The catch
Garmin STRIKER Vivid 9sv
A narrow kayak console is a tight fit for a unit this large.
Side by side
It is a large side-imaging display against compact chart-card navigation.
Before you buy
STRIKER Vivid 9sv has about 35.7 square inches of display area and HELIX 5 CHIRP DI GPS G3 has about 11. The figures help you judge viewing distance and split-screen comfort.
Where this comes from
Assuming square pixels and the published diagonal, Area = diagonal² × horizontal pixels × vertical pixels ÷ (horizontal pixels² + vertical pixels²). The values are geometric estimates and not active-area measurements.
The catch
A narrow kayak console is a tight fit for a unit this large.
The catch
It has no way to scan sideways.


We may earn a commission from qualifying Amazon purchases. How we make money
STRIKER Vivid 9sv versus HELIX 5 CHIRP DI GPS G3 across included sonar, display workspace, chart support and the battery needs of your boat.
It is a large side-imaging display against compact chart-card navigation.
Which one fits
Different sonar jobs are handled by Garmin’s nine-inch SideVü package and HELIX’s five-inch Down Imaging package. The Garmin covers both sides and this HELIX model does not.
Listed chart cards work in HELIX. For all its larger screen, STRIKER gets no navigation-chart slot from its Quickdraw and waypoint functions.
The two displays share 800 × 480 pixels. Extra viewing area on the Garmin can help visibility from a larger cockpit, and the HELIX is easier to place near a kayak seat.
A nine-inch display has 3.24 times the area of a five-inch display at the same pixel aspect ratio. The pixel count is still 384000 on each.
In practice
STRIKER Vivid 9sv has about 35.7 square inches of display area and HELIX 5 CHIRP DI GPS G3 has about 11. The figures help you judge viewing distance and split-screen comfort.
Assuming square pixels and the published diagonal, Area = diagonal² × horizontal pixels × vertical pixels ÷ (horizontal pixels² + vertical pixels²). The values are geometric estimates and not active-area measurements.
Using the 102.4Wh working allowance, the published electrical point of STRIKER Vivid 9sv works out to about 11.4 hours and the HELIX 5 CHIRP DI GPS G3 point to 13.9 hours.
The assumption is 12.8V ×10Ah ×0.8 =102.4Wh usable for this device alone. At the published points, power is 0.75A ×12V =9W and 0.615A ×12V =7.4W. HELIX input is taken as 12V, since the draw specification leaves out the test voltage. Converter loss, temperature and battery aging are ignored. This is not a measured runtime comparison.
A nine-inch display has 3.24 times the area of a five-inch display at the same pixel aspect ratio. The pixel count is still 384000 on each.
9² ÷5² =3.24.800 ×480 =384000. This is about how the screen presents physically. It says nothing about how accurately it detects fish.

Garmin, STRIKER Vivid 9sv with GT52HW-TM
Its 9-inch display comes alongside a transducer in the named Amazon configuration.

Humminbird, HELIX 5 CHIRP DI GPS G3
In the named Amazon configuration, the 5-inch unit comes with a transducer.
Spec by spec
| Spec | Garmin STRIKER Vivid 9sv | Humminbird HELIX 5 CHIRP DI GPS G3 | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display diagonal | 9 inches | 5 inches | A bigger physical view helps if the unit is mounted farther from the seat. |
| Display technology | WVGA color | Color TFT | Check how it looks off-axis and through your polarized glasses. |
| Published electrical point | 0.75A at 12V | 0.615A at 12V | Size a battery using the stated conditions. The HELIX voltage is a nominal 12V assumption. |
| Included transducer | GT52HW-TM in the selected US bundle | XNT 9 HW DI T | The sonar modes and installation hardware you get depend on this exact bundle. |
| Side imaging | Included | Not included | A below-boat image cannot stand in for a left-right structure scan. |
| Chart-card path | No chart-card support | LakeMaster, CoastMaster and listed Navionics cards | Navigation chart cards are a different thing from GPS waypoints and self-recorded depth maps. |
| Personal mapping | Quickdraw Contours, 1ft contours | AutoChart Live, depth plus bottom hardness and vegetation | Fit the layers and contour display you need to the fishing task. |
Trade-offs
Change of plan
Go with Garmin STRIKER Vivid 9sv. Different sonar jobs are handled by Garmin’s nine-inch SideVü package and HELIX’s five-inch Down Imaging package. The Garmin covers both sides and this HELIX model does not.
Go with Humminbird HELIX 5 CHIRP DI GPS G3. Listed chart cards work in HELIX. For all its larger screen, STRIKER gets no navigation-chart slot from its Quickdraw and waypoint functions.
Decision guide
Pick the large side-imaging display, or pick compact chart-card navigation.
Different sonar jobs are handled by Garmin’s nine-inch SideVü package and HELIX’s five-inch Down Imaging package. The Garmin covers both sides and this HELIX model does not.
Listed chart cards work in HELIX. For all its larger screen, STRIKER gets no navigation-chart slot from its Quickdraw and waypoint functions.
The two displays share 800 × 480 pixels. Extra viewing area on the Garmin can help visibility from a larger cockpit, and the HELIX is easier to place near a kayak seat.
By the numbers
What we found across the fish finders we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Only 5 of the 23 models checked meet every need here: “Take in split screens at a glance” and “Scan to port and starboard”.
5 models fit, out of 23 checkedGarmin STRIKER Vivid 9sv lists 9 in for screen diagonal, 80% more than the 5 in on Humminbird HELIX 5 CHIRP DI GPS G3.
How we countedThe count uses each product's current fit ratings for “Take in split screens at a glance” and “Scan to port and starboard”. A need with no documented match is not counted.
How we calculatedFigures are the nominal screen diagonal. How easy it is to read still depends on resolution, brightness and viewing distance. For context, 16 of 23 models publish comparable figures.
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garmin STRIKER Vivid 9sv |
|
|
|
| Humminbird HELIX 5 CHIRP DI GPS G3 | None of these needs is a documented match |
|
|
Ready to buy
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.

SideVü included on a nine-inch display is what you need
See price & reviews on Amazon
Supported charts in the compact HELIX system are what you want
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
We may earn a commission from qualifying Amazon purchases. How we make money