Garmin Gt54 Vs Gt56

If you are reading this article, then you already know the importance of owning a transducer for fish finding. But which one to get? Which one will be the best value for money? There is a lot of confusion when choosing a transducer. Especially if one company provides the two best transducers available in the market. You guessed it right; I’m talking about the Garmin GT54 and GT56 transducer. 

Garmin Gt54 Vs Gt56; Which one is the best? GT56 has put up a huge competition with its siblings GT54 since it came out in 2020. The debate for these two products has gone to a great length that can confuse any newcomers who are willing to get a fish finder for their boat.

Well, that’s where I come in. Today I will give you a great insight into these products with a side-by-side comparison, a full review of these two products, and a final verdict. Hopefully reading this article will help you to get a clear decision on which one you going to get. So, let’s dive into the discussion without wasting your valuable time. 

GARMIN GT54 VS GT56 – SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON

Garmin GT54 and GT56, both have some premium features and specifications for their price range. I have been using GT54 since it came out and also using GT56 for some time.

So, I have a great deal of knowledge about both products.  Now, to give you an idea I will start with a side-by-side comparison table of Garmin Gt54 Vs Gt56 based on their specifications and then dive into the review sections. 

Comparison Table:

GARMIN GT54 Review

Garmin GT54 was the great transducer when it came out. This Garmin GT54 UHD transducer proves its worth in 2 sectors. One is the ultra-clear image and another is the ultra-strong performance. 

In my time of usage, it never disappointed me. Its all-in-one facility provides an ultra-sharp and crisp image so accurate that you will be able to detect the fish from rocks, bushes, or branches of trees. You can distinguish the size of the fish is easy even detecting one small fish is piece of cake. 

This transducer provides ultra-HD clearly, side, and the traditional CHIRP sonar scanner. With the frequency it has you can easily detect anything under 200 ft below your boat and with the sideVu sonar scanner, the range can go up to 500 ft. 

The power of this transducer is 350W. Which is good enough for the frequency it has for ClearVu and SideVu. And it provides good details of the objects inside its radius. 

Its installation system is easy and simple. For mounting it provides a 20 feet long cable and the number of pins is 12. 

All this on-paper number does not disappoint at all. It delivers exactly as they claim. I have been using it for quite some time and it never disappointed me. It gets the job done easily with a good quality screen. The only thing you have to worry about this transducer is its plastic build.

So, if it breaks badly there won’t be any repairing.  Once it breaks, it’s done. If it’s not too badly broken then you can stick the broken part with some glue and use it again. But it’s a one-time thing. So, keep that in mind. 

Pros Of Garmin GT54:

• Ultra-clear images
• Ultra-strong performance
• Standard depth frequency
• Wider side image frequency up to 500 feet.
• Good price
• Standard cable size

Cons Of Garmin GT54:

The only cons it has in my opinion is its plastic build. Other than that, this is a great transducer for the price point. 

Garmin GT56 Review

GT56 transducer is an upgraded version of GT54. GT56 came with some upgraded specs like multiple frequencies, extra color palettes, extra depth range, and extra power. 

Garmin GT56 has three frequencies rather than one. This helps tangles to adjust the frequencies according to their need. 

It has seven more added high contrast vivid color palettes than its previous generation gt54. These added color palettes provide much more details about what’s underneath the boat. Even the color palettes can be adjusted. With the high contrast and vivid color palettes distinguishing fish and other objects under the water are much easier and brighter. 

Its high-wide CHIRP sonar scanner provides a depth range of 800 feet below the boat and the sideVu and clearVu provide 500 feet range around the boat. 

With the extra added power Garmin GT56 has a 500W power capacity. This extra power helps the clearVu, sideVu, and CHIRP sonar scanner provide much more accurate details about all the objects inside its radius. 

Garmin GT56 also includes transom and trolling motor mounts with the package. Its cable length is 25 feet and the number of pins is 12. The installation and mounting system are easier and faster with GT56. 

GT54 was a good product from Garmin but GT56 is even better when it comes to depth range, color quality, details, accuracy, and power. 

The objective of a transducer is to provide a sharp and clear image with great details of wider and deeper coverage areas. Garmin GT56 seems to pull all of them better than any other high-frequency transducer. 

Pros of Garmin GT56:

• UHD clear images
• Stronger performance with 500W power capacity
• High contrast vivid color palettes
• Extra depth and area range
• Multiple frequencies
• Extra cable 
• Transom and trolling motor

Cons of Garmin GT56:

The only con it has the extra price. But it’s worth the upgraded spec it delivers. 

GARMIN GT54 VS GT56- Which One Is Winner? 

If it’s my pick then Garmin GT56 is the ultimate winner. I will explain why.

GT56 performs better than GT54 in some of the cases and that is the reason it’s the winner even though it has an extra price tag. 

GT56 is larger in body length which. And whenever a transducer has a larger body, it provides a much cleaner and sharper image. 

GT56 has a 20% greater coverage range than GT54 both in-depth and side area. Which means less finding and more fishing. GT54 provides a range of 200 ft Clearview below the boat and 500 ft around the boat whereas GT56 provides Clearview up to 800 ft below the boat and 500 ft around the boat.

This puts the Gt56 ahead of the GT54 in a big way. GT54 depth range is good enough but what happens when you need a view of below 200 ft? That’s where GT56 comes like a pro.

GT56 has 7 more high contrast vivid color palettes than GT54. Which provides a much sharper and cleaner image.

GT56 has a 500W power capacity while GT54 has 350W. This extra power helps the GT56 to perform stronger and provide more details to the footage. 

These are the area where GT56 defeats the GT54. And these are the main things to consider while using a fish-finding transducer. More clarity and sharpness, more details, more depth range, and more power are the things angler needs while using a transducer to find fish underwater. 

So, even with the extra price tag GT56 is the ultimate winner here.

Conclusion

There are other great transducers available in the market but when it comes to Garmin-made transducer GT56 is the choice everyone should make. These are not self-made statements from me but are highly tested and proven by expert anglers.

Also, I have a few years of fishing experience, so I know a good transducer when I use one. You don’t have to believe all the on-paper specs, but believe the tested and proven words from experts. 

Now you can make a decision on battles between Garmin Gt54 Vs Gt56 hopefully.

Thank you for reading my article this far. I hope it solves the confusion you had about choosing the right one from these two transducers. Have a nice fishing journey. 

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Ayaan

Content Creator and researcher at Solvefishing

Hi, this is Ayaan. I have been fishing since I was a young boy. I love the outdoors and the peace that comes with being by the water.

Fishing is more than a hobby to me, it is a passion. I have learned much about fishing over the years, and I enjoy sharing my knowledge with others. I am happy to teach anyone who is interested in learning how to fish.

I love everything about fishing – the peace and tranquility of being out on the water, the challenge of trying to catch a big one, and the sense of accomplishment when I finally land a fish.

I love fishing because it is a way to connect with nature and escape everyday life’s hustle and bustle.

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