Garmin pairs decades of GPS heritage with some of the most capable sonar and chartplotting on the water. This is the Garmin multifunction displays range: the touchscreen chartplotters that anchor a modern helm.
Screen size is usually decided by helm space, but the more important choice is which Garmin network the unit runs on. Smaller GPSMAP units talk over NMEA 2000 alongside instruments and engine data, while larger chartplotters add a Garmin Marine Network (Ethernet) connection for radar, high-resolution charts and sonar modules such as Panoptix LiveScope, which need the extra bandwidth a NMEA 2000 backbone cannot provide.
If you are running more than one display, only one needs a direct GPS antenna and NMEA 2000 connection; the rest can share data over the network once it is bridged correctly. Sonar capability also depends on the transducer fitted, not just the display, so a CHIRP-ready screen will only show CHIRP returns with a matching transducer connected.
We can talk through which combination of display and sonar module suits your helm before you order.
