Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | If you want the Platinum, go with the Platinum. People will get on here and contradict me, but the HDS in general can be sluggish. Not always, but if you're used to the speed and response of an LCX, you'll see what I mean. They're sluggish. They work, and I love my HDS8, but it's sluggish on the Chart side of the house. Sonar and LSS aren't too bad, but the Chart can be downright frustrating.
As far as cards, I started with an 09 Premium, and they did not play nicely together. I went through THREE units before I thought about swapping cards. It would zoom in, drop the card data and go to base map, lock up and then reboot. Every time. It was ridiculous. Then a pro bass buddy of mine suggested upgrading to Platinum+. Not the Hot Maps, the actual marine charts, and voila, she works like a champ. I had two Prem cards and neither worked, and they didn't work in the display models at West Marine or Cabela's, so there was something to it. Put in the Plat+ and she's good to go. And that was with the current upgrades. They may have changed the '10 cards and they may work fine. And I know guys running other Premium chips in HDS with no issues, so hell, it may've been a North chip issue. I've not ran the Plat Hot Maps, but the Platinum+ has more data and info (two cards for Eastern GL) than the HM, so I can only assume the Plat HM would be as fast or faster....the HDS being the limiting factor.
Bottom line, HDS has been sluggish for me no matter what card I've had in it. If you want the Plat HM, go for it and realize it's not the card slowing it down, it's the unit itself. |
Navionics Platinum vs. Premium