Garmin 4212 or Raymarine E120
Owning 11 boats I have had the pleasure and the pain of using many different types of electronics. With the advent of all-in-one systems there are plenty to choose from. Two of the most popular systems are built by Garmin and Raymarine.
GARMIN 4212. (I also run the 5212, which I believe is a better system than the 4212 because of the touch screen, but to be fair to the Raymarine I will compare the 4212.) The Garmin is a very dependable unit with as many options as a mariner would likely need. I have a radar, GPS, depth sounder, and XM weather/satellite radio installed. This was a very easy unit to install but it does take some planning and a basic sketch of where the under dash equipment goes.
I have used this system all over the United States. While there are waterways where the G2 Chip works well, San Diego is a very deep bay which makes it tough to justify the high price tag for this chip. The XM weather helped me in Louisiana and Key West as I was able to dodge weather systems while still getting work done. The XM radio is great and with a pair of basic computer speakers, music, sports, and news can make a long day on the water a lot nicer. Adding waypoints on the 4212 is very easy, though the routing is a little tough (but has a very small learning curve).
The Raymarine E120 is set up on three of my assist vessels. Like the Garmin, it is very dependable and always rock solid when we need it most, however you must purchase a chart chip for the area you will be boating in as the E120 is not preloaded with charts. Also, you need to buy the GPS antenna separately. As with the 4212, the E120’s radar, and depthsounder are both very dependable. Adding waypoints and routes are easy, with the route options being a little more intuitive than the Garmin’s.
I run mostly Raymarine systems on my boats. With three E120’s and three C80’s I have never had any major issues with any of the units, Garmin or Raymarine, (although it seemed like the Garmin was a little easier to install).
The Garmin also uses a more popular “SD” chip and works well with Map Source to transfer Waypoints from my laptop to the Garmin. Both units use Raymarine autopilots. West Marine sells both units and their electronics department would have more answers as far as the technical specifications go.
The Garmin 5212 is my favorite and it is amazing with it’s touch screen options but it cost more than the other two units.
For the money, my opinion is that the Garmin is a better deal. It is easier to install, already preloaded with sufficient charts, it comes with a GPS antenna, as well as great technical support. If you plan to install multiple units on your vessel I would suggest that you install one GPS antenna per unit. If for some reason you lose one unit due to malfunction or damage you can get home with the other. I had an object fall on the power cord on my 5212 breaking the outlet making it pretty tough to navigate back to the harbor since the GPS antenna was connected to that unit. I was able to change the cable to the 4212 to get in but since the unit comes with a GPS antenna it only makes sense to install it.