish finder combo as a better option for your adventure. A GPS/ chart plotter multifunction unit is another great for boaters.

If you are uncertain about whether or not you need some of the features, you can also check if the unit you are planning to purchase has expansion mechanism included. For instance, a decent budget-friendly Si-Tex ColorMax 5 or Si-Tex ColorMax 7 are both basic marine GPS/chart plotter combos and they can be easily expanded for integrating a fish finder, radar, apart from other marine electronics components.

4:- What Features You Can Do Without?

You will find a marine GPS unit in the market overloaded with too many additional features - a combination of unwanted and must-have. Some features are essential and you need them at any cost while there are others that work as nothing but cost detractors. What you need to do is decide what extra features you need from your GPS unit. Whether you need the multifunction GPS to offer sync with your Bluetooth headset, play MP3 for hands-free navigation, or you need accurate, live weather updates.

5:- Compare Before You Buy

You can also make a comparison of features offered by different GPS models within your price range. Decide if you are planning for a high-resolution display, or you are after the capability to upgrade with more marine electronics, or you just need some high-end features you would never use. Apart from features, do compare prices offered by different online stores to decide where to buy your marine electronics from. Chances are, you’ll always find better deals and discounts online as compared to offline stores.

All in all, there are multiple GPS marine electronics available in the market. This makes is tough to find the right equipment for you. However, always remember that picking between the correct one is the perfect balance between understanding what features are offered and what features you need, understanding your specific boating needs, and comparing different GPS marine electronics in your price range to select the ultimate one.