Best Marine GPS Reviews 2023

As we said in the introduction, choosing a marine GPS isn’t an easy task if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Well, let’s see what you need to know about these devices. One of the first things is how many satellites the GPS uses. Usually, the number is 12, and this is the smallest number of satellites a marine GPS will use. Naturally, the more satellites a device uses, the more accurate it’ll become. High-end devices use all 24, and they provide exceptionally precise charts. With that, you’ll probably also want a unit that has an antenna port. Some devices feature built-in antennae, but these antennae usually aren’t that good.

Moving on to the next thing you need to consider, you’ll probably want to check the device’s ease of use and readability. In that case, the bigger the screen, the better. Many high-end devices have nice and big screens, while smaller, commercial units need to find a balance between compactness and screen size. When it comes to ease of use, many marine GPSs have touchscreen displays, which is much more convenient than having to navigate through all of those menus using navigational keys. Some of the devices are also voice activated, which is a great convenience when you’re manning the wheel. Having a few friend as a navigator might help too if you can't man the unit. Reward him by offering him a cold one. And where do you keep the cold one? In the cooler, of course!

A marine GPS doesn’t need to have a sonar built in. However, many do, especially the commercial grade devices. This is, in part, because of the fact that people usually use these GPSs as a way of detecting fish and catching them more easily. Many devices also give you chart plotting abilities, and you can make your own maps of the place, with personalized points of interest. While some units allow for basic map making, others allow you to chart underwater terrain, mark possible fish locations, introduce weather patterns, view the map in 3D and many other things. And lastly, you need to check if the unit is waterproof. High-end units also have special anti-fogging screens. In the end, if the unit keeps fogging up and you’re fed up with it, why not wreck it with that survival knife of yours?

Buying a GPS is not the end of your troubles when you’re setting out to sea; you may also need a barometer to gauge the depth of the water you’re sailing over. In the meantime, however, let’s see what we can learn about the marine GPS.