The short answer
The Garmin LiveScope 2 HD LVS42HD Transducer is Garmin’s close-range LiveScope 2 model with no black box; the Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 93sv with GT56UHD-TM, 9 in is the 9-inch display Garmin suggests at a lower price point (LiveScope sold separately); and the Garmin LiveScope Plus LVS34 Transducer Only is the budget-tier upgrade if you already own a GLS 10.
Our verdict
LiveScope Fish Finder Top Picks
LiveScope is Garmin’s live-scanning sonar, so this guide treats a fish finder with LiveScope as a Garmin setup: a compatible Garmin chartplotter plus a LiveScope transducer, and on older systems a GLS 10 black box. This guide covers Garmin parts only, and each review says, from Garmin’s page, what is in the box and what else you need. More in our fishing gear guides.
Related guide: The Best Live Imaging Fish Finders: Humminbird, Lowrance and Garmin
LiveScope finder
Find the Garmin LiveScope piece you need
Pick what you need and a price tier. The suggestion is our editorial starting point among the eight Garmin units below, drawn from Garmin's stated specs, not a test result.
Tiers are relative to the products in this guide; live prices are in the comparison table below.
Picks: LVS42HD, ECHOMAP UHD2 93sv, LVS34, LVS44, XR System, ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv, ECHOMAP Ultra 2 126sv, GPSMAP 1243xsv
Compare the picks
Compare the 8 LiveScope Units
Each row is the part our Amazon link opens; range and screen figures are Garmin’s. No pick is a complete setup alone: a transducer needs a compatible display, and a display needs a LiveScope transducer.
LiveScope 2 HD LVS42HDClose-Range HD SonarTransducer, close rangeYes$2,199.99 Prime
Evidence: owner reports, no independent test
ECHOMAP UHD2 93sv9-Inch Display + GT56Display, 9 in screenSold separately$1,299.99 Prime
Evidence: owner reports, no independent test
LiveScope Plus LVS34LVS34 Upgrade TransducerTransducer, upgradeYes$1,149.99
Evidence: owner reports, no independent test
LiveScope 2 LVS44Long-Range LiveScope 2Transducer, open waterYes$1,999.99 Prime
Evidence: owner reports, no independent test
LiveScope XR SystemDeep-Water XR SystemSystem, offshore, open waterYes$2,999.99 Prime
Evidence: maker specs only, no independent test
ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv7-Inch Display + GT54Display, 7 in screenSold separately$999.99 Prime
Evidence: maker specs only, no independent test
ECHOMAP Ultra 2 126sv12-Inch ECHOMAP DisplayDisplay, 12 in screenSold separately$2,829.99
Evidence: Outdoor Life, ECHOMAP Ultra 2 in 10 or 12 inch; size not stated
GPSMAP 1243xsv12-Inch GPSMAP DisplayDisplay, 12 in, networkingSold separately$3,099.99
Evidence: maker specs only, no independent test
How We Chose These LiveScope Setups
How this guide was built
built from manufacturer documentation, published third-party reviews and owner reports; we have not tested these products ourselves.
What a unit needed to make the list
- Garmin LiveScope hardware, or a display on Garmin’s LiveScope lists (product pages and Garmin’s GLS 10 compatibility page).
- Box contents stated by Garmin. A GPSMAP 1022 dealer bundle was left out: its listing names no GLS 10 and gives the wrong screen size.
- In stock on Amazon in the exact part number on October 30, 2026; several LiveScope Plus and ice bundles were not.
Sources and how independent they are
Sources and how independent they are
Specs are Garmin’s. Outdoor Life covers the ECHOMAP Ultra 2 series; owner reports come from the In-Depth Outdoors forum and r/Fishing_Gear. Three picks rest on Garmin’s specs alone.
LiveScope Fish Finders: Detailed Reviews
Garmin LiveScope 2 HD LVS42HD Transducer, Close-Range HD Sonar
Anglers with a current Garmin display who watch fish and lures inside casting distance.
$2,199.99 from AmazonAs of Nov 4, 09:41 UTCVerdict
Garmin’s LiveScope 2 HD transducer, rated to 125 feet, with no black box; display sold separately.
Evidence: No independent test; owner reports. In-Depth Outdoors forum: LVS42HD ice fishing version.
In the box, per Garmin: the LVS42HD, Perspective and barrel mounts, a power/network cable and a Force Kraken adapter disc. No display; Garmin says it “connects directly to your compatible chartplotter and power source.” Garmin’s compatibility list leaves out first-generation ECHOMAP UHD and GPSMAP x2 units such as the 1022.
Garmin rates it at “up to 50% more detail and 20% higher resolution” than previous generations near the boat. On In-Depth Outdoors, a poster with the ice fishing version wrote: “Finally got some time on the water with the LVS42HD and its a substantial improvement over the LVS34 under 80 feet”; past that, he said, “signal return degrades the farther it looks out.” He also reported a Garmin service bulletin for early serials, fixed with a “Reset Factory Transducer Settings.” For brush-pile crappie, see our crappie rods for jigging.
LVS42HD or LVS44? Garmin lists 3.8-inch target separation at 30 feet for the LVS42HD and 5.7 inches for the LVS44, which reaches 250 feet to the LVS42HD’s 125.
Specs (linked: LVS42HD, 010-03899-00)
Pros
- No GLS 10 black box to mount or wire, per Garmin
- 3.8-inch target separation at 30 feet, Garmin’s figure
Cons
- Shortest rated range of the transducers here, per Garmin
- Not listed for first-generation ECHOMAP UHD or GPSMAP x2 displays
Who should buy it
Anglers with a current Garmin display who watch fish and lures inside casting distance.
- LiveScope: included (transducer); display sold separately; no black box
- Range: 125 ft; frequency 850-1600 kHz (Garmin)
- Target separation: 3.8 in at 30 ft, 12.6 in at 100 ft (Garmin)
- Seller: Amazon.com at our check
- Price tier: $$ (live Amazon price in the table above)
Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 93sv with GT56UHD-TM, 9 in, 9-Inch Display + GT56
Anglers building a first LiveScope setup who want a 9-inch screen with a scanning transducer included.
$1,299.99 from AmazonAs of Nov 4, 09:41 UTCVerdict
A 9-inch ECHOMAP UHD2 with Navionics+ U.S. Inland mapping and a GT56UHD-TM scanning transducer; LiveScope is not included.
Evidence: No independent test; owner reports. r/Fishing_Gear: ECHOMAP UHD 93sv, first generation.
In the box, per Garmin: the 93sv, the GT56UHD-TM (CHIRP, ClearVü, SideVü), a power cable and a tilt mount. LiveScope is sold separately; Garmin lists this display for LiveScope 2, 2 HD, Plus (with a GLS 10) and XR.
Garmin’s chartplotter guide suggests “the ECHOMAP UHD2 9” with 1024 x 600 pixels” at “a lower price point.” Garmin notes LiveScope “cannot be shared wirelessly between two ECHOMAP UHD2 chartplotters.” On r/Fishing_Gear, a poster running an LVS32 on the first-generation UHD 93sv wrote: “The 9″ screen is barely enough real estate (but it will do).”
93sv or 73sv? The 93sv: 9 inches, 1024 x 600, mid-range tier; the 73sv: 7 inches, 800 x 480, budget tier.
Specs (linked: 93sv with GT56UHD-TM, Navionics+ U.S. Inland, 010-02688-01)
Pros
- 9-inch screen Garmin names for LiveScope at a lower price point
- GT56UHD-TM scanning transducer in the box
Cons
- 1024 x 600 is the lowest resolution of the 9 to 12 inch screens here
- LiveScope cannot be shared wirelessly to a second UHD2, per Garmin
Who should buy it
Anglers building a first LiveScope setup who want a 9-inch screen with a scanning transducer included.
- LiveScope: sold separately; compatible per Garmin
- Screen: 9.0 in, 1024 x 600 (Garmin)
- Transducer in box: GT56UHD-TM; CHIRP 50/77/83/200 kHz (Garmin)
- Seller: Amazon.com at our check
- Price tier: $$ (live Amazon price in the table above)
Garmin LiveScope Plus LVS34 Transducer Only, LVS34 Upgrade Transducer
LiveScope owners with a working GLS 10 who want to replace or add an LVS34.
$1,149.99 from AmazonAs of Nov 4, 09:41 UTCVerdict
The LiveScope Plus LVS34 on its own, for anglers who already own a GLS 10 black box; without one it will not work.
Evidence: No independent test; owner reports. In-Depth Outdoors forum: LVS34.
In the box, per Garmin: the LVS34 and Perspective, barrel and shaft mounts. Garmin lists “Sonar Module Included – No”: no GLS 10 and no display. Amazon’s page headline names the LiveScope Plus System with GLS 10, but the linked variation is “Transducer Only” (Garmin part 010-02706-10, no GLS 10).
Through the GLS 10 it works with older displays LiveScope 2 does not list. An In-Depth Outdoors poster who runs an LVS34 tried a friend’s LVS44 “before I went back to my 34 at the front of the boat,” and found the two “very simular.”
LVS34 or LiveScope 2? The LVS34 suits an existing GLS 10; the LVS42HD and LVS44 skip the black box but need a display on Garmin’s LiveScope 2 list.
Specs (linked: LVS34 transducer only, 010-02706-10)
Pros
- Works with older Garmin displays through a GLS 10, per Garmin’s list
- 200-foot range, per Garmin
Cons
- Needs a GLS 10 sonar module, sold separately
- Garmin describes the LiveScope 2 models as higher resolution
Who should buy it
LiveScope owners with a working GLS 10 who want to replace or add an LVS34.
- LiveScope: included (transducer); GLS 10 and display sold separately
- Range: 200 ft; frequency 530-1,100 kHz (Garmin)
- Target separation: 14 in at 100 ft (Garmin)
- Seller: Amazon.com at our check
- Price tier: $ (live Amazon price in the table above)
Garmin LiveScope 2 LVS44 Transducer, Long-Range LiveScope 2
Anglers who scan open water and suspended fish beyond casting distance with a current Garmin display.
$1,999.99 from AmazonAs of Nov 4, 09:41 UTCVerdict
The longer-range LiveScope 2 transducer, rated to 250 feet, with no black box; display sold separately.
Evidence: No independent test; owner reports. In-Depth Outdoors forum: LVS44 (a friend’s unit).
In the box, per Garmin: the LVS44 with the same mounts and cable as the LVS42HD. No display; same compatible displays as the LVS42HD.
Garmin says it “delivers high-clarity fish and lure tracking at further ranges,” with bottom tracking “out to 250′ in freshwater.” The In-Depth Outdoors poster who set up a friend’s LVS44 on a GPSMAP 9213xsv wrote: “Overall from what I can tell the look and results are very simular to the 34 in regards to lure tracking and fish display but you have to run the settings lower on the new unit.” He added that the stock bracket needed shims on his pole.
Specs (linked: LVS44, 010-03899-10)
Pros
- 250-foot rated range with no black box, per Garmin
- Integrated image stabilization and water detection, per Garmin
Cons
- Looser target separation at 30 feet than the LVS42HD (Garmin)
- Stock bracket may need shims on a slimmer pole, per one poster
Who should buy it
Anglers who scan open water and suspended fish beyond casting distance with a current Garmin display.
- LiveScope: included (transducer); display sold separately; no black box
- Range: 250 ft; frequency 600-1050 kHz (Garmin)
- Target separation: 5.7 in at 30 ft, 12.6 in at 100 ft (Garmin)
- Seller: Amazon.com at our check
- Price tier: $$ (live Amazon price in the table above)
Garmin LiveScope XR System with GLS 10 and LVS62, Deep-Water XR System
Coastal and open-water anglers, Garmin's stated use, who need live sonar past 250 feet.
$2,999.99 from AmazonAs of Nov 4, 09:41 UTCVerdict
A full XR system (GLS 10 plus LVS62) rated to 500 feet in freshwater; display sold separately.
Evidence: No independent test; maker specs. Source: Garmin.
In the box, per Garmin: the GLS 10 black box, the LVS62, Perspective, barrel and shaft mounts, a power cable and network cables. No display.
Garmin built XR “for coastal and open-water fishing,” with “an extended range up to 500’ in freshwater and 350’ in saltwater.” Garmin’s own figures show the cost: 265-550 kHz and 22 inches of target separation at 100 feet, against 14 inches for the LVS34. A poster on In-Depth Outdoors said at launch that XR gains range but “loses alot of image detail.”
Specs (linked: XR System, GLS 10 and LVS62, 010-02719-00)
Pros
- Longest rated range here, freshwater and saltwater, per Garmin
- GLS 10 included, so it is a full system for a compatible display
Cons
- Lower frequency and wider target separation than the LVS34, per Garmin
- A GLS 10 black box to mount and wire; LiveScope 2 transducers need none, per Garmin
Who should buy it
Coastal and open-water anglers, Garmin’s stated use, who need live sonar past 250 feet.
- LiveScope: included (GLS 10 and LVS62); display sold separately
- Range: 500 ft freshwater, 350 ft saltwater; frequency 265-550 kHz (Garmin)
- Target separation: 22 in at 100 ft; water rating IPX7 (Garmin)
- Seller: Amazon.com at our check
- Price tier: $$$ (live Amazon price in the table above)
Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv with GT54UHD-TM, 7 in, 7-Inch Display + GT54
Anglers who want a 7-inch, LiveScope-ready Garmin display with scanning sonar at the budget tier.
$999.99 from AmazonAs of Nov 4, 09:41 UTCVerdict
The 7-inch ECHOMAP UHD2 with Navionics+ U.S. Inland mapping and a GT54UHD-TM transducer; LiveScope is sold separately.
Evidence: No independent test; maker specs. Source: Garmin.
In the box, per Garmin: the 7-inch 73sv, the GT54UHD-TM, a power cable and a tilt/swivel mount. Garmin lists the ECHOMAP UHD2 7″ sv for LiveScope 2, 2 HD, Plus (with a GLS 10) and XR.
At 7 inches and 800 x 480 it is the smallest screen here. Garmin’s guide says “bigger is better” for LiveScope returns. We found no independent test of the 73sv.
Specs (linked: 73sv with GT54UHD-TM, Navionics+ U.S. Inland, 010-02684-01)
Pros
- LiveScope-compatible Garmin display with a scanning transducer at the budget tier
- Navionics+ U.S. Inland mapping preloaded, per Garmin
Cons
- 800 x 480 is the lowest resolution here
- Garmin’s own guide favors bigger screens for LiveScope
Who should buy it
Anglers who want a 7-inch, LiveScope-ready Garmin display with scanning sonar at the budget tier.
- LiveScope: sold separately; compatible per Garmin
- Screen: 7.0 in, 800 x 480 (Garmin)
- Transducer in box: GT54UHD-TM; CHIRP 50/77/83/200 kHz (Garmin)
- Seller: Amazon.com at our check
- Price tier: $ (live Amazon price in the table above)
Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 2 126sv, 12 in, No Transducer, 12-Inch ECHOMAP Display
12 in, No Transducer · 12.1 in
Anglers who want a 12-inch ECHOMAP screen for LiveScope and already own, or plan to buy, the transducers.
$2,829.99 from AmazonAs of Nov 4, 09:41 UTCVerdict
A 12-inch ECHOMAP Ultra 2 with an IPS screen and Navionics+, sold without a transducer; LiveScope is sold separately.
Evidence: Independently reviewed, same series. Outdoor Life: ECHOMAP Ultra 2, size not stated.
In the box, per Garmin: the 126sv without a transducer (Garmin’s In the Box tab lists an 8-pin to 12-pin adapter cable for this version). Garmin says the series “supports the full lineup of LiveScope live-scanning sonar products (transducers sold separately).”
Outdoor Life writer Pete Robbins runs ECHOMAPs on his boat and lists the Ultra 2 in 10 or 12 inch sizes without saying which: “The standout feature, though, has been the LiveScope at the front of the boat.”
Ultra 2 126sv or GPSMAP 1243xsv? Both have 12.1-inch, 1280 x 800 screens. The 126sv has an IPS panel; the GPSMAP 1243xsv adds Garmin Marine Network and black-box sonar support at a higher tier.
Specs (linked: 126sv without transducer, Navionics+, 010-02882-00)
Pros
- 12.1-inch IPS screen that supports the full LiveScope lineup, per Garmin
- Outdoor Life’s writer singles out LiveScope on his ECHOMAPs
Cons
- No transducer in the box: scanning and LiveScope transducers both extra
- LiveScope cannot be shared wirelessly to a second Ultra 2 or UHD2, per Garmin
Who should buy it
Anglers who want a 12-inch ECHOMAP screen for LiveScope and already own, or plan to buy, the transducers.
- LiveScope: sold separately; full LiveScope lineup supported (Garmin)
- Screen: 12.1 in, 1280 x 800 IPS (Garmin)
- Transducer in box: none (Garmin; Amazon listing)
- Built-in sonar: CHIRP 70/83/200 kHz, 600 W, needs a transducer (Garmin)
- Seller: PrimeFindPalace LLC on Amazon at our October 30 check
- Price tier: $$$ (live Amazon price in the table above)
Garmin GPSMAP 1243xsv, 12 in, No Transducer, 12-Inch GPSMAP Display
12 in, No Transducer · 12.1 in
Anglers who want a networked 12-inch GPSMAP that runs LiveScope beside other Garmin electronics.
$3,099.99 from AmazonAs of Nov 4, 09:41 UTCVerdict
A 12-inch GPSMAP x3 chartplotter with Navionics+ and CHIRP, ClearVü and SideVü support, without a transducer; LiveScope sold separately.
Evidence: No independent test; maker specs. Source: Garmin.
In the box, per Garmin: the 1243xsv, power and NMEA 2000 cables, an adapter cable, and bail and flush mount kits. No transducer; for LiveScope Garmin says “transducer required, sold separately.”
The spec tab lists 1280 x 800, though Garmin’s chartplotter guide says the GPSMAP x3 series “offers full HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels)”; we use the spec tab. It is on Garmin’s LiveScope 2, Plus and XR lists and adds Garmin Marine Network and black-box sonar support. We found no independent test.
Specs (linked: 1243xsv, Navionics+, 010-02367-61)
Pros
- Garmin Marine Network and black-box sonar support for multi-display boats
- Bail and flush mount kits in the box
Cons
- No transducer in the box
Who should buy it
Anglers who want a networked 12-inch GPSMAP that runs LiveScope beside other Garmin electronics.
- LiveScope: sold separately; compatible per Garmin
- Screen: 12.1 in, 1280 x 800 (Garmin)
- Transducer in box: none; CHIRP 50/70/83/200 kHz with one (Garmin)
- Seller: ShipSound on Amazon at our October 30 check
- Price tier: $$$ (live Amazon price in the table above)
How to Choose a Fish Finder with LiveScope
Black box or not
Per Garmin’s LiveScope 2 announcement (July 2026), LiveScope 2 transducers need no black box; LiveScope Plus and XR still need a GLS 10. Older displays (first-generation ECHOMAP UHD, GPSMAP x2) run only the GLS 10 systems.
Screen and range
Garmin’s guide says “bigger is better to see below the surface in maximum clarity and detail using LiveScope sonar returns”; screens here run from 7 to 12.1 inches. Garmin rates range at 125 feet (LVS42HD), 200 (LVS34), 250 (LVS44) and 500 in freshwater (LVS62). New to sonar? See how to read a sonar fish finder screen.
Power and wiring
Garmin recommends “a 10-gauge wire running from the bow to the back of the boat,” noting a 15-foot distance to the battery means “it’s really a 30’ run.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the best LiveScope fish finder for the money?
No independent test compares these setups. Garmin suggests the ECHOMAP UHD2 9-inch at “a lower price point”: the 93sv, plus a LiveScope transducer bought separately. Fishing for bass from the bow? See our bass lures for beginners.
Q. What fish finders are compatible with Garmin LiveScope?
Garmin’s lists: for LiveScope 2, the ECHOMAP UHD2 sv, ECHOMAP Ultra and Ultra 2, and GPSMAP x3 (723 to 1643), 84xx/86xx and 90xx/92xx; LiveScope Plus with a GLS 10 also covers first-generation ECHOMAP UHD and GPSMAP x2.
Q. What is better, Garmin LiveScope or Humminbird?
We don’t compare brands here. Outdoor Life writes: “I wouldn’t rip out a Garmin LiveScope+ unit, but if you’re starting fresh and especially if you want to use a Minn Kota trolling motor and Raptor shallow-water anchor, the Mega Live 2 is a great option.”
Q. What is comparable to Garmin LiveScope?
Outdoor Life names Humminbird MEGA Live 2 and Lowrance ActiveTarget 2.
The bottom line
Final Verdict
Transducers: the Garmin LiveScope 2 HD LVS42HD Transducer (check price) for close range, the Garmin LiveScope 2 LVS44 Transducer (check price) for open water, the Garmin LiveScope XR System with GLS 10 and LVS62 (check price) past 250 feet, and the Garmin LiveScope Plus LVS34 Transducer Only (check price) if you own a GLS 10. Displays: the Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 93sv with GT56UHD-TM, 9 in (check price), the 7-inch Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv with GT54UHD-TM, 7 in (check price), and the 12.1-inch Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 2 126sv, 12 in, No Transducer (check price) and Garmin GPSMAP 1243xsv, 12 in, No Transducer (check price).
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
