smalliebigs Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Looking at upgrading one of my units. Can get an HDS Gen2 8 or a HDS Gen2 7 touch for about the same. I haven't used the touch yet. Is it really any more convenient? I'm thinking the extra 1.4" of screen may be more usefull than the touch screen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jace D Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Get a Humminbird! Just kidding. I think you'd be happy with either one. I don't have a lot of experience with the hds units but most of the newer units from all the brands seem to be really user friendly. I'm sure the touch screen is convenient but I haven't messed with them enough to know if they are a game changer. Are the units new or used? If one of them is new and the other is used I would go with the new one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcopple Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 i have a hds7 gen 1 and a buddy of mine just got the touch a few months back...i don't think it is worth the extra $. the hds systems are extremely easy to navagate through without having the touch. i would opt for the larger screen myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aikenyounggun Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 I have an HDS 8 and 10, and have had the opportunity at touchscreens. The touchscreens are great for making your own pages (how you set up sonar/DI/SI/mapping) and are really easy to adjust the settings on the fly. That being said, if you go with the HDS 8 you have the soft buttons on the bottom (which do not come on the smaller non-touchscreen units). These soft buttons make switching pages (say all map to split sonar/map) much quicker than other non-touchscreens. Everyone I have talked to (which is substantial) loves their touch units. The only time you can't use them is if you have gloves on when it is cold outside, but they now make gloves for touchscreens, but they are usually very thin. So depending on how much you fish in the cold, this may be a consideration. Also, the 7" touch has a much smaller profile than the 8, because the 8 has the 8 inch screen plus roughly an inch and a half for the buttons (a 10 inch profile looks exactly like an 12 touch for reference). Depending on where you mount it, this may be a consideration. Both my units are on ram mounts, so when I'm dropshotting up front, the screen is probably a foot closer to my face than if the screen was flush mounted, but my boat never could flush mount a big graph up front. I also have never had issues with a big graph up front getting in the way. This might not help, but depending on what you plan on using the graph for, the extra inch of screen may be worth it, or the touchscreen with its on the fly adjustment may be better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jace D Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 so when I'm dropshotting up front, the screen is probably a foot closer to my face. Oh no.......not the D-word.........this is heresy! Lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicknick222 Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 I have an HDS 9 up front and an HDS 7 in the cockpit. Wish I went with two 9's but I'm not complaining. The 7 does have a lot smaller profile than an 8 and 9 as stated before so if you flush mount it they might look a bit underwhelming. You don't realize how awesome the touch screen is until you are graphing over spots and find something interesting. All you do is just touch where it is and you have a waypoint set. Its also extremely intuitive to navigate and change the screen layouts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalliebigs Posted March 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Good feedback, thanks. Both units are new. This is for on my console and either size will fit. The 5 thats there now will go up to the front (replacing an OLD eagle), so either way its a big upgrade. Marking spots with one touch while cruising over them sounds like a really cool thing. Just had somebody tell me scrolling back to the spots is really nice on the touch too. Those are the only things I see myself doing a lot to put value in the ease of use. So I guess it comes down to that vs. an extra 1.4 inches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conway Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 i use a 12 up front and a 9 on the console.. my problem is i am very picky almost to the profectionist brain wave ish.. and i hate clutter so when my screen gets all finger printed up i end up finding myself cleaning the screen instead of fishing but I LOVE IT.. touch and go way points simple and navigation all at a finger tip.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moleman Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 I own a touch 9 in the console and that is so great because if I'm looking at a map its much more intuitive to drag the screen where i want to go also the touch is very easy to get to understand with only like 3 buttons, but for up front units i don't think it matters much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoryKerber Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Touch screen is the way to go. I can promise if you got the touch you wouldn't regret it. I can't say the same if your were to get the 8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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